Towing Levy: An Unnecessary Public Debate

Following public protests, the executive arm of government has decided not to implement the above LI, passed in 2012-5 years ago.

As part of the now hibernated law, vehicle owners and motorcyclists were supposed to pay compulsory annual fees, tied to the acquisition of road worthy certificate, to cater for towing services. Fees per year for both commercial and non-commercial vehicles, depending on tonnage, range from GHȻ20 to GHȻ 200.

The abandoned mandatory towing levy is one that shouldn’t have been a subject of discussion in the first place, just like many other “petty” issues we have come to spent countless amount of time and energy on. 

The subject is petty, not because there is no value in preventing road accidents by hauling off disabled vehicles from our roads, but it is petty because it was brought about due to lazy thinking.

If a vehicle breaks down, shouldn’t the owner be responsible for any financial inputs needed to take it off the street? So we can’t we resource the police (or any other competent institution) to receive the applicable charges from the owners of these broken down vehicles, and tow them off our roads. 

Proprietors who default would have their vehicles impounded, and pay extra fines when they need their properties back.

Governments in Ghana need to get serious, and fix straightforward problems without unnecessary public circus.

Creating New Regions Does Is No Guarantee For Development

This week, the Council of State has formally informed the president of the “substantial need” for new regions to be created. The council was making its formal presentation on a petition that has been forwarded to it by the president. 

The ruling NPP campaigned on the topic during the 2016 elections, for which reason the president establish an entire ministry, Ministry of Regional Re-Organisation and Development to oversee the process.

The president will now proceed to establish a Commission of Enquiry to look into the merits of establishing new regions. 

A referendum shall then be held for the people affected by the matter to vote on. The constitutional requirement is for 50% of the electorates to vote, out of which 80% should give approval in order for a new region to be created. Quite clearly, there is still some way to go.

The primary reason for which new regions (possibly six) is being touted is for the sake of development: this assertion is highly laughable. There is nowhere on earth that development is brought about by drawing imaginary lines. 

Demarcating lands into boundaries does not suddenly close the huge infrastructural deficits in the nation; it does not automatically produce a first class transportation system; it does not build industries; it does not grow agriculture; it does not eliminate corruption; it does not birth a strong health and educational sector; and it certainly does not create jobs.

The idea that new regions bring development is a big misconception brought about due to sentiments. People want to see their capital cities close to them. They want to share the same region with persons of common heritage.

Ghanaians desire development, but to reach that development, we have conceptualise the wrong means-creation of new regions. 

It makes sense why claim we vote for development, yet nothing changes. We keep using the wrong metric. 

$1m Flagstaff House Donation: President Akufo-Addo Being Managed By Incompetent Hands

President Akufo-Addo received a cheque of $1m from the Indian government. The purpose of the gift, which was donated by the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs, is to be used for the renovation of the Flagstaff House.

Whenever I look at the image of the president displaying the cheque on social media, I begin to ask myself, why would the handlers of our president put up the country for international embarrassment by modelling the first gentleman of the land in front of cameras with a $1m gift? 

Couldn’t anyone else but the president have accepted this donation on his behalf? Do I take it that none of the numerous ministers of state was available to receive this money? Not even the Chief of Staff or any of her two deputies?

Receiving $1m by the president may not come across as a big deal, but the truth of the matter is that it is utterly demeaning: it challenges the pride of every Ghanaian, home and abroad. Elsewhere, a head of state would not even make the time to meet over $1m, but here in Ghana, its heaven and earth.

This episode in the seat of government is a good demonstration of our mediocre and shameless way of acting.

The earlier the managers of the president understand that the president is not just flesh and blood, but the symbol of the entire nation’s sovereignty, the better.

To The Contrary, Teacher Licensing Is A Step In The Right Direction

The National Teachers Council (NTC) of the Ministry of Education announced that teachers will now have to pass a special examination before being granted the licenses to teach. The license is to undergo periodic renewable every 3-5years. 

The announcement has met huge public outcry. The influential National Association of Ghana Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has kicked against the policy as well.

Many reasons have been adduced for the public discontentment with the policy. Many have pointed out that the mess in the educational sector of the country is far more than certification of teachers. Others too have labelled the policy as an accident waiting to happen, given our impressive track record for mishandling things.

However, l am of a divergent opinion. Teachers form an important part of our educational sector. Their role cannot be overemphasized. Therefore, any effort to improve upon the quality of teachers should be a welcomed one. 

All over the world, to be a professional means something more than being a graduate. A lot of premium is played on professional licensing schemes for that matter. The situation cannot be any different in Ghana. 

It is an indisputable fact that licensing of teachers will contribute significantly towards the qualitative improvement on teachers. Teachers would be compelled to give off their best, knowing very well the risk of losing out on their employment if they are not to standard.

Admittedly, the answers to the problems of our educational system are bigger than a licensing scheme. And l am very sure the policy makers are very much aware of the situation. 

However, the many deficiencies of our educational sector doesn’t make the proposal of licensing an idea of non-relevance- to the contrary, it is a good step in the right direction. 

Military Training For National Service Personnel: Is Ghana Going To War With North Korea?

During the Public Account Committee sitting, the Minister of Defence, Dominic Nitiwul revealed that plans are underway for national service personnel to undergo a six months military training as part of the national service scheme.

The Minister added that the military conscription begins for 10,000 national service personnel next year with the hope of gradually expanding the numbers until all national service personnel can be absorbed.

As usual, fanatics of the NPP have begun defending the announcement made by the Minister. But the legitimacy of an action is not denoted by the amount of twisted defence it is given. 

The usefulness of a deed is actually in its rightness. And to determine rightness, one would have to know his or her priorities, because there are many right things that could be done, yet only a few are appropriate.

For the Minister of Defence in current day Ghana to suggest that mandatory military training is necessity is very disheartening. Quite clearly, the top man doesn’t understand his priorities-and that of his nation. 

The last thing a country bedevilled with problems all over should think of is a military jamboree. 

Why am I even surprised? The exercise would enable top government officials to present bloated budgets and siphon a substantial amount into their personal pockets.

It may be constitutional for national service personnel to undergo a six months military training, but don’t we have sanitation laws too? Don’t we have laws on access to education, and healthcare? Which laws don’t we have?

Ghana is not going to war with North Korea, and we don’t need to spend millions (possibly billions) of dollars-as observed in huge amounts spent by other countries in running similar systems- on an unnecessary endeavour, except it is for the purposes of create, loot, and share.  

National Hullabaloo On Komenda Sugar Factory Is Demeaning

In March 2016, H.E John Dramani Mahama revamped the broken down Komenda Sugar Factory. The plant was original built by Ghana’s first president Dr. Kwame Nkrumah in the 1960s. The restoration of the factory cost $35m, funded using an Indian government facility.

Fast forward August 2017, the factory is making headlines. Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, Robert Ahomka Lindsay told the Public Accounts Committee of parliament “the sugar you tasted was processed sugar bought by government. We have never put sugarcane through the full system of the factory”. 

The subject has gained national prominence. It is being discussed on mainstream media and social media alike.

I wish to put on record that in my opinion, the Komenda Sugar Factory was a political tool. Its resurrection may have been a good idea, but it wasn’t based on any proper business model. 

The degree of pump and pageantry associated with its inauguration is one that still hurts my feelings. And I am even more hurt that the current government is making concerted efforts to make political gains out of this same Komenda Sugar Factory.

In a world that a messaging application, WhatsApp was bought for over $19bn, it is a big shame that an entire nation is squabbling over a $35m project. These days, even a footballer costs £200m. 

So why the noise on an investment that is incredibly meagre compared international standards? 

Shouldn’t the debate (and subsequent resolution of issues) on this factory be left to the local authorities of the Komenda/Edina/Eguafo/Abirem District? Or our high ranking government officials do not have any work doing so they prefer to quarrel over petty topics?

The manner in which we celebrate mediocrity in Ghana is increasingly becoming a disorder. The earlier we wake up, the better.

Extending School Day Length: Pros vs Cons

During the National Education Sector Review forum held in Accra, the Minister of Education, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh complained about the closing time within Ghana schools. He therefore called for an extension of the normal 2pm closing time to 4pm. “School closes too early in this country. At 2pm, parents from farms are not back from work, so why can’t schools close at 4pm” the Minister said.

Generally, school day length varies from one country to another. Ghana finds itself in a category of countries that run on 7hours per day school length. If Hon. Opoku Prempeh’s suggestion is to implemented, then Ghana would join countries like Kenya and South Korea whose school day interval runs from 7am to 4pm. Indeed, a country like France even ends its school day at 5pm. So it is not new for schools to run into the latter hours of the afternoon.

Whilst the national debate rages on over whether or not the closing time of schools should be extended. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of whatever choice our policy makers settle on.

Firstly, extending the closing time would increase academic performance of students, provide students more avenue to socialise with peers, enable more extra curricula activities in schools, and increase the likelihood of parents picking up their wards from school. 

With the addition of two hours to the school day, students will get the chance to be taught challenges concepts into details. Also, teachers can give more class exercises to students and supervise them provide solutions. 

Extra period means extra academic work. In addition, more time spent in school implies that pupils will have for hours for themselves to make acquaintances amongst themselves. Building social networks does not only help build one’s self esteem, but it could serve as a life time. The more hours provided by the extension could also afford the space for more courses that are strictly no academic to the syllabi of students.

To the contrary, the nation is going to have to make more expenditure. Already, the Ghana National Association of Teachers have begun calls for government to pay teachers more if she wishes to extend the school hours. 

Also, there are more chances of children receiving negative peer influence from their colleagues. In addition, children are going to spend more and more times in an uncontrolled environment like school, where parents do not have direct oversight, a situation that makes youngsters who have not developed a matured sense of decision making vulnerable.

The dice has been cast. For now, one can not tell where it falls. But whatever final result we produce with regards to the subject of extension of school hours, there are going to be merits and demerits. 

Dear Senior Minister Osafo Marfo: Is The Public Sector Really Full?

On Monday, during the Ghana Economic Forum, the Senior Miniser, Yaw Osafo Marfo was quoted as saying “the public sector is full in terms of employment [and] we can’t employ anybody in the public sector”. The veteran politician even threatened that “perhaps we may have to even lay off some [workers]”.

The above assessment by the Senior Minister sent shivers down the spines of many Ghanaians. In a nation that youth unemployment is the biggest trial, the last thing citizens wish to hear is a gloomy comment by a man whom many consider as the third-in-command of His Excellency Nana Akufo-Addo’s administration.

The situation is even more hurtful when one recalls that the NPP campaigned massively on the high rate of youth employment during the 2016 elections. The NPP is mainly in power because it was able to convince Ghanaian youths of its readiness to provide jobs for the people.

Therefore, the sudden change in narrative of the party comes with huge concerns. Did the party deceive Ghanaians merely to capture power? Is the government overwhelmed by the challenge of resolving the unemployment menace?

But the big question on my mind; is the public sector truly full? I wish the Senior Minister could give further and better particular on his definition of “full”, because l am at sea. 

How is the public sector full whilst Ghana’s doctor-patient ratio of 1:15,259 is way below the World Health Organisation’s recommended ratio of 1:5,000? The situation is the same with other categories of health workers. Interestingly, there are huge scores of health workers sitting idle and unemployed at home. This is just the case of the health sector. 

The same can be said of the educational sector. The human resource levels of our state security services need major expansion in both quantity and quality. One is met with the sight of a staff member working in the capacity of two, three, four, and more workers in our various state agencies. Clearly, there is an employment deficit in the public sector.

No amount of political tongue-twisting would convince me that the public sector is full. Perhaps, the argument government ought to make is that she is incapable of meeting economic requirements of employing more hands.

It is worth noting that Mr. Yaw Osafo Marfo pointed out that private sector growth is necessary to reduce unemployment. Sure, but it doesn’t warrantee government the right to deceive the citizenry instead of ensuring the employment deficit in the public sector is duly arrested. 

I believe the Senior Minister knows that the responsibility of plugging the human resource gap in essential sectors of our economy like health, education, security, etc can not be placed solely on the shoulders of the private sector.

Dear Senior Minister, please come again. The public sector is not full, you are only trying to run away from responsibility.  

Founder's Day Debate: Let Dr. Kwame Nkrumah Enjoy His Glory

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has successfully rekindled the debate over whether or not Ghana has a Founding Father or Founding Fathers. 

In an epic style, the party organised a lecture- delivered by the Speaker of Parliament, Professor Michael Aaron Ocquaye, under the topic “4^th August; Ghana’s Day of Destiny”-to celebrate the 70^th anniversary of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC). The crème de la crème of the NPP were in attendance, including President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and former president John Agyekum Kufuor.

There have been suggestions that the topic is irrelevant at this point in time, where Ghana has much more important issues to tackle than a debate over Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s status as the Founding Father of Ghana. But it is an important topic we ought to discuss, because the last thing we wanna lose is our genuine history, when everything else in the nation seems to be in disarray.

It goes without saying that the lecture is part of a well-designed NPP master plan to reduce (or perhaps entirely wipe out) the illustrious role Nkrumah played in Ghana’s independence struggles. In recent memory, President Akufo-Addo laid down the marker when he conveniently ignored Nkrumah in the 60^th anniversary Independence Day celebration speech delivered by the first gentleman of the land. 

The NPP’s utmost desire is to see the image of Nkrumah sacrificed at the expense of the Danquah-Busia tradition and her affiliates.

Amidst all this grand ploy to strip Nkrumah of his title, it has become clearly evident that the gigantic image of the Osagyefo still haunts the NPP. The NPP still doesn’t want to accept how a poor boy from Nkroful achieved what their over pampered intellectuals couldn’t achieve, even so, when this unassuming character chalked this achievement within an unprecedented period of time. 

The hatred felt by the then leaders of the UGCC, which has evolved into current day NPP is the same level of rage that the current cohort of NPP functionaries feel towards Nkrumah. As such, they are hell bent on destroying the man’s legacy.

There is the lame view that the movement for independence was initiated by the so called UGCC founding members. My simple question is, and so what? Again, fingers are pointed towards the fact that Nkrumah’s plane ticket to return from England to Ghana to serve in the capacity as secretary of UGCC was funded by the UGCC. Yet again, l ask the question, and so what? 

How many times have we not seen so many initiatives started by several persons, yet they fail to achieve their set targets? Since when is it that if you pay your child’s lorry fare to the university, then it means the degree to be awarded should be in your name? What makes the case of UGCC and its founders different? 

Yes, they started a political movement, yet it was the ingenuity of Nkrumah that won us independence. Infact, l dare so that the founders of UGCC did not believe in their capability to attain freedom for the then Gold Coast, for which reason they were hiding behind their “self government within the shortest possible time” mantra.

Nkrumah, full of vision came into the picture, and did what everyone thought was impossible. He took the game to a whole new level. What is the guarantee that UGCC would have won us independence? Even if they did, it would surely not have been the same 6^th March, 1957 Ghana Independence as we have come to know it. So why are we making noise about a possibility, whist we have a result to celebrate?

There are many other ways for individual Ghanaians to climb high, and attain a status more befitting than that of Nkrumah, in the annals of Ghana’s political history. If and when that happens, that person’s glory will be based on merits, not mere propaganda and brain washing. Until then, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah remains Ghana’s most darling boy, and for that matter, the Founder of the nation. 

Galamsey Menace: Why We Are Still Battling It

Galamsey, as we have come to know it is a real menace in Ghana. Galamsey is a coined word used to describe illegal artisanal mineral extracting process, which relies heavily on manpower under very harmful working conditions. Galamsey workers do so at the detriment of the environment and the public health of society. 

I do not seek to elaborate on the effects of galamsey: these troubles are well documented. The menace of galamsey has been with us for half a century now, but without hope of a solution. 

I have been searching for answers to why this illegal small scale mining is on the increase. Very graciously, the constitution of our land has a solid prognosis. According to Article 257 (6) of the constitution of our republic and Section 1 of the Minerals and Mining Act 2006, every mineral in its natural state in water and upon any land in Ghana, streams, rivers, water courses throughout Ghana, exclusive economic zone and any area covered by the sea or continental shelf is the property of the Republic of Ghana and shall be vested in the President on behalf and in trust for the People of Ghana. 

The aforementioned provision in our law is unequivocal on whose jurisdiction mineral resources lay. It is not only the mandate of the president to protect our mineral resources but also, he/she is to ensure each and every Ghanaian lives in a safe environment. Unfortunately, we have not seen enough commitment made in this regard. 

It is estimated that a total of about 50,000-300,000 persons engage in illegal mining. All these persons do so with only their personal interests at heart: the income they earn. But it is more disappointing to note that the office tasked to defend the interest of all Ghanaians has failed to do so. 

No president has been willing to incur the wrath of huge number of persons who form the galamsey chain, knowing very well any brave action to do so would have dire consequences for the politician at the polls. Talks of the supervisory role of parliament are also undermined by the political system we practice. Majority in parliament will not risk losing their status due to galamsey activities. 

The lack of political will to end galamsey has brought us where we are.  

OPEN LETTER TO MINISTER OF YOUTH AND SPORTS, GHANA

Dear Honourable,

Minister of Youth and Sports, Nii Lante Vanderpuye

I write this letter to you not because l have been overwhelmed by your work as a Minister of Youth and Sports, but because in my opinion, you have distinguished yourself from your predecessors. 

The Ministry of Youth and Sports has always been seen as a lions’ den. It was in dire need of a persona like you. I am an ardent sports fan, and l follow the Black Stars and football in general with a lot of passion. But I am your number one supporter when it comes to how you have handled matters with the Ghana Football Association in relation to our national soccer team. 

The Black Stars has sort of become an Aladdin’s cave for a few. It looks as though football and to a big extent sports in Ghana is synonymous to the Black Stars: however, this cannot be the situation. In any case, you are the Minister of Youth and Sports, not the Minister of Black Stars. 

There are a million Ghanaian youths searching for opportunities to advance their potential. The huge amounts of monies that has been skewed towards the Black Stars has not helped serve the broader number of young Ghanaians. In today’s Ghana, there are more pressing issues concerning the youth than the welfare of a selected twenty-three. I am so happy that you are prone to the insults. Let them keep pointing accusing fingers at you. The only thing l would like you to remember is that you are not alone in this fight-people of my kind share in the same thinking as you. It is time to enhance the potentials of the youths of Ghana for a prosperous nation. 

I wonder why the hypocrites who always attack you do not also castigate you in the eyes of the many challenges facing us in the areas of youth activism, youth capacity building and others. Clearly, your fighters are those who are only keen on protecting their purses at the expense of the ordinary Ghanaian. 

For all your efforts to diversify resources and reshape the focus of your ministry, l say ayeekoo. Honourable, you do all  

In This Political Season

Ghana will go to the pools come December 7^th to elect her president and parliamentarians. It is the time in every four years that all politicians look to.

             Vote Buying?                           credit:thestatesman

In this season, the goal is simple-win power. The pursuance of victory is characterised by certain attributes. We will see more instances when Ghana is relegated to the bench in favour of partisan jingoism. 

This is the season in which politicians submit themselves to the ordinary Ghanaian. There will no longer be any dead goat syndrome. 

In this season, the utterances of the politician will not only be seasoned with salts but also full of romance. No single party and individual will leave any stone unturned in their quest to win the heart of their dream girl, the electorates. Messages are not going to be pinged on rationale, feasibility and relevance. At the end of the day, history has taught us that the standards that politicians adopt to win power are not matter to these politicians. 

If dogs had the right to suffrage, you will see the various aspirants and their surrogates barking in order to impress these animals. This season, there shall be no shortage of charity. The debate over whether such gestures could be labelled as bribes, vote-buying and what-have-you will continue, but one thing for sure is that offerings from both candidates and politicians alike will be exceedingly abundant. 

The season goes beyond the massive rallies, party branded souvenirs/vehicles. The main agenda is to win power; this season is to the politicians as the fishing season is to my people in Keta.