What happens is that, you can’t have that time back. Time is transient so you’ve lost it. And then you’ve also lost energy, which is often not so easy to rejuvenate, especially when you ponder over the initial zero results vis-à-vis the efforts you put in.

It appears to me that the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, may be headed for this unpleasant destination.

The ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’ mantra that the President and his Vice continually articulate like ‘parrots’ with so much elation and optimism; is really becoming a nuisance to my ears, not just because nothing significant is really happening to realize this, but also because we are missing the real adversary.

It is indeed the dream of every individual or group of people to become self-sufficient, how much more a country that is nearly 60 years after gaining independence from its oppressors.

Besides, the book of proverbs reminds us that the borrower is a slave to the lender, so we really must be free economically to give existent meaning to our independence.

Even so, I do not think that AID is our biggest headache; our greatest predicament is the unrestrained CORRUPTION.

And this is even confirmed in the fact that, regardless of the huge public debt they inherited, this very government that is shouting ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’, has opened itself to some amount of AID, although in some cases for embarrassing purposes, such as the one million dollars from the Indian government to shamefully renovate our national pride, the seat of government, the Flagstaff House.

If AID was truly the number one enemy, the same Nana Addo and Bawumia will not open themselves up for AID, and then later turn around to play with words, by trying to give their kind of AID a different meaning with all the semantics.

Truly, no one is an island. Even the bigger and stronger economies, require some form of help at times from elsewhere. Hence, giving a helping hand either solicited or unsolicited, cannot generally be bad a thing as some seem to suggest.

So we must see that, it is the poor management of the AID that in most cases in Ghana and elsewhere, lead to the poor results that we see in terms of development.

For instance, if you go for a loan with interest rate that you were satisfied with after your cost benefit analysis, to invest in a commercial public entity that should be run to pay off the loan by itself; and you mismanage it through corruption that goes unpunished, how do you in your working brain, blame that loan or the lender for your mess or bad debt? And this is just one of the typical situations of AID mismanagement in this country.

So if we are truly strong-willed with integrity and enthusiasm, they must be channeled into bulldozing corruption head-on without fear or favour.

Indeed, AID from countries such as the United States and elsewhere are reducing over the years, and may get to an all-time low. But I don’t believe that the donors are pulling out because they think or know that AID doesn’t develop any country. That for me is a lie being forced down our throat, and I will never swallow it.

The very reasons why most of these AIDS are being cut are largely because of the levels of CORRUPTION that exists in these receiver nations. Most of these donors simply massage the truth about their withdrawal not to hurt diplomatic relations, but they are truly aware that we are misusing these monies, and so they have started advising themselves.

There have been instances I have heard an Ambassador of the United States Embassy and the Danish Embassy in Ghana, speak very gravely about CORRUPTION levels in Ghana. It is for this same reason that Denmark is now moving from AID to trade in their relations with Ghana. We actually tend to think these donors are dumb or blind, not to know about the stinking rot in our system.

On this AID subject, my good friend Nana Ama Agyemang Asante, who agrees with the notion that AID hasn’t helped Africa said, “Where is the country built by AID? Why hasn’t the continent moved to a different stage with all the AID that pours in? In fact, there is research that indicates that, African governments get away with corruption because half the monies they squander come from AID, and the other half from natural resources. If they were taxing us to develop our countries, we would be harder on them than we are on the football team.”

And this was my response to her “So you are of the firm belief that when they [Government] tax us and not rely on AID, they will be forced to put the money to good use? If you have the courage to squander the money you get with sometimes huge interest and suffocating conditions, why then will you be afraid not to squander the one that you generate internally with less or no conditions from a largely dormant population? From your post, the problem is the CORRUPTION and not the AID. These kinds of researches you are quoting are the problem.”

I am not a political scientist or a governance expert, but in my ordinary wisdom, I strongly disagree with this overstated notion that AID from the West only stagnates Africa’s growth and development.

We really need to disabuse our minds of this misconception and redirect our energies to the real source of the problem. The problem lies with the managers of the AID, It comes from the bad deals they negotiate; the sickening levels of CORRUPTION such as the latest one in which a Ministry has budgeted Ghc800,000 for a mere website; these are to blame and not the AID itself or the donors.

The reality that scares me is this; even if we generate enough wealth internally, and the unbridled CORRUPTION is not drastically minimized, if the selfishness and the almost incurable greed eating us up are not dealt with, we will remain where we are with or without AID.

Nobody puts a gun to our necks to take the AID, we go for them willingly, and then a few individuals misappropriate the chunk of it. People have built private business empires with all forms of AID, why can’t we build a better country with our share of the AID?

There can be no sense in turning around to blame the DONOR or the borrower, after misusing your AID or loan.

Besides, it is this same CORRUPTION that permeates our judiciary, police service, public health system, Immigration Service and many facets of our national life, for which reason we haven’t had a holistic development after 60 years of independence.

Mr. President, AID or no AID, your gaze should remain on CORRUPTION like an eagle hunting for its prey. You either get this target, or anything else is a waste of precious time and energy.

And let there be real action in dealing with the vultures within and without. And wisdom should also teach you, that per how we have fought corruption across the various political regimes, you will only earn higher praise, if you hunt down the crooks in your circle, and not only those outside of it.

The talk is too much; the earlier you act, the better for you, because the early signs are disheartening.

–

By: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Email: [email protected]/Ghana

The Writer is a Broadcast Journalist with Citi FM. The views hereby expressed in this article are his personal opinions, and do not reflect in any form or shape, those of Citi FM.

The post Afanyi Dadzie Writes: Our ‘Enemy’ is CORRUPTION, not AID appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Seriously? Why should this be my headache? I thought we all knew that the only permanent thing in this world is change?

I think I need help, because I really don’t understand the cacophony of noises that have greeted what seems to me like an innovation by a new government that may want to do things differently from the past.

Maybe someone should show me whether as a country, we’ve had a stagnant template in governance style that binds all governments.

I am only Thirty-Three years, and may not have witnessed all governance styles, but at least I know that since our democratic dispensation in 1992; the number of ministries or ministers has always varied among different administrations.

The number of ministries under the three NDC administrations led by Jerry Rawlings, the late Atta Mills and John Mahama, were different, although those leaders believed in the same ideology.

The New Patriotic Party administration led by then John Kufuor, had a number that is entirely different from the current number by the same NPP, led by Nana Akufo-Addo.

And this is understandable because at every point, each of the leaders had different set of goals and how they hoped to achieve them.

I think that most commentators on this trending issue are sadly failing to put things in proper perspective and context; either ignorantly or deliberately to score cheap political points.

In Jerry John Rawlings’ first term after the 1992 elections, he had Nineteen (19) substantive ministers, but he increased to Twenty-Five (25) in his second term.

John Agyekum Kufuor in his first time increased the number of substantive ministers to Thirty-One (31), and maintained the same number in his second term.

The late John Evans Atta Mills in his first term managed to beat down the number to Twenty-Three (23) to fit into his vision. It must however be noted that, he had six (6) Ministers of State in addition to the Twenty-Three (23) bringing the number to Twenty-Nine (29).

He unfortunately didn’t have a second term after his demise.

John Dramani Mahama in his first time had Twenty-Four (24) substantive ministers, with Five (5) Ministers of State at the presidency, making it Twenty-Nine 29, the exact number Atta Mills had.

Nana Akufo-Addo chooses to increase from Twenty-Four (24) substantive ministers in the Mahama administration, to Twenty-Nine (29), with six (6) Ministers of State at the presidency, and One (1) Senior Minister, bringing the total to Thirty-Six (36), a difference of seven (7) from the previous administration, ostensibly to fit into his vision.

In all, the new government has seven (7) newly created portfolios; has reintroduced five (5) portfolios which were under the erstwhile NPP regime, and maintained the Twenty-Four (24) generic ministries that have existed in the previous administration.

Must hell break loose over this?

If Nana Akufo-Addo today has such ambitious promises for which reason Ghanaians are keenly watching and expecting heaven from him, must I be bothered if he decides to use a certain unpopular or new approach to achieve his goals?

Well, its human nature to react to things we haven’t heard before. Change is often received with such posture. And like Mary Shelley, an English author once said, “Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change.”

I must admit, that I found some of the new ministerial portfolios not just weird, but laughable. But at the same time, I found others like the Water Resources and Sanitation quite laudable. It’s a known fact, that sanitation in our country is one of our biggest problems, although this should not be the case after nearly sixty years of independence, when others are building planes and ships.

But if the new government wants to put this problem in sharp focus by carving a Ministry for it from the Local Government Ministry, why should that be my worry?

Those who say such ministries will mean that the country will spend more paying ex-gratia and allocating funding, also need to know, that ‘nothing goes for nothing’. Life is a risk, sometimes all you need is the courage to take that bold step; and you will succeed before you know it.

We have seen lean governments so-called in this country under some administrations, yet we witnessed wastage and corruption in gargantuan proportions. So a lean government isn’t a guarantee that we will spend less money.

On the other hand, another can choose a bigger government so-called, and yet manage resources much more prudently. Perhaps we may have to revisit the Constitution to put a cap on how many ministers are reasonable, because at this point, it is an uncontrolled space, and what is lean or big is subjective.

I will be excited to see a very clean Ghana, and if Nana Addo and his team need a Ministry for Sanitation and Water Resources to achieve that, so be it.

The reason many of us have been stuck in the race of life is because we fear to take a step of change. And the result is that, we unconsciously become pessimists. I know politicians in this country have dimmed the light of optimism in us, so we virtually receive every decision with cynicism or suspicion. Can we for once be optimistic for the change we so much yearn for, and give the new government the opportunity to work with these modules?

I do not want to behave like I am the wise King Solomon, and that I know better than Nana Akufo-Addo and his team who sat down to come up with these ideas. Margaret Mead, an American cultural anthropologist once said “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

I think that genuinely; those who should be worried about these new creations, are Nana Addo and his appointees and the NPP, because they have put themselves in the most challenging situation to the point that the party will be  dealt a heavy blow if they fail to deliver.

And that means they would have exposed themselves to the worst ridicule in our 4th Republic.

If a party that had a Railways, Ports and Harbours Ministry failed woefully in that sector in the past, now returns to office and creates a new ministry solely for the Railway sector’s development, I see that as a bold statement to do what they could not do before.

I can only look forward to a vibrant rail sector nationwide and nothing more – if they fail me, my thumb will fail them when the time comes.

For once, we have seen a President explain to us why he has appointed certain people and created specific ministries, so why should I have a headache over his approach?

I just want to trust that he and his team will deliver for us the good governance that we expect from them. I do not want to judge a government by the number of appointments it made or ministries it has created, but by the outcome of its work; and the positive impact on the citizenry.

They (Government) are the students in this scenario; and we the citizens are the examiners; we shall mark their work at the end of the exams; and give them the marks that they deserve – case closed.

Just to let you know, I don’t represent the neutrals or the majority view, I represent the truth – and I owe it to my conscience, and to my maker. And like Mahatma Ghandi once said, “Even if you are in the minority of one, the truth is the truth.”
–
By: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Email: [email protected]

The Writer is a Broadcast Journalist with Citi FM. The views hereby expressed in this article are his personal opinions, and do not reflect in any form or shape, those of Citi FM.

The post Afanyi Dadzie writes: When the voters for change become pessimists appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

But you see, like the Akan saying ‘If you fail to speak about your haircut; you will end up with a bad cut.’

I have come to a conclusion that a sizable number of Ghanaians, have come to accept just anything at all thrown at them by our self-centered and greedy politicians.

And it really breaks my heart to see that the very people who are being short-changed, are largely blind to their sad situation – and so even for the half loaves, they seem very content with it in the midst of plenty.

And this is why the Ghanaian politician is emboldened to continually give us the left-over after they have enriched their lives and that of their families and cronies. Then we behave like children excited after being given toffees in the kindergarten; and clap for them.

I just can’t imagine that after more than fifty years of independence with the abundant resources available to this country, I am supposed to heap praises on the government merely for building a flyover over a smelly open drain (Odaw River) to ease traffic congestion. Hell No!

I haven’t traveled beyond the borders of this country; but I have read and viewed; and so I know that per global standards, our flyover is not a magnificent architectural project.

And it cannot pass for a tourist attraction site merely because of a Fountain with Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s statue and the lighting at night – Let’s stop making fun of ourselves in the eyes of expatriates in this country – it’s embarrassing; we are not in the stone age; and Ghana is not far away from the world to have different standards – we are in a global village.

Yes – this may be news for some Ghanaians because they’ve not had exposure to such things, but seriously, all that this project will do; is to make movement a little easier, and perhaps an insignificant impact on productivity.

But what is even more shocking, is that for the purposes of political convenience and party affiliations, even people who have traveled far and wide, and are supposed to be exposed and enlightened; are behaving just as the not-so-exposed people.

And the worst of it, is the dishonesty from the politicians themselves; who have excess exposure and a perfect picture of monumental projects globally; and yet put up simple things to enable them siphon some of the money – and shamefully turnaround to brag about them.

It is a good project just for the purpose it was made for; but it is not extraordinary; and it’s not a monumental achievement just like the Tetteh Quarshie Roundabout and the George Walker Bush Highway; which has taken human lives needlessly – because pedestrians’ safety wasn’t factored into that project.

We haven’t built our first ship, neither have we built a Helicopter or an Aeroplane – it is just a simple flyover which has been built with a loan that will be borne by the tax payer’s sweat. So what’s all this fanfare if not merely for the purposes of convincing voters? We may as well declare a holiday when we achieve any major achievement in science and technology.

Let’s stop the mediocrity; and demand for higher standards from our politicians else they will take us for fools forever. Like the Akan adage ‘If you never express your hurt; they will never stop hurting you.’

We haven’t been angry enough as a people; we must not just walk to the polls every four years; come back home, and fold our alms; whiles they do what they please.

Some say the politicians deserve commendation because after all, Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Well; that’s true, but at least, Rome was built every day till it got to its magnificent and monumental state. Yet, what do we do every day? We waste all the time we have to build siphoning the very resources that is building ‘our own Rome’.

How then do we finish building when the building materials get stolen along the way?

And again, even though Rome wasn’t built in a day, like the parable of the talent in the Bible, to whom much is given; much is expected.

The many model countries that we make references to today including Rome; do not have the significant amount of resources that we have had, and continue to have. And yet, they have progressed rapidly and better than us.

I don’t even want to talk about suggestions  that the project cost may have been bloated for the purposes of kickbacks and the likes. But inasmuch I do not have evidence on that, I know it’s a possibility in this our corruption riddled society.

Some of you Ghanaians can choose to settle for less, and allow the greedy and selfish politicians to find it convenient to take you for granted by allowing them to engage in such trivialities on election days, just to woo the ‘weaker minds’ as President John Dramani Mahama reportedly once said.

Yes – they are greedy and selfish; and that’s a fact. I have concluded, that the problem with leaders on this continent, is not the lack of knowledge or the even the will to implement the desired change – greed and self-centeredness is our bane.

But for me, I will not confuse the truth with the opinion of the majority. And like Mahatma Ghandi once said ‘Even if you are a minority of one, the truth is the truth.’

A friend on Facebook, who found the Interchange project praiseworthy and surprisingly described it as victory, asked me what in my view will constitute a transformational project, and this was my response; “I am waiting for the day I will be in dire need of health services and I can call an ambulance to pick me safely to the Hospital; I wait for the day I won’t have to queue in pain at the hospital to get care because of huge numbers and less doctors; I wait for the day this country will manage it resources well enough to pay unemployment benefits and cater for the vulnerable effectively; I wait for the day factories will be built to add value to our raw materials and give jobs to the jobless – and decisions will be taken against the high levels of importation; I wait for the day it won’t take me long hours to get a mere passport in my country or pay bribe to get it; I wait for the day monies will not be sunk in building roads that last for few months only for us to rebuild and waste money, the list goes on and on; I can’t settle for less in a land of plenty – I am not saying one gov’t can do all, but there must be serious commitment enough towards these things.”

We still have a long way to go in terms of infrastructure that should be equally scattered across our country; but the pace at which we are moving is extremely slow considering how old we are.

If the blatant and cruel siphoning stops, we can achieve more than enough and make our nation great and strong.
–
By: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana
[email protected]

The post Afanyi Dadzie writes: Half a loaf is not better amidst plenty bread appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.