This “shoot-to-kill” order against Fulani herdsmen is dangerous

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Folks, when I read earlier today a news report that the NPP MP for Asante Akyem, Kwadwo Baah Agyeman, had given an order to his constituents to "shoot and kill" whenever cattle belonging to Fulani herdsmen invade their farms, I cringed. 

Not only because the order came from an MP who had no authority to issue such an order but because of the wider ramifications of the order and the likelihood of its being abused to worsen the very problem that it might have been aimed at solving.

I questioned the legality, morality, and propriety of this kind of order in a constitutional democratic era when governance calls for better approaches toward solving problems than what the MP has chosen.

The NPP’s kind of “internal democracy” is in full gear

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Folks, I like the drama unfolding in the NPP camp. I like it that goings-on paint the kind of picture of the NPP that its leaders and followers cannot fail to see as the culmination of their "rogue" politics now turned sour.

Having expended energy and resources disparaging the NDC, the Electoral Commission, anybody or institution seen as an affront to their pursuit of political power, the NPP bigshots have now turned the dagger on each other, creating the impression that they really know how to do "rogue" politics.

From all angles, they are up in arms, verbally challenging each other for no apparent reason but that each wants to control the turf and concretize his brand of "rogue" politics.

Nigeria is gradually being torn apart: What lessons to learn?

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Folks, Nigeria seems to be on the brink of catastrophe at many levels.

While the terrorist group Boko Haram wreaks havoc on the society in North-Eastern Nigeria, the country’s politicians gathering in the safe haven of Abuja are bickering over raw political power with the opposition threatening to block the government’s 2014 budget. And blocking the budget means straining the administration and making it difficult for it to do what it has to do to govern the country!!

The objective of the opposition is clear: to incapacitate the Jonathan Goodluck administration, weaken its grips on power, and create the unfortunate impression that it is incapable of moving the country forward. All in readiness for the next general elections for it to be voted down. As if by voting it down and installing in office these doom-mongers, anything drastically new will be brought to the table to solve Nigeria’s problems.

Hurrah to the future cows to rule Ghana!!

Friday, January 24, 2014

Friends, let’s have some fun. The times are too rough and we need some comic relief to get us going, wherever we may be headed.

On Tuesday, this news report appeared, caught my attention, but slid away because I had other things to think of. Now, it has come back for scrutiny:

“Give your children cow milk and they will grow and think like cows—Frimpong Boateng”.

There is a lot wrong with the Ghanaian

Friday, January 24, 2014

My good friends, I will stick my neck out to make some generalizations for a purpose.

Ghanaians have a major problem that is difficult to tackle: widespread indiscipline, disregard for law and order, and the penchant to dare the devil. There is also a strong motivation to get-rich-quickly, damn the consequences.

The consequences of all these negative traits are dire to the self and country; but who cares?

All over the country, the consequences of indiscipline are particularly noticeable. I don’t know what has come over the Ghanaian to make him or her want to do anything at all willy-nilly, provided self-interest will be served. And then, when everything backfires, the Ghanaian quickly turns round to blame the government for it.

And the NPP officially endorses corruption in Ghanaian politics…

Friday, January 24, 2014

Folks, if you think that there is hope for Ghanaian politics to improve, you are deceived. It will not for as long as morality doesn’t guide it. And morality is simple: that which is right or wrong and why. That which is moral manifests in good ethical conduct and is appreciated as such. It is the substance that impels good politicking.

We dismiss that which is immoral as wrong, negative, and an impediment to good politics. Unfortunately for us in Ghana, immorality defines our local and national politics to a great extent. And that immorality manifests as the buying of conscience through material inducements. Plainly put, through massive bribery and corruption at all levels.

We have for long been complaining that Ghanaian politics is dirty and continues to be dirtied all the more by those who profit from that filth. The dirt comes in many forms and shapes, depending on the source and what is at stake.

Enough of your lamentations, President Mahama!!

Thursday, January 24, 2014

Folks, we are in trouble. Deep, deep, searing trouble. In the midst of plenty, we are suffering—just because we have eyes but can’t see.

President John D. Mahama said at the opening of the World Economic Forum in Davos (Switzerland) on Wednesday that his government couldn't implement the windfall tax introduced in the mining sector in 2012 for the government to rake in 10 percent of profits made by gold-mining companies operating in the country.

He attributed the problem to threats from the mining companies to lay off many workers should the tax be rolled out. The Ghana Chamber of Mines had also earlier warned that the windfall tax would dampen the resolve of investors in Ghana’s mining sector.

Abolish the Ministry of Information now!! (Part II)

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

In every country, there exists an avenue like that, staffed by level-headed professionals—be they political scientists, information and communication experts, or seasoned writers (could be practising or retired journalists) who know the value of communication and government-public interactions.

The President has his own Press Secretary who does all the press work. We are even not talking about speech writers. They work behind-the-scene and are recognized as such.

Now, let’s consider the status of the Press Secretary. Almost all the leaders of Ghana, except the late Atta Mills and the incumbent John Mahama, had Press Secretaries. Even Jerry Rawlings had Press Secretaries who were available to manage information for the sake of the Executive.

Abolish the Ministry of Information now!! (Part I)

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

A good thing sells itself by its very nature, substance, and worth. Not by the noise it makes. It is only empty barrels that draw attention to themselves through noise-making. So it is with government business too. A good government needn’t declare its “goodness” through the noise it makes but through the self-evident accomplishments that attract public goodwill toward it.

It seems in our time that much premium is being placed on noise-making, couched as “communication of government business” for which a whole Directorate of Communication has been established at the Presidency to run parallel to the Ministry of Information (and Media Relations!).

Country broke… ino broke oooh, the fault is in Ghanaians

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Folks, many issues cropping up confound me. I will lay some bare now for us to discuss.

There is much concern all over the place that the Mahama-led administration is not performing well. Those complaining are NDC supporters as well as political opponents, especially those in the NPP.

The critics are quick to cite the prevailing economic situation, high prices of goods and services, low productivity and the fluctuating Cedi-Dollar rate to support their criticisms. In effect, the cost of living is worsening.

Others are on roof-tops complaining about corruption and blaming President Mahama for presiding over "a create-loot-and-share" administration. Many others have simply written off the government as a total flop.

President Mahama confirms my worst fears

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

The news report under the heading “Ghana to deploy 850 soldiers to South Sudan” made it clear what President Mahama has agreed to do; and I am alarmed!!

Folks, I have already had my say on the deployment of Ghanaian troops to South Sudan and made it clear that I don't support anything of the sort, especially at the time that the situation is still unclear as to the real intentions of the rebels—to overthrow the Salva Kiir administration and install Riek Machar or to capture territories and form their own government.

The degeneration of the situation into a civil war is still threatening as President Kiir's Dinka ethnic group remains pitted against Machar's Nuer faction.

Negotiations begun in the Ethiopian capital have so far not given any firm hint that the hostilities will end soon for terms that may be agreed upon at the negotiation table to begin being implemented.

When an NPP MP calls for a “revolution” in Ghana…

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Friends, on Tuesday night, I read a news report on PeaceFmOnline that the NPP MP for the Asuogyaman Constituency in the Eastern Region, Kofi Osei Ameyaw, was calling for a revolt; this time, a “personal revolution” on an “individual level” in Ghana.

He was said to have written on his Facebook wall that the country needs another revolution, “a revolution not born out of envy, personal interest and greediness”.

“Revolution is not an apple that falls when it is ripe. You have to make it fall,” he stated.

Has SEMANTICS crippled the NPP’s Isaac Osei, MP?

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Folks, it is interesting how language cuts in many ways to make or mar human communication—with results that may be pleasant or tormenting. As a language lover, I have always been keen on playing language games. It’s all based on SEMANTICS (meaning-making), which I enjoy.

Yesterday, the news media carried a report in which they quoted Mr. Isaac Osei (NPP MP for Subin and former Ambassador to the UK and Ireland and Chief Executive Officer of Ghana COCOBOD) as saying “Akufo-Addo must retire from politics”. He was reported to have said so in an interview with “Radio XYZ Breakfast Show” host, Moro Awudu, on Monday.

There is no peace in South Sudan for Ghanaian troops to keep!!

Monday, Tuesday 7, 2014

Folks, the headline is loud and clear: “Ghana to send peacekeepers to South Sudan”.

Miss Hannah Tetteh, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, has said that Ghana will be contributing troops for peacekeeping operations in South Sudan. We are not yet given specifics.

Miss Tetteh, who spoke at a public forum in Accra dubbed “Advancing the better Ghana Agenda: Prospects for 2014” as part of activities marking the first anniversary of President John Dramani Mahama’s government, said Ghana was committed to the maintenance of peace in Africa.

(See: http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=297162)

Not a good message to celebrate, at least, for now. And I will bluntly say so: that there is no justification to rush Ghanaian troops into the situation unfolding in South Sudan.

These NPP people see only what they want to see

Monday, January 6, 2014

So, Parliament reconvened because of the NPP’s motion over the sale of Merchant Bank?

Folks, I have been monitoring this brouhaha over the sale of Merchant Bank but not framed any prompt on it because it is one of those transactions that has more “dirty politics” driving it than the real "economic" substance that should determine it.

The circumstances surrounding the deal may not really be clear to us, especially considering the fact that too many cooks are involved in the cooking, which has only ended up spoiling the broth. Too much partisan politics has taken over the real issues involved to such an extent that entrenched positions have been taken.

Opponents have ganged up and made so much noise as to suggest that the deal was horrible. The TUC initially supported the deal only to backtrack and indulge in negative politics with it.

Akufo-Addo to be Ghana’s President at all costs?

Saturday, January 4, 2014

Folks, another episode in the NPP’s “Concert Party” shows for 2014 has just been enacted under the title: “Akufo-Addo will be President in 2016 come what may”.

Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie , General Secretary of the NPP—whom I consider as the Chief Comedian of the pack of “Concert Party” dramatis personae— has been reported as vowing that  Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will be the President of Ghana in 2016, come what may.

He said on Saturday that: “Even if 10 presidential candidates stood for the 2016 election, only Akufo-Addo will be President”.

Owusu Afriyie said the means by which the party intends using to ensure that Nana Akufo-Addo wins the 2016 presidential election is known only to the NPP.

Is Dagbon now waking up?

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Folks, any mention of Dagbon in any conversation evokes many sentiments, the most prominent one being the Yendi Massacre of March 27, 2002 whose causes and effects are still difficult to comprehend, let alone tackle to ensure a lasting peace in the area.

We are already aware of the flurry of heated verbal exchanges, finger-pointing, blaming and counter-blaming by the Andanis and Abudus on the one hand, and rival politicians, on the other hand, as well as provocative utterances from diverse quarters.

The upshot of it all is that Dagbon hasn't known peace for many years now nor has it regained the status that the Yendi Massacre shattered.

Indeed, 2014 has begun… And on partisan politics the NPP way

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

My good friends, we are in 2014—and what immediately dominates the news scene is the slew of utterances from the NPP quarters. For all that these utterances suggest, I think that they give me an indication of what lies ahead. For sure, the anti-Mahama politics won’t abate. But what we’ve begun hearing from the NPP quarters portends a lot to prepare for.

Former President Kufuor says he won’t support any candidate who wins any position by “clever”  means (or a sleight-of-hand tactics—if I should be allowed to extend meanings)?

Effah Dartey also claims that 2014 is “crucial” for the NPP, whatever that premonition means.

To top it all, here is the big picture: