{"id":246542,"date":"2016-09-07T16:52:45","date_gmt":"2016-09-07T16:52:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=246542"},"modified":"2016-09-07T16:52:45","modified_gmt":"2016-09-07T16:52:45","slug":"cameron-duodu-writes-on-galamsey-have-we-lost-our-minds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=246542","title":{"rendered":"Cameron Duodu writes on ‘galamsey’: Have we lost our minds?"},"content":{"rendered":"

It was our greatest song-writer, the late Owura Ephraim Amu, who confessed in his \u201cKente<\/em>song\u201d that:<\/p>\n

Akyinkyin akyinyin<\/em>
\nAma mahu nne\u025bma aaa;<\/em>
\nAkyinkyin akyinkyin<\/em>
\nAma mate ns\u025bm aaa,<\/em>
\nAsante Bonwere Kente nwene de\u025b,<\/em>
\nMinhuu bi da oooo!<\/em>
\nAsante Bonwere Kente nwene de\u025b,<\/em>
\nMentee bi da oooo!..<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

(My wanderings have enabled me to see all sorts of things\u2026. but as for the way Asantekente<\/em> is woven at Bonwere, I have never seen the like of it before!\u2026. never heard of anything like it before!)<\/p>\n

Now, Owura Amu was of Ewe [precisely, Peki] descent, but many of the lovely songs he wrote were composed in Twi. Thus, many more Ghanaians are fortunate enough to be familiar with his songs than would have been the case if he had only used his native tongue in his artistic creations.<\/p>\n

Indeed, his song, \u201cYen ara asaase ni\u201d<\/em> ought to be the national anthem of Ghana. But every time the issue is raised, the bogey of \u201cAkan domination\u201d is raised by ethnic chauvinists to kick the issue to the touchline. Amu proved that a person of one ethnicity can get so well versed \u2013literally \u2013 in the language of another ethnicity that he could create magnificent songs in that other language, though it\u2019s not \u201chis own.<\/p>\n

But instead of allowing Amu to inspire us to admire artistic greatness, whatever its source, we bicker and stick to our squalid ethnic prejudices.<\/p>\n

I first heard Owura Amu\u2019s Yen Ara Asaase n<\/em>i in junior school many many moons ago. But I still remember almost every word of it, because the words contain so much meaning. In contrast, I doubt whether many people remember the English-language national anthem we currently use. The words of that song are so general and opaque that the Ghana embassy at the Hague, for one, has jumped the gun by providing the words of Yen ara asaaseni<\/em> as the Twi \u201ctranslation\u201d of \u201cGod bless our homeland Ghana\u201d!!<\/p>\n

For good measure, Ewe and Ga versions of Yen<\/em> Ara<\/em> asaase<\/em> ni <\/em>are also given, presumably to be taken as a translation of the English text. Excellent work, our guys at Den Haag! (To see their website, please go to: http:\/\/www.ghanaembassy.nl\/ index.php\/about-ghana\/ghana- at-a-glance\/71-ghana-national- anthem.html<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

(By the way, whatever happened to the words I faintly recollect in an earlier version of the national anthem: \u201cGod lift high the flag of Ghana\u201d or something? That would seem to be more in sync with our collective psyche, which wishes to pass on to other people, the tasks that we should be undertaking ourselves!<\/p>\n

Jokes aside \u2013 my thoughts are dominated by patriotic notions right now because I\u2019ve been chafing all weekend over a news item I read on the website of CITIFM,<\/em><\/p>\n

QUOTE:\u201cThe Kyebi Water Treatment plant has been shut down because the<\/em> water<\/em> has<\/em> been<\/em>left<\/em>untreatable. <\/em>The plant which serves much of the Eastern Region was shut down due to the effects of \u2026 galamsey<\/em> on the plant.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Water Resources and Works and Housing, Abraham Otabil confirmed the shutdown to Citi News<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u2018<\/u>We<\/u><\/em> <\/u>must<\/u><\/em> <\/u>all<\/u><\/em> <\/u>be<\/u><\/em> <\/u>concerned<\/u><\/em> <\/u>about<\/u><\/em> <\/u>galamsey’<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cGalamsey<\/em> could force closure of 3 treatment dams \u2013 Ministry<\/p>\n

\u201cCurrently the Kyebi water system being run by the Ghana Water Company has been temporarily shut down. This is due to the \u2026. rise [in] the water<\/em> turbidity<\/em> and also,\u2026 the raw<\/em>water<\/em> colour<\/em> which has exceeded the threshold value of 200 mtu, as per the plant design and construction\u2026[This] has rendered the \u2026 fresh water resources untreatable,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

\u201cCiti<\/em> News<\/em> [had earlier] reported that three treatment plants risked closure if galamsey<\/em>miners [who are destroying the water sources] were not evicted. The plants are Daboase Treatment Plant, the Barekese Dam and the Kyebi Water Treatment Plant. Activities of these[galamsey<\/em>operators] are affecting the treatment of water, further increasing the cost of water production.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbraham Otabil said [his company is] currently engaging the stakeholders within the Kyebi area to find a lasting solution to the matter. \u201cKyebi and its immediate surrounding communities are going to be affected,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

[Meanwhile] \u201cThe Executive Director of 5fifty Documentary Limited, Edem Srem, had earlier called on Ghanaians in urban areas to show concern about the effect of galamsey<\/em> activities in the country. Speaking to Citi<\/em> News<\/em> at the viewing of a [new] documentary dubbed, \u2018Galamsey<\/em>,the<\/em> other<\/em> side<\/em>\u2018 Edem Srem said it is about time stakeholders come together to reach a mutually beneficial conclusion on the matter.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026When you visit most of the rivers that have been polluted by the activities of galamsey<\/em>, you realize that fish<\/em> caught by fishermen [there] tastes sour and bitter, making it dangerous<\/em>for consumption. In Accra, we always assume we are safe<\/em> because we think the\u2026 things\u2026 brought to Accra are [fresh]. But the question we need to ask is, where<\/em> are those fresh foods comingfrom?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

I have been chafing at these reports because warnings have not been exactly lacking about the grave and disastrous water situation. I myself have written so much about thisgalamsey<\/em>problem that I often have to stop myself from tackling the subject again.<\/p>\n

If you are patient enough to read some of the articles listed below, you will appreciate truly, that what is happening today should not come as a surprise to anyone:<\/p>\n

THE COLLECTIVE MADNESS THAT HAS STRUCK GHANA \u2014 galamsey \u2014 STRIKES \u2026 NEW YEAR HONOURS LIST by CAMERON DUODU www.cameronduodu.com<\/a> \u2026<\/p>\n

Intelligence On Galamsey | Cameron Duodu
\ncameronduodu.com\/tag\/ intelligence-on-galamsey<\/a><\/p>\n

WHAT CAN AKYEM ABUAKWA DO ABOUT GALAMSEY? By CAMERON DUODU The Akyems are among the most democratic people in the world. When a \u2026<\/p>\n

Ghana: The murky world of galamsey \u2013 New African Magazine\u00a0newafricanmagazine.com\/ghana- murky-world-galamsey\/Cameron<\/a><\/span> Duodu; 3 March 2015;<\/p>\n

How can anyone watch this galamsey film and do nothing? | Feature \u2026<\/p>\n

www.ghanaweb.com\/\u2026\/How-can- anyone-watch-this-galamsey- film-and-<\/span>.<\/a>..<\/p>\n

16 Dec 2014 \u2013 I have been crying in my heart for many months over Ghana\u2019s galamsey problem. (See my website www.cameronduodu.com<\/a><\/span>)<\/p>\n

SAVE US FROM GALAMSEY! \u2013 Modernghana.com
\nhttps:\/\/www.modernghana.com\/ news\/\u2026\/save-us-from- galamsey.html<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

11 May 2013 \u2013 .SAVE US FROM GALAMSEY! By Cameron Duodu \u2026 Indeed, when I first heard of the \u2018galamsey\u2019 phenomenon, I just laughed. It was the language \u2026<\/p>\n

This Galamsey Thing Has Become A War! \u2013 Modernghana.com<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.modernghana.com\/.. .\/this-galamsey-thing-has- become-a-wa.<\/a>..<\/span><\/p>\n

5 Feb 2014 \u2013 By Cameron Duodu \u2026 So the galamsey people want to kill this sacred Lake, as well, \u2026 What the<\/p>\n

galamsey operators are doing is no different.
\nGhana News \u2013 I would never have believed that \u2013 Cameron Duodu writes<\/p>\n

ghana-news.adomonline.com\/\u2026\/ i-would-never-have-believed- that-david.<\/a>..<\/p>\n

. When I stood at the \u2026
\nCameron Duodu | The Guardian
\nhttps:\/\/plus.google.com\/\u2026\/ posts\/7c7Kz5JB9bo<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

martin kantaraka
\n6 Jan 2015 \u2013 THE TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES OF UNCONCERN ABOUT GALAMSEY | Cameron Duodu<\/p>\n

CHINESE FORTUNE-HUNTERS AND GALAMSEY IN GHANA \u2026https:\/\/plus.google.com\/\u2026 \/posts\/HPUPsxAVw8v<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

BACK TO MAIN ARTICLE:<\/strong> It is heartening to hear that OccupyGhana has said it will henceforth throw its full weight behind the battle against galamsey.<\/em> For unless someone can convince me that Ghanaians have somehow been turned into dumb beasts in the way that Circe turned the crew of Ulysses into swine to whom she fed acorns, we should\u2019t sit down and allow anyone to turn our water bodies into mud-pits. For even animals like dogs and horses recognise the value of water. If you watch wild life films on TV, you will be amazed at the distances elephants (for instance) will travel to get to water during a period of drought.<\/p>\n

Yet we, proud citizens of Ghana, are sitting down and inviting thirst to come and kill us!<\/p>\n

It is beyond my comprehension.<\/p>\n

ENDPIECE:<\/strong> I regret to inform my readers that Mr Joseph Mensah, who was my close collaborator when I was editor of Drum<\/em> Magazine, and who rose from Shorthand Typist to become Editor of the magazine, has been gathered unto his fathers. I shall publish a full obituary of him on my website in due course.<\/p>\n

I have also learnt with extreme sadness that Drum\u2019s<\/em> ace photographer, Christian Gbagbo, also departed from us quite some time ago. My heartfelt condolences to the families of these men, without whose artistry and hard work Drum<\/em> would never have become the magazine it was before economic hardship \u2013 and the treachery of some of its own accounting staff \u2013 drove it off the streets of Ghana for good in the 1970s.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

–<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By: Cameron Duodu<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It was our greatest song-writer, the late Owura Ephraim Amu, who confessed in his \u201cKentesong\u201d that: Akyinkyin akyinyin Ama mahu nne\u025bma aaa; Akyinkyin akyinkyin Ama mate ns\u025bm aaa, Asante Bonwere Kente nwene de\u025b, Minhuu bi da oooo! Asante Bonwere Kente nwene de\u025b, Mentee bi da oooo!…\u201d (My wanderings have enabled me to see all sorts […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":246543,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,374],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-246542","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general","category-opinion"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/246542","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=246542"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/246542\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/246543"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=246542"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=246542"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=246542"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}