Political power is transient, Mr. Mayor!

I’m still not sure if any of our politicians have learnt any lessons about being in power. They are so much intoxicated with it such that the positions they occupy almost make them tin-gods. Or better still impervious to logical reasoning. I’m not old enough but I have been lucky enough to witness how miserable those arrogant officials of former President Limann became.Especially those who thought being in political office means they could literally piss on the ordinary Ghanaian.

It took a dawn broadcast by a certain Jerry Rawlings on New Year’s Eve to bring them to reality. Soon those powers on which they so much hanged on and issued ridiculous instructions were gone. Scared and pissing in their pants at the slightest noise for fear they might be arrested, they sought refugee from the very people they had so much overlooked and disrespected.

That coup was totally unwarranted but that’s another subject well left to the dustbin of political history. Then Jerry Rawlings had almost two decades in power and some of his ministers began behaving like tin gods. They lost the plot. Blinded by fake allegiance and fan-fool respect most of his officials-including senior party members- almost saw themselves as gods who could do no wrong.

Their egos were larger than themselves. They carried with them the pride of arrogance were never afraid to show them off. No single advice worthy of consideration ever went into their skulls. They were simply impervious to any logical reasoning. After all they have the power and can even decide whether or not people should breathe, granted they had been given the chance.

But what did we see when they lost the elections? Most of them became extremely miserable. I personally remember one of them who was then a district chief executive somewhere in the Ashanti Region. He was a close friend’s uncle. This man respected his dog more than those around him.

He could speak and embarrass them in the presence of visitors. His decisions were final even when he was clearly out of order. Nobody could overrule him. He became a wretched and I’m not sure he’s been able to recover, at least from the last time I met him a year ago. I could not believe the same man huffing and puffing is the same person with his hands behind him speaking with such an angelic tone.
Clearly his symbol of arrogance has been taken away from him.

Then you come to the era of John Kufour and, I must be blunt, the greatest level of arrogance was exhibited. Even ordinary party flies with no constituency had the effrontery to look Ghanaians in the eye and talk back at them panache. They were LORDS OF THE RINGS and wouldn’t listen to anyone. They had no time for any logical reasoning. It means nothing to them.

Only theirs matter because they controlled state power. They were simply arrogant and not ready to entertain any thoughts. I still remember an encounter one of them had with a custom officer around the airport. ‘I’ll make sure you are sacked from here. Do you know who I am? He quipped with such air of arrogance. His party was kicked out but the custom officer is still around and has moved up in rank.

Some current officials in the Mills administration are walking on the same rope and decisions they take are final. One typical person is the Mayor of Accra Alfred Vanderpujie who believes his words are final and no matter of pleas could make him change his mind. A case in point is new rates he has directed members of the Advertising Association of Ghana to pay if they want to continue with their outdoor advertisements.

The new rate, which the association says represents eight times more than what they used to pay, will drive most of them out of business. Despite their pleas for Mr. Vanderpujie to have a rethink of the rates, he has on the other hand maintained his stance.

He is the lord of Accra and his words are final. His refusal to change his mind has since compelled members of the association to seek the intervention of parliament.
“We are presenting a petition with the support of the AGI to draw the attention to the anomalies in the procedures and processes which the AMA adopted in fixing the rates and the fact that they ignored all our concerns were thrown to the dogs,” says Francis Dadzie, a member of the association.

Mr. Vanderpujie’s ‘Lords of Lords’ attitude is more felt when he decided to replace a technical team responsible for determining the rates for outdoor advertising with a private firm for the next eight years. Rumours are that he has shares in the company. I’m yet to ascertain that but there in Ghana rumours have some iota of truth in them, so I’ll like to go by that.

Vanderpujie certainly has a job to do but he must understand that he’s dealing with people who have feelings and any decision take could have an effect on them and their relations. It is clear his stubbornness is borne out of the fact that he controls power, thanks to political victory which is but transient.

I personally don’t know him but I happened to have bumped into him during the periods of the elections and he was pretty much measured in his speeches with most of the people who had converged around the party’s headquarters. He literally had his two hands behind him anytime he wanted to speak to anybody around.
These are surely interesting times!

The World Cup, the Madiba's and tragedy

Finally the tournament i hear, and South Africa, the host, goes into the game, this afternoon against Mexico, hoping to win the game. The excitement has long been bubbling for months and got more to its fever pitch days before the first ball is kicked. More than ninety thousand partisan supporters with their vuvuzelas are expected to pack the stadium, and give the Bafana-Bafana the needed boost. It is first time in Africa and almost everyone including the Mandela's were looking forward to the game. However the death of a thirteen year old great granddaughter moments after the concert in the Soweto appear to have shattered their joys. The thirteen year old girl who is said to have celebrated her birthday two days ago, was driving home from the concert venue when the tragedy occurred. News report at the moments are mixed as to whether or not Nelson Mandela will be attending the opening ceremony. He is largely credited for bringing the tournament to the one time aparthied South Africa and his presence, according to most South Africans, will inspire the team to victory. But with the tragedy now sitting right at the centre of their home, it will be hard for the man to leave the family behind and celebrate with the football fans. The Mandela is a global brand and inasmuch as his iconic status brought the tournament to South Africa, the latest tragedy adds to the family's biography. 'Ke na Ko but certainly not in this moment of tragedy!

oil still creates doubts

Ghana has found oil, that is often the sermon politicians tell their friends in the International community. They are quick to say the revenue from the oil will change everything in Ghana; good roads, education, jobs and appreciable incomes. Unfortunately not many people are falling for that. After all gold, cocoa, timber and other natural resources have done extremely little to change the country's fortunes. People are still poor. Obuasi, the hub of gold mining in Ghana is in a gory state; residents are living in abject poverty. Enchi, one of the most endowed cocoa growing communities is living without any decent electricity, buildings, decent water and roads. Health facilities are completely crap. The only health health facility is more than seven kilometres away from most of the people and was built by the presbyterian church. They run the hospital with no funds coming from government. It's a pity but that is the truth. So not many people are swallowing this whole talk of oil boom and economic prospects. Lessons have well being learnt by the average Ghana and the thing you don't do is to allow the politicians to convince you when it comes to matters like natural resources. At the moment the country's percentage is less than five percent, so where is that economic empowerment going to come from? There is no proper oil regulation to define the boundaries about the drilling and how the expectations among ordinary people will be managed. The BBC has been on the road with the programme, Africa Kicks, where they look at different aspects of life in countries they are visiting.The team was in Takoradi on Tuesday afternoon to discuss this so-called black gold. After an hour of crossed debate from all the guests it became clear that not many people are looking forward with clean teeth about the oil changing anything. It's going to be the same old story, according to one of the guest, a dreadlocked beauty who spoke with loads of Jamaican slang in his lines. Others like her also cited the wanton corruption in the system and how much politicians love to talk but do nothing. It was an unfortunate spectacle but the gospel truth, even from me, is that the oil discovery will change nothing. Ghana will be as corrupt and inefficient as it has been for more than forty years. That is my verdict.

Wavin’ an idiot flag.

The last time I checked the price for a miniature flag of Ghana, It was pegged around US$6 dollars. It was not even the original. it was one of those materials joined together and with the black stars stashed in the middle. It was not attractive. The last time I saw t something of that type was doing the African Cup of Nations held in Ghana in 2008. I was backing Cote D’Ivoire to lift the trophy.

They had been doing well, scoring many goals against their opponents, so I decided to give them my support. I bought one of those unattractive flags, tied them to my head. Little did I know I was heading out for defeat. They were beaten in their next game and even failed to grab the fourth spot. I threw the flag away, never to wave it again.

Then I got an assignment to do an article about the song ‘Wavin Flag’ by rapper K’Naan. The remix version of his song for coco cola said to be one of the songs for the World Cup is enjoying massive airplay in Ghana. I headed off to speak to people about the song and whether or not they were going to wave their flags in support of Ghana.

I wrote a personal piece about K’Naan and those who love the song were happy to read about his background. I’m not going to pretend to be the one who uncovered him. Information about him is on the internet however, I picked my line from comments he made on Aljazeera about Somali pirates and the response of the international community. I enjoyed that very article, though I can’t say it was my best.

There were loads of Ghanaians drawing inspiration from the song. They will wave the country’s flag when the first whistle of the tournament gets underway. Even in the face of defeat, they will still wave though they are confident the team can go far. I have my doubt. The current list of players in the team could be described simply as ‘sick list.’ Stephen Appiah, John Mensah, Michael Essien and others are not in good shape. Their health is not good. That is the truth most Ghanaians don’t want to face. They’ve resigned themselves to this crap about ‘ooh God will do it.’ They talk as if God is not there for everyone, including idiots who want to be political leaders.
And talking about political leaders I heard economist and New Patriotic Party stalwart Kwame Pianim say political office holding is more than just waving flag. Mr. Pianim, whose statement has been widely reported by the Ghanaian press, said at the programme organized by Professor Frimpong Boateng to launch his bid to contest the NPP leadership that any idiot can be a flag-bearer and that what Ghana needed was a leader. I could not agree more with him.

Who would want even an idiot as a relative let alone the leader of a country. There are those who even believe that Africa is underdeveloped simply because of the idiotic tendencies of the leadership. For example in such difficult economic times, Jacob Zuma, hiding behind culture, has grabbed for himself four wives and the ordinary South African taxpayer has been forced to pay the bills for all of them.
The expenses made on his many wives, according to reports, run into thousands of British pounds per month. What stupidity!

Then you have a country like Nigeria. It has massive oil but its citizens are poor. It takes an idiotic leadership to impoverish the people. Equatorial Guinea, Gabon etc all have the so-called black gold but their citizens are poor. No right thinking leader will stash the funds of his country in a foreign bank and allow his citizens to wallow in squalor. Can that be possible? But that is the story of Africa
You move to Ghana and you have gold, timber, cocoa and now oil. Great natural resources but poverty levels are high.

Every single day one hears a certain policy or another in the ‘pipeline.’ I have been following development issues in this country since I was a teenager and the word ‘pipeline’ has been used more than enough. I’m still hearing the same word repeated by every government in power.

Our leaders are more interested in grabbing properties including ex-gratia while the vast majority are left to dry their teeth in anger and despair. The story of gold mining town Obuasi is pitiable-despite the many gold dug from the place. The people are still struggling to keep their heads above the scale of poverty.

Which right thinking leader will allow such foolishness to take place under his watch? We are more than five decades since asking the British Queen and her people to leave and our story today has been nothing but crap. We can’t even feed ourselves and we say we are ‘independent’ nation with great leaders. Who are the leaders; those who part themselves at the back even while in office or those who desperately spoke up against people owning a single toilet only for them to leave with more than three?
Are they the leaders we are talking about? I beg to differ.

I’m not a big fan of Kwame Pianim but I want to believe he has his own issues. He speaks only when it suits him. I however salute him for his frank remarks. In any case the world has become so small so who would want a leader without any technological skills?

As for the flag everybody can wave even an idiot. What Ghana needs is a leader who thinks about the masses and not one who would go on property grabbing spree. A word to the wise is in the thumb.

Good day!

Another Arsenal heartbreak!

For straight five years, I have had to endure hearbreaks. It has nothing to do with a relationship with women but rather football. Arsenal Football Club, based in North London has been the club i have given almost all my emotions to; buy replica jerseys anytime a work colleague is heading out from London to Ghana, etc. I love the club with every emotion.

I have endured insults and name calling from friends who continue to insist i cut off links with the club. "Why don't you just give up on these kids,' is often the statement I hear. But i can't. Arsenal is to me a breast milk to a fresh baby. I have heard stories about how important it is for people to even stay and be loyal to their teams during those hard times. I have done all of that and i'm not about to ditch Arsenal for any club.

Will surely not do that. But it was really heartbreaking when on Wednesday night of April 14th,2010,I had to seen the dream of the club winning its first trophy in five years evaporates. And the defeat did not come to no any club than main rivals, Hotspurs. I was heartbroken! I had earlier in the day challenged a colleague i was going to thrash spurs to the extent that they'll not find their training pitch. I was wrong. I had to go back to work with my face hidden behind sunglasses. I had lost.

Since the defeat, I have spent time reading news articles from the UK and listening to the BBC Sports programme, Sports Roundup' and the song is the same; 'enough is enough, Arsene Wenger must buy.' It's without a doubt that he is the club's greatest manager but his stubbornness for not wanting to strengthen the squad is causing sleepless nights to the club's fans all over the world.

Fans in Africa and for that matter Ghana are as much worried as those in England, who pay for season tickets to watch the games. It is really heartbreaking. It has not been easy for me at all.

But will I quit supporting the club? a big 'NO. Arsenal forever but Arsene must buy!

Osu sits on untapped wealth

It is past mid-day at downtown Osu-Alata, on the main Castle road in the capital, Accra. A white painted building sits close to the main busy street. On the wall is a campaign poster of a smiling President John Mills (then a candidate) which has suffered from the rays of the sun and heavy rains over time.

The house, built in the latter part of the 1880s by a former European merchant Henry Richter, is forgotten with its rich history not spoken about except architects and historians who are concerned about the potential it has to increase tourism revenue.

In the baking sun a group of professionals from different spheres of work are taken on a tour of the building by retired Ghanaian professor of architecture Nii Adziri Wellington. The tour forms part of an exercise organised by the Arts in Social Structure, an Accra based NGO to sensitize journalists on the need to appreciate works of architecture and report accurately on it.

Once a historical building much envied by other foreigners and rich Gold Coast merchants, the outlook of the building is considered a perfect model of architecture befitting the status of the rich at the time. However, it became a secret hideout for the smuggling of slaves from the northern parts of the Gold Coast during those brutal years of slavery.

There are traces of captured slaves who spent their past time playing oware. Professor Wellington who led the excursion to the Richter Fort as well as other historical places in Osu, said the house, which today sits as a lone voice was a busy trading post for some descendants of Henry Richter who were completely against the idea of banning on slavery.

Inside the house is a security post used by some of those hired to watch over the slaves during the period. Today a pale shadow of itself with very little regard given to it in terms of harnessing its untapped potential, most of those on the trip were confident the building has the capacity of to boost the tourism outlook of Ghana as well as create jobs even for its inhabitants most of whom are sitting ideal with no jobs.

Apart from the Cape Coast and Elmina Castles, all in the Central Region, which are mostly associated with the slave trade, historians like Professor Wellington are confident there are more historical sites scattered across Osu alone that has enough rich but ugly history of slavery as that of the two main castles which tourists would like to see and even write about.

The Richter fort which forms part of European castles and forts found in other places such as Kinka in Osu have the capacity of adding up to the expected revenue collection this country is hoping to get, if properly harnessed.

The country currently relies on the two main castles with the rest of the revenue coming from other places such as Kakum. Some tourism writers and experts however believe the country is making far less in tourism receipts than it can actually rake in.

“There is so much in Accra that the tourism sector can benefit from but are those in charge of tourism really ready to tap into it?” asked one of the participants.

By its own expectations, Ghana hopes to make tourism the third income earning sector in the country and participants were confident that the Ministry of Tourism and its agencies will consider the newly identified attractions.

Since becoming a member of the World Tourism Organisation since its formation in 1975, the country has only ranked a lonely 100th in tourists’ arrival out of the more than one hundred tourism destinations in the world.

For example, statistics from the UNWTO indicate, as far back as 2005, that the numbers of tourists who visit a place like Egypt was more than seven million while that of Ghana stood within the four hundreds. The highest Ghana has recorded for the past five years was more than 500,000 though Nigeria exceeded that target despite her many trouble spots.

According to tourism writer Bill Reynolds, one of the country’s biggest selling tourism point is the proverbial Ghanaian hospitality, but that has even not been translated to have the expected revenue effect.

“Where the country falls short is the presentation of tourism products, particularly with the sites and attractions which are thought to be monotonous.”

Celibate Yoke: Boys Not Women are welcomed

Current events emanating from the Catholic Church point to a certain fixation their Priests have towards children instead of women. Priests have acquired such a fine taste for molesting young people in their parishes, contrary to their own perceived beliefs as ‘Holy Fathers.’

And in rather bizarre sleeping arrangements, a good numbers of priests have been busy bedding most of their children in the churches who, ironically, see them as spiritual fathers. The recent revelation, though not surprising, is the abuse of deaf children in the 1970s by one Father Lawrence Murphy, a notorious molester of children at Wisconsin.

Now deceased, Father Murphy, according to released documents, took advantage of the children, mostly deaf, who came to him for spiritual guidance and bedded them. He spent his ‘priestly’ times sleeping with the kids against their will and though reports were sent to the Vatican about his behavior, officials who received the documents slept over it.

Fingers are now pointing at Pope Benedict XIV for his role in the purported cover up. His credibility now hangs on a thin thread, as calls for him to resign continue to grow. He has been forced to render apologies to sexual acts committed by his subordinates mostly in Ireland, Netherlands, Germany, Italy and the United States.

The New York Times reported that documents available to them indicate that long before he became Pope, he failed to response to letters about the abuse of children in the United States. Again in 1996, according to the documents in the New York Times’s possession, Cardinal Ratzinger on two occasions failed to act on letters he personally received.

They concerned the Rev. Lawrence Murphy, who worked at a Wisconsin school for deaf children from the 1950s, according to a report carried by the BBC.
The report further said that two archbishops wrote letters to a Vatican office led by then Cardinal Ratzinger for him to act on the reports but he halted the process, giving the sexually notorious Murphy to continue his abuse of children in blissfulness.

Calls for the Pope to resign has been growing however, the Vatican has also expressed its unflinching support for him. The church is not like any corporation, one catholic faithful who spoke to the BBC Focus on Africa programme on Friday. She thinks the pope has done the right thing by apologizing and the matter should rest there.

Rest there, dude?