Going Gay?

Just some few weeks ago gays and lesbians in the United States received a major Christmas hamper from the country’s politicians when the Senate voted 65 to 31, to repeal the military’s Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. By the repeal gay and lesbians in the US military can be open about their sexuality, and receive the same treatment as non-gays and lesbians. Some of the senators who voted against the bill insist it has the effect of undermining military cohesion. Senator John McCain who had previously supported the policy slammed it`, insisting it’ll weaken the military’s efforts in future combats.

His protestation, like those who voted against it, was finally stitched up in the garbage when President Barack Obama assented to it on Wednesday, few days before Christmas. "This is a very good day," Mr Obama said.

"This morning I'm proud to sign a law that will bring an end to 'don't ask, don't tell,” adding: "No longer will tens of thousands of Americans be asked to live a lie in order to serve the country that they love."

The policy was one of Obama’s objectives before heading to the white house. He also said it will allow many Americans serving in the military to do so with open mind without fear of being “forced to leave.”

"No longer will our country be denied the service of thousands of patriotic Americans who were forced to leave the military, regardless of their skills, no matter their bravery or their zeal, no matter their years of exemplary performance because they happen to be gay."

But there those Americans who continue to stress family values. Discussions on the practice often breed controversy-even in so-called developed societies where people’s sexuality is left to them. And for those in Africa and Ghana to be specific, the practice does not even exist. It stinks. It is never on any menu for breakfast or even dinner. .

Whoever brings that up might likely be skinned alive, literally. Often, religion has always become a convenient reference point for those who come out strongly on the practice. The story of Sodom and Gomorrah is such a perfect reference. I’m not going to go into that. The last time I posted something on my wall about gay practice, a friend accused me of being xenophobic. Africa is no home to the practice, though one may see South Africa as an exception.

The former apartheid country has liberal laws towards the practice which most countries on the continent especially Zimbabwe does not approve. Robert Mugabe described them as worst than ‘pigs and dogs.” He stepped on the tail of gay activists who even called for sanctions to be applied to his country. Ghana has no law against the practice but the society is very unwelcoming of those involved in it, something human rights activists say violate their rights. What right? That is the question people have often asked: Do gays have rights?

But I think recent comments by the Acting Commissioner of the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Ms Hanna Bossman, that the rights of practitioners should be respected will amount to ruffling feathers especially among religious communities. The last time the issue came up a senior member of the clergy said any attempt to endorse the practice could amount to a huge curse on Ghana. I thought that was complete rubbish! Those who are raining curses on the country are those corrupt politicians that clergyman sits in council with, eat with and even depend on them for diplomatic passports so they can avoid being arrested for drug trafficking. Their’ behaviour is what’s keeping those corrupt politicians in place.

Inasmuch as I’m not privy to any information about gays and lesbians holding themselves up as preachers in most Ghanaian churches, there are more practitioners sitting in pews every Sunday. . Ms. Back to Hanna Bossman’s assertion. She said gays and lesbians should not be condemned based on people’s morality and instead urged Ghanaians to “respect the humanity in other people. Whatever your morality is, I would expect that people will respect your rights.”

She went further to say: “We are talking about fundamental human rights of people okay -freedom of choice. In as much as it is not criminal or it is not trampling on the rights of others, I think that we should respect it. You can be opposed to it but that does not give you the right to go and harm somebody or to go and do things that you are not supposed to do against that person.”

Not her but there have been other human right groups in Ghana who are often advocating for such persons to be given the recognition so they can be in the open and not go underground, since that could be bad for the society and the safety of children.

Again, I have heard senior clergymen called for the respects of gay and lesbians to be respected, even when we disagree with their sexuality. I was reading an article in the December 2010 edition of the US magazine Essence and in an article written by the civil right campaigner Rev Al Sharpton in attempting to address allegations against Atlanta based Bishop Eddie Long by some former church members that he sodomised them, Rev. Al Sharpton wondered the manner by which the accusation by the youngmen had been flatly dismissed and wondered if the same could have taken place if women had made the allegations. He said rather than pretend the practice is not going on in the church; the clergy should wake up and end the pretence.

He was convinced that is the only way out in addressing the growing culture of the practice in the church.

Laurent Gbagbo; the face of electoral fraud

It is clear defeated and disgraced ex-president of Cote D'Ivoire, Laurent Gbagbo, is not only an electoral fraud but has amassed for himself and family personal fortunes scatttered across unnamed countries. The man most Ivorians see as a nationalist is nothing but a common thief who is no different from the likes of the late Mobutu Sese Seko, Eyadema, Blasie Compoare and the many hooligans across Africa, holding themselves up as leaders. So far, Mr. Gbagbo, a former history professor, has refused to stand down after losing to rival Alassane Ouattar in the second round of an election more than two weeks ago. The European Union has insisted it will impose sanctions on the country if the criminal does not vacate the office he is desperately trying to hold on to by using the military. French President Sarkozy was clear in his mind when he said Mr. Gbagbo, an electoral fraudster, should stand down by the end of the week: "If, by the end of the week, they have not left the office they hold... in violation of the will of the Ivorian people, they will feature by name on the [EU] sanctions list."

Keynan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, himself a victim of electoral fraud, has urged the African Union to remove the criminal by force. He says the AU must have the 'teeth' to bite the criminal out of office before he plunges his country into any further abyss. I'm not one who endorses the use of force but in this instance, i support any possible action, including assassination, to get Gbagbo out of office. For a whole nation to suffer, i would rather he is eliminated. The case of then military leader Robert Guei is still fresh in the minds of many people and it's only resonable that those close to Gbagbo advice him to refer to how Guei was eliminated like a headless chicken.

WikiLeaks: Ghana Gov't respond to Assange.

MINISTRY OF INFORMATION
PRESS STATEMENT

For Immediate Release

Ghana Government Responds to Cable Leaks

The Government of Ghana has become aware of reports in the press of purported leaked diplomatic cables on Ghana.

The Government of Ghana will like to reiterate for the avoidance of doubt that the President Mills led administration remains committed and unwavering in the fight against narcotics regardless of the threats that the leaks pose to this fight.

It will be recalled that President Mills demonstrated leadership by example as a clear signal of his commitment and emboldened security personnel by voluntarily subjecting himself for body search. This singular act sent a loud message that nobody would be shielded or allowed to engage in the illicit act no matter their connections or status.

President Mills has no cause to suspect his appointees and believes they are with him in this noble task to make Ghana a no-transit point for narcotics. He also knows what to do to those who fall short of the laws of Ghana and the standards he has set and will not have spared any such person neither will he seek anybody’s assistance before dealing with such persons.

Despite the challenges inherited, the Government of President Mills will relentlessly continue with this fight and will ensure that the Narcotic Control Board (NACOB) receives continuous support evidenced by the historic increase in budgetary allocation to NACOB and that the process to elevate the NACOB into a stronger independent Commission which is at a very advanced stage continues. We have maintained similar commitment in assisting and strengthening all the Security Agencies.

Our efforts in fighting the drug menace and the positive results achieved so far have been acknowledged by well-meaning Ghanaians and the world at large and for this we are highly encouraged.


Hon. John Tia AKOLOGU
MINISTER FOR INFORMATION
ACCRA
[December 15, 2010]

T-shirt war; when fools lead their flocks astray

One of the many beautiful adages that I heard told was that “the foolishness of a sheep can be traced to its owner.” I fell in love with it that same day and had consciously tried to memorize it for my personal use; be it in my writings or merely using it to tease friends.

Events in Ghana the past couple of days over a t-shirt poking fun at the sitting president appear and creating a storm between the NDC and NPP has given enough weight to the adage.

The latter had outdoored new t-shirts with the inscription ‘ecomini,’ a gaffe President John Mills committed during an address to the country. Anthony Kabo, the youth organiser of the NPP, says the printing of the gaffe is to bring some creativity in the political arena, as well as raise funds to support the party.

He said it was not meant to denigrate the sitting president and his colleagues from the other whom he accused of over stretching the issue. He has warned that any attempt by colleagues from the other side to walk that same dirty road “we will give them the measure they are looking for.”

Though some leaders within the NDC are asking their followers not to walk that same path, the news coming out is that some are prepared to make nonsense of that appeal. A report from Kumasi says a new t-shirt about the NPP leader Nana Akufo-Addo with the inscription 1960 Weed Funky Days, will soon come out. The news report quoted a gentleman by name Kwesi Ofori Agyemang as being behind the said t-shirt to come out.

“We have been encouraged by the NPP General Secretary to create humour in the Ghanaian [body] politic and use it to create fun and I think we also have creativity within us in the NDC and we can also respond appropriately and create some amount of humour so that we can all enjoy.”

Thinking through what I call t-shirt war, it is pretty much depressing that after 53 years of nationhood we still have political junkies who are not interested in putting forward quality ideas to improve the lives of most young persons in the country, but rather rally them around for a stupid cause such as this one.

I find it more unfortunate that somebody such as Anthony Kabo, seemingly a reasonable youth organiser, should get himself entangled in such a mess. As someone who is desperately campaigning for his party to come to power, voters expect him to tell them what his party will do differently that the current government is not doing, not this useless and rather cheap way of selling party ideas.

The average Ghanaian voter who has no regular supply of water, electricity, no job and even unable to meet the basic things of life, will expect people like Kabo and Ofori Agyemang to tell them how their regimes will address these challenges. It's unfortunate but the behaviour of such hoodlums shows the direction Ghana is heading.

Cote D’Ivoire: Rhetoric not enough, ECOWAS

It appears the Economic Community of West Africa (Ecowas) is thinking right. Leaders of the organisation at a meeting in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, are singing from the same hymn sheet with the right thinking members of the society: Laurent Gbagbo must leave! That is a right statement timely delivered. Report says a 14 point communiqué delivered after the meeting was clear about why that idiot called Gbagbo who wants to plunge his country further into the river must not be allowed to hang in.

He is a bad tooth in the sub-region and should not be allowed to do anything silly. While I applaud the leaders of Ecowas, I also want them to go beyond the talk and take action. We expect them to move in and smoke Laurent Gbagbo out before he creates further mess. He should not be allowed any breathing space to stay till the end of time. It is clear he is looking for power sharing and that ought not to happen.

This power sharing mess that happened in Kenya must never be repeated anywhere on the continent, let alone Cote D’Iovire. The sovereign will of the people be respected and the only way Ecowas will make itself relevant to the rest of us will be for them to get this electoral criminal out.

Drogba’s charitable works and Gbagbo's madness

It is unfortunate that at a time when Ivorian football star Didier Drogba was busy raising funds in London to help establish hospital back in Abidjan, the country’s capital, his own fella Laurent Gbagbo, a humiliated president, is refusing to leave office. He was beaten by his political rival Alassane Ouattara in a run-off election but, like other idiotic African leaders, Gbagbo is refusing to listen to the voice of reason. His actions obviously have the tendency of plunging the country further into the coals.

The country is at the moment divided between the South and North. The latter is controlled by the rebel forces where Mr. Ouattara draws much of his support. There are attempts to get him to sit up and reason like a human being and not an animal. His actions are embarrassing to the works of footballer Didier Drogba who rallied round other countrymen based in England, musicians and colleague football players to raise money to build a hospital back home in a country that an idiot is desperately trying to set on fire.

Didier Drogba launched a charity three years ago to help support vital health and education projects in Africa. Money has already gone to the Red Cross and orphanages in his native Ivory Coast, according to a report in the sun.

"I'm not doing it for publicity - I'm doing it because I'm affected. I'm going to be loud now because I want people to support the charity."

Contrary to his good works, that of his countryman and disgraced ex-president Gbagbo is absolutely disgraceful. The situation in the country continues to slide further into the abyss and, the BBC is now reporting that the United Nations is moving its staff out of the West African country.

“Some 460 staff would continue to carry out their duties from the Gambia, UN spokesman Martin Nesirky was quoted by the BBC.

World leaders obviously appalled by what is happening are now speaking out. Bostwana President Khama Ian Khama urged African heads of state to strongly condemn what was happening. He urged lunatic Gbagbo to step down and safe himself any embarrassment.
Gbagbo’s actions have compelled both the World Bank and the African Developmetn Bank who early this week said they will freeze further assistance to a country whose citizens have suffered poverty and neglect from a corrupt regime.

His foolishness is read a bloat of Drogba’s efforts to bring relief to such persons who have been ignored. It is clear that if he refused to leave, then the fate that befell former military office Robert Guei will fall right on his sickly head.

Quitte le Pouvoir , a message to Laurent Gbagbo

When Ivorian reggae artiste Tiken Jah Fakoly wrote the song, Quitte le Pouvoir – Leave Power, there was no doubt who the butt of the song was; Laurent Gbagbo. And if events currently in Cote D’Ivoire is anything to go by, then his prophesy was apt. The song which has become an anthem to the majority of citizens in that West African country has become relevant at this time especially when Laurent Gbagbo is determined not to leave power, eventhough he was resoundly beaten in an election which has been rigged for him, thanks to the useless and corrupt Constitutional Court headed by an ally.

Opposition leader Alassane Ouattara had earlier been declared victor but supporters of the lunatic Laurent Gbagbo jumped on the results and tore them into shreds. Moments after that madness, soldiers blocked the entry points into the country, disallowed foreign journalists from reporting about any incidents, and got Gbagbo to be sworn as president.

Immediately after that tacky ceremony, proper winner of the elections Mr. Ouattara was also sworn in as the elected president in the presence of UN and AU officials in a private hotel.


When Ivorian Lunatic Gbagbo had no shame and foolishly went ahead to claim the elections had rather been stolen for the eventual winner.

"You think that you can cheat, stuff ballot boxes and intimidate voters and that the other side won't see what is going on," Mr Gbagbo was quoted by the BBC.
In a direct reference to foreign observers, he said: "We didn't ask anyone to come and run our country. Our sovereignty is something I am going to defend."

It is rather sad that after all the mess he created that led to serious division in the country, Lunatic Gbagbo is walking the country right back into the dark moments. It is sad tale but the truth is that he has to “Quitte le Pouvoir.

WikiLeaks: Being journalist or not is not the issue.

Editor in Chief of WikiLeaks, Julian Assanage, says the question about whether or not he is a journalist is not the subject that is important, rather the authenticity of the information he has so far puts across on his website, which has created diplomatic storm across the world, leading to several countries including the United States and Australia, where he comes from, going after him for criminally obtaining sensitive information that has embarrassed the United States.

Responding to series of questions from readers put together by the British Guardian newspaper, Mr. Assanage said the issue not about him being a journalist or not, but someone who gives directions to colleagues he works with to get the right information for publication.

“I coauthored my first nonfiction book by the time I was 25. I have been involved in nonfiction documentaries, newspapers, TV and internet since that time. However, it is not necessary to debate whether I am a journalist, or how our people mysteriously are alleged to cease to be journalists when they start writing for our organisaiton. Although I still write, research and investigate my role is primarily that of a publisher and editor-in-chief who organises and directs other journalists.”

The US State Department has consistently questioned his role whether or not he is an internet hacker who is masquerading as a journalist, as thrown in by a questioner. .
On the popularity the site has gain within a short period, Mr. Julian Assanage said he has always been confident about the site playing a crucial role in the dissemination of information across the world.

“I always believed that WikiLeaks as a concept would perform a global role and to some degree it was clear that is was doing that as far back as 2007 when it changed the result of the Kenyan general election. I thought it would take two years instead of four to be recognised by others as having this important role, so we are still a little behind schedule and have much more work to do. The threats against our lives are a matter of public record, however, we are taking the appropriate precautions to the degree that we are able when dealing with a super power”.

When a questioner who described himself as a former British diplomat asked him why he should not be held responsible “when next an international crisis goes unresolved because diplomats cannot function?

Mr. Assanage’s response was:”If you trim the vast editorial letter to the singular question actually asked, I would be happy to give it my attention”.

Photo Credit: Carmen Valino for the Guardian

Do we need a legislation to make women obey men?

I had just finished reading an article on the BBC website about a study conducted by the South African Medical Research Council, which says that majority of men wants women to obey men. Their study was based on a new law that the Malian government intends passing which, when passed, means women in that country will have the right to disobey the orders of their men-especially crude and abusive orders.

I honestly don’t see the sense in that research in the first place, especially when one considers that women and men have always lived with each other, though they have not agreed on everything. I’m not a male chauvinist or one who believes women should be made a handbag of men, no.

I want to see men treat women with respect, dignity and not subject them to foolish beatings, cheating and abuse. I want to see men handle women with the greatest respect ever after all, God created women to work hand in hand with men. So that alone explains it. I have read and seen photos of how women have been beaten to death or harmed by their men, for rather petty reasons. For example in the Arab world and those fanatic moslems and traditionalists, women who refuse to carry out any crude order must be beaten to death or stoned.

That is why I have a problem with those so-called Islamic clerics around the world who believe that men are more than above women and should therefore force them-women- to take their orders even when those orders infringe on their rights.

I’m for respect across board but I don’t even think that whether or not women obeying men should be a subject for discussion. It should be both ways and women must, at all times, learn to respect and obey their men. Equality does not mean that women look down on their men, that will not help anyone. We are all partners in this life.
Together we stand as one.

Cote D’Ivoire: Stop Gbagbo before he burns the nation

So there is no lesson learnt by the people of Cote D’Ivoire? It is pathetic to see that after the country was rescued from heading into the abyss following a rather ridiculous nationalism crisis, the very characters who were responsible for that so-called Ivorien Identity are back again.

This time it has to do with their refusal to acknowledge that the man they desperately fought as not being Ivorien enough, Alassane Ouattara, has won an election run-off with 54 percent. Supporters of incumbent president Laurent Gbagbo say the elections were rigged and will therefore not accept the outcome.

The BBC say: “Supporters of President Ggagbo had tried to block the result, saying there had been fraud in the north, the region where Mr Ouattara is most popular.”
The latest news say that the military had shut the country’s borders after the constitutional court rejected a declaration that indicate that Alassane Ouattara had won the elections.

Foreign broadcasting networks including CNN, France 24, and Radio France International have been asked not to broadcast anything out of the country, making it difficult for the outside world to get any news coming from the country.

It is rather unfortunate that the very leader of Cote D’Ivoire, Laurent Gbagbo, who wants the world to believe he is democrat cannot accept that he’s lost an election in a competitive manner. It is said when one comes to think that the country is adding to the mess the West African sub-region is going through. It baffles my mind how Laurent Gbagbo and his cohorts ever believe that they are most reasonable persons to run the country.

My hope and prayer is that the international community takes a rather tough and ruthless stance against him, should his actions ever lead to the country sliding into chaos. Time to take actions against such idiots is now!

Deal with your mess, not WikiLeaks, Interpol &Capitol Hill

Julian Assanage is obviously not a welcome figure in diplomatic circles around the world. Especially if you are a top notch figure in Washington, London, Paris, Harare, Beijing and many diplomatic corridors around the world, then the mention of his name will infuriate you. Since the release of secret diplomatic documents early this week which badly exposed the United States government and her allies, Mr. Assanage, founder of the now famous WikiLeaks website, is being sought for by Interpol in connection with a rather tramped up charges of sexual assaults in Sweden.

Early this week, as mentioned, the website released 250,000 documents which, among others, opened up the hypocrisy of the US governments and their double dealings with crude political leaders in the world such as Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe, while public condemning him. The site also exposed how England’s Prince Andrew slammed journalists and how an investigation into a deal back in England could affect a transaction that he had a personal interest in. But news report that Interpol had issued an arrest warrant on the Australian computer wizard has been described as a witch hunt especially at the back of the release of the documents which most people believe there are more to come.

The latest twist by Interpol is no different from a similar arrest and subsequent acquittal charges of sexual assault leveled against him following the release of sensitive documents about the US involvement in Iraq. The latest move by Interpol is reported to have created a deep sense of worry for Mr. Assanage’s mother, who told ABC in an interview that: “He's my son and I love him, and obviously I don't want him hunted down and jailed." "I'm reacting as any mother would - I'm distressed,” according to, Christine Assange.

My first reaction was that both the US and Britain are just up to intimidate the chap who has been on the forefront to expose the rot countries such as the United States and Britain have run their diplomatic issues for many years. How come Interpol is investigating him for alleged sex crimes now, was the sex crime committed only this week or many years ago? That is the question most tweets I have been following are asking.

It is clear that the young chap is being haunted for letting the world know what goes on behind those fine diplomatic handshakes and speeches. It is even surprising for a country such as the United States that believe in free speech to be manipulating Interpol to go after WikiLeaks founder. It will be better for them to deal with the diplomatic mess and save their a** than this shameful attempt to cow the man into submission

How about a letter from Barack Obama?

If you receive a letter from the current tenant in the American White House, it could fetch you quite a lot of money.A 28-year old mother from Michigan did, and she has just sold it for a handsome $7,000 US.

Jennifer Cline received Obama’s two-sentence note – it wasn’t even a real letter – in January this year, after she wrote to him, detailing her family’s situation.

The former pharmacy technician wrote to the President, stating that she has been unemployed since losing her job in 2007 and has skin cancer.
Her letter was passed on to Obama, who reportedly reads ten letters a day from ordinary Americans.

Moved by the content of Jennifer’s letter, Obama replied in his own handwriting on a White House stationary.

“Thanks for the very kind and inspiring letter,” replied Obama. I know times are tough, but knowing there are folks out there like you and your husband gives me confidence that things will keep getting better!”
That’s all he wrote, followed by his signature.

Jennifer and her husband kept the letter for a while. And then New York-based Autograph Dealer Gary Zimet came along and offered a cool $7,000 for it.
Jennifer and her husband sold the letter from Barack Obama because winter is coming, along with its bloated bills.

“This will get us through the winter,” says Jennifer Cline’s husband, Jason.
For the New York autograph dealer Gary Zimet, it is not the end of the story. He plans to re-sell the note for $18,000.

No tears for Yvonne Nelson

I must first and foremost say that this article I’m about writing is very subjective because I have not heard from the young woman, Yvonne Nelson and I don’t intend to hear her response before I say anything, so read on.

I have been away from Ghana but thanks to technology I’m following the news back in Ghana. I have been following the happenings in the political, soccer and entertainment front. I’m not interested in talking about politics or football, I will talk about entertainment and by this, I’m going to talk about actress Yvonne Nelson.

I listened to the evening news on Joyfm on Monday (29th November, 2010) and the news that Yvonne Nelson has been banned for a year by film producers struck me. Initially I wanted to shut the link so I could finish reading an article in the ‘economist magazine, but the Yvonne Nelson story was pretty much exciting.

The story says she has been suspended for a year because of indiscipline. I must first say that I don’t know her in person, except in some of the few movies I have seen her acted in(I don’t watch most of her type of movies) however, information about her that I have heard have never been positive. I know friends who eat showbiz news and have often been critical of her behaviour; she is arrogant with very much uncomplimentary showings in public.

I remember an article one of my colleagues wrote and during the caption of her photograph, we wrote that her beauty is not appropriately placed with her character.

The thing is, there are most people in this country who continue to indulge in this fantasy that Yvonne Nelson is the most prettiest thing that ever happened to womanhood in Ghana, that she is the most sexiest and that men are lucky to even become friends with her and because of this delusive ‘wig’ sitting on her head, she goes around fooling and talking down to those who have made her who she is at this time. This is not the first time I story about her has come up, like I said, because I have heard many people say she is arrogant and disrespectful.

And I want to insist that this self Importance has nothing to do with her acting qualities but this misconception that she is pretty. I wonder what kind of pretty people talk about when they mention her. What is the use of beauty without character?
In my young life I have seen some of the prettiest ladies across colours and they are as meek as anything. I have seen some of the prettiest and sexiest women in their 40s, 50s and even below who are more responsible and respectful towards people. It is important for people to sit that young woman down and let her know that her so-called beauty (which people don’t see) is nothing more than just a vapour.

The country’s movie scene had seen some of the most striking females more than three decades before she was born. I wonder how she can compare with somebody like Abi Adetse or or Dzifa Gomashie? These are women with melting looks-the mention of their names is good enough to make a man lose his brains. Yvonne Nelson doesn’t compare in anyway, that is the truth. If she thinks her arrogance is what will take her to either Hollywood or whichever place she is aiming at going, then I’m sorry to say that has well been buried long before her name comes up. I don’t know who she listens to but those of her peers who are pleading for her to be forgiven, they should tell her to respect people. If she thinks her so-called beauty alone is good enough to give her an acting role, then I’m sorry to say she will remain at the base for many centuries to come.

I’m not a big fan of Jackie Appiah but I wonder how she, Yvonne Nelson, can compare with her. Her eyes are enough to thwart any so-called beauty Yvonne Nelson may have.
Even Central University where she recently graduated from, doesn’t she see the quality of good looking ladies with character? They are those we call beautiful women not those who prance around the space with their arrogant behaviour.

A President’s legacy to the people

Jimmy Carter, one of the most revered world leaders became the 39th American president in 1977. A Democrat from the state of Georgia, Atlanta, he served only one term but went on to leave behind a legacy Americans, and especially those from Georgia, will be very proud of for a long, long time to come.

Like many other US Presidents, Jimmy Carter’s time at the White House is well documented at the appropriately named Carter Centre in Atlanta, Georgia. The centre houses many interesting personal items including photographs, books, and old passports. The centre also has a library stocked with books available to researchers, journalists, students and anyone interested in accessing the wide variety of materials available. For those interested in mental health, there is also much documented information about his wife, Rosalynn Carter’s work in bringing the issues of mental health to public prominence.

I had the privilege of driving to the centre on Sunday afternoon after lunch at Five Points, a culturally conscious suburb in a city that boasts interesting tattoo shops, a variety of restaurants and bookshops and a karaoke bar where I sang, badly, some Ghanaian highlife tunes.

The Carter centre sits on a large parcel of land a few miles away from the famous Emory University. In front of it is a water fountain and hoisted flags from a selection of countries, signifying a reflecting of the international stance of the Centre.

A documentary about Jimmy Carter’s life was coming to an end when I entered the main conference hall. I caught the tail end of the documentary and then started my tour. Everything at the centre is simple and self-explanatory, so visitors don’t need guides and can enjoy the tour at their own pace.

I started at the beginning, with pictures of his birth on the farm in Plains, where his family famously cultivated peanuts. Grouped with these pictures were his birth certificate, his first school chair, photographs of his family and many other personal items. Everything was grouped in a way that made it easy for anyone to comprehend the details.

Another section has the items he used at the White House; chairs, table, cups for his early morning breakfast, pens, telephone facility and news briefs. All of these were arranged very nicely and gave an insight into the private moments of the world leader. To add to the authenticity, a radio in the background broadcasted some of his memorable speeches during his presidency. I closed my eyes and could visualize him in the room with me, talking.

Homage is made to all the country’s presidents, past and present. There are photographs and details about the centres dedicated to those presidents. The centre dedicated to Bill Clinton is in Little Rock, Arkansas, there is a centre dedicated to the both President Bushes – senior and Junior – in Taxes, and no doubt, very soon there will be a centre dedicated to Barack Obama.
The Carter Centre hosts published works of both Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn. Some of the books included the memoir: KEEPING FAITH: Memoirs of a President, a 5,000 pager, which captures important meetings during his time as president.

“He used that wealth of information in writing this book, which recounts his experiences as president of the United States. Coming to office with high hopes and large ambitions, Carter found himself thwarted as he attempted to make his mark as president.”

The book captures arguably his darkest period as president following the 1979 invasion of the US embassy in Tehran, which resulted in the hostage taking of diplomats who suffered 444 days in captivity. It was one of the lowest points of his presidency. Walking down the streets of Georgia, I spoke with many people about Jimmy Carter in relation to the Tehran hostage situation. All were quick to say it was that very event that cost him the presidency. During my tour of the Carter Centre, Jimmy Carter, in one of the many video footages which for part of the material available to visitors, acknowledges what the people on the street had said.

Though the centre receives funding from other sources, Jimmy Carter relies on proceedings from the book for his personal upkeep. He receives no pension from the American government, only the meager handshake he was given when he left office after serving one term. This situation is no different from any other President who has served the American people. This contrasts sharply with the political environment of my country, Ghana.

In Ghana, the two living ex-Ghanaian presidents (Rawlings and Kufour), both retired from office-after eight years-with ridiculously gluttonous packages. Granted, Rawlings served eleven years as a military leader before contesting and winning democratic. That notwithstanding, neither he nor Kufour have ever considered or suggested that centres be built in their names so their periods in office could be documented and shared with the public.

Leaving a legacy has never been important to them. Leaving documentation and paraphernalia that would be important to researcher, journalists, scholars, students and the public about the work of a president is not important to them. What they are concerned with is how many cars, houses, and fat bonuses they can further squeeze out the Ghanaians who they spectacularly pushed deeper into the poverty cycle during their tenures as presidents.

On a daily basis, we read news items about the two ex-presidents bitterly complaining about not been properly taken care of by the state. Aides of former President Rawlings never missed the opportunity to lambast the current administration about leaving Mr. Rawlings homeless, after his house was burnt down. Not wanting to be left out, the Kufuor’s camp continually complain that he hasn’t been paid his monthly emoluments. They claim the man is going hungry. The claims of these two would be laughable if they were not so pathetic, especially, coming from people who held the highest office of the land.

David Oscar must end the crap on Viasat1

Whoever advised David Oscar to quit his daytime job so he could take up comedy as a career had done him a great disservice. It would have been better if he had advised him to throw himself into the ocean. It would have been better for him to have been shot in the groin than walk about so he could get the energy to host that t crap of a show called, Laugh A Minute on Viasat 1. He is simply pathetic on the show.

It has been more than a month since the show started airing and I can confidently say the feedback became has been extremely disastrous: Take that crap off air to save him from further embarrassment; I hear a voice say to the owners of the station. The show is the ugliest thing I have ever come across in my life, at least since I started watching comedy show as a kid and now an adult. There is nothing funny about either David Oscar himself or the content he provides on each day.

I was one of those to have seen the first episode of the show. I happened to have bumped into the show at an eatery at Osu. The show had barely travelled the halfway mark when I told friends I was sipping drinks with that it was not fit as junk.

Watching the show is like sticking a sharp knife to your own throat; it stinks, to even be charitable to him. The unfortunate thing is that almost every episode gets worse by the day. On the 17th of November, 2010 I was out with my friends at a drink joint when they started the show. Almost everyone especially the ladies chuckled.

‘This guy is miserable on set, one lady retorted. Another who said David Oscar, the presenter, is a friend could not even hide her embarrassment. She said she had advised him to quit the show to save him from further disgrace from the public. On that particular show, he brought a placard on stage with the inscription ‘Tsofi or Turkey tail is good for boys and girls.’ Whoever advised him to include that with the intent of getting the audience to crack their ribs got it all wrong.

He received endless insults and more chuckles from almost anyone who entered the premises. His actions on stage could best be described as putting a tortoise in the same track with a horse for a race. The answer is best kept than answered.

Yes we Gyan’

My criticisms of Ghanaian striker Asamoah Gyan is well known to everyone. I’m one of the least supporters of him. He is the luckiest striker this country has ever had especially when one compares him to that of Tony Yeboah or Prince Polley, all former national stars. They were heavy weights upfront especially Tony Yeboah.

His feet knew the goal post more than any striker in my life time. Asamoah Gyan does not come anywhere close to him and I stand by that. I literally roasted him after Ghana exited the World Cup at the quarter final stage, thanks to his rush to miss kick a penalty which could have taken the country to a historic semi final berth. I spent days cursing him on my facebook page. Like most Ghanaians, I thought he let us down by that judgment. I tore him apart with such viciousness that a friends began pleading for me to cease fire.

He has a love and hate relationship with football fans and for a striker who is wasteful upfront, he has equally stood up to the plate when all looked bleak. His exploits at Angola 2010 back in January was one of such. There are many instances to put to as both his bright and dark moments with football fans. However, what matters the most at the moment is his recent performance for his English club, Sunderland.

The man has become the star attraction for the BLACK CATS, since joining them after the World Cup. He arrived in England with huge expectation on his shoulders. The English Premier league is one of the hottest in the world. It has an unattractive following across the world, including Ghana.

The media are as vicious as the fine quality of the league. So most of us were worried about how they will receive Gyan especially when one considered that he scored less than 10 goals for his club, Stade Rennes in France prior to cross over to England.

But after some breath-taking league games and goal scoring moments everyone, including myself, are eating our humble pies. He has, without a shred of doubt, forced most of us to applaud him. He has scored in every league game he has since played for Sunderland and if the equalizer against Tottenham Hotspurs in London was something special, then the game against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge was glorious.

He spearheaded the attack of the Black Cats and they clawed their way into the hearts of Chelsea by thumping them 3 goals. It was an unbeliever spectacle. Sunderland beating Chelsea at the bridge? It’s a rather sick joke prior to the game. But the gospel truth is that Chelsea were reduced to rubbles by the cats.

Gyan had said before the game that he was going to beat Chelsea but most people thought it was the usual joke. Chelsea had not lost any game at home since last year’s February and if any club is to beat them, it should not be Sunderland. They were wrong. Gyan and his colleagues headed out of London with all smiles on their team bus, thanks to goals from Onuoha, Gyan and Ghanaian born British Danny Welbeck.

Gyan has been nominated for this year’s BBC African Footballer of the Year award and I just voted for him. I’m really campaign for him to win and I pray he wins, to cap a great year for 2010

Did J.A. Kufour sample any bottom?

Dishonorable Member of Parliament for Asokwa in the Ashanti Region, Maxwell Kofi Jumah, obviously has an oral cavity that leaks. He talks by-heart and for somebody who makes laws for sane people and expects them to abide by it, that is a worrying trend. His recent comments about the former mayor of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, Patricia Appiagyei show how cheap he can be. He says the woman used her buttocks to secure the job as KMA, which he once occupied. He comes across as a dirty and filthy speaker, whose contributions to issues have been horrendous. He told a radio station in Kumasi that if Ms Appiagyei thinks she can, once again, use her ‘bottom’ to unseat him so she takes over his seat, then she must be joking.

“'She thinks she succeeded me as a Metro Chief Executive, and because of that, she can unseat me as an MP. Let me tell her, she can use her bottom to secure the mayor position, but as an MP, it is about elections,'

The political loose cannon has since apologise but I’m a bit surprise about how his own MPs have deliberately turned a blind eye to his reckless comments. He should be hauled before their so-called ‘appointment committee’ for him to answer for his unguarded comments, and provide answers as to who and who benefitted from the ‘bottom’ services. They are quick to issue threats about inviting people to appear before that useless ‘appointments committee’ for the innocuous write up about them and, yet, are unable to bring their own member to book for his ‘by-heart’ comments.

I remember how upset they were when the Africa Watch magazine published an article which ranked most of them for their poor performance. The rather true story did not go down with most of them and out of stupidity; they decided to summon the publisher of the report. Thank God he did not come. Such self importance.

Per appointment into such a political office, the appointment of Ms. Appiagyei was done by former President John Kufour so Kofi Jumah’s statement therefore means the former president ‘banked’ the woman before offering her the position.
This is really interesting especially when the former president has come under barrages of attacks from the public for his strong interest in women.

There was even a joke about his alleged romance a female television presenter in this country and how after taking off her cloth the lady, out of anxiety took a gentle look at him. Mr. Kufour was reported to have told the lady in the Akan language; are u surprise is me the sitting president who is undressing you, huh? I have several times heard other jokes in that same direction. Therefore if Kofi Jumah’s comment gives credence to that rumour, then it means most of those pretty ladies in several positions had to ease their clothe for the ‘big man’ to sample their joyous places in sleeping arrangements before taking their appointment letters.

Only time will tell.

Ms. Mo’s sex diary.

Who doesn’t like the smell of sex stories? We all do! Especially when elements making up the story are not only hot and spicy but send the entire nation running after straws, are still unclear, we still persist in getting the whole pie. And so for a woman in her late 20s to get the whole of Ghana talking about sex, robber and free speech must be unique.

She must have the brains of great writers such as Günter Grass, Stephen King or Toni Morrison or Maya Angelou, ---and to tell able to tell such a compelling story that even elements within both the National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party will, without a surprise, throw mud at each other, Ms. Mo must obviously be an award winning writer.

The unfortunate thing however is that the content of her diary, though spiced with bouts of sex, remains unclear. Nobody knows exactly what the content of her diary truly is, not even those on the bus. Except for the driver and other passengers who had said that, indeed, the bus came under fire but the driver was smart enough to whisk them away, the content of her diary remains unclear. Even the lawyers defending her are not certain the actual details as contained in the diary.

I heard the driver myself on Metro TV’s “Good Evening Ghana” programme on Tuesday, 2 November 2010, repeating the exact things I had read elsewhere of him. He was alleged to have sexed five women continuously until he lost consciousness and had to be resuscitated by the robbers to continue his job. There was also the account that an old woman was sexed by an energetic youngman to the extent that she was thanking him for a ‘good job’ done.

Then there was also the account that a man traveling with his 14 year old daughter was subjected to complete humiliation when he was asked by the robbers to sex his own daughter. I must confess my spirit sank into despair when I heard that particular chilling account. But it is now emerging all these reports were completely made up by Amina for whatever reasons best known to her.

Not so much of Ms. Mo’s account but the sudden desperation on the side of politicians to make capital out of the mess she has invited onto herself makes me sick. What the heck are they trying to prove? So far I have heard unreasonable commentaries from officials of both the National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party give their own account as to how the incident appears.

The NDC’s chap in Cape Coast called Allotey Jacobs, who talks as if he’s fanning a dead elephant in a deep forest, claimed the account put out by Amina was at the behest of elements in the opposition NPP to discredit the government.

It was a rather irresponsible comment which to the best of my knowledge should be ignored-but I was wrong. NPP’s party Chairman Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, one of former president’s Kufour’s boys who spent time in office grabbing properties with both hands and feet, launched a tirade on Jacobs, describing his comment as balderdash.

Subsequent to that, I have heard elements within the pro NPP Alliance for Accountable Governance group slammed the police communication director, Kwesi Ofori, as being inconsistent with his own accounts of events. I thought that was the height of stupidity and insincerity. The NPP left power barely two years ago and it was the same policeman who was running around defending the government.

When the parcels of cocaine mysteriously disappeared from the police headquarters during the reign of the NPP, it was this same policeman who was all over the place defending the service and government. Even when it was clear that the former IGP had been cited as being friends with one of the then baron, Issa Abbas, Kwesi Ofori went out on his own way to defend him and the government.

It is unfortunate but when you hear people in the caliber of the AFAG’s and their like minds talk, you wonder if there is any hope for this country.

I also heard another element say what is happening is stifling free speech. This is obviously a stupid statement to make. It is clear they’re chasing up this Amina story purely for political gains, they don’t mean well for the youngwoman.

Her mess is their gain.

MPs should pay for their own laptops

Two weeks following their return to parliament, Ghana’s MPs were handed out laptops by the Communication Ministry. The laptops handed out to the 230 parliamentarians fitted with moderns, according to Communication Minister Haruna Iddrisu, is to help the MPs do research to help in their work.

Mr. Iddrisu again justified his ministry’s decision by saying, “Parliament is such an important institution and if we are serious - in the 21st Century – we should be talking about e-Parliament, e-cabinet.” A lot of people disagreed with the decision to handout the gadgets for the MPs for free. I am one of them. But there are others like my friend and colleague blogger Kajsa(www.kajsaha.com) who disagrees with me. She thinks the MPs deserve the gadgets because it will help in their works and also push the boundary of accountability a bit.

But before I come to her I’ll like to first respond to Mr. Iddrisu’s explanation that the laptops will help the MPs undertake research exercise. I want him to come and tell the public which of his colleagues or even himself have been conducting research into any of their works, and how that has impacted in their work.

This bare face attempt to hand in laptops to himself and colleagues under very cloudy circumstances is not true. And in any case what kind of research is he going to conduct? Any potential person wanting to become an MP does so because of the money-and it has nothing to do with any serious parliamentary work-no wonder they fight during campaign periods. And the evidence(s) is not too difficult to find-the sale of Ghana Telecom, the accusation of a jet etc.

Now back to Kajsa’s argument. MPs like any other politician or citizen deserve to get their fingers tune on to the things of cyberspace else risk becoming insignificant. It is the trend over the world and they must follow the same trend. I agree with that. My point is that it should not be the state funding or paying for the laptops.

If the MPs want laptops to help them in their work they should pay for them. They collect hefty sums of money at the end of their term (and this is apart from the sitting allowances at committee levels, those collected from organisations and individuals before they even submit their petitions to the committee levels) as ex-gratia, for huffing and puffing in the house on partisan lines, at the detriment of the nation. At the close of parliament in 2008, each MP collected more than US$30,000 as ex-gratia. And this also excludes their car loans and the many per diems most of them receive on travel trips.

An MP is currently using a vehicle worth more than US$ 20,000, free accommodation and all the trappings that come with his office. It will therefore be politically incorrect for one to say they cannot afford laptops. They should get their own if truly they need them to undertake research.

Secondly, I find this excuse about constituents demanding accountability from the MPs pretty strange. Prior to standing for elections, the MPs themselves tell their constituents of their readiness to be open and transparent in their dealings.

They surely knew at the time that they did not have laptops and so I’m wondering how a new laptop in their hands will help constituents demand accountability from their MPs. How many of their constituents know how to use emails?

It is a fact that more than 60 percent of our rural communities, where most of these MPs come from, are not ICT savvy, so how do they demand accountability from their MPs via the email? A constituent who has no running water or has bad school structure does not need an email address to inform the MP(and its said people are asking them to do roads and build schools just because they promised such things on their campaign platforms, though theirs are to make laws).

The MP should be visiting the constituency every weekend to interact with their people and not sit in Accra and lavish in ‘profligate enjoyments’ with their own. After all what matter to the ordinary folks are how to address the bad road networks, energy supply and safe drinking water. Those are the essentials people want and which, unfortunately, the MPs are not talking about at all.

They’ll rather sit in parliament and see their constituents walk up to them begging for handouts; school fees, funeral donations, weddings etc-And they go through all because they promise them.

Some even find it frustrating going back to their constituents because of the poor nature of the roads- but are quick to pitch camp there during elections. Accountability for me will when they hold government accountable for every single bill or money spent, irrespective of their political affiliations.

I’m confident these laptops will end up either in the rooms of their girlfriends, kids or even wives. Or at best become a toy on which they watch their lousy movies.

There are serious crises in our education which require that we spend money to resolve that and if our priority is about getting laptops to save the parochial interest of the MPs, then God help us.

I rest my case!

What will make Rawlings happy?

Early this week when Mr. Rawlings released a statement accusing some members within his own party of spoiling his name, the question I heard a passenger I was traveling in a commercial vehicle (trotro) asked was: ‘What will make Rawlings happy? I did not pay much attention to the question until later in the day when I had furnished myself with the entire content of his statement that I began doing my own analysis.

Mr. Rawlings claimed, among other things, that the government under John Mills has failed to prosecute ‘corrupt’ officials of the New Patriotic Party. He said members of the party and Ghanaians are losing faith in the government as a result of that. He also revealed a rift between himself and President Mills, and admitted things have not been right with them at all. It is their own business to resolve.

I must say Jerry Rawlings was somebody I admired as a kid. He was the only face I knew on television back at the time. The first time I saw him in the flesh was in 1988 at a public rally. He was due to arrival at mid-day but even before the time, the whole lorry park where the meeting was to take place was packed. The crowd was huge and even though I managed to get to the place before 10am, I had to struggle to get a good place so I can see him.

I managed to secure a place on top of broken down truck and though I was crumbled by big guys in the crowd, I was still happy I might see him. Mr. Rawlings arrived hours later to a thunderous applause and shouts of his name. He was in military uniform. I must confess I still don’t recall exactly what he said at the time except that I clapped and yelled alongside those present.

But years on when I started picking up lessons in global politics on the streets, one of the books I read was ‘The Rawlings Factor’ by one Shellington. It chronicles some of the events of Mr. Rawlings during his time as a military leader; his successes and failures. It was a well written book with good language pattern.

I remember vividly how Rawlings exited power in 2000 when his party lost. Contrary to opinions he was not going to leave power especially when most African leaders have entrenched themselves in office, Mr. Rawlings left. He earned high praise in the process. But that was short lived. He started attacking the sitting government at the time. He accused them of everything; corruption, murder and lies.

His privileges were taken away from him-though I thought it was a rather stupid decision taken by John Kufour and his boys at the time. He continued his tirade on the government until they lost power in 2009. It was a devastating defeat that the entire NPP structure is still nursing.

So with the NDC in power most people thought Mr. Rawlings will be quiet and allow things to run, but he will. He turned his attention to the sitting government and its officials, accusing some of them of being ‘corrupt’ and ‘latter day saints’ who have just joined the party ranks to enjoy goodies.

He has kept the same line of insults and accusations he leveled against John Kufour on the NDC government. Together with his hatchment men, Mr. Rawlings has consistently launched a blistering attack on the president and his team. He even accused him of surrounding himself with ‘bastards.’ He used the most unfortunate language ‘who born dog’ to even describe them.

But what could be happening to Rawlings? That is one question most people like myself continue to ruminate over. The speculation is that he is desperately seeking control over the government for the gains of himself and family. His desperation to get officials of the past government prosecute has even been interpreted as politics of vengeance.

He thinks the current president should just arrest past officials of the government who misconducted themselves. I am for the prosecution of corrupt officials-obviously I can’t see how Wereko Brobbey and Kwadwo Mpiani can be allowed to go home and enjoy the loot from the Ghana@50 mess. But, like others, the wheel of justice grind slowly and the best all of us can do is to just hope and pray the right checks are done so these hoodlums are kept behind bars. But until that has taken place, Mr. Rawlings should just hold his fire. He should let the current president be.

It is rather bizarre and petty that his own wife will even be upset because a picture of the husband and President Mills who to be sharing a joke was published in newspapers. What kind of foolish thinking is this, Madam Konadu? Sometimes I don’t want to take to heart the many ranting of Kwaku Baako, who has a strong fixation towards Rawlings-but some of us are beginning to agree with most of the things he says about the Rawlings’; that they are seeking control so they can get whatever they want from government.

It is in the interest of Mr. Rawlings to make sure the NDC stays in power. At least if for nothing at all, he’ll get the goodies being splash on party officials. But if at this time and he does not even trust his own party members for addressing his so-called concerns, does he think the NPP will do that?

Mr. Rawlings should by now remember that he is an elder statesman and recently appointed African Union envoy to Somalia and should know how to behave. He is making himself pretty much irrelevant to the course of history in this country and losing the political plot

His irreverent attitude towards the institutions of state is not helping his own image at all. Mr. Rawlings should be grateful to Ghanaians for once- it was at the back of the many ordinary and impoverished Ghanaians that he managed to get ‘friends’ to pay for the tuition of his children abroad.

Today one of them is a medical doctor, another is a lawyer and until recently, the boy was working at the bank. Not many families who had supported him over the years are fortunate enough to even put their children through secondary school.
Most of them are still struggling to even come by a penny to help them get into ‘trotro’ from one destination to the other.

Ghana MPs; wet dreams, failed grades and pay rise.

Wet dreamers calling themselves MPs want a pay rise. I thought it was a sick joke the first time I heard it; a kind of an ‘April Fools’ thing happening in October. But I was wrong. It was real. MPs want pay rise and this time around, they want 20 percent increase. I felt like weeping blood. These guys are not only crooks but incompetent and they want the average taxpayer to reward them for their mess.

The report said the MPs had threatened to go public with their grievances but had to be persuaded to halt their so-called ‘going public outbursts’ by deputy majority leader Rashid Pelpuo.

“It is no longer a big problem now, the Members of Parliament would easily recognize this effort, because before the next three days or before the end of this week I believe very strongly that a cheque will be ready and all of them would be happy smiling to the bank to clear what is due them for all these years, which has kept them earning far, far less below the standard of a Member of Parliament.”

Also, I find the claims made by Pelpuo to the effect that MPs salary is about US$D500 month pretty rubbish. Does he know how much a civil servant who has worked his ass of for decades earn in a month? That is stupid to say the least. How on earth can MPs who are on what they want us to believe is a meager salary drive around in four wheel drives, eat in the best restaurants, hire rooms for their concubines, as well as furnish that for them. I want Pelpuo and his brigade of MPs to come forward and tell Ghanaians such crap.

Again, the MPs claim to the effect that their salaries have not been paid for weeks is laughable. Do they know the pain civil servants go through in this country? Most of them have not been paid for months. There are some whose salaries are not even enough to get into a public transport for a month, and they are not even complaining. What rubbish! They can go to hell for all that Ghanaians care. After all the ex-gratia, car loans and allowances paid to them, these gluttons think we should pay for their idiotic pleasures’ sexing up prostitutes etc.

Their ridiculous demands for pay rise can’t be justified with any serious work. Do they expect us to reward them for their idiotic behavior in the so-called august house, where most of them throw punches at each other at the least provocation? Or they expect us to reward them for sleeping in parliament or the failed grades most of them got as per the ranking by African Watch magazine?

They are sick in the head. What has happened to the ex-gratia they took more than 13 months ago during the change of government? They should give us a break. If anyone really wants to know how useless those MPs are, then the answer lies in the grading system issued by the African Watch magazine on Monday 18th October, 2010. Majority of them got failed marks.

And did I hear that MP from Ada Sege in the Greater Accra Region Felix Abayatei complained bitterly about the results? His electoral fortunes are at stake. This was the same MP who denied the existence of child labour in his constituency. When such hoodlums are elected into parliament, only the creator knows the kind of decisions they’ll pass on our heads. He scored ‘F’ and instead of ruminating over it, he chose to open his stinky mouth issuing a threat to haul the publisher of the magazine before the so-called ‘privileges committee.’ What nonsense.

The country is at the moment grabbling with how to resolve the mess in the education system and all these stinky gluttons think about is their already bloated stomachs. Greed! Lecturers at the country’s tertiary institutions are on strike and rather than proposing ideas about how to resolve that, all these political tsetse- flies think about is their personnel welfare. Such attitude makes me appreciate the greed in that parliament house. No wonder heavy face, inept, sleepy and greedy former speaker of parliament, Ebenezer Sakyi Hughes, could stand on his two balls and ransack the entire furnish including the floor tiles at the time he was retiring.

The most foolish statements I often hear them make is this thing about ‘making sacrifices for the country. What sacrifice? Their level of greed is no different from an untrained dog whose insatiable appetite to grab almost anything leads him on a ‘grabbing spree,’ where he grabs with hands and feet so the next animal doesn’t get anything to feed on.

Then again you have these same MPs organized press conference and react to another callous statement made by a deputy tourism minister to the effect that somebody is coming from a village, and deserves to be enlightened.

Titus Glover!

I firmly believe New Patriotic Party’s Titus Glover needs to check in at the psychiatric hospital. Being in opposition has made him senile, so he talks by-heart. He talks as if he’s sitting on a chamber pot. I heard him last Tuesday evening on Oman Fm’s Boiling Point programme threatening war should his party lost the 2012 elections.

What utter foolishness. If he thinks war is a luxury then he should look at Liberia. I don’t know to tell the ugly spectacle of that country, once a beautiful land with great and amazing women. It was plunged on its knees by self- seeking politicians who believe either they get the power or the rest of the country sinks into the abyss.

Ranting like an unhappy dog, Titus said the 2012 elections will be war and his party, the NPP, will go all out to fight the ruling National Democratic Congress. While I acknowledge it is his right to battle the NDC in elections, I strongly believe this stinky language of ‘war mongering’ should not be coming from him.

He stupidly ignored the fact that declaring war in Ghana also means Nana Akufo-Addo, the NPP presidential candidate, cannot get the opportunity to rule. He has forgotten that nobody can govern a country on the slide: It will not happen. His desperation to get into power has nothing to do with efforts to provide quality social amenities to the citizens.

Titus’s party was in power for eight years and yet the young chaps at Tema Community one, Site Two continued to peddle drugs because they had no jobs. His home is across the street to that particular area so he saw the difficulties most of the young lads there were going through and yet did nothing about it. He did not care. It is therefore important for him to sit quietly and enjoy the fortunes he amassed for the eight. However, if the fuming and the ranting are because he was unable to loot anything, just like his contemporaries before they left power, then I’m sorry for him. I weep for him.

Politics is a contest of ideas and if he finds that difficult to handle, then it will be important for him to take a back seat and allow sound minded persons within the NPP to speak on radio. But this desperation for power which often lead him to make silly comments will not be tolerated at all. If he thinks he’ll call for war and then fly out his country, then he is lying to himself; that will not happen because the war will end soon as the fires from the war consume his wife, kids and himself. Ghana may have its own challenges but it is a lovely place to stay in. I’ll love this country to enjoy the peace and quietness so I can go out and enjoy my live band music, despite the economic challenges.

Therefore the call by Titus Glover that there will be war in the event the NPP loses elections is gibberish. I know his family very well: I went to school with his twin brothers (they are domiciled outside the country), stayed directly opposite a home with his late Uncle and also know some of his family members. They are well behaved and of sound mind. They are not war mongers just because the party they support is not in power, no. the issues for them are whether or not elected governments have been able to deliver on their policies.

Titus Glover is desperate to get back into power, which almost everyone understands. But he must do so with decorum. It is therefore important for him to speak issues instead of this cheap and idiotic threat of war if his party or candidate does not win the elections. The likes of him have no place in Ghanaian politics.

Toddlers at play

The sorry state of Ghanaian politics will not go away anytime soon-especially in our life time. The stupidity will always continue, irrespective of which of them is in power. The thing is they all behave like underage kids running after the Christmas Santa Clause for sweets. No wonder a change in government comes with the change in almost everything-including changes in the name of buildings, streets, and public toilets.

And talking about names, I got an usual call from a friend last Saturday night asking me if I had heard about the change of the name ‘Jubilee House’ back to its old name, ‘Flag Staff House. My answer was no and that such a thing will not happen, at least for my mind. I promised the friend I was going to call back to confirm or deny whatever she’s heard.

I forgot and when to bed. The following morning I woke up and on the morning news of Accra’s based JoyFM, the news presenter mentioned as part of his lead that the name ‘Jubilee House’ is now ‘Flag Staff’ House, as it used to be known before the egoistic John Kufour, for political pettiness, changed it. Jubilee or Flagstaff house is the name of the monstrous and needless presidential building which John Kufour spent the tax payer’s money to build for the comfort of his own.

Kwame Nkrumah used the place during the early days of Ghana’s Independence and that was how the first name came about. I was one of those who openly spoke against John Kufour’s ridiculous decision to change the name however, I thought the harm had been done and things should remain the way they are. Kufour’s intentions were clearly known; to obliterate Nkrumah’s name from history. Inasmuch as the decision to change the name was stupid, I find also the decision by the NDC government to reverse it crappy.
What on earth will the name do to the people of Ghana? Will that put forward on the table for the truck pusher who is taxed almost on daily basis? Those are the questions we should be asking those idiotic politicians.

The change presents a rather worrying picture for the NDC. President Mills just returned from what government says are two successful trips from both Japan and China and the benefits, we are being told, will soon show. I have heard billions of dollars and, hopefully, when the monies are used for which they have been promised, then we are solving some of the problems at hand. It is a single trip which, according to government sympathisers, is making the opposition elements piss in their pants. And rather than letting the success linger on and for the opposition to piss in their pants, what the NDC chaps have done is that they have shifted attention from the seemingly successful trip of the president to a rather mundane change in name.

And in a country where the media thrives on senseless controversy, the discussion will centre on the change of the name: I can guarantee that a whole week or even more will be spent by both parties to discuss the merits or demerits of the change and while they are at it, the essential things such as equitable distribution of clean water, provision of quality education and regular supply of energy to our people will be left alone.

Already the pettiness involved in the naming and renaming was played out by elements of the two parties: NDC and NPP. Kobby Acheampong, deputy minister of tourism said on Metro TV that the name is ‘meaningless.’ His explanation was that the initial name was more historical in outlook and it was needless for the previous government to change it.

Ursula Owusu, a lawyer and activist of the NPP said reverting back to the old name was just an attempt by the ruling government to erase the name of former president John Kufour.
“When you go to the US… do you see White House written anywhere?...and yet people know that is the White House, it is classy, it is descent …the building speaks for its self,” Ursula claimed.


“But look at what we’ve done, crude, very very crude; and this is the government that calls itself open, transparent and honest. …we go to sleep and wake up and this is plastered on the wall…where was the discussion, where was the preparation of the Ghanaian’s mind?" she asked.

in all of the petty discussion all that these political hoodlums are saying has nothing to do with how to improve the quality of life of the Ghanaian, how to ensure that pregnant mothers go to hospitals and they come back alive, how to ensure that children studying under trees are housed in proper classrooms.
No. That means nothing to them, rather their stomachs mean much more to them than anything.

God Bless Ghana.

Toilets for Senior and Junior staffs

It’s depressing but the truth is that Africans have not learnt anything sensible from colonialism. What I’m trying to drive at is that the African, after complaining bitterly about the inequality colonialism created, appears to have inherited that and entrenched that garbage with panache.

No wonder there is so much segregation among Africans especially when it comes to who has the power and who does not. We may all claim to be of the same skin colour but the opportunities are completely different for all of us: The rich in African continues to grow in wealth while the poor remains where he is.

Unless he works hard, he’ll remain there until the sun goes down on his soul. It is the same in our churches as well. Visit any church in Ghana and the blessings for those who give what the pastors consider as ‘small offerings’ are given equally small blessings.
Those who give ‘fat offerings’ get ‘fat prayers, then there are those who get to sit right in front of the pew because of their financial power, irrespective of whether or not their behavior runs contrary to the content of the bible.

Such ridiculous segregation is also taken to the ministries or governmental areas where public toilets have been every much demarcated, with Senior and Junior staffs heading out to response to nature’s call at different booths. That is the revelation made by Economist Nii Moi Thompson in an interview with Accra’s based Citi FM.

Obviously irritated by what he saw at one of the ministries, he said such ridiculous practice is a reflection of the shallow mindedness of those who believe they are more human than the rest.

The idiots within.

Sometimes when I hear persons appointed into responsible positions behave as if they have no brains of their own, I get upset. I get angry, to say the least. Especially when such persons are enjoying salaries collected from the ordinary folks in this country.

That is why I still can’t understand the rationale behind the fruitless efforts the heads of the social welfare department are trying to put up in order to exonerate themselves from failing to protect the children at the Osu Children’s Home whose lives have been left in the hands of treacherous caretakers, who spend endless periods of time abusing them with excitement.

Since the ugly story broke following seven months of undercover works done by investigative journalist Anas Aremayaw Anas of the New Crusading Guide, both Albert Adongo, the head of the department and his assistant Daniel Opare Asare, have not been men enough to accept the fact that they failed in their jobs by regularly visiting the home to make sure the children are ok.

The two idiots are telling the committee investigating the matter that the journalist’s story is skewed in order to make them look bad. What rubbish! I have heard the two idiots speak on two private radio stations and the words from their mouths stink. They speak not with their heads but stomachs. For example on Thursday evening on the Eyewitness News on Accra’s based Citi FM, I heard Abongo’s assistant foolishly questioning the ‘motive’ behind the story done by the journalist.

His claim was that the journalist manipulated the kids into posing for him to take shots of them. What garbage. One of the harrowing scenes of the video captured one of the care-takers furiously unleashing canes either in the palm or the back of the children for failing to pay their school fees. The report is that she was moved from her position and sent to the ‘Shelter for Abuse Children’ so she can continue torturing the children. I couldn’t believe it and yet, that was one of the stories Opare-Asare put forward to exonerate himself and that of his boss for their failure to do their jobs.

Again, he said the department is constraint in several areas including budgetary support and related resources. He said the budget they receive is only one percent of what they often send to the ministry for approval. If it is unfortunate, if that is true but it does not form enough grounds for himself and the boss to sit in their offices, enjoy the tax payers money and, perhaps, spend the rest between the thighs of young women.

The story at Osu Children’s Home is very worrying and my only prayer is that the committee concludes its work, hand over the report to the ministry of employment and social welfare for the necessary action to be taken. It will be an injustice should the report come out and exonerate those who ought to be punished.

My only thing therefore will be that the blood of those young children who died as a result of endless beatings they had to go through from the hands of the caretakers will rest heavily on the heads of those who sat on the committee.

Africa will not meet MDG’s target!

Honestly speaking, I laugh anytime I hear the so-called world leaders praise African governments for working hard to meet aspects of the so-called Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s). A decade has passed and with only five years left on the calendar for countries to meet the content of the MDG’s, I’m still struggling to find any African government committed to improving the lives of its citizens by putting in structures to minimize poverty, improve the quality of education and maternal health.

Absolutely none! It may sound pretty unbelievable but I’m yet to see or read a truthful document about African governments working hard to improve the lives of the ordinary people. I know Ghana has been highly praised by the international community towards effort to improve the lives of ordinary Ghanaians. I’m not sure how to accept this kind of praise.

This country is where she is because of the ridiculous praise singing those world leaders hip on us.. Most of the time they don’t mean well, that is the truth.
I’m not sure a leader with a sound mind will praise a country whose fresh mothers share a bed soon after coming from the labour ward. Almost a week ago I visited a cousin of mine at the La General Hospital (formerly La Polyclinic but we are told it has been upgraded) who has given birth. The kind of things I saw at the hospital hounded me almost throughout the night. Fresh mothers with their babies had been forced to share a bed covered with dirty sheets.

My cousin had to share her bed with another new born mother. It was a very pathetic sight. Other mothers unable to get a bed had to fight for a share of the floor. I was moved to tears. The room was full of spider web and the stench from within was ugly. That is only La hospital.

There is also Korle Bu Teaching Hospital which is the main health facility in the country. The experience there is always harrowing for fresh mothers as they have to struggle not even for bed but the floor. Reports about mothers being detained with their babies because they are unable to pay their bills are daily rituals.

Maternal mortality in the country has not seen any significant improvement and I wonder how that could be good enough to say Ghana has performed well with the MDGs. What the ruling elites have spent their time doing is to just talk with no proper action happening. Their interest lies more in the money they loot from the ordinary people rather than committing themselves to fixing the roads, providing water and improving the unemployment levels in the country.

Their failure was well articulated by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan who told the BBC’s Mike Williams in an interview poor people don’t benefit from handouts given to their leaders by developed countries.

"Governments go public with amounts that they are giving, they get lots of publicity in the press, but the money never really comes through. The poor don't see that money."

Mr. Annan again said: "We cannot expect to live in a world where some people have immense wealth and you have extreme poverty living side by side and not expect some sort of a reaction... we are beginning to see a bit of that even here around Europe, with the social upheavals, with people in the streets demanding their rights - this is obviously something that has happened in the past but is beginning to happen as things get tighter and tighter economically for them."

It is pitiable to know that Africa produces more but her citizens are extremely poor. More than 70 percent of the poverty most Africans find themselves in is brought on them by their idiotic leadership.

For example, you have a president in the person of Jacob Zuma who foolishly decides to take advantage of a tradition to have more women for himself and their expenses are being paid for by the state. According to a report last year, a total of more than One million pounds was spent on the living expenses of his wives, at a time when the vast majority of South Africans still live in abject poverty.

The least said about that useless King Mswati in Swaziland the better.