Ghanaianising Ghana's 'Chinese' Parliament!

I have asked times without number, "what is Ghanaian?" Unsatisfactory with the answers I got, I decided to stop asking. But now the question has come haunting me again. 

The house of legislation has seen a facelift. I saw a picture of the renewed parliament and chale, edey bii k3k3! I beg don't tag me with any political party yet. I don't blame anyone who does that though because you hear members in the opposition vehemently speaking against the refurbishment and as for members in government, your guess is good as mine. That's what we do in our politics, isn't it?

I monitored keenly media discussions concerning the project and obviously some issues are up to be discussed.

Did I hear GHC16 million or GHC60 million for the work done? Any which way, the money is big ooo! Ebei! In this our ecomini, ei, economy? 

Now the cracker of all, I ask, is it Chinese furniture or furniture from China. As for the former, tweeaa, we all know that they don't last. But the latter, a little care may make it last a bit longer. And some wood workers are crying now claiming they could have refurbished the place at a cheaper cost with much quality products. So Ghanaian products are the best, eh? Hmm! 

That may not be true but I find Hon. Alfred Kwame Agbesi, the Deputy majority leader's response to the cries of the wood workers worrisome. He is quoted as asking rhetorically, "We needed over 300 chairs and 300 tables before resuming sitting and now which furniture company in Ghana would have given us this quantity of furniture within this short time?” Oh Gosh! 

Hearing this from no mean a person than such an astute legislator from the ruling party confirms not only the fact that government is seriously unwilling to resource our local producers but also a confirmation of our archaic mentality of not believing in our own. 

I hope none of the legislators can say that the thought of refurbishing the House was conceived just a day before they went on recess, went through all the procurement process that day and contracted the Chinese firm that day to work within three months. If that is not the case, then why is the senior legislator spewing forth such pure dehumanising description of our wood workers.

But lest I forget, erm, did I hear a presidential staffer, Samuel George say the President is disappointed in the leadership of the house for contracting the Chinese to do the work? Eei! Hypocrisy shall never end. Do you remember STX?

But do I blame this government? A big fat no! You recall how the Chief of Staff in the erstwhile Kufuor administration, Kwadjo Mpianim rubbished any calls on him to provide the cost of the construction of the Jubilee House, ei, Flagstaff House?

What did well-meaning Ghanaians not talk about when the Indians were building our seat of government? Tweeaa, yentie obiaa. 

I believe that in this modern world of globalisation, there is barely anything that is wholly indigenous to any country. The best thing to do is to glocalise. 

That is why I dare people to show me that thing they call Ghanaian or show me how parliament can be made to look whole Ghanaian. I guess that will mean among other things the MPs sitting on stools, puttin on Kente or Fugu always and avoiding the use of computers. 

The debate must continue but now I'm tired because both the executive and the legislature are confused. Wait... Just a second! Is the 'Chinese looking' parliament the reason for the confusion between the Honourable Speaker and the Chief Justice? Hehe... Let me leave that for another day!

By Sir Joe

www.josephappah.blogspot.com

Blessing Blaise's Burkina By AU

It's certainly an old news the story about the either ousting or the resignation of the president of Burkina Faso, Blaise Campaore. Whether volunatary resignation or ousting, for me this makes it abundantly clear that the people's power is still relevant. Don't ask me whether their action was right or not, because I don't know.

Twenty-seven years of rule in a democratic country, and so what? It certainly would come to me as a surprise if it were the first to happen but we all know that's not the case. Once the teeming masses thronged the streets and vandalised state properties in protest of the president's bid to seek reelection at least is an indication that it was high time something was done about the situation.

Many political pundits and laymen alike have expressed divergent views about the aftermath. Some opine that since the president resigned, due constitutional procedures concerning replacement must be followed.

To others the severity of the protest is an indication that the military take over is just right for now. And it must be so until calm is properly restored. Then a proper handing over to a civilian government put in place can be done.

But it's come to many, ei sorry oo, me  as surprise the rather swift or is it hasty action by the African Union. Their emergency sitting and the order issued to the military government in the country to hand over power to a civilian government, are for want of a better word, shocker. 

Reading about the two-week ultimatum issued by the AU Security Council sent such chills down my spine that I wondered if the council now has grown the teeth that most of us expected it to have to bite in the several instances that deserved it or they may have put on an artificial one. 

Two major threats in the west African subregion; Boko Haram's terrorism and the deadly Ebola disease. I'm yet to experience any phenomenon that is more fatal than these. For about six months over 230 innocent girls in abduction have not been found.

And these same unsympathetic faceless members of this terrorising cult continue to unleash such atrocious cruelties on their fellow humans in the name of some obnoxious ideology, OMG! So I ask the AU a simple question: "How long should we wait to get our girls back?" I'm yet to hear an ultimatum given to these sons-of-a-bitch and to deal with them if the time elapses. 

The death toll continues to rise since the recent advent of Ebola in West Africa. I have lost count of the number of deaths. My brothers and sisters in Liberia, please have my sympathy. I expect the AU to use their new found teeth to take some drastic actions to STOP it now, aba!!

Now back to Blaise's Burkina and the AU's intervention; I expect calmness to prevail but not through just any means. I expect the military to act speedily like Ghana's AFRC which in 1979 handed over power peacefully to a civilian government within three months of their takeover. 

I hope to see, hear, feel, smell and touch more of AU's mandate on the ground. For if their core mandate is to ensure peace on the continent then they have failed. For as Nelson Mandela once said, "Peace is not merely the absence of war",  it is imperative that this continental union not bask in glory that since there is no war, there is peace. 

I commend AU for developing some biting teeth. However, I say that there is more work to be done, not only 'blessing' Blaise's Burkina Faso. 

Sanitising GH Once A Month

Interesting times in Ghana now, I must say. I'm yet to finish my calculation of the amount of filth we were able to clear in the country on that fateful maiden edition of the National Sanitation Day.

Before I finish though, I must congratulate all and sundry who participated in it and gave off their best to rid the country off filth which has engulfed us for ages. Of course, a massive thumbs up to government especially the Minister for Local Government whose insightful thoughts culminated into such great activity.

Seeing Otumfuo Osei Tutu himself with his people on television leading masses in Kumasi to participate actively was not just admirable but highly commendable and exemplary.

It is my wish that we all make it a point to engage ourselves in the next one the obviously will take place on Saturday, December 6. 

I had the opportunity of going to town after quickly doing some cleaning. I was indeed happy to see that all the shop owners complied with the order, not to open their shops before 10am.  I did not see a single shop in operation. Highly commendable again! 

VULTURE CULTURE

Of biblical zoology,

Thou need u not learn of elephants

But ye be under the tutelage of ants

Chanting their mantra of pedagogy

Towering accolades too I shower

Upon me friend vulture 

Disgusted by the butcher

Loathed even by Noah

Clothed even in severe hunger

In all destitute

Keeping everlasting mute

Stands never in anger

To death of its prey lastingly wait

Perching in thunderous silence

On a branch or fence

Patiently comes the knell rather late 

Imbibing the path of vulture culture

Soothes heart, mind and soul

Making me again whole

Weaning self off torture

So on evangelism I must go

Propagating to the bastardly greed

Who hastily himself feed 

To try motioning slow

 To vulture must we salute

Patiently living must we endeavour 

Enjoy maximally fruits of our labour

Together poverty hoot

Letting Peace In Ghana

We are gearing up for the next general elections and lots of internal political party elections are going on. The NPP has gone through all the stages and is yet to finally elect their flagbearer after the August 31 prune of the unpopular ones.

The NDC is also feverishly preparing to finalise the election of all its executive members at all levels.

I remain very optimistic that Ghana will continue to enjoy the peace that it has had over the years at least since the inception of the fourth republic. Did I say Ghana enjoyed peace? Hmm! But I read somewhere that peace is not only the absence of war oo. Hope you agree. 

Some of us were battered into fear during most of the elections. The animosity that ensued between the major political front runners and mainly their footsoldiers and, oh, their serial callers, the least said about them the better. The heat that was internally generated was so uncalled for. And till date I must confess that I don't understand why we continue to pride ourselves on being a beacon of hope for Africa as far as the practise of democracy is concerned. 

Election is a cardinal principle in the practise of democracy so if we continue to engage in such fierce struggle for power, then as a country, we leave much to be desired.

In all the discussions, I concur with Justice William Atuguba, the Supreme Court presiding judge in the 2012 elections dispute, who wondered why common elections to bring political persons into power could be so marred with such level of over-heightened strife.

But all in all, let's not lose sight of the fact that all that happens during the Election Day is not an event. It's actually a process. It begins from the conduct of some party people during the intra-party elections. The firing of insults and casting of innuendos are just one part. The character assassination strategies adopted by party people in order to score points for their choice is another.

In the run up to the general elections, opponents make use of these insults and name-calling. And not sounding like a prophet of doom, that is what we are about to witness in the 2016 general elections since we continue to hear them. 

Did Mr Johnson Asiedu-Nketia aka General Mosquito, the unopposed General Secretary say during the campaign launch of their current national Chairman, that he will resign his post when "useless" members of executive are elected. 

The Chief Scribe obviously should have been bold to mention the names of those "useless" ones among them. But since he didn't have the balls to do that, I want to hazard a guess. Ei, as3m oo! Haha! Let's leave that for another day. But apparently, all discerning minds now know that, some useless souls are also contesting in the NDC executive race. Was that talk necessary at all?

Oh, the NPP. Don't most of us know the violent and almost bloody struggle that went on at the party headquarters among party faithfuls? Of course, we know. Are we to brace ourselves for a replica in the 2016 General elections? Tofiakwa! 

Some media outlets have started oo! You remember the media unwarranted peddling of falsehood about the health of our former president, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills about two years before the 2008 elections. You remember Baby Ansaba's public confession of using the pages of his newspaper, The Punch, to create such mendacity about the Prof.? Well, that was after the falsely accused sick Prof. won political power and sworn in in 2009. It was highly uncalled for to say the least, especially of a man who claims to have conscience. 

When the Republic Newspaper published the story with the headline, "Nana Addo Health Alert" in its Monday, October 7 edition, and carried by Ghanaweb.com, of course many well-meaning Ghanaians were worried. But for the timely press statement released by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's campaign office, most of us would have believed it hook, line and sinker. A clear mischief at play in the claims of the newspaper, especially when newsmen and women worth their salt, know that the NPP flagbearer hopeful celebrated his 70th birthday not too long ago but decided to say he is 75 years old and in the same story elevated his age and claimed he is an octogenarian, OMG!

Why are we doing this to ourselves? Is there nobody to remind anybody to "Do unto others what you want others to do unto you"? Since the vultures of Ghana are ready to see her go down because of their ulterior motives, I am also determined with my quill and parchment to do all I could to thwart their machinations by exposing them.

I believe in letting Ghana peace-fill and not letting it peace-spill.

#PeaceInGhana

Prayers in Ghana: A Perspective!!

My anger continues to rise as their prayers become intense. This statement without explication obviously labels me as a pagan and at worse a demon possessed being. 

Without sounding as a professional statistician, I can say with observation that there are many Ghanaians who profess to be Christians or at least try to become like one. It is an undeniable fact that most religions one way or the other communicate with their invisible supreme being through prayers. Prayer as a form of worship is part of almost all Christian denominations. However, the forms that they take vary from one denomination to the other. 

While matters of religious beliefs in general have become issues of sacred concerns and that the slightest critique of it brings about name calling, it is still imperative that we rise to the occasion and without mincing words call a spade a spade. 

In the many forms of prayers as mentioned earlier is one that the one praying is expected to shout beyond her or his vocal ability, speak in a language that no one understands and keep clapping to such a crescendo that can be heard by someone about a mile and half away. Hmm...! No problem yet. When such an occurrence is just behind ones bedroom, adjacent or just a stone throw away, it's then that it feels very sour. 

I have read some portions of the Holy Bible that makes it abundantly clear that the Christian God also listens to silent prayers. Several examples could be cited including when Nehemiah was in front of the King and how his short, silent prayer was heard and answered. Please, I am not a pastor oo. Jesus Christ, whose following makes one a Christian, once taught his followers in the Common Era first century how they should pray recorded in plain language at Matthew Chapter 6 verses 5 to 8, with a model prayer from verses 9 to 13 popularly titled as 'The Lord's Prayer'. This I believe is relevant for modern day followers.

This is how simple I understand prayers. I desire not to force people to think like I do, accept my opinions, choices and actions hook, line and sinker. I also as dictated by Ghana's 1992 Constitution, desire that my actions do not affect other people negatively. In the same vain, natural justice dictates that our inalienable rights must not infringe on others.

So I am not a pagan but I detest any action (religious, political and financial) of someone that will disturb me.

Education in Ghana!!

Education in Ghana has agreeably and without a doubt come very far. It is a known fact that the educational system in the country fifty years ago is not the same as what we have today. 

However as a people, I continue to wonder whether we have clearly identified what our needs are and so placing emphasis on them in our curricula to train more people who will ensure that these needs are met.

If there is any truth in the Akan proverb that, "agoro beso a efiri anopa" which renders thus, the success of the game is dependent on morning, then I must hasten to say that our poor educational system is at the primary level. 

The question is asked, 'what are the essential ingredients that make up a person qualified for success in the corporate world and national development agenda?'

I identify four of the numerous ingredients:

*Good Communication Skills (language)

*Good Analytical Skills (Reasoning)

*Innovation (Creativity)

*Confidence

How effectively are the above incorporated in our basic education?

Hmm... You will now agree with me how we really need to do more.

Ayekoo Ghana!!

The Black Stars surely will receive a rousing welcome and congratulating messages from Ghanaians and Africans at the end of the tournament. I am neither a soothsayer nor someone who looks into a crystal ball but I can say with all certainty that we are going for that most coveted trophy. Go Black Stars Go!!