SALVAGING GHANA.....

The ruling party, the National Democratic Party (NDC) and the biggest opposition party, National Patriotic Party (NPP) are by far the most prominent political parties of all times that the connoisseurs have even proposed the idea of a two-party state. These two parties are basically separated by their political ideologies i.e. the NDC believes that firms, organizations and the enterprises be state-owned whereas the NPP believes it should be owned by individuals.

However, what we see is that the state-owned corporations run down after a few years of their existence while the ones owned by individuals are sustained even during downturns in the economy. Is it that we do not have the men to manage these state-owned enterprises and corporations or it is just a matter of ‘3 tua wu y)nko hoa 3 tua dua hu’ to wit ‘if it has to do with your friend, it’s like that of a tree’. I want to believe that both parties have collectively failed us woefully as a nation.

Just recently, the leader of the opposition, NPP in a statement admonished the ruling government NDC to be mindful of how they go about borrowing from the Bretton Wood institutions and other donor countries, so as not to plunge the nation into another phase of a HIPC or to over-burden the generations to come, since our oil is being used for the mortgage of which the government owns only a 10% share. If these statements were pronounced with good intent, then it is in the right direction but if it was done with malice, to cast the ruling government in a bad light, then it has to be treated with the contempt it deserves.

It is not good to continue doing things that were done wrongly in the past by the successive governments hence the change from time to time to give them a chance to do the right thing but what did we see in the President Kufuor regime? They sold almost all of the state-owned enterprises because they do not believe in social democracy anyway. They sold the defunct Ghana Airways after poorly managing it and finally diversified it like the others before it, sold state lands, inflated contracts, awarded some to undeserving contractors and also took kickbacks. They also sold the Ghana Telecom and some few others. It is even disheartening to note that, these assets were sold out to their cronies. Apart from our debts that were cancelled as a result of the HIPC pact, they also borrowed so much to enrich themselves that some individuals even have to lend money from their own pockets to the nation and some also went to a hair salon to contract loans for us.

So much money was spent on projects that did not have direct impact on the citizenry such as the Jubilee house and the celebration of Ghana @50. So much money was wasted on branded caps and caps, T-shirts, series of parties and uncompleted toilets. And as if that was not insulting enough, we were told to go and feed on ‘kokonte’ and mangoes because we were a bunch of ‘lazy’ people. And all these while, where was the current leader of the opposition party who thinks borrowing now is a no-go area?

Then came 2008 and the NDC was voted into power to correct things and to fulfill their campaign promises but their posture gives us an impression of weak leadership as confirmed recently by Wikileaks cable. The president; the driver of the Yutong bus seem to have no particular destination in mind and only enjoying the drive without bearing. This has left the citizenry as confused as ever.

They started with committees which did not achieve their purposes like the Public Account Committees, the Ghana @50 committee and a whole lot of fact finding committees and till now, I cannot tell if they found any fact to prosecute some corrupt members of the past government as purported. They have lost a myriad of cases against some individuals and the opposition NPP.

A 3billion dollar loan have recently being approved to Ghana with our oil as a mortgage or collateral making 10billion in their almost three years into governance when the nation itself has only 10% shares in the oil revenue. What shall they use the money for one may ask; construction of roads perhaps. This 3billion dollar facility will be attracting an interest of GH¢100million monthly which sums up to GH¢1.2billion annually, which is about 35% of our aggregate exports, so we end up servicing the loan rather than paying off our debts  because the principal is still outstanding. And these loans will not be cleared in a long time to come because these donor countries do not have our interest at hear and will forever be a developing country if we keep going to them with cap in hand.

What are our leaders using the monies for? Methinks we have to hold them accountable. The NDC government increased the toll levy and accrues about GH¢120million annually as announced by the former transport Minister yet we still borrow colossal amounts of money. Is it that we do not have the men? Do we lack the expertise or it is simply an issue of attitude? Why are we not able to pay our debts? Is it that we do not use the money for the rightful purposes for which the money was borrowed? We want to see rapid transformation in architecture, development in all facets of our lives, technological changes and others.

We live in a nation where the majority always coerces the minority to assent to loan bills but takes offence when the minority asks for accountability. They just bicker among themselves and then the case dies. Is the money for the ruling government or for the state?

We have to change our attitudes towards the way we go about things in the nation championed by our leaders. We have to be selfless and transparent in our dealings. We are either undertaking expansion projects on our roads or constructing overpass. What we need is dutiful and diligent Policemen and women to direct traffic so as to avoid unnecessary traffic jams in town which gives us the impression that we rather need this roads expanded to meet the demands of these road users. We need traffic abiding with good motoring and skillful drivers to mitigate some of these problems, e.g. we do not need two-way traffics having about four lanes during rush hours. We do not need families or individuals mounting road blocks in the metropolis because they are either mourning or having a party thus putting pressure on the main roads. There is too much lawlessness and this must STOP!

Alternatively, if we change our attitudes and use the monies for their rightful purposes, we won’t need that much loan to help us solve our problems. Our leaders have to be proactive and stop the political gimmick and the ‘nkakabis3m’ they exhibit at the legislation sessions.

It is high time these leaders and all of us think of ourselves as solving just ONE problem; thus building mother Ghana regardless of your affiliation, creed, race, gender or color. We all are Ghanaians and have to help build it rather than fleecing it when we have the opportunity. Let us all come together in contributing our quota to propel Ghana to where it belongs.

THE WORD!!

I happened to attend an ICGC church today and it was cool. I cannot recall the last time it dawned on me to go to church, but throughout the week, I had the urge to attend one and was hastily counting down to Sunday so I could go fellowship with any ‘cool’ church since I did not even know which one to attend. It was so because we now have a proliferation of churches around, like the space-to-space joints, with funny, funny names and suspicious characters who parades as Pastors, Reverends and all kind of self-appointed names.

All too soon it was Sunday and I started feeling reluctant to go to church but after a little deliberation, I told myself I will have to attend today’s church against all odds, regardless of who is preaching or not, all I wanted was to be in the house of the LORD, so I went. As soon as I got there, everybody was looking at me to my chagrin but it wasn’t the first time I was being faced by curious and an expectant crowd so I was finally ushered to sit somewhere. Even that was dramatic because they did not know where to direct me to, all the ushers were confused as to if I should sit at the back, with the ladies, at the front or even where the elders sat, so I ignored all of them and made myself comfortable.

The late comer that I was, the pastor had already started preaching so I decided to listen aptly to what was left of his message, after all it was not the first time I was about to listen to the word of GOD. The pastor preached powerfully that I was awakened and decided to share what I heard with all of you especially those who mind. I will just try as much as possible to just write or say it the way he delivered, almost verbatim because am actually reporting.

He said “if you don’t create a good future for yourself, you will regret it so it is necessary we design a purposeful future”.  There is no limitation to what u can become, all you require is a vision, a dream which will intend give you direction. You need a realistic and an achievable goal or vision as stated in Habakkuk 2:2-3.

The size of your dream must be very big and international, Instead of feeling limited to your locality.” My mom could not afford my school fees”, “we are poor”, ‘I can’t do it’ are mostly what clouts our thoughts thus impeding our efforts, thereby creating a barrier between us and our dreams. Many are depending on you to move on so you can’t fail. If you don’t have a vision, you’ll end up working for those who have vision.

You have to also build a capacity because your skills determine where you work and sometimes who you work with; though debatable it is true to an extent. Preparing for an opportunity is a necessity because when preparation meets opportunity, it becomes graceful and a favor.

He continued to admonish us to cultivate the habit of a finisher. It is not just enough to start. Everybody can start anything but having the spirit and the ability to accomplish it, is what distinguishes you from the lot and yes, you are the chosen one to accomplish whatever it is your family has started, whatever it is your community has started, whatever it is the nation and the world at large has started. Our leaders have failed us so you are the promised one to lead your community out of the doldrums.

Finally, forget the past because it has the potential to pull you down. It is a new day and nothing is late, so start from where you are and you will be a testimony unto others. May God bless all of us to be shining lights in our various corners.  Somebody say Amen!!