The term “frontline workers” often conjures images of health line workers in their apparel as well as the major security services in their uniform.
But during the coronavirus outbreak, workers across a vast array of industries have found themselves essential parts of the machine that has kept the country in motion, required to do their jobs despite great risk.
Many have heaped praises on our health line workers, the security services, and the media for their yeoman’s job in the fight against this pandemic.
However, some essential workers like the public transport operators locally known as ‘Trotro’ drivers and their conductors widely called ‘Mates’ efforts to transport commuters in the heat on the outbreak have been overlooked by almost all higher authorities with no mention of recognition.
‘Tro-Tro’ is a local term for any minibus in Ghana, that trip short to semi-long distances as ‘share taxis’. As share taxis, Ghanaian ‘Tro-Tro’ run in between specific destinations with passengers alighting at designated or assumed bus stops, while others get on board. And that is where the risks lie.
High-risk service
But their efforts have caught the eyes of Environmentalist and renowned Educationalist, Nana Dwomoh Sarpong who has lauded their “high risk” services to mother Ghana amid the outbreak of new Coronavirus, COVID-19.
Heroes
He described the drivers and their mates as “Heroes” who must not be forgotten for their exceptional services to the country.
“These people [Drivers and mates] are highly exposed to the virus because they pick up passengers and drop some off intermittently; they exchange monies with passengers always. They might not know who carries the virus or not, yet have remained dedicated to their job from day one,” he told Peacefmonline.com in an interview
Rooting for you
Nana Dwomoh Sarpong, who is also the Chairman of the Board Radford University College, added that “Words are not enough to thank them for their strength, courage, and dedication. Being on the frontline isn’t easy, but it is very much appreciated. Stay safe, I’m rooting for you.”
Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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Is this man Nana Dwomoh Sarpong around? Very surprised to hear him again. I quite remember he was once upon a time a great defender and protector of our rivers and water bodies to the extent that he was always at loggerheads with the environmental authorities over their neglect of our rivers. He was very vocal and a strong advocate against pollution of our water bodies to the extent that scarcely a day passed by without hearing him complaining bitterly the pollution of our water bodies and destruction of marine lives. One cannot tell whether he went into hibernation when illegal mining reached its peak under the watch of Professor Frempong Boateng with its attendance loss of over 500 excavators and vehicles. One cannot tell whether he was also a beneficiary of the illegal mining. Welcome back Nana. Let's hear from you again.
Let them stay at home and we see what they will eat! Governments after governments have drafted policies of exclusivity that completely alienated them and that is why their heroics aren't even recognized, less to talk of getting mentioned. These two uusless parties(NPP/NDC) are more concerned about winning power and promoting their import businesses than bringing development to and providing opportunities for all citizens. The other day Ken Agyapong was bragging about having imported over a 167 containers worth of goods into the country; and waiting to clear and sell to make money because his love is money! Another way of saying it is that he just outsourced jobs that should have come to Ghana graduates yet he is selling those products to unemployed masses of graduates who may not be able to afford his goods, an interesting irony! It marvels me that governments are not able to see the symbiotic relationship between job creation and revenue generation and mobilization for development! You don't even need to be an economist to pull off that one! I bet they know that but out of greed and their quest to sustain their import businesses they all turn blind eye to the issue of unemployment and only pay lip service to the canker. Unfortunately, we cannot wish the problem away: we need strategic, pragmatic, concrete, courageous and even painful but necessary measures to address the canker. I say painful because it would mean a disruption of the status quo which would inevitably hurt a few for the benefits of many. This will require getting used to like any change process.