It's often been remarked that ignorance of the Law is no excuse once an offense is committed. If this is true, then the Law becomes the only justifiable and sacred medium by which miscreants are punished or the blameless rewarded. So, how can Ghanaians escape the ever watchful eye of the Law? The answer is simple: through EDUCATION.
Education is "an experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feel, or act." The values, knowledge and truths imparted into learners either by formal (school) or informal (homes) means, has tremendous impact (often in the positive) on the way the learner relates to his or her society, friends and relatives-favorably or adversely.
When citizens become aware of the dangers their activity has on the environment, they would be mindful of how they pollute or endanger it. And when the Law is impartially enforced with offenders rightfully punished, many others will do the right thing. One disturbing observation is this: although students and the masses living in urban areas are sensitized by health organizations, teachers and the media on the need to avoid unnecessary pollution of the environment, the results is unsatisfactory. Pollution still goes on. It’s around our major cities and streets - with extremely bad smell from drains close to pedestrian pavements.
This situation is typical of the recent "George Walker Bush Highway" at Lapaz,also called the "N1 Highway". A drain beside the road emits grave and "infectious" smell. Most people pass by it "unconcerned" although they cover their nose.
Why do most Ghanaians show an "I Don't Care" attitude towards the clean and safeness of their surroundings? Could this be an attitudinal problem which cannot be changed or that the public's sensitization effort has not been fully absorbed? Well, there must be a way forward. Education and the Law can bring this change. Educational curricular must focus more on environmental studies. The Law must be stepped-up to unpardonably arrest and jail people who indiscriminately pollute surroundings with smoke, waste and toxic materials.
There is great hope and also great fear. Let us work out the great hope to achieve the clean, safe, and beautiful Ghana. The vehicle of change is only education. It has enlightened the minds of many nations to zealously work for a green and healthy society.
Ghanaians must be part of this crusade. People don’t want to cover noses or spit in the open. We must be each other’s caregiver- reporting perpetrators to authorities, who also must killfavouritism, nepotism, and sycophancy in order to deal rightfully with offenders.
The attitudes, social influences and perceptions, often in the negative, can be avoided through education. Education is the only way to change minds to achieve safe, clean and beautiful society. Government and citizens are involved to work out this big change.
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