Senior citizens express worry over deaths during political activities

Senior citizens in the Upper West Region have expressed concern over the deaths and maiming of the youth through motor accidents during visits of political party leaders and other political activities.

They said the region had been experiencing untold causalities emanating from careless and reckless riding of motorbikes during such visits and called for the institution of measures to halt the trend.

The senior citizens said if the trend was allowed to continue it would not only inflict pain on parents but could have an impact on the critical and valuable human resources of the region.

They raised this concern at the Upper West Region’s edition of the “Senior Citizens’ Day” celebration to mark this year’s Ghana’s Republic Day at the weekend.

The pensioners called on political party leaders to take it upon themselves to educate their supporters to be disciplined on the road when they are attending political activities or ushering in their party leaders to their communities.

They also called on parents to counsel the youth to be careful on the road during political activities saying “one needs to be alive to be able to vote”.

Some of the pensioners also complained about low pension allowances and called on government to raise the pension allowances to the daily minimum wage level to help improve their living conditions.

“Some of us are receiving below GH¢100 as pension allowances which is inadequate to keep our soul and body together”, they said, adding that government must do sometime about our plight.

Alhaji Amidu Sulemana, Upper West Regional Minister who addressed the pensioners, acknowledged the contributions they made towards the development of the nation.

He appealed to them to continue to inculcate the spirit of nation building, self sacrifice and dedication to duty as well as discipline, hard work and the sense of belonging in the youth.

Source: GNA