Everything is by the will and grace of the Ultimate Source. "In all things give thanks."
Give thanks in all you do. My M.O and routine is pray, prepare, eat, work, pray, celebrate, reach out, pray and rest! If you don't know that, you don't know me well.
Love yourself. And love God (the Ultimate Source). How? You love God by honouring His name and his ways all the time. And in honouring God's ways you love your neighbour as yourself. Not more; not less. That's been my M.O and routine for a long time now. And I'm not self-righteous. I relate to everone and everything with experience, knowledge and understanding.
People of the mass media generally show and tell stories that will pay their bills. And like that powers that be they are against people who have propensity of diverting attentions in ways other than theirs. I don't hate them. We can work together. But only on the premise that I remain me and air my content without selling out my soul or dumbing down.
In the 70's and 80's when Fela Anikulapo Kuti was chanting down Babylon system prevalent in Nigeria (and black Africa) and re-awakening consciousness of the black man to the politics of the times, most of the top contemporaries were mostly playing celebration music and swivelling their waists on stages just for money all over the place.
You know of him because he became a superstar. Obviously he wasn't the superstar of everyone. And not many had the courage and resolve to show him support in his times of need.
To most of the world he was a free radical. And the kind your "momma warns you about". Regardless he made positive impacts on his people and many opressed and/or hopeless peoples all over the world.
I speak out not to get "fans" like you. I speak out because I feel it's the right thing with my conscience to do. And someone can pick something from what I say and resonate with it or run with it toward success.
If my thought inspires someone or inspires someone who inspires someone at the top to cause positive change for massive societal benefit whether today or tomorrow, Touchè! I don't expect any compensations from any human for my outright charity.
I'm not perfect, I still have a long way to go in a lot of things. But if I lived my life for myself alone, it wouldn't have been really worth living. My life has to impact someone positively. My works and my words. And when all giving to me to share is finished and the higher call comes, no need to ask for more, I must gladly go in peace.
Worshipping isn't all we came to do as humans. The angels do a better job. God doesn't need us, we need God. And worship is a depiction of respect based on which God hears our innermost pleas. Beyond worship and religion, we all owe our families and society some duties and legacy.
They say "do something before you die". It sounds funny but that's deep. We all owe families and society duties and a legacy. When we are dead and gone, it's our works, words and consistent actions that will form our legacy.
I may have money. I broke pass. But I'm wealthy. I'm immaterially rich. And I'm glad to share what I can when I can. I guess I'm quite generous in spirit. Hopefully the material wealth too will flow.
I started not today. If you know you know.
I'm not perfect. But hopefully I will get close. As I'm always willing to learn, vim dey. Hopefully the world will know my name and remember me even many generations after.
Oh, my posts disturb you? I know I talk a lot. And often it gets windy. It's just often too much on my mind to say and too little time for me and for you. Yes, indeed I lack the precision to get them encapsulated in sublime summaries. Still learning. But wait do my contents or my style disturb you?
I'm sorry, I can't apologise for not fitting your stereotype. I am me. And I love to stay out of the box. Tune out anytime you want. And if you tune back in, you are always welcome. Either way, I'm straight.
I'm on a glorious path. And I could be happier.
Of course I have my challenges too and some headaches. The choice to sift the jewels from all the bull$#%+ and share with the world without expectation of adequate compensation is a beautiful one. That's pure from the heart. Whether you believe it or not, that's the mark of true greatness.
No fear! Greatness lies beyond the flesh! And God is the greatest!
Sunday, May 3, 2020
Thursday, April 30, 2020
Is NADAA "Corrupt"?
"Corrupt" appears to be a word highly overrated in the integrity evaluation of public office holders, most especially politicians. At the core of every human fabric there is a fragment of corruption. So even the noisy self-righteous attackers have corruptions of their own to deal with. Chairman Rawlings has his own corruptions to address just as Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo.
Corruption literally means “rot” or “decay”. But it has been used in mass media so often for many decades only to describe public office holders and only in cases of bribery, fraud, embezzlement, financial impropriety and abuse of office (power).
Beyond the rots listed above, there are many others such as jealousy, backchat , blackmail, false propaganda, greed, deception, illicit sex, double-crossing and sabotage just to get to the top. And lets not forget sorcery, idol worship, blood sacrifices prevalent in public institutions. It's all corruption. And for the most part when many people attain their desired positions they exhibit nepotism, favouritism, arrogance and wickedness.
For some parts the corruption of their position are “kill or be killed” , “divide and conquer” and “create, loot and share” and they don't mind assassinating, to enjoy their loot, freedom or peace.
It is a shame the extent of corruption in the world of public administration and politics. And most of our notable public leaders are culprit of almost all of the corruptions listed above. Nevertheless some of the corruptions are even found in private lives.
It is not so much whether one is corrupt or not but how much they are in. Because everyone is corrupt with one weakness or another.
Some of us may not be so corrupt in doing the above mentioned. But we may have be exceeding speed limits, jumping queues, evading tax, underpaying staff and servicemen, evading tithes and Zakats, and engaging in petty lies and gossips and show of anger and disrespect from time to time. And even sages and Gurus can err. So we ought to reconsider the word "corrupt" the next time we tag someone. As was said in the Bible "let he who has not sinned cast the first stone".
By the time we complete introspection about all that is corruption, we will realize that every one of us as humans has broken a law or a code of state, society, religion and/or the universe before.
Even at old ages we may think, speak or act in a certain way that is wrong. Legally that could be a crime, ethically that is a sin. And if we shall go by the Abrahamic scriptures we are all sinners, each of us. And its only by the Grace of God, we that we are saved and made perfect. Yet only God is absolutely perfect. So the most we can become is excellent (near perfect. Hehe).
Relatively some of us are more corrupt than others. Thus having a combination of too much rot in them. So to me, it sounds unfairly subjective and even hypocritical to hear people labelling others as “corrupt” without putting them in context or comparing them in their specific actions to others.
As children everyone makes mistakes. That makes life a bit more fun. And for the fun some just people refuse. As we grow older, acquire more knowledge and training we are expected to mature in character and to be less and less corrupt. With the exception of aged living in senility everyone in their right mind is expected to function up rightly especially in public as the codes of that society demands. That is the way of society and religion as I have come to know it. You disagree?
I find it almost unthinkable like you would to see or hear an old and gray person make absolutely irresponsible statements or act absolutely irresponsibly while in their right mind. Unless it's in their nature or they are encountering mental challenges I do not expect an old man to exhibit high degrees of corruption. That's a bad signal for posterity but unfortunately that the the "normal" we are faced with. A nation's first gentleman is expected to be the noblest of all especially at an old age.
Is Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo (NADAA) corrupt?
I would sadly say he is “very corrupt”. And that is in comparison to Prof, J. E A Millis O.B.M. and even perhaps John Dramani Mahama. But whether J. A Kuffuor and J.J Rawlings could be more corrupt than him, "I can't best tell" (like my Northern friends say).
Our country has witnessed many corrupt leaders I lost all hope till I decided to vote in 2012. Why did I think our leaders were corrupt? I knew people who knew them. And I researched a lot. Often the good (noble) and brutally honest die very young. I learned to not just take political events to be random in evaluating my political leaders.
First of all I believe Egya Atta was killed just like Ex. Predident Arkaah, for political reasons and some public high-ups would have had fore-knowledge of his imminent death. Could it have been some rot he didn't condone?
From the Osu Castle just like the Flag Staff House there were so many stories of party sponsors, cronies and girlfriends of politicians trooping out regularly with “Ghana Must Go” bags full of cash since the time of Ex. President Rawlings.
(That’s at least from when “my eyes opened" to life. Hehe. I know right? I’m a small boy: an 80’s kid. Don’t mind me).
So much corruption went on in Rawlings’ era I don’t need to go into now. And that was for a long spell. And when Kuffuor came in, he also did some good things (phenomenal things) but before he declared Ghana HIPC and then sold our assets, chopped and carried the monies ‘waawaa’ with his people. And on top of that Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Foreign Affairs were torched. I guess it’s his guts and wits Rawlings just can’t understand. Them all!
The "zero tolerance to corruption" mantra in the time of President Kuffuor sounded mischievous to me back then. And doesn't it? They are not God. They were far more corrupt with state resources than President Rawlings' government in 16 years or so after Limman. But in other things, as my northern friends nuance “I can’t best tell”.
I was enchanted by his personality while he was minister for foreign affairs and attorney general and minister for justice (or something like that) under Kuffuor. I was wowed when I heard he had decided to forgo his salaries while serving the state. And I felt "that is the true statesman Ghana needs".
I saw all I could of his passions at his job displayed on TV and in newspapers. “I feel am”! And said to myself, even if he chops he will do more for Ghana. After all in Nkrumah’s time Krobo Adusei and co chopped so much of Ghana’s money and diverted our assets yet Nkrumah was selfless. And I’m still a bad boy in a lot of ways, so regardless of Akuffo Addo’s “bad boy” past he could still be a great man for president. (I’m not intent on glorifying corruption by the way). I still like him.
Fast forward 2008 I saw in Jareth Merz's "An African Election" his struggle and humility to go to seek advice from Ex. President Rawlings. And I felt so bad for him knowing how good he was as a person and professional in a wild world of politics. Well its later I heard from sources who had known him personally he was often extremely rude and arrogant. Well he is human too.
I just saw a fluent, intelligent and selfless lawyer who seen everything in life and is willing and ready to sacrifice the rest of his life for my motherland, Ghana. And he had cut his teeth. Even today, it wouldn’t have mattered to me the rumours. I didn’t vote that time because I felt it was a waste of time and besides I wasn’t certain.
I voted for him in 2012 when he was exceedingly tagged by the media “arrogant” and “hungry to replace his family wealth he had lost in previous campaigns”. And in the second round I held back from voting again because I was drawn to vote for Egya Atta. I felt kind of confused. So I stepped back to get clarity.
I'm a completely neutral floating voter. I choose the integrity and width of an aspirant’s personality, experience and his message I have scanned myself over rumours about them and their party colours.
(The pain that triggers this reflection is I feel foolish for believing NADAA’s deception to vote him in 2016 only to do so little since and even worse and upset in 2020, in a Pandemic he makes more promises.)
2016 felt like Nana's last shot at the Presidency because he was going the limit 3 times on his party’s ticket. And comparing JM’s age, if NADAA won he would have only eight years to be a President, after which inevitably JM will be President again if he’s alive. And I wished to see what NADAA too could do for Ghana, giving all his passion and struggles and promises and above all his experience and wisdom at that age. So yes I voted for Nana Addo and Carlos with full vim. I was being somehow over-sentimental. I didn’t think they will disappoint so.
Now fast forward to 2020, it turns out NADAA, my Messiah, has taken more loans and sold more national assets to foreigners than any of his predecessors in 3 years. Yet his main campaign message was "Ghana Beyond Aid" and “Believe in Ghana Again (or something like that).
I didn’t expect him to do just what our father Kuffuor did and even worse after such inspiration. And on top of that he has caused so much financial losses to the state. And he has created and vacated positions virtually only for his party confidants and his clan folk. And then there are fraudulent software contracts, the PDS takeover, petroleum contracts, bauxite concessions and even gold mines etc. The list goes on. So much money must have directed to foreign offshore accounts by these "elite criminals". And yet there are so many government housing, schools and hospital projects discontinued and uncompleted. All under his watch?
He has caused so many people to lose monies and businesses all behind the selfish schemes of his cousin Ofori Atta. And also the “Planting for Food and Jobs” as well as One District One Factory credits from EXIM Bank are not given by his appointees solely on merits but on popularity in party basis. And even that the factories that exist are only a marginal fraction of what he promised Ghanaians. And the painful inevitable is most beneficiaries won't pay back.
Putting aside all his corrupt governance prior to COVID-19, in a Pandemic time as such why not just share some of our own money with us genuinely like a true Messiah President? Why make the physical cash reliefs, loans which will corrupt people unpaid? And obviously, majority will not pay back. He will have gotten the votes either way? Or? (Anyway).
So in a time of COVID -19 Pandemic, when Ghanaians are almost out of hope and in fear, is it the best time for the President to come on national television to do propaganda? Isn’t it an unfair advantage for him to come on TV to downplay news of police and military brutality while promising hospitals to begin construction in 2020 which he promised years ago and then say his opponents shouldn't campaign till after lockdown?
And why still promise 94 hospitals to commence construction in his last year when he hasn't even done 20 so far? Doesn’t it sound like just politics of deception all over again? Well he may have learned that voters like to vote on sweet talks and dream even if they are part exaggerated and part plain lies. I didn’t think he will do that at his age. (Anyway).
Why wouldn’t he rather complete 20 hospitals before December genuinely in response to the Pandemic as quarantine centers for isolation, monitoring and testing and treatment of possible COVID-19 cases that the prevailing centers in the country cannot contain or may come in after KIA, seaports and borders are opened?
Indeed, the President has failed Ghanaians for not taking proactive measures. And he should be apologizing and be telling us the truths about the treatments going on and what will really happen practically.
May be because of Free SHS, some roads and the Pandemic reliefs many Ghanaians may forgive him and vote for him together with his loyal NPP supporters. He will win anyeays. But to keep throwing dust into eyes? It’s sad.
Whether he wins or loses in the next election I won't go stand for hours and que up to vote and be crashed again like this. Not again. Politicians? Smh. But I will always pray for my President and for Ghana. But specially for him as I do for myself. Self love. And then Neighbour Love. Hehe.
I am glad he now telecasts the Lockdown Update Addresses much earlier now, he has given free water and halved electricity bills and among other things he has commissioned research and development by Nugochi Institute and others and has even granted Tobinco a 5 million dollar deal (or something like that).
It looks promising our nearest future to cater for our own health, possibly with natural treatments. And may be Madagascar’s breakthrough will impact us here in Ghana also positively and give us some respite in the hysteria of synthetic cures and vaccines from the West and China. He is a good man too. A father. But his rot is too much for his age. We all need to pray for him to be better. He is human like everyone.
In the end, posterity will judge us all. We better do right. And give them a great legacy. Right thought, right talk and right action. And we must all truly live up to the tenets of being ‘Honourable” and “Excellency” when we choose that path.
It’s very vital for us all to remember in this time and beyond that, “everyone has once been a child before but no one has ever been old.” And “it is human to err. And it's nomal to mess up once in a while. But it's evil for humans to remain in error, knowingly”.
I'm no Guru. But this much I know is true. Each one of us humans, Fellow Ghanaians, has a form and degree of corruption to deal with in their lives before aging weary and death. But not everyone will correct their errors and become upright and noble in a lot things before transitioning from this plane. Perhaps some may have to return countless times.
May God help us all to become righteous and remain truly excellent and noble even in our prime! Fellow Ghanaians, our President is only human. Let's pray for him, call him to order when he compromises his integrity and that of our nation and support him to lead us well into glory.
Everyone is corrupt. And everyone is righteous. It's just the kinds and degrees that differ.
God bless us all. Peace!
Corruption literally means “rot” or “decay”. But it has been used in mass media so often for many decades only to describe public office holders and only in cases of bribery, fraud, embezzlement, financial impropriety and abuse of office (power).
Beyond the rots listed above, there are many others such as jealousy, backchat , blackmail, false propaganda, greed, deception, illicit sex, double-crossing and sabotage just to get to the top. And lets not forget sorcery, idol worship, blood sacrifices prevalent in public institutions. It's all corruption. And for the most part when many people attain their desired positions they exhibit nepotism, favouritism, arrogance and wickedness.
For some parts the corruption of their position are “kill or be killed” , “divide and conquer” and “create, loot and share” and they don't mind assassinating, to enjoy their loot, freedom or peace.
It is a shame the extent of corruption in the world of public administration and politics. And most of our notable public leaders are culprit of almost all of the corruptions listed above. Nevertheless some of the corruptions are even found in private lives.
It is not so much whether one is corrupt or not but how much they are in. Because everyone is corrupt with one weakness or another.
Some of us may not be so corrupt in doing the above mentioned. But we may have be exceeding speed limits, jumping queues, evading tax, underpaying staff and servicemen, evading tithes and Zakats, and engaging in petty lies and gossips and show of anger and disrespect from time to time. And even sages and Gurus can err. So we ought to reconsider the word "corrupt" the next time we tag someone. As was said in the Bible "let he who has not sinned cast the first stone".
By the time we complete introspection about all that is corruption, we will realize that every one of us as humans has broken a law or a code of state, society, religion and/or the universe before.
Even at old ages we may think, speak or act in a certain way that is wrong. Legally that could be a crime, ethically that is a sin. And if we shall go by the Abrahamic scriptures we are all sinners, each of us. And its only by the Grace of God, we that we are saved and made perfect. Yet only God is absolutely perfect. So the most we can become is excellent (near perfect. Hehe).
Relatively some of us are more corrupt than others. Thus having a combination of too much rot in them. So to me, it sounds unfairly subjective and even hypocritical to hear people labelling others as “corrupt” without putting them in context or comparing them in their specific actions to others.
As children everyone makes mistakes. That makes life a bit more fun. And for the fun some just people refuse. As we grow older, acquire more knowledge and training we are expected to mature in character and to be less and less corrupt. With the exception of aged living in senility everyone in their right mind is expected to function up rightly especially in public as the codes of that society demands. That is the way of society and religion as I have come to know it. You disagree?
I find it almost unthinkable like you would to see or hear an old and gray person make absolutely irresponsible statements or act absolutely irresponsibly while in their right mind. Unless it's in their nature or they are encountering mental challenges I do not expect an old man to exhibit high degrees of corruption. That's a bad signal for posterity but unfortunately that the the "normal" we are faced with. A nation's first gentleman is expected to be the noblest of all especially at an old age.
Is Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo (NADAA) corrupt?
I would sadly say he is “very corrupt”. And that is in comparison to Prof, J. E A Millis O.B.M. and even perhaps John Dramani Mahama. But whether J. A Kuffuor and J.J Rawlings could be more corrupt than him, "I can't best tell" (like my Northern friends say).
Our country has witnessed many corrupt leaders I lost all hope till I decided to vote in 2012. Why did I think our leaders were corrupt? I knew people who knew them. And I researched a lot. Often the good (noble) and brutally honest die very young. I learned to not just take political events to be random in evaluating my political leaders.
First of all I believe Egya Atta was killed just like Ex. Predident Arkaah, for political reasons and some public high-ups would have had fore-knowledge of his imminent death. Could it have been some rot he didn't condone?
From the Osu Castle just like the Flag Staff House there were so many stories of party sponsors, cronies and girlfriends of politicians trooping out regularly with “Ghana Must Go” bags full of cash since the time of Ex. President Rawlings.
(That’s at least from when “my eyes opened" to life. Hehe. I know right? I’m a small boy: an 80’s kid. Don’t mind me).
So much corruption went on in Rawlings’ era I don’t need to go into now. And that was for a long spell. And when Kuffuor came in, he also did some good things (phenomenal things) but before he declared Ghana HIPC and then sold our assets, chopped and carried the monies ‘waawaa’ with his people. And on top of that Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Foreign Affairs were torched. I guess it’s his guts and wits Rawlings just can’t understand. Them all!
The "zero tolerance to corruption" mantra in the time of President Kuffuor sounded mischievous to me back then. And doesn't it? They are not God. They were far more corrupt with state resources than President Rawlings' government in 16 years or so after Limman. But in other things, as my northern friends nuance “I can’t best tell”.
I was enchanted by his personality while he was minister for foreign affairs and attorney general and minister for justice (or something like that) under Kuffuor. I was wowed when I heard he had decided to forgo his salaries while serving the state. And I felt "that is the true statesman Ghana needs".
I saw all I could of his passions at his job displayed on TV and in newspapers. “I feel am”! And said to myself, even if he chops he will do more for Ghana. After all in Nkrumah’s time Krobo Adusei and co chopped so much of Ghana’s money and diverted our assets yet Nkrumah was selfless. And I’m still a bad boy in a lot of ways, so regardless of Akuffo Addo’s “bad boy” past he could still be a great man for president. (I’m not intent on glorifying corruption by the way). I still like him.
Fast forward 2008 I saw in Jareth Merz's "An African Election" his struggle and humility to go to seek advice from Ex. President Rawlings. And I felt so bad for him knowing how good he was as a person and professional in a wild world of politics. Well its later I heard from sources who had known him personally he was often extremely rude and arrogant. Well he is human too.
I just saw a fluent, intelligent and selfless lawyer who seen everything in life and is willing and ready to sacrifice the rest of his life for my motherland, Ghana. And he had cut his teeth. Even today, it wouldn’t have mattered to me the rumours. I didn’t vote that time because I felt it was a waste of time and besides I wasn’t certain.
I voted for him in 2012 when he was exceedingly tagged by the media “arrogant” and “hungry to replace his family wealth he had lost in previous campaigns”. And in the second round I held back from voting again because I was drawn to vote for Egya Atta. I felt kind of confused. So I stepped back to get clarity.
I'm a completely neutral floating voter. I choose the integrity and width of an aspirant’s personality, experience and his message I have scanned myself over rumours about them and their party colours.
(The pain that triggers this reflection is I feel foolish for believing NADAA’s deception to vote him in 2016 only to do so little since and even worse and upset in 2020, in a Pandemic he makes more promises.)
2016 felt like Nana's last shot at the Presidency because he was going the limit 3 times on his party’s ticket. And comparing JM’s age, if NADAA won he would have only eight years to be a President, after which inevitably JM will be President again if he’s alive. And I wished to see what NADAA too could do for Ghana, giving all his passion and struggles and promises and above all his experience and wisdom at that age. So yes I voted for Nana Addo and Carlos with full vim. I was being somehow over-sentimental. I didn’t think they will disappoint so.
Now fast forward to 2020, it turns out NADAA, my Messiah, has taken more loans and sold more national assets to foreigners than any of his predecessors in 3 years. Yet his main campaign message was "Ghana Beyond Aid" and “Believe in Ghana Again (or something like that).
I didn’t expect him to do just what our father Kuffuor did and even worse after such inspiration. And on top of that he has caused so much financial losses to the state. And he has created and vacated positions virtually only for his party confidants and his clan folk. And then there are fraudulent software contracts, the PDS takeover, petroleum contracts, bauxite concessions and even gold mines etc. The list goes on. So much money must have directed to foreign offshore accounts by these "elite criminals". And yet there are so many government housing, schools and hospital projects discontinued and uncompleted. All under his watch?
He has caused so many people to lose monies and businesses all behind the selfish schemes of his cousin Ofori Atta. And also the “Planting for Food and Jobs” as well as One District One Factory credits from EXIM Bank are not given by his appointees solely on merits but on popularity in party basis. And even that the factories that exist are only a marginal fraction of what he promised Ghanaians. And the painful inevitable is most beneficiaries won't pay back.
Putting aside all his corrupt governance prior to COVID-19, in a Pandemic time as such why not just share some of our own money with us genuinely like a true Messiah President? Why make the physical cash reliefs, loans which will corrupt people unpaid? And obviously, majority will not pay back. He will have gotten the votes either way? Or? (Anyway).
So in a time of COVID -19 Pandemic, when Ghanaians are almost out of hope and in fear, is it the best time for the President to come on national television to do propaganda? Isn’t it an unfair advantage for him to come on TV to downplay news of police and military brutality while promising hospitals to begin construction in 2020 which he promised years ago and then say his opponents shouldn't campaign till after lockdown?
And why still promise 94 hospitals to commence construction in his last year when he hasn't even done 20 so far? Doesn’t it sound like just politics of deception all over again? Well he may have learned that voters like to vote on sweet talks and dream even if they are part exaggerated and part plain lies. I didn’t think he will do that at his age. (Anyway).
Why wouldn’t he rather complete 20 hospitals before December genuinely in response to the Pandemic as quarantine centers for isolation, monitoring and testing and treatment of possible COVID-19 cases that the prevailing centers in the country cannot contain or may come in after KIA, seaports and borders are opened?
Indeed, the President has failed Ghanaians for not taking proactive measures. And he should be apologizing and be telling us the truths about the treatments going on and what will really happen practically.
May be because of Free SHS, some roads and the Pandemic reliefs many Ghanaians may forgive him and vote for him together with his loyal NPP supporters. He will win anyeays. But to keep throwing dust into eyes? It’s sad.
Whether he wins or loses in the next election I won't go stand for hours and que up to vote and be crashed again like this. Not again. Politicians? Smh. But I will always pray for my President and for Ghana. But specially for him as I do for myself. Self love. And then Neighbour Love. Hehe.
I am glad he now telecasts the Lockdown Update Addresses much earlier now, he has given free water and halved electricity bills and among other things he has commissioned research and development by Nugochi Institute and others and has even granted Tobinco a 5 million dollar deal (or something like that).
It looks promising our nearest future to cater for our own health, possibly with natural treatments. And may be Madagascar’s breakthrough will impact us here in Ghana also positively and give us some respite in the hysteria of synthetic cures and vaccines from the West and China. He is a good man too. A father. But his rot is too much for his age. We all need to pray for him to be better. He is human like everyone.
In the end, posterity will judge us all. We better do right. And give them a great legacy. Right thought, right talk and right action. And we must all truly live up to the tenets of being ‘Honourable” and “Excellency” when we choose that path.
It’s very vital for us all to remember in this time and beyond that, “everyone has once been a child before but no one has ever been old.” And “it is human to err. And it's nomal to mess up once in a while. But it's evil for humans to remain in error, knowingly”.
I'm no Guru. But this much I know is true. Each one of us humans, Fellow Ghanaians, has a form and degree of corruption to deal with in their lives before aging weary and death. But not everyone will correct their errors and become upright and noble in a lot things before transitioning from this plane. Perhaps some may have to return countless times.
May God help us all to become righteous and remain truly excellent and noble even in our prime! Fellow Ghanaians, our President is only human. Let's pray for him, call him to order when he compromises his integrity and that of our nation and support him to lead us well into glory.
Everyone is corrupt. And everyone is righteous. It's just the kinds and degrees that differ.
God bless us all. Peace!
Tuesday, April 28, 2020
GHANA CEDI??.. WE'RE ALL SCREWED!
For many decades now, Ghana goes to buy Ghanaian Cedis from note factories abroad. And as the norm suggests we pay our current producers, De La Rue, in the United Kingdom in British Pounds. Why?
Rather than transferring service payments in Pounds from government offshore accounts to De La Rue why don't we pay in some of the Cedis they produce for us?
Strangely, from the President and BOG Governor down to 'Bra Mate', just about everyone calls our currency "Ghana Cedis" instead of "Ghanaian Cedis" Who instructed that our currency be labeled that? It defies logic. Such a shame.
The name of Ghana's currency is a subject I touched on briefly some 7 years ago on Facebook and I didn't get much comments on my wall for. But I know from experience not to always expect direct feedback.
Of course not everyone wants to show they relate to what one says online everytime. Direct feedback and appreciation or not one should revel in the impact they make on the collective consciousness just by sharing a piece of themselves and their knowledge. It will be a great delight to one day see a positive change in how most Ghanaians will view and refer to the Ghanaian Cedi.
Getting back to the outsourcing bit of our promissory notes production it's been always designed and printed overseas (Germany, France etc and back to the UK). And on top of the high production cost, we pay so much to transport the promissory papers into our country before distributing them to our banks. Each time we require a new range of bills or additional stock we go through the same cycle over and over, ie. go abroad to design and print and transport overseas home.
I always ask myself this: "why would a government drain a national treasury to outsource and pay so much when we can buy the machines and technology and own it for life to print our money at a much cheaper cost like many advanced nations do? Is it that we don't trust our excellence in ingenuity and security as black people or Ghanaians?
More painful to think about this disease of us relying on foreigners for everything we use is when I hear about our governments going on the international market to take loans and aids.
We go to Switzerland and America and China to seek loans. And they wire virtual US Dollars and Euros and Yuan into our accounts here which we withdraw largely in Cedi notes. Why not "cut" the money we need?
After spending the loans we go back and pay our lenders with virtually all the Dollars, Euros and Yuan in our treasury generated in our economy. And on top of that we relinquish almost all our pivotal state assets in concessions to the foreigners. These assets are supposed to be the wealth of progeny and their birthright. And our governments always trade them as collateral and part repayments? Very sad.
So I'm fact, we're screwed. Yes! As a government what degree of educated fools are we even in this day? Or is the greed in our leaders so much a curse we can not completely purge no matter what? Which one?
Truth has many sides. In B.O.B's. Bombs Away song intro, Morgan Freeman chose to speak of the side of Truth that is Gray. Well that is about another kind of evil. But this one is matter is of black and white. And this evil prevails amongst us blacks in Africa the worst. We as Africans must wise up.
It's on us to produce our own currency notes locally and show the financial and trade intelligence to distribute and control as much volumes of cash in our economy by ourselves while remaining competitive in the world market. And it is our choice to own our own and stay clear of foreign loans and aids and the accompanying dictates and selling out or maintain the master-slave bondage that currently prevails between us and deny our progeny their birthright for many more centuries to come.
If US needs goods, technology and services and she borrows from another country, she repays in Dollars, not in Yuan and Euros. And if she needs cash it produces it herself and distributes it. Why can't we do the same? Is it unthinkable or we are merely defenseless? Really?
Why are our leaders always after so much personal gain and belly-filling their egos and not even half the time genuinely caring about the masses for whose interests they are elected to serve? God will definitely punish them all, whether they build Temples or Museums until they really change their hearts and ways and beg of the people forgiveness.
Our homelands can be a much better place for us all and all fellow Ghanaians and Africans into infinity. But that could remain talk-talk if we don't do anything about it. The journey starts in our hearts and minds! But if we don't wake up collectively to unscrew ourselves from generational bondage and reset there will be no change in the future for the better for our country and/or our continent.
How we regard Money and Wealth is one giant door into the mansion of true independence. And we need to finds the keys to enter and change the narrative. The lies and propaganda in the beautiful and arrogant political oratory and promises are enough. Talk is cheap. What are our real problems? And what have we done about them?
We need to see let's talk and more protests and action that truly protect and benefit the people in the medium and long terms.
Neocolonialism is prevailing in our everyday lives and we don't seem to care even about our basics: our currency etc. We even call our currency wrongly. That shows how unserious we are.
For now things may look okay for some of us but really the future is gloomy for all of us until we change our hearts and ways and do the right things.
Life happens. We win some and we lose some. That's just the way life is, we move on. We can't change the history of yesterday. But we can change the narrative of the history of today and of tomorrow. And it could be really great and overturning our fates: building a utopia in Africa ourselves.
It will be great for us all to begin to relook differently at how we regard, produce, distribute and protect Money and Wealth. And after careful analysis, it will be prudent to call each other and our leaders to order. Otherwise we will all remain screwed. Indeed, we are really screwed!
Rather than transferring service payments in Pounds from government offshore accounts to De La Rue why don't we pay in some of the Cedis they produce for us?
Strangely, from the President and BOG Governor down to 'Bra Mate', just about everyone calls our currency "Ghana Cedis" instead of "Ghanaian Cedis" Who instructed that our currency be labeled that? It defies logic. Such a shame.
The name of Ghana's currency is a subject I touched on briefly some 7 years ago on Facebook and I didn't get much comments on my wall for. But I know from experience not to always expect direct feedback.
Of course not everyone wants to show they relate to what one says online everytime. Direct feedback and appreciation or not one should revel in the impact they make on the collective consciousness just by sharing a piece of themselves and their knowledge. It will be a great delight to one day see a positive change in how most Ghanaians will view and refer to the Ghanaian Cedi.
Getting back to the outsourcing bit of our promissory notes production it's been always designed and printed overseas (Germany, France etc and back to the UK). And on top of the high production cost, we pay so much to transport the promissory papers into our country before distributing them to our banks. Each time we require a new range of bills or additional stock we go through the same cycle over and over, ie. go abroad to design and print and transport overseas home.
I always ask myself this: "why would a government drain a national treasury to outsource and pay so much when we can buy the machines and technology and own it for life to print our money at a much cheaper cost like many advanced nations do? Is it that we don't trust our excellence in ingenuity and security as black people or Ghanaians?
More painful to think about this disease of us relying on foreigners for everything we use is when I hear about our governments going on the international market to take loans and aids.
We go to Switzerland and America and China to seek loans. And they wire virtual US Dollars and Euros and Yuan into our accounts here which we withdraw largely in Cedi notes. Why not "cut" the money we need?
After spending the loans we go back and pay our lenders with virtually all the Dollars, Euros and Yuan in our treasury generated in our economy. And on top of that we relinquish almost all our pivotal state assets in concessions to the foreigners. These assets are supposed to be the wealth of progeny and their birthright. And our governments always trade them as collateral and part repayments? Very sad.
So I'm fact, we're screwed. Yes! As a government what degree of educated fools are we even in this day? Or is the greed in our leaders so much a curse we can not completely purge no matter what? Which one?
Truth has many sides. In B.O.B's. Bombs Away song intro, Morgan Freeman chose to speak of the side of Truth that is Gray. Well that is about another kind of evil. But this one is matter is of black and white. And this evil prevails amongst us blacks in Africa the worst. We as Africans must wise up.
It's on us to produce our own currency notes locally and show the financial and trade intelligence to distribute and control as much volumes of cash in our economy by ourselves while remaining competitive in the world market. And it is our choice to own our own and stay clear of foreign loans and aids and the accompanying dictates and selling out or maintain the master-slave bondage that currently prevails between us and deny our progeny their birthright for many more centuries to come.
If US needs goods, technology and services and she borrows from another country, she repays in Dollars, not in Yuan and Euros. And if she needs cash it produces it herself and distributes it. Why can't we do the same? Is it unthinkable or we are merely defenseless? Really?
Why are our leaders always after so much personal gain and belly-filling their egos and not even half the time genuinely caring about the masses for whose interests they are elected to serve? God will definitely punish them all, whether they build Temples or Museums until they really change their hearts and ways and beg of the people forgiveness.
Our homelands can be a much better place for us all and all fellow Ghanaians and Africans into infinity. But that could remain talk-talk if we don't do anything about it. The journey starts in our hearts and minds! But if we don't wake up collectively to unscrew ourselves from generational bondage and reset there will be no change in the future for the better for our country and/or our continent.
How we regard Money and Wealth is one giant door into the mansion of true independence. And we need to finds the keys to enter and change the narrative. The lies and propaganda in the beautiful and arrogant political oratory and promises are enough. Talk is cheap. What are our real problems? And what have we done about them?
We need to see let's talk and more protests and action that truly protect and benefit the people in the medium and long terms.
Neocolonialism is prevailing in our everyday lives and we don't seem to care even about our basics: our currency etc. We even call our currency wrongly. That shows how unserious we are.
For now things may look okay for some of us but really the future is gloomy for all of us until we change our hearts and ways and do the right things.
Life happens. We win some and we lose some. That's just the way life is, we move on. We can't change the history of yesterday. But we can change the narrative of the history of today and of tomorrow. And it could be really great and overturning our fates: building a utopia in Africa ourselves.
It will be great for us all to begin to relook differently at how we regard, produce, distribute and protect Money and Wealth. And after careful analysis, it will be prudent to call each other and our leaders to order. Otherwise we will all remain screwed. Indeed, we are really screwed!
Saturday, April 18, 2020
7TH COVID-19 UPDATE ADDRESS - WHAT WILL THE PREZ SAY?
As I involuntarily unwind today "without pay", in my anxiety, I find me musing to myself like yesterday and the day before "will lockdown go another 2 weeks... or even more?"....
Didn't The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo, promise to update us regarding the executive order in the course of time (by the 20th of April). What is our old man waiting for? Well, a President is human too. May be he forgot.
For a master of ceremonies as he is, he knows that lateness and lack of information in a crisis could raise anxiety levels, blood pressure and eventually a possible collapse of the gathering: chaos. Or may be he is unwell: sick or tired. He is human too like we all are.
Honestly I think he puts too much load on himself by doing all these state addresses personally. He can delegate his similarly eloquent Vice or his Information Minister to address us on his behalf. Or if they are both sick or tired to film they can use his or their social media handles.
Managing a "safe" nation is one thing. And managing an unsafe one in a crisis like this is a whole different stress to deal with.
I wish him Godspeed wherever he is!
The frequency of information from a President or Governor or May whether personally or through some other trusted high state official or through his or the official's social media handle(s) is really vital in times like these.
Of course it gives a better aesthetic for the President to appear in our homes and interface physically (be seen and heard, firsthand). And it's good political mileage for the President. But life and health are more important than engaging with political parties and doing politics. The latter should not compromise the former.
Harnessing the graceful opportunity of audience with the President of my beloved Motherland I will be flattered to candidly suggest a few things to him he could be ignoring. (Sometimes students enlighten their teachers too. And I should believe he is a father who listens to advice from his children likewise.)
May be he is still sampling ideas and relevant advice against the most current affairs for his script writers to develop for the next address. May be a piece like this will be helpful to him. Also your posts and comments on Facebook and Twitter too could be featured. Who knows? "Fellow Ghanaians, I hear your cry."....
Anyway, he should please make the World Title Boxing match come off earlier a bit. I beg him. Even 8pm won't be bad. And he should give enough prior notice (publicity).
So, in the President's 7th Lockdown Address what do you expect him to say categorically or to infer?
(I will wait for your reaction after I go. K? Cool?)
For me, in the next update I anticipate Nana's usual nuances in masterful oratory: the address structure, diction, natural composure and/or slur, hehe. And of course his humour. And in the mix punchlines of statistics, present government interventions and some partisan jabs. And to top it all off some words of hope for a nation. Yes, all of those things and the hope, very importantly.
But beyond the flesh of all that you and I who aren't there at the Flag Staff House as his confidants or some experts on politics can expect to hear in the 7th Presidential Update are answers we will wish to hear.
I wish he will answer the following questions:
1. Whether the lockdown end date will be reviewed, and really for how long if it will be extended?
2. If there will be any restriction reviews?
3. How effectively is government working to arrest and anhilate the pandemic and it's impacts on the nation?
4. What drugs are proving effective in the treatment of COVID-19 positive patients in Ghana and any news of possible vaccines passing clonical tests?
5. And how prepared is government and the nation to bounce back from this state of emergency and to win any similar fights in the future supposing there is another pandemic wave?
The impact of the partial lockdown on Ghanians we are witnessing spreads beyond the 10.7 million Ghanaians in Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions. It is noteworthy that there are foreigners here too. And just like us they have families and probably businesses and business partners beyond Greater Accra and Ashanti Region who are stranded because of the pandemic.
Can you imagine what will happen when other parts of the country soon go under lockdown too?
Evidently there is a whole lot more the President and his appointees could have done for the country by now.
Let's put aside the hardships majority of Ghanaians have gone through for the past three years plus. May be his gamble will pay off after all and the majority who have lost monies, businesses, dignity and lives will forgive him. That's a subject for another day.
In regard of the national fight out of this epic pandemic, the government has woefully underperformed. In that they could have forestalled this pandemic from entering the country and/or implemented measures to quarantine much sooner. And also the relief measures are still inadequate and unsustainable.
Government has also done quite a lot also. Yes, we are thankful for the water and electricity and the health and security interventions. And also the financial policies. But the effect of those measures are woefully inadequate to cushion the masses and help us to bounce back to economically and socially.
A demographic lockdown in a pandemic situation is mandatory on every government. Now is the first time in the history of my generation a nation goes through such turbulent times along with virtually all of the world over a disease. This Coronavirus, eh?
Well this is not a laughing matter.
Literally it's the first time in all our lives and it is a very crucial time to test international and national security systems.
As a matter of fact, Ghana should have been locked down long before she did. At the least in January or early February this year we should have. But that's past and we can't bring it back.
One thing to always bear in mind as we follow the trends and dictates of our big brothers is that our economic and social structures are considerably inferior to theirs. But yet we could have more equity than them in many ways.
So while learning from them we have to dig deep and find what will best work for us considering what we have and pursue that. We must look beyond financial aid and focus on how are finances and equities can be better managed and grown with better governance and administrative systems and policies.
For instance, why don't our district assemblies have a database or directory capturing personal and contact details of "all people residing" in our districts?
Whether one is a foreigner or not when they enter a district and stays on beyond a day they should report to the district assembly office.
Why do the populace pay the district assemblies levies if not for their assistance in times like this?
Well that could be a long term project.
(Alright)
For the short and perhaps medium terms, shouldn't there be reviews in the restrictions of movement towwards economic activity?
In addition to the numbers of essential workers allowed to work beyond homes, a partial lift of restrictions on artisans and hardware shop owners could prove very vital in dropping down government's economic and social stress. There is massive unemployment. And even for most people operating at or near home they are hardly making ends meet survive unless they hike prices. Chop bar operators are closing down.
In my opinion shop owners should go out in batches and open businesses half day while maintaining social distancing and personal safety and hygiene protocols as advised by the President and all discerning well meaning people.
Shop owners and artisans should be allowed to operate half day and in cases like carpenters and barbers full day ensuring they and their clients wear face masks and sanitize properly. And security officers can check compliance by both business operators and their clients and enforced the law. Right?
Most of the needy have handcrafts they can use to earn their bread for three square meals, not one. And if they will be able to access materials and work, we will have more people surviving this crisis and surviving honourably. Can you really imagine what this lockdown is accrossboard doing to people?
Prior to 'Coro', the dependency rate of the average Ghanaian home stood at about 70%. This is because of children below working age and the unemployed. Leaving an official working population at 30%.
And about 70% of the working class, the breadwinners, are farmers, food vendors, manual labourers, artisans and shop owners and shopkeepers. (Beyond my verifiable statistics, just look around.)
Now with the current lockdown situation we have only about 15% of the 30% working population to have steady jobs and income living in Greater Accra and Ashanti regions.
15% of Ghana's working class are into the "essentials" category sanctioned by government to operate outside their homes. And even that shipping and clearing agents and most cargo transport companies are out of business.
In addition to the 15% essential workers: including key state officials, journalists, health and security workers, bankers etc in white collar jobs there is about another 10% of the working class working with computers and online from home. This includes architects, photographers and graphic artists etc. And there is an additional 20% operating food and grocery businesses, water supply, cleaning, waste management and fuel businesses.
This means only about 45% of the working class are currently in employment. They are the ones supporting our social security and dignity right now while the government makes efforts at providing health and public safety. And how sustainable is the support of partially unemployed Ghanaians over two or three months?
Yes, we have 55% of the working class living in Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions completely restricted from working. To be declared fully unemployed with the current restrictions. As a consequence, they either have to get inventive with aids or breach the President's restriction laws to work quitely and feed their families.
Otherwise they will be dependents just like the 70% of Ghana's population across all regions. And that makes the dependency rate in Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions to go up to how much?
Is government doing enough to save the nation? Feeding 50,000 or 500,000 once daily out of nearly 7 million people isn't enough. What will the 50,000 or 500,000 eat the rest of the day? And how about the over 7,000,000 others?
Will all the 1.1 Billion Dollars in loan and some 300 Million Dollars in donations be applied in security and health care support, electricity and water supply, and food aid and soft loans to SMEs? Or the chunk of it will be held back or given to party sponsors?
Giving the corruption of our MDAs and current state of emergency I don't think even 10 Billion Dollars will be adequately distributed or sustainably applied.
Of course there should be reviews in the lockdown restrictions. To completely lift all restrictions at this stage of our fight when the masses do not know if there are any effective drugs proving trustworthy and any hope of a safe vaccine already tested elsewhere is genocidal.
In these times its important for the discerning among the masses to be aware that future is Information Technology. And the time is now for everyone with the knowledge in IT to be inventive and operate his or her business. Or probably start a new Internet based business.
Just as much, there is the need for the MDAs of the Republuc to evolve in its business operations by way of transferring most of its business onto computers and online. Agencies such as the Lands Commission and DVLA and many others can run their operattions online and send officers only in protective gear to sites on essential visits in times like this. Life should still go on.
If there will be no such reviews in the lockdown restrictions and measures and this should go on for 3 months the chances of a great depression in this country is huge.
No amount of foreign aid in these times will stop people from dieing if policies are not relevant, intelligent and effective enough. No amount of loans and grants. The government must be responsive.
It's just my hope and anticipation that the President will speak my mind as presented here. Or at least he will take them into consideration and implement them somehow. I trust he is very intelligent and wise.
There is always room for improvement. And at this present juncture there is too much undone. I hope the President will heed some of the cries from his son here as you may also pick something here and run with. In the end the collective interest will be well served.
Its really sad that things are the way they are even though we are not such a poor country to be labelled HIPC. It is really sad that even as the President seems to be making efforts to lead us to win this fight against COVID -19 and it's impact, the systems and policies of government remain compromised and unsustainable.
I know there are more intelligent and discerning people in the country and in government than I could be.
So why aren't they steering the wheel with the President to make better use of our finances and equities to our benefit?
Why are they not advising the president so most Ghanaians can work safely to sustain their families?
And why are they allowing so much foreign aid money and local revenues to go to waste?
Well, your guess is as good as mine. By the end of this year some people at NADMO and some MDAS and their cronies could be building an African Regent Hotel if not skyscrapers. (Just a wild guess).
Indeed, this too shall pass. But what do we do in the meantime as individuals, professionals and a country?
May God be with us. Remember to say a prayer. And to say a prayer for the country and our President. Let's hear good or even great news soon. Hopefully tonight. Hehe.
Love you. Long life to you. And Long live Ghana!
Namastè. Peace!
#freestylejournal
#prezcoroupdates
#longopenmusings
#whattodoforghana
#lockdownchronicles
Didn't The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo, promise to update us regarding the executive order in the course of time (by the 20th of April). What is our old man waiting for? Well, a President is human too. May be he forgot.
For a master of ceremonies as he is, he knows that lateness and lack of information in a crisis could raise anxiety levels, blood pressure and eventually a possible collapse of the gathering: chaos. Or may be he is unwell: sick or tired. He is human too like we all are.
Honestly I think he puts too much load on himself by doing all these state addresses personally. He can delegate his similarly eloquent Vice or his Information Minister to address us on his behalf. Or if they are both sick or tired to film they can use his or their social media handles.
Managing a "safe" nation is one thing. And managing an unsafe one in a crisis like this is a whole different stress to deal with.
I wish him Godspeed wherever he is!
The frequency of information from a President or Governor or May whether personally or through some other trusted high state official or through his or the official's social media handle(s) is really vital in times like these.
Of course it gives a better aesthetic for the President to appear in our homes and interface physically (be seen and heard, firsthand). And it's good political mileage for the President. But life and health are more important than engaging with political parties and doing politics. The latter should not compromise the former.
Harnessing the graceful opportunity of audience with the President of my beloved Motherland I will be flattered to candidly suggest a few things to him he could be ignoring. (Sometimes students enlighten their teachers too. And I should believe he is a father who listens to advice from his children likewise.)
May be he is still sampling ideas and relevant advice against the most current affairs for his script writers to develop for the next address. May be a piece like this will be helpful to him. Also your posts and comments on Facebook and Twitter too could be featured. Who knows? "Fellow Ghanaians, I hear your cry."....
Anyway, he should please make the World Title Boxing match come off earlier a bit. I beg him. Even 8pm won't be bad. And he should give enough prior notice (publicity).
So, in the President's 7th Lockdown Address what do you expect him to say categorically or to infer?
(I will wait for your reaction after I go. K? Cool?)
For me, in the next update I anticipate Nana's usual nuances in masterful oratory: the address structure, diction, natural composure and/or slur, hehe. And of course his humour. And in the mix punchlines of statistics, present government interventions and some partisan jabs. And to top it all off some words of hope for a nation. Yes, all of those things and the hope, very importantly.
But beyond the flesh of all that you and I who aren't there at the Flag Staff House as his confidants or some experts on politics can expect to hear in the 7th Presidential Update are answers we will wish to hear.
I wish he will answer the following questions:
1. Whether the lockdown end date will be reviewed, and really for how long if it will be extended?
2. If there will be any restriction reviews?
3. How effectively is government working to arrest and anhilate the pandemic and it's impacts on the nation?
4. What drugs are proving effective in the treatment of COVID-19 positive patients in Ghana and any news of possible vaccines passing clonical tests?
5. And how prepared is government and the nation to bounce back from this state of emergency and to win any similar fights in the future supposing there is another pandemic wave?
The impact of the partial lockdown on Ghanians we are witnessing spreads beyond the 10.7 million Ghanaians in Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions. It is noteworthy that there are foreigners here too. And just like us they have families and probably businesses and business partners beyond Greater Accra and Ashanti Region who are stranded because of the pandemic.
Can you imagine what will happen when other parts of the country soon go under lockdown too?
Evidently there is a whole lot more the President and his appointees could have done for the country by now.
Let's put aside the hardships majority of Ghanaians have gone through for the past three years plus. May be his gamble will pay off after all and the majority who have lost monies, businesses, dignity and lives will forgive him. That's a subject for another day.
In regard of the national fight out of this epic pandemic, the government has woefully underperformed. In that they could have forestalled this pandemic from entering the country and/or implemented measures to quarantine much sooner. And also the relief measures are still inadequate and unsustainable.
Government has also done quite a lot also. Yes, we are thankful for the water and electricity and the health and security interventions. And also the financial policies. But the effect of those measures are woefully inadequate to cushion the masses and help us to bounce back to economically and socially.
A demographic lockdown in a pandemic situation is mandatory on every government. Now is the first time in the history of my generation a nation goes through such turbulent times along with virtually all of the world over a disease. This Coronavirus, eh?
Well this is not a laughing matter.
Literally it's the first time in all our lives and it is a very crucial time to test international and national security systems.
As a matter of fact, Ghana should have been locked down long before she did. At the least in January or early February this year we should have. But that's past and we can't bring it back.
One thing to always bear in mind as we follow the trends and dictates of our big brothers is that our economic and social structures are considerably inferior to theirs. But yet we could have more equity than them in many ways.
So while learning from them we have to dig deep and find what will best work for us considering what we have and pursue that. We must look beyond financial aid and focus on how are finances and equities can be better managed and grown with better governance and administrative systems and policies.
For instance, why don't our district assemblies have a database or directory capturing personal and contact details of "all people residing" in our districts?
Whether one is a foreigner or not when they enter a district and stays on beyond a day they should report to the district assembly office.
Why do the populace pay the district assemblies levies if not for their assistance in times like this?
Well that could be a long term project.
(Alright)
For the short and perhaps medium terms, shouldn't there be reviews in the restrictions of movement towwards economic activity?
In addition to the numbers of essential workers allowed to work beyond homes, a partial lift of restrictions on artisans and hardware shop owners could prove very vital in dropping down government's economic and social stress. There is massive unemployment. And even for most people operating at or near home they are hardly making ends meet survive unless they hike prices. Chop bar operators are closing down.
In my opinion shop owners should go out in batches and open businesses half day while maintaining social distancing and personal safety and hygiene protocols as advised by the President and all discerning well meaning people.
Shop owners and artisans should be allowed to operate half day and in cases like carpenters and barbers full day ensuring they and their clients wear face masks and sanitize properly. And security officers can check compliance by both business operators and their clients and enforced the law. Right?
Most of the needy have handcrafts they can use to earn their bread for three square meals, not one. And if they will be able to access materials and work, we will have more people surviving this crisis and surviving honourably. Can you really imagine what this lockdown is accrossboard doing to people?
Prior to 'Coro', the dependency rate of the average Ghanaian home stood at about 70%. This is because of children below working age and the unemployed. Leaving an official working population at 30%.
And about 70% of the working class, the breadwinners, are farmers, food vendors, manual labourers, artisans and shop owners and shopkeepers. (Beyond my verifiable statistics, just look around.)
Now with the current lockdown situation we have only about 15% of the 30% working population to have steady jobs and income living in Greater Accra and Ashanti regions.
15% of Ghana's working class are into the "essentials" category sanctioned by government to operate outside their homes. And even that shipping and clearing agents and most cargo transport companies are out of business.
In addition to the 15% essential workers: including key state officials, journalists, health and security workers, bankers etc in white collar jobs there is about another 10% of the working class working with computers and online from home. This includes architects, photographers and graphic artists etc. And there is an additional 20% operating food and grocery businesses, water supply, cleaning, waste management and fuel businesses.
This means only about 45% of the working class are currently in employment. They are the ones supporting our social security and dignity right now while the government makes efforts at providing health and public safety. And how sustainable is the support of partially unemployed Ghanaians over two or three months?
Yes, we have 55% of the working class living in Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions completely restricted from working. To be declared fully unemployed with the current restrictions. As a consequence, they either have to get inventive with aids or breach the President's restriction laws to work quitely and feed their families.
Otherwise they will be dependents just like the 70% of Ghana's population across all regions. And that makes the dependency rate in Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions to go up to how much?
Is government doing enough to save the nation? Feeding 50,000 or 500,000 once daily out of nearly 7 million people isn't enough. What will the 50,000 or 500,000 eat the rest of the day? And how about the over 7,000,000 others?
Will all the 1.1 Billion Dollars in loan and some 300 Million Dollars in donations be applied in security and health care support, electricity and water supply, and food aid and soft loans to SMEs? Or the chunk of it will be held back or given to party sponsors?
Giving the corruption of our MDAs and current state of emergency I don't think even 10 Billion Dollars will be adequately distributed or sustainably applied.
Of course there should be reviews in the lockdown restrictions. To completely lift all restrictions at this stage of our fight when the masses do not know if there are any effective drugs proving trustworthy and any hope of a safe vaccine already tested elsewhere is genocidal.
In these times its important for the discerning among the masses to be aware that future is Information Technology. And the time is now for everyone with the knowledge in IT to be inventive and operate his or her business. Or probably start a new Internet based business.
Just as much, there is the need for the MDAs of the Republuc to evolve in its business operations by way of transferring most of its business onto computers and online. Agencies such as the Lands Commission and DVLA and many others can run their operattions online and send officers only in protective gear to sites on essential visits in times like this. Life should still go on.
If there will be no such reviews in the lockdown restrictions and measures and this should go on for 3 months the chances of a great depression in this country is huge.
No amount of foreign aid in these times will stop people from dieing if policies are not relevant, intelligent and effective enough. No amount of loans and grants. The government must be responsive.
It's just my hope and anticipation that the President will speak my mind as presented here. Or at least he will take them into consideration and implement them somehow. I trust he is very intelligent and wise.
There is always room for improvement. And at this present juncture there is too much undone. I hope the President will heed some of the cries from his son here as you may also pick something here and run with. In the end the collective interest will be well served.
Its really sad that things are the way they are even though we are not such a poor country to be labelled HIPC. It is really sad that even as the President seems to be making efforts to lead us to win this fight against COVID -19 and it's impact, the systems and policies of government remain compromised and unsustainable.
I know there are more intelligent and discerning people in the country and in government than I could be.
So why aren't they steering the wheel with the President to make better use of our finances and equities to our benefit?
Why are they not advising the president so most Ghanaians can work safely to sustain their families?
And why are they allowing so much foreign aid money and local revenues to go to waste?
Well, your guess is as good as mine. By the end of this year some people at NADMO and some MDAS and their cronies could be building an African Regent Hotel if not skyscrapers. (Just a wild guess).
Indeed, this too shall pass. But what do we do in the meantime as individuals, professionals and a country?
May God be with us. Remember to say a prayer. And to say a prayer for the country and our President. Let's hear good or even great news soon. Hopefully tonight. Hehe.
Love you. Long life to you. And Long live Ghana!
Namastè. Peace!
#freestylejournal
#prezcoroupdates
#longopenmusings
#whattodoforghana
#lockdownchronicles
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)