Monday, January 31, 2011

LET’S HAVE PEACE IN AKUAPEM (PAGE 7, JAN 29, 2011)

Peace is a prerequisite for development and for this reason everybody is enjoined to be a troubleshooter in the society in order to facilitate growth, development and prosperity. Anything to the contrary will lead to stunted growth and the deterioration of living standards and conditions.
Ghana has become the beacon of hope on a continent with many trouble spots because for more than two decades the country has enjoyed peace and stability despite the existence of a few flash points.
We have held five successful elections since 1992 to usher in new regimes or remove ruling governments from power without any serious security problems.
It is recalled that before, during and after the last general election many of our friends thought that the country would fall apart because of the tempo of the campaign for power by the political parties.
The dividends of democracy cannot be reaped fully if peace and tranquillity are taken for granted, for good governance, rule of law, respect for civil liberties, and the conduct of regular elections cannot be guaranteed in an atmosphere of war or disturbances.
All eyes are on Ghana now from all over the world because of our success at promoting democratic governance. Investors, tourists and everybody feel safe in the country as a result of our respect for rule of law. It is only when those who feel aggrieved can seek redress in the law courts and are guaranteed a fair hearing that they will risk their capital in the country.
Nonetheless, when certain internal developments threaten the peace and stability of the country then there is cause for worry.
We make reference to the one-time peaceful environment on the Akuapem Ridge that has been rocked in recent times by disputes among residents of towns that used to sit together to discuss matters of mutual interest.
The Akuapems are noted for their discipline and respect to such an extent that it is said that if an Akuapem wants to be rude he or she will precede such a remark with an apology.
Thus for a very long time the people of the Ridge have enjoyed peace and development until the 1990s when the Akuapem Traditional Council disintegrated with some of the wings breaking away from the centre to claim their autonomy as paramountcies because of a dispute between the people of Akropong and Abiriw.
The latest dispute between the people of Abiriw and Dawu that led to the death of one person over a land dispute will further aggravate the volatile situation in the area.
The dispute between Abiriw and Dawu will also retard mediation efforts by the Eastern Regional Co-ordinating Council to bring peace onto the Akuapem Ridge.
The Daily Graphic appeals to the parties in the dispute to bury the hatchet and come together as one people determined to fight their common enemy of poverty, disease and ignorance.
We are concerned about the developments on the Ridge just like any flash points in the country because conflicts distract us from the serious business of providing for the needs of the people.
It costs a lot of money to maintain peace in any conflict zone and it behoves all to maintain the peace so that the government can channel resources for the deployment of security personnel into the provision of basic amenities such as schools, roads and hospitals.
The Daily Graphic calls on all people of goodwill on the Ridge and beyond to impress upon the troublemakers to give peace a chance in order to maintain the area as a tourist hub and a citadel of education.

MAKING OUR ROADS SAFE (PAGE 7, JAN, 31, 2011)

For some time now members of the public have expressed disquiet over the carnage on our roads. The statistics indicate that this month alone about 123 people lost their lives through road accidents, while many hundreds sustained various degrees of injury.
Suddenly road accidents have become a major cause of death, relegating factors such as malaria, maternal and child mortality and HIV/AIDS to the background. These road accidents have become both a social and a health dilemma for policy makers in the country.
The unfortunate thing is that the death of these precious citizens of the land could have been avoided if the people behind the steering wheels had taken extra precautionary measures by adhering strictly to road traffic regulations. It is on record that most road accidents are caused by human error such as drink driving, over speeding, overloading, overtaking at unauthorised places and the abandoning of breakdown vehicles on the highways.
The Ghana Police Service, the Ministry of Roads and Highways and, indeed, the government have initiated many interventions to address the carnage, but with little success. Perhaps looking at the spate of accidents so far, it may not be out of place to conclude that the actions initiated by the authorities have not been results-oriented, which means that more must be done to get the motoring public to abide by road traffic regulations.
The Daily Graphic believes that there are no shortcuts to the challenges facing the road transport industry.
The only solution lies in naming and shaming; that is, those who break the regulations must be punished, instead of the present system where sometimes the police look on helplessly while drivers break the regulations.
The decision by the Police Administration to ban the movement of heavy duty trucks after 6 p.m. as part of measures to curb the carnage on the country’s roads can only achieve the desired results if it is implemented alongside existing regulations.
Many vehicles plying our roads are death traps, as they are not road worthy and lack the necessary documentation. But they do business every day with the acquiescence of some police personnel.
Meanwhile, we remember that heavy duty trucks were banned from operating in the night some time ago. It is recalled that the ban was lifted, in part, as a result of agitation from our neighbours in the sub-region who use our country as a transit point.
Already, some heavy duty truck drivers are protesting against the move, saying it lacks any scientific basis. We believe that the Police Administration has very cogent reasons for imposing the ban on heavy duty trucks, so that when the issues are subjected to serious interrogation by members of the public, it will stand the test of time.
It is obvious that everybody is concerned about the carnage on our roads and we believe that Ghanaians will support any intervention that will restore sanity on the roads.
As things stand now, the decision by anybody to travel brings about anxious moments in every home and if this is allowed to persist, every human endeavour, including the movement of goods and services, will suffer and the economy will stagnate.
We share in the concerns of the Police Administration to stem the carnage and we urge our compatriots to join the crusade to make our roads safe.

Friday, January 28, 2011

CHANGING HOUSING LANDSCAPE (Jan 28, 2011)

A HISTORIC ceremony took place at Tesano in Accra yesterday to mark the commencement of work on the Ghana National Housing Project.
The Ghana government partnership with STX Korea to build 30,000 houses for our security agencies did not come to fruition without the manifestation of the deep-seated political division in the country, with the Minority in Parliament walking out during the debate on the deal.
Although both sides of the divide agree that something must be done to improve our housing stock, the means to achieve that goal has always been parallel.
Conservative estimates put the housing deficit at about one million units and those in need are in the lower to middle- income bracket.
The fear of paying high rent advances to Shylock landlords has forced many ordinary people to acquire land to put up their own houses.
In the emerging communities in Accra and other urban centres, both estate and private developers have encroached on public lands earmarked for schools, playing grounds and green belts.
We believe that the haphazard development in the country will cease if the state plays a major role in the construction of houses.
Whatever the disagreements that characterised the negotiations with STX Korea, the Daily Graphic thinks we need all hands on deck now that the sod-cutting ceremony for the project has been performed by President J.E.A. Mills.
Anybody who has visited the barracks of our security agencies will be saddened by the state of the accommodation facilities provided for our soldiers and policemen and women.
In some cases, rooms meant for new entrants into the security services are occupied by families of between four and eight, compelling them to keep most of their belongings such as refrigerators and deep freezers in the balconies.
It is important, therefore, that we all embrace the Ghana National Housing Project that will provide safe and decent accommodation for all our security personnel.
Sometimes the fanfare that greets new projects is not sustained, leading to the neglect of the projects because of lack of supervision and commitment from all the stakeholders.
The Ghana National Housing Project, it is hoped, will provide the catalyst for a housing boom in which every working person can afford very decent accommodation.
The Daily Graphic reminds the authorities not to limit the project to the first phase but build all the 200,000 houses and more to ensure the availability of decent housing for all.
In our bid to achieve this dream of transforming the housing industry, we appeal to the government to try and secure the resources to complete the houses started by the previous administration, so that the squatters do not gain at the expense of the taxpayer. Again, it is important to factor local content into the project by involving local real estate developers in its execution.
The Daily Graphic congratulates all the partners in the Ghana National Housing Project on their efforts to bring to fruition this huge investment that will create jobs and wealth.
It is our prayer that the monitoring and evaluation of the project will be at its best, so that the taxpayer will get value for money and we will also avoid shoddy work that the President warned against.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

rLG SHOWS THE WAY (JAN 27, 2011)

IT is said that every big thing has a small or humble beginning. That is why any river, no matter its size, flows from a very small source.
Many big companies start from humble beginnings and by dint of hard work they grow to become the blue chip companies.
Companies which began as backyard operations but which today have grown to be blue chip companies include Kasapreko, Zoomlion, Sikkens, UT Bank, Manet, Comet and Regimanuel Estates. A few of these companies are listed among the Ghana Club 100 companies or are preparing to be listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange.
During the First Republic, the then government created many industrial zones, with local and foreign industrialists establishing small, medium and large-scale enterprises with various forms of incentives. But that momentum could not be sustained because of various factors, key among them being the lack of raw materials and credit to run the factories.
It appears we have not yet recovered from the collapse of many of these businesses in the North Industrial Area in Accra where most of these factories have been turned into warehouses to keep cheap imports from all parts of the world.
The Daily Graphic thinks that the government should put in place deliberate policies to support local industries to grow to create employment and wealth.
The growth of the economy does not lie in the hands of foreign investors but indigenous people who understand our circumstances.
We call on the government to initiate the necessary policy interventions that will provide the framework for support for all local industries as part of the Better Ghana Agenda.
The Daily Graphic has no doubt that the future of the country lies in the hands of Ghanaians, not on aid from our development partners. The development partners have played their part and we have reached a stage where we should say ‘thank you’ to them and take our destiny into our own hands.
It is for this reason that the Daily Graphic is excited about the decision of the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST) to secure 3,000 computers from rLG Communications Company to be distributed to schools nation-wide.
The rationale behind the intervention requires everybody’s support because it is intended to boost digital learning relevant to local curricula in disciplines such as Mathematics, Science and Technology in schools.
The collaboration between the ministry and rLG, under the Better Ghana ICT Project, should help achieve many objectives, such as bridging the digital divide between well-endowed schools and those in deprived areas, as well as expanding the scope of operations of rLG to create jobs and wealth.
Certainly, rLG Communications has blazed the trail in assembling mobile phones in the country and through this venture it has offered employment to many young people throughout the country under one of the modules of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP).
The Daily Graphic suggests to the government and the banks to continue to support companies such as rLG to grow to compete on the international market to generate the needed revenue for development.
We salute the young and enterprising owner of rLG, Mr Roland Agambire, for demonstrating entrepreneurial skills to grow the company into a major partner in national development.
The Daily Graphic believes that more of such government interventions will help develop the potential in our local industries.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

WINDOW OF HOPE, INDEED (JAN 26, 2011)

FOR quite some time now senior high school (SHS) graduates have had to stay at home for at least one year before entering the public universities in the country.
That is because while the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) is written in May/June of any ensuing year, the academic year for the public universities begins in September, for which reason they close admissions in March.
Therefore, SHS leavers are forced to mark time until the following year when they can buy the admission forms of the universities to put the process of gaining admission to the institutions in motion.
It is against this backdrop that the declaration by Vice-Chancellors, Ghana (VCG), the umbrella body of the heads of our public universities, that this year, final-year SHS students will be given the opportunity to gain admission to the various public universities comes as welcome relief.
The universities say they are going to offer this opportunity to this year’s SHS leavers by delaying admissions, so that the leavers can purchase admission forms, fill and submit them immediately the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) releases their results.
The WAEC will also play its part by making sure that it releases the results early to enable the students to complete the filling of the admission forms.
When all these go according to plan, then the public universities will begin the 2011/2012 academic year in late September or early October.
The Daily Graphic wholeheartedly welcomes this move to do away with the one-year waiting period that had hitherto become the norm before SHS leavers could get admission to the public universities.
Apart from the fact that the one-year waiting period prolonged the number of years our youth spent in school, which, in itself, defeated one of the aims of the educational reforms of 1987 of cutting down the number of years spent in school, there were other negative effects of the delay.
It is said that many female SHS leavers waiting to gain admission to tertiary institutions became pregnant, while some of the boys fell into bad company, with its concomitant effects, such as drug use, Internet fraud, stealing, etc.
Now that it is going to be possible for SHS leavers to go to university in October after writing their examination in May/June, it is our hope that our students will work harder than before, so that they can take advantage of this new window of hope opened to them.
Until now, the common perception among many SHS final-year students was to relax in their studies because they knew they had a whole year within which to re-write the WASSCE (if they didn’t do well at the first attempt) before they could fill university admission forms.
The Daily Graphic takes its hat off to the stakeholders who have agreed to bring about this innovation — Vice Chancellors, Ghana, the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service — and prays that they sustain the programme into the future to make the one-year waiting a thing of the past.
After all, that was the situation before the education reforms brought about two batches of secondary school leavers — sixth formers and SHS — to compel the university authorities to adopt the one-year waiting policy.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

REVAMPING RAIL TRANSPORT (JAN 25, 2011)

RAIL transport is the most efficient and reliable mode of travelling in any country. Most people who were born in the immediate post-independent Ghana enjoyed the comfort of rail transport or witnessed how efficient the system was in the areas trains plied.
Commuters, especially traders and students, preferred rail transport to any other mode of travelling across the length and breadth of the country. Whatever the destination of travellers, they never missed the services of the trains by either starting the journey with trains or connecting rail services from various areas.
Until the major rail disaster at Asuoyaa near Koforidua in the 1980s, there had been no serious accident on the western, central or eastern railway lines, making the system the safest mode of transportation.
Unfortunately, the decay that characterised the governance system and the conduct of public affairs in the country from the mid 1970s also affected the operations of the railway network.
The quality of services began to decline, forcing many travellers to abandon rail transport. A few of the traders who continued to patronise the services were also forced to stop because of their dwindling fortunes.
Patrons of rail services in the past always look back to the days of the “rail romance” with a feeling of nostalgia, hoping that one day the authorities will raise the necessary capital to revamp the existing services and extend same to other parts of the country.
Residents of towns and villages where railway stations are located are not happy that the infrastructure of the Ghana Railway Company (GRC) Limited has been left to deteriorate and, in many instances, reduced to rubbles.
The good news, however, is that the government has secured support from the Chinese government to rehabilitate the rail system and extend the service to other parts of the country.
As a result of the decay in services, GRC properties have been taken over by certain unscrupulous individuals, in many cases with the connivance of some railway workers.
It was well-known in communities where the rail system served that a few metres of land on each side of the rail line was the property of the GRC and nobody dared to put up permanent structures on it. Farmers cultivated that stretch of land free of charge but those who put up permanent structures on it did so at their own risk.
Today, the picture is different. The properties of the GRC have been encroached upon in cities and villages throughout the country.
But, one may ask, where were the authorities looking when this massive encroachment took place? Does it confirm fears that these acts were done with the connivance of the big wigs at the GRC?
It is against this background that the Daily Graphic endorses the decision of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to demolish all structures that are within 100 feet of railway lines in the metropolis to pave way for work to begin on the project to extend the Accra sub-urban railway network.
We know that such an exercise will not be easy to accomplish, with all interest groups exerting pressure on the AMA to either delay the programme or cancel it.
The time has come for all men of goodwill or people with conviction to stand up to defend this laudable stance of the AMA so that efforts to rebuild the economy through the renewal of infrastructure and the creation of jobs can bear fruits.
The Chief Executive of the AMA, Mr Alfred Vanderpuije, has what it takes to set the example for other state appointees to take steps to protect government property. We urge the Accra Mayor to carry on with his statutory duties without fear or favour.
We do not have to miss this opportunity to right the ills of our society.

Monday, January 24, 2011

LIGHT AT END OF TUNNEL (JAN 24, 2011)

Many Ghanaians heaved a sigh of relief last weekend following the announcement that two of Ghana’s major partners have offered budgetary support to the country.
The World Bank board approved a $215 million Poverty Reduction Support Credit (PRSC) for the government of Ghana, while the UK government announced the disbursement of £36 million towards general budget support.
These inflows are anticipated to further stabilise the economy and reduce inflation and the prime rate to further accelerate efforts at job creation and growth.
The government, since assuming the reins of power in 2009, has initiated some policy interventions to reduce the budget deficit it inherited, reduce inflation and stabilise the cedi against other currencies.
Some modest gains have been made over the last 24 months, with inflation hitting the lowest level in 19 years, reserves improving and the right environment being created to enable the banks to reduce their interest rates further.
The cost of doing business is still high, though, but indications are that the factors militating against the steady growth of the economy are being removed.
The economy cannot take off if structural bottlenecks, such as high interest rates, unemployment, deficiencies in the supply of utilities, as well as high tariffs, are not addressed pretty soon.
We are yet to come out of the woods, as the policy interventions are yet to bear fruits. Perhaps the time has come for the government to start looking at deliberate pro-poor policies to reduce the burden on the poor.
The upward adjustment in utility tariffs last year and the recent rise in the prices of petroleum products will hit the poor harder than any segment of society.
That is why it behoves the social partners to expedite action on moves to introduce a new minimum wage.
When the prices of utilities go up without a corresponding adjustment in wages and salaries, the purchasing power of working people declines and their living standards deteriorate.
The UK support for this year is very critical towards the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) through the provision of improved health, education, water and sanitation.
Already, certain policy measures have been initiated in these sectors to achieve the MDGs which will be key drivers for the achievement of our development agenda.
The era of oil production will change the development equation in the country. Now Sekondi/Takoradi in particular and the entire Western Region have become a beehive of economic activities since the discovery of oil in 2007.
Ghanaians must position themselves well to take advantage of the boom that will be associated with the oil industry, instead of allowing foreigners to dominate the sector.
There are other nationals, even in the West African sub-region, who have expertise in the oil industry, but we can compete with them if the country develops the expertise of its people in oil and gas.
These can both be challenging and interesting times, depending on whichever way the situation in the country is looked at. The challenges come with many opportunities that can be exploited to our advantage.
The STX housing project and the Chinese support for the reconstruction of the railway network will inject substantial amounts of money into the economy and create jobs for many people.
With the declaration of 2011 as an Action Year, the expectation must be very high among the populace, especially the youth who look forward to new opportunities and challenges to achieve their career objectives.
The Daily Graphic believes that the signs for economic take-off this year are very bright, judging from the show of goodwill from our development partners.
However, we must bear in mind that no amount of foreign aid will help rebuild our economy if we do not empower the indigenous people to “take over the commanding heights of the country”.

Friday, January 21, 2011

ALL EYES ON ECG NOW (JAN 21, 2011)

ONE of the key drivers of national development is the availability of an efficient power supply. It is for this reason that many countries spend huge sums of money to develop the power supply base or import power from neighbouring countries to run their business and domestic activities.
Ghana recognised the need for a reliable power supply system early in its nationhood by securing the support of external partners to establish the Akosombo hydro electric dam.
That was followed later by the construction of the Kpong Dam, the Aboadze Thermal Plant and the installation of generating sets at some vantage points in the country.
However, power generation and supply face many challenges because of resource constraints and the attitude of consumers. In recent times, the Volta River Authority (VRA), the Ghana Grid Company (GriDco) and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) have come under severe criticism for poor service delivery or intermittent outages.
Quite a substantial percentage of the power generated is unaccounted for because of the use of obsolete distribution systems and illegal connections. Some of these challenges account for the frequent hikes in utility tariffs, compelling consumers, both commercial and domestic, to protest against poor services.
Consumers have always petitioned the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) against upward adjustments in tariffs because of poor services, but the utility companies have always countered any such petition with the explanation that they need realistic tariffs in order to meet operational costs and fix the system.
Officials of these companies are always at their wits’ end, especially in the cities and urban areas, trying hard to deal with the intransigence of some of their consumers.
Residents of these urban areas, notably the emerging communities, always besiege the offices of the utility companies for power and when the services are not forthcoming, they resort to third parties who use illegal means to supply the services.
The time has come for better collaboration between private developers and estate developers, on the one side, and the utility companies, on the other, so that the provision of power is factored into the construction of new communities.
The Daily Graphic believes that this collaboration will reduce the incidence of abuse of the system by which those looking for power bypass the existing structures.
It appears that the ECG is overwhelmed by the high demand for power supply, to such an extent that many consumers are compelled to use unofficial means to get power.
The Daily Graphic, therefore, welcomes the acquisition of 10,000 prepaid meters with features to enable the ECG to monitor any attempt by consumers to tamper with the running of the meters.
We urge the ECG to step up its efforts at providing more prepaid meters for all its consumers to reduce the rate of default in the payment of bills.
It has taken the ECG far too long, since 1994 when the first prepaid meters were introduced, to provide every facility with prepaid meters to help improve the revenue base of the company.
The Daily Graphic calls on the ECG to put its act together to provide efficient services for consumers following the upward adjustment in tariffs last year.
We believe there are no grounds for excuse on the part of the utility companies. Rather, consumers demand improved services.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

FACING THE HARSH HARMATTAN (JAN 20, 2011)

THIS time of the year is always associated with harsh weather conditions which we call harmattan. The dryness of the weather comes with cracked lips, unusual heavy dust in the atmosphere, poor visibility and diseases such as cerebro-spinal meningitis (CSM), especially in the northern part of Ghana.
This year, however, it looks like the harmattan will be exceptionally harsh and already weather experts have confirmed our fears. It is in the wake of this and the warning given by the experts that the Daily Graphic is adding its voice to calls for everyone to be exceptionally careful, since we are likely to be affected one way or another.
In the first place, it is important to dress appropriately to face the dry but cold weather. In the mornings, we must wear warm clothing to ward off infections, especially those likely to affect the respiratory organs.
Drivers are also advised to be extra cautious, especially those who ply various routes early in the morning and at night, to avoid unnecessary accidents due to poor visibility.
The harsh weather sometimes results in good rains during the farming season, but before then, the severe harmattan is likely to bring in its wake widespread bush fires and the drying up of most water bodies.
It is, therefore, equally important that our farmers, palm wine tappers and hunters are very circumspect in the use of fire in their operations.
The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) just carried out an extensive education on fire prevention and everybody is required to abide by the directives.
It is essential for farmers to construct fire belts around their farms before setting fire to the dry weeds to prevent the fire from spreading to other farms.
Palm wine tappers could cause a lot of havoc around this time if they do not handle their operations well. In the same vein, charcoal burners and game hunters also cause indiscriminate destruction to the vegetation at this time of the year. Smokers who do not dispose of their cigarette butts professionally also end up destroying the vegetation.
Weather experts have also advised food vendors to properly cover their foods because disease-bearing micro-organisms are likely to be carried along with the dust to contaminate the food.
Already, Ghanaians are alarmed at the rate of accidents on our roads and this situation is likely to deteriorate further if our drivers do not observe road traffic regulations, especially on the highways.
The Daily Graphic pleads with drivers not to speed, overtake other vehicles wrongly or abandon breakdown vehicles on the roads. While it is important that every individual takes the necessary precautionary measures, we need to collectively resolve to be one another’s keeper during these critical times. Any action to the contrary can only bring about more hardship to everyone.
The security agencies, especially the police, ought to be more vigilant to ensure strict adherence to road traffic regulations.
The GNFS should also continue with its educational campaign on the dangers of bush fires in order to protect the vegetation for our productive activities.
On many occasions, regulations do not work because the enforcement agencies turn a blind eye when law breakers take law-abiding citizens for granted.
The Daily Graphic believes that if the law enforcement agencies act decisively, the consequences of the harsh harmattan conditions will be manageable.
The weather is a natural phenomenon over which we do not have control, but its effects can be managed if the rules of engagement are respected.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

CENTRAL GONJA SHOWS THE WAY (JAN 19, 2011)

Not too long ago, Ghana’s educational infrastructure was second to none, while the quality of education was the envy of many countries, including our colonial masters.
In the past, which our senior citizens refer to as the “good old days”, middle school pupils from many rural communities gained admission to the best second-cycle schools in the country.
At that time, the government was able to provide adequate budgetary support for the running of the schools, while the teachers showed more commitment to the teaching and learning processes.
The teachers did not worry too much about their reward on earth, as they were content with the fact that their “reward is in heaven” and committed themselves to the welfare of their pupils and students.
It was an honour for the teachers to continue to impart knowledge to their pupils after school hours for free in order to prepare the pupils adequately for their external examinations.
Some communities honoured teachers through whose efforts pupils and students excelled in the Common Entrance Examination, the Middle School Leaving Certificate Examination, as well as the School Certificate Examination.
The communities even played a part in the promotion and demotion of teachers and that helped develop community ownership of our educational system.
Now, the situation has deteriorated to such an extent that pupils in rural schools do not make good grades to gain admission to senior high schools.
There are communities in all the districts where schools have scored zero per cent in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
Various stakeholders, such as the government, the district assemblies, religious bodies, communities, non-governmental organisations and parents, have individually or collectively initiated moves to address the falling standards of education in the country.
At the beginning of the academic year, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) abolished the shift system in the metropolis in what has been described as a progressive step towards resolving educational challenges.
The AMA has faced some challenges in the implementation of the policy, but just as it is said that a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step, this must be the AMA’s first step towards improving the quality of education in the metropolis.
The Daily Graphic thinks that the nagging issue of schools under trees must also be resolved as part of the larger agenda to make teaching and learning conducive throughout the country.
At the last count, it was said that there are about 4,000 schools under trees in the country and the government has set out to provide permanent structures for all of them.
The Daily Graphic commends the Central Gonja District Assembly in the Northern Region for replacing 41 schools under trees with permanent structures, as reported in the Ghanaian Times of yesterday.
We urge all district assemblies to intensify efforts to replace schools under trees with permanent structures in order to improve teaching and learning and upgrade the standard of education in the country.
The Daily Graphic calls on the Ministry of Education to improve its monitoring and supervisory roles in schools to compel teachers to give of their best. For, without the commitment and dedication of teachers, no amount of resources pumped into education will yield the desired results.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

CLEAR BEGGARS OFF THE STREETS (JAN 18, 2011)

THE physically challenged fraternity has always reminded able-bodied persons to focus on ability rather than disability when weighting everybody’s contribution in society.
It is true that a section of the physically challenged does not want to work but resorts to begging along the streets in the major cities and urban centres of the country.
The irony of the situation is that many of the people begging along the streets and at vantage points have received training in different kinds of vocations in order to make them more productive. Some of those training programmes were organised at a cost to the taxpayer.
The business of begging appears to be thriving because of the attitude of the Ghanaian towards the so-called vulnerable in society. For religious reasons, both Christians and Muslims are enjoined to give alms, while majority of members of society believe that we should be one another’s keeper.
However, the same religious teachings remind the faithful about the importance of work in our everyday lives. Indeed, the Bible puts it very succinctly, “He who does not work must not eat.”
The time has, therefore, come for all Ghanaians to re-orient their minds towards the role of the physically challenged in nation-building and stop spoon-feeding them, especially if they have the capacity to be productive.
We are not trying to suggest that nothing is being done to move the physically challenged from the streets into more productive activities.
A few years ago, the Ghana Society for the Physically Disabled (GSPD) established a chalk factory in Accra as a means of creating employment opportunities for its members.
The factory faced many problems, the major one being the lack of market for the chalk, although the Ghana Education Service (GES) had initially pledged to assist.
It is good to hear that the management of the factory has now secured a contract from the GES to produce chalk for schools.
The DAILY GRAPHIC calls on all well-meaning citizens of the land to assist the GSPD to expand its productive activities to create more jobs for the physically challenged.
We commend the society for going the extra mile to expand its scope to bring additional avenues for employment and income to its members, without waiting for central government and corporate support.
The DAILY GRAPHIC wishes the GSPD well in its latest endeavour to venture into dressmaking, especially in an era when the government is sewing free uniforms for schoolchildren.
What the society proposes to do requires the support of all, especially the state institution in charge of the sewing of the school uniforms, because any contract in that regard will help enhance the capacity of the GSPD’s sewing business.
We think the government alone cannot deal with the menace of begging, spearheaded largely by the physically challenged. The establishment of the National Disability Council by the government is part of the overall intervention to put in place an apex body to promote the necessary advocacy for the mitigation of the challenges facing the physically challenged.
Begging could be a good business for those who engage in it, but, for goodness sake, that venture undermines the dignity of the players. There is dignity in labour and everybody must resolve to contribute to the country’s productive endeavours. Let us rid the streets of all beggars now.

Monday, January 17, 2011

MOTIVATING OUR COCOA FARMERS (JAN 17, 2011)

SINCE Ghana discovered oil in commercial quantities in 2007, many countries have offered various forms of counsel to help us escape the “Dutch Disease”.
Experiences from some countries, even in the West African sub-region, indicate that when those countries struck oil in commercial quantities, they abandoned all business endeavours, concentrating solely on the exploration of oil. The end result was that agriculture suffered, other businesses were neglected and the living standards of the people deteriorated.
Certainly, expectations are very high among Ghanaians concerning the oil find. Many even think that with the commencement of the exportation of oil, the country’s economic woes are behind us. Some expect jobs, while the people in the Western Region think that part of the oil revenue should be given to them or channelled towards specific development activities in the region. A section of the populace even think that the government should no longer increase the prices of petroleum products because we are now an oil-producing country.
One major sector of the economy that will suffer serious repercussions if we focus solely on oil is the agricultural sector, especially the cocoa industry. For many years, the sector has been the life blood of the economy and contributed immensely to the provision of many social amenities in the country.
In the area of education, for instance, cocoa revenue has helped provide scholarships for children of cocoa farmers and a cross-section of other children and construct school infrastructure, health facilities and roads.
Successive governments have spared no effort at maintaining the cocoa industry as the major income earner of the country. Good farming practices, the provision of inputs such as fertilisers and chemicals, as well as high-yielding varieties, and spraying free of charge have all been introduced to ensure a vibrant and productive cocoa industry. Governments have also taken steps to deal with the swollen shoot virus that threatens many cocoa farms in the six cocoa-growing regions of the country.
In 2009, the Mills administration announced some interventions to sustain the interest of farmers in the cocoa industry and also motivate the youth to go into agriculture. These include a periodic review of the producer price of cocoa, the payment of bonuses and plans to introduce a pension scheme for farmers.
Last Thursday, the leadership of the Cocoa, Coffee and Sheanut Farmers Association called on President J.E.A. Mills at the Castle to express their gratitude to the government for the unprecedented increase in the producer price of cocoa since he assumed office in 2009.
The President used the occasion to commend the farmers for their support for the national economy and re-affirmed his commitment to ensure that “you have the strength and encouragement to contribute more to improve the lives of the people”.
The Daily Graphic believes that the government will develop all the sectors by committing the necessary resources to them, including the oil industry, for them to play a major role in achieving the government’s Better Ghana agenda.
If we dare abandon other sectors because of the oil find, the “Dutch Disease” will certainly catch up with us and the consequences may not be pleasant.
For this reason, the Daily Graphic appeals to all, including our cocoa farmers, to reciprocate the government’s gesture of an attractive producer price with increased production of the produce so that we can regain our position as the largest cocoa producer in the world.

LET THE LAW TAKE ITS COURSE (JAN 15, 2011)

GHANAIANS are reputed to be the most hospitable people on the African continent and even beyond. Any first-time visitor to the country does not fail to notice the amiable and warm character of the people.
The Ghanaian easily opens up to foreigners and offers them the necessary assistance to be able to overcome the cultural shock and adjust to the local environment.
There is no doubt, however, that in every community there is a deviant, but, generally, the majority of Ghanaians are law-abiding in their own country and abroad.
Unfortunately, however, certain developments indicate that some foreigners are taking the Ghanaian hospitality for granted.
It is also sad that a section of foreign nationals mistake Ghanaian hospitality for timidity and abuse the welcome that is extended to them by engaging in illegal acts. There are very clear rules governing the activities of legal immigrants in any country, but in Ghana some of the immigrants are engaged in retail trade and other business ventures reserved for the indigenous people.
Some of the aliens in our midst are involved in illegal activities such as pair trawling, fishing in restricted areas along the coast and illegal mining activities, otherwise known as galamsey.
The DAILY GRAPHIC recalls that in the 1970s, the then government introduced a policy to help Ghanaians capture the “commanding heights of the economy” by reserving certain business activities for Ghanaians.
Retail trade, for instance, is a no-go area for foreigners. But today, the central business district of Accra and other urban areas are under siege by foreigners who are selling every item under the sun.
The people of Ghana appreciate the essence and benefits of globalisation, but the global village still has room for sovereign laws that must be respected by citizens and foreigners alike.
Indeed, Ghana has benefited immensely from its relations with a number of countries across the globe and this support has helped to improve the well-being of the people.
However, we call on the appropriate authorities to let the law take its course in the trial of the 49 fishermen, including some foreigners, who were arrested for allegedly engaging in illegal fishing in restricted areas along the coast.
The Ghana Immigration Service, for instance, has an obligation to screen all foreigners entering the country so that illegal ones can be turned away at the point of entry.
The DAILY GRAPHIC thinks our immigration laws must be tightened further to make it unattractive for illegal immigrants to live in the country, let alone engage in illegal activities.
We shall not advocate the expulsion of foreigners in our midst because even though some of them are criminals, we know others are contributing immensely to the development of the country.
Over the last two years or so, the government has secured huge sums in loans from some foreign countries to expand the infrastructure base of the country. This gesture speaks volumes about the positive dividends to be derived from the development of healthy relations with our neighbours and other countries in the comity of nations.
The DAILY GRAPHIC, however, calls on the government to shut its doors on foreigners who are bent on causing a strain in relations between Ghana and the countries from where the illegal immigrants come from.
We cherish international brotherhood but from the quarters of those who reciprocate our hospitality.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

THE CARNAGE MUST STOP (JAN 13, 2011)

GHANAIANS woke up on Tuesday to the sad news of a fatal road accident on the outskirts of Akomadan in the Ashanti Region.
Fifteen people died on the spot when two Yutong buses collided, while many others suffered serious head and body injuries.
The occurrence of such a gory incident quite early in the New Year must be a matter of serious concern to the agencies charged with ensuring safety on our roads, the government and, indeed, all Ghanaians.
For some time now, many Ghanaians have been expressing their displeasure at the spate of accidents on our highways, leading to the loss of precious lives.
The statistics on road accidents from the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service are not to be taken lightly.
Six thousand deaths in three years make road accidents one of the major causes of death in the country, not to talk about loss of productivity, high health bills and pain to bereaved families.
Many Ghanaians heaved a sigh of relief when, during the Christmas and New Year holidays, very few road accidents were recorded, as a result of which the travelling public commended drivers for the achievement.
It must be placed on record that prior to the Christmas and New Year festivities, the MTTU and the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) embarked on a vigorous educational campaign to encourage drivers and the travelling public to respect road traffic regulations.
One dividend of those educational campaigns was the reduced accidents on our roads during the holidays, a development which was applauded by the people.
No sooner had the applause died down than Ghanaians had the shock of that fatal accident on the outskirts of Akomadan three days ago.
For our roads to become safe, the DAILY GRAPHIC thinks drastic measures must be taken to ensure compliance with road traffic regulations in the country.
The causes of accidents on our roads are inexhaustible, including speeding, drink driving and the use of unworthy vehicles.
The DAILY GRAPHIC believes the time has come for all to join the crusade to rid our roads of all undesirable users, so that the roads will be safe for the motoring public.
Any move to the contrary or inaction on the part of stakeholders, such as government agencies, transport unions, the police, drivers and the travelling public, can only cause more pain and grief to families who lose their relatives through accidents.
We think public education, without the enforcement of the regulations, will not yield the desired results. The spate of road accidents require that those who break the regulations are punished to serve as a deterrent to others.
Many of the accidents are avoidable because they are caused through human error. Tragedies such as the one on the outskirts of Akomadan can easily be avoided if we all resolve to respect road traffic regulations.
Every soul is needed in our nation-building efforts, while the huge medical bills on road accidents can easily be used to address development challenges in health and education.
Let us be one another’s keeper by policing drivers to play by road traffic regulations. Through that, we may save lives that are dear and close to us.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

HARNESSING POWER OF YOUTH (JAN 12, 2011)

THE youth are the heritage of any society because they hold the key to the future. Our young ones have abundant energy that can be channelled into the productive endeavours of their communities.
However, recent reports of indiscipline on the part of a section of the youth give cause for worry in the light of the fact that the present generation will hand over all public affairs to the youth in due course.
The young people of today are faced with a lot of challenges, prominent among them being peer pressure, drug addiction, indiscipline, cyber fraud and unemployment.
During the era which is referred to as the ‘good old days’, every adult in the community had the responsibility to correct his or her neighbour’s child anytime the child went wayward. Unfortunately, today our society has also become very individualistic and nobody dares to bring any indisciplined child to order without incurring the wrath of his or her parents.
Even teachers who are supposed to help in the formation of the characters of our young ones are assaulted by some parents and relations of students whom they are to restrict within the ‘narrow path’ of discipline and societal norms. It should have dawned on us by now that we cannot build a strong and progressive society with an army of indisciplined youth.
The DAILY GRAPHIC, therefore, commends the organisers of this year’s New Year School and Conference for focusing attention on the youth with the theme, “Harnessing the power of the youth for accelerated development”.
There is no way the country can prosecute the agenda of accelerated development without the involvement of the youth because they constitute a very crucial human resource base.
The DAILY GRAPHIC calls on them to learn useful lessons from the admonition by the Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof Kwesi Yankah, that “if the raw energy and power of the youth should be unleashed, let it be let loose in the destruction not of property but of poverty in Africa. Let the youthful exuberance of the youth be galvanised not to seize toilets but the canker of illiteracy in society; let them seize it by the horn and kill it....”.
It is about time the youth resolved to fight against the challenges that are working to retard our development. Indeed, the DAILY GRAPHIC believes that if the youth come together to kick against the common enemies of illiteracy, diseases and poverty, the country may be on the path to accelerated development.
The youth should be interested in the future development of the country because that is the only guarantee that they can have a secure future. For, if they should take to the destructive path, vandalising everything in their way because of their disagreement with the status quo, they may grow up to meet a failed state that cannot meet their aspirations.
The President has in his team a crop of youthful ministers who have so far performed creditably. They have become role models and their achievements must inspire the youth to greater heights, in the hope that their hard work and perseverance will be duly recognised and rewarded in the not-too-distant future.
The DAILY GRAPHIC, however, calls for the creation of the enabling environment to help the youth contribute to nation-building. The National Youth Policy has well-thought out programmes for the youth and it is our fervent prayer that this year it will be operationalised to help the youth to achieve their ambitions.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

AMA, TREAD CAUTIOUSLY (JAN 11, 2011)

THE future of any country lies in its ability to invest in its people, especially the youth who are the future leaders. Any move to the contrary can only spell doom for any community, no matter how well resourced it is.
It is, therefore, normal for any society to be concerned about the future of its youth. The development of the child is essential if society is to be able to regenerate itself.
We must underscore the fact that a more secure and enduring democracy is one that assures its citizens of the most basic necessities of life and the state is enjoined to take appropriate measures to promote the development and growth of the child.
This means that the state has a responsibility to facilitate the education of all children of school age so that those who come out successfully will have jobs and a secure future.
Against this background, the directive by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) that parents who neglect their children and allow them to loiter on the streets of Accra face the risk of arrest by officials of the AMA is well intended but the assembly should tread cautiously.
The AMA said the children themselves, some of whom operate as hawkers, others in the fishing business and other commercial activities, will also be arrested in the exercise designed by the assembly to get more children of school age into the classroom.
Although this move is well-intentioned, the DAILY GRAPHIC thinks the AMA has a Herculean task in trying to legislate against parental irresponsibility.
The phenomenon of streetism can have its roots in social challenges, but it can equally be attributed to the economic difficulties facing most of our compatriots. Children whose parents are wayward and have neglected their responsibility can be dealt with through peer pressure or sanctions envisaged by the AMA.
But we also know that there are many children in the streets of Accra and other commercial centres whose parents cannot be traced readily. The DAILY GRAPHIC believes the challenges of parental irresponsibility and streetism can only be resolved through a multi-sectoral approach.
The fact is that without the involvement of all stakeholders, the AMA will fail to achieve its objectives. Where, for instance, will the AMA accommodate those who will be loitering, especially in our society where the remand rooms at the police stations are overflowing with hardened criminals?
Furthermore, does the AMA think the solution to parental irresponsibility and streetism lie with custodial sentencing and fines to deter others from doing same?
We believe the best option is for the AMA to engage all stakeholders, such as churches, communities, child rights organisations and other civil society organisations, in constant dialogue to find a more practical way to deal with the challenge.
Certainly, let us take steps to deal with some of the deviants in our society who have made life unbearable for law-abiding citizens. But the move to use the law to bring about sanity in our society must be accompanied by the necessary social interventions to provide safety nets for the vulnerable in our communities to enable them to cope with the exigencies of urban communities.
We urge the AMA to put in place a policy intervention that will receive the support of majority in our society, not measures that will attract scorn and anger from the people.

Monday, January 10, 2011

CARNAGE ON ROADS AVOIDABLE (JAN 10, 2011)

THE statistics from the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) paint a very grim picture of safety on our roads. It is becoming increasingly clear that some reckless motorists want to turn our roads into death traps.
Sometimes we find an alibi for accidents in the poor nature of roads in some parts of the country but accidents on our roads do not support this line of argument.
Just last weekend seven persons, including three chiefs, lost their lives near Apedwa in the Eastern Region through the recklessness of a driver who had left a break-down vehicle without any warning signs on the Apedwa-Kumasi highway.
We have been told by the experts that most accidents are due to the negligence of reckless road users while mechanical faults account for very negligible percentage of road accidents.
Elsewhere in so-called advanced society, road users are not allowed to take the law into their own hands, but unfortunately in Ghana, motorists and, in some cases, pedestrians break road traffic regulations with impunity.
The country can boast institutions such as the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU), National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), Ghana Highway Authority (GHA), Department of Feeder Roads and indeed the supervising ministry, the Ministry of Roads and Highways charged with the responsibility to enforce compliance with road traffic regulations as well as provide the structures for road safety.
The Daily Graphic believes that there is recklessness on our roads because some officials of these institutions have turned a blind eye to the utter disregard for traffic regulations.
Police presence can be noticed on all major roads every day and yet rickety vehicles, overloaded vehicles, speeding and disrespect for other traffic regulations are the order of the day. We are paying the ultimate price for our inaction so it is time for us to act.
We urge all road users to turn on a new leaf this year and vow in support of the declaration of 2011 as an action year to mend their ways so that the needless accidents and loss of lives would be a thing of the past.
We need every human soul to help in the agenda of the government to reconstruct the country to ensure better living conditions for the people. But first we must appreciate that compliance with road traffic regulations would not come if the law enforcement agencies refuse to apply the law.
The Daily Graphic appeals to the police and other law enforcement agencies to be ruthless with those who have decided to make travelling on the highway a nightmare and a journey of no return.
We also call on motorists and pedestrians to respect road traffic regulations to save lives on our roads.
On many occasions, some passengers had urged drivers to do the wrong thing. Such group of passengers who always want to get to their destination fast should note that it is always better to be late rather than the Late so and so. Drivers who drive even when they are tired and sleepy must remember the popular adage, “Never drive tired”.

A USEFUL ENCOUNTER (JAN 8, 2011)

THE 1992 Constitution enjoins the media to uphold the responsibility and accountability of the Government to the people of Ghana.
Some of the key drivers of good governance are accountability, transparency and the participation of the people in the decision-making process.
Therefore, for the activities of any government to be known to the people, the President and his appointees must engage the people in constant dialogue so that the people can demand answers to how the government is keeping its social contract with the electorate.
The President’s encounter with the media at the seat of government, the Castle, Osu, yesterday must have been informed by his desire to reach out to the people. Before the encounter, there were very nagging questions agitating the minds of majority of the people.
The President had declared 2011 an action year and, not long after that, petrol prices were adjusted upwards by between 25 and 30 per cent, followed by a Cabinet reshuffle the next day. These major policy interventions required further explanations.
The upward adjustment in the prices of petroleum products especially was greeted with a lot of hue and cry by transport operators, the travelling public, labour unions and industrialists who felt that petroleum prices were on the high side.
The media encounter was, therefore, in the right direction to enable the President to engage the public in a discourse on those pressing national issues.
By all standards the media took the President through a grilling session and he also acquitted himself well by being forthright with his responses and the rationale behind some of the policy interventions he had taken to achieve the government’s Better Ghana agenda.
We concede that not every Ghanaian would be satisfied with the responses from him but his answers had helped Ghanaians to better appreciate the direction of the government.
Yesterday’s encounter may not be the last and also does not close the door on future interactions between the media and the Presidency and other functionaries of the government.
The media are a very powerful tool for development and if they are properly harnessed, they can galvanise the people for nation building. They can also be a lethal weapon in the hands of misguided elements in society, hence our appeal to all journalists to use the media for the public good.
As the President said, the media should focus on the national interest and the public good. We think journalists are at liberty to take issues with the government but, in doing so, one thing must be paramount — they should provide information, education and entertainment that is wholesome for the public weal.
The DAILY GRAPHIC congratulates the President on the second anniversary of his tenure and hopes that the channels of communication between the Presidency and the entire Ghanaian society will be open, so that the people can engage the President in constructive dialogue.
That is the only way the people can be in tune with the declaration of 2010 as an action year in line with the Better Ghana agenda.

Friday, January 7, 2011

DEAL WITH THE HUMPS, MTTU (JAN 7, 2011)

THERE is a growing phenomenon on many highways in the country — the emergence of unauthorised speed humps everywhere.
Individuals and groups in some communities have arrogated to themselves the power to erect speed humps on major roads. These humps come in various forms. They could be heaps of sand stretched across the street or, in a more bizarre manner, streets are dug up deep to slow drivers from speeding in the communities.
While the DAILY GRAPHIC acknowledges the concern of such communities in ensuring that drivers observe speed limits in towns and cities, it does not endorse the illegal construction of speed humps on especially the highways of the country.
The DAILY GRAPHIC recalls an incident at Apegusu on the Atimpoku-Ho highway where unauthorised speed humps have caused accidents which have led to the loss of lives on the road.
The construction of speed humps is done by the required state institutions, such as the Ghana Highways Authority, and that work goes with certain standards, as required by law.
Again, drivers and pedestrians alike are cautioned over speed humps ahead through road signs.
The DAILY GRAPHIC thinks the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service must take action on this illegality on our roads to stem this development, which is gaining ground on many major roads in the country.
It cannot be that individuals and communities become law unto themselves and determine what should be done on the roads.
It is also equally important that drivers observe road signs. It is disheartening that drivers tend to speed beyond the 50 kilometres per hour limit that is required by law when driving through communities on the country’s highways.
Such recklessness has led to some unfortunate deaths in some of these communities, thereby giving some justification for individuals and communities to take the law into their hands by erecting speed humps.
That is why the DAILY GRAPHIC calls on the MTTU to, as a matter of urgency, devise strategies that will ensure that drivers observe road signs in communities, so that nobody is forced to do things contrary to the laws of the land.
We are happy that in his interaction with the management of the Graphic Communications Group Limited last Wednesday, the new Commander of the MTTU, Mr Angwubutoge Awuni, pledged the preparedness of the unit to crack down on reckless and irresponsible driving and the use of roads for funerals and other social events.
As he clearly pointed out, “Ignorance of the law is no excuse and the MTTU is willing to fight offenders with harsh penalties”.
The DAILY GRAPHIC trusts in the ability of the new MTTU Commander to deliver, as he has shown, in all earnest, to be on top of his job and we, therefore, urge the media and other stakeholders to extend a hand of partnership to the MTTU to make our roads safe, both for drivers and pedestrians.
Drivers, individuals and communities have a civic duty to be law-abiding and ensure the safety of passengers and other road users at all times. Anything short of that will lead to grave consequences and the MTTU cannot compromise on that.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

RESHUFFLE WAS INEVITABLE (JAN 6, 2011)

CABINET reshuffles in any governance process are necessary to achieve the vision of the government and give a new impetus to the achievement of national goals.
In such an endeavour, fresh limbs are introduced into the team, tired ones are shown the exit and others given appointments elsewhere with the view to channelling their energies into more productive activities.
With two years left for President J.E.A. Mills to end his first term in office, it was obvious that a Cabinet reshuffle was obvious, more so when the President had declared 2011 as a year of action.
And four days into the New Year, the President has walked the talk of positioning his team to deliver on his pledge to the people.
It is, therefore, surprising that last Tuesday’s Cabinet reshuffle, coming on the heels of petroleum price hikes, has been given weird interpretations as a diversionary tactic to take people’s mind off the new prices.
The price of fuel on the world market has shot up to about $90 per barrel and this, obviously, has a concomitant effect on developing economies such as Ghana.
There was, therefore, no way the government could absorb the price apart from passing it on to consumers as part of the increases. Admittedly, such an increase will have implications for the economy and impact on the cost of living of Ghanaians.
These are difficult decisions which need to be taken in order to address budget deficits which have been occasioned by the shortfall in revenue as against expenditure.
It is partly to address these challenges and accelerate socio-economic transformation that the President has decided to re-energise his administration to face the Herculean task ahead.
Much as the reshuffle is necessary, the DAILY GRAPHIC advises that the full impact of such an exercise would only be realised when the leadership is able to give direction on the implementation of government programmes, in order to achieve the Better Ghana agenda.
It is our hope that those who were affected by the changes and those still at post will continue to work even more efficiently to achieve national development.
The worse enemies of government are not those who have contrary views and opinions. Rather, the enemies are poverty, unemployment, squalor, diseases and lack of potable water which confront both rural and urban dwellers. Fortunately, the government has been able to stabilise the economy and indications are that we will be able to achieve phenomenal development and set the economy on the path of growth.
This optimism becomes even more heightened with the commercial production of oil. While the government remains focused on its agenda, it behoves all to remain united, for united we stand, divided we fall. We should eschew corruption, conflict and tension which can affect national development efforts.
Instead of bashing the government for the reshuffle, which every administration undertakes periodically, it is essential for us to receive the changes in good faith and support the President’s men in their task of nation-pbuilding.
The DAILY GRAPHIC wishes the President’s men well in their new assignments. The advice is that instead of being masters of all that they survey, they should work as a team and involve the people in their various ministries in the decision-making process.
We call on all Ghanaians to take a cue from the President’s declaration of 2011 as action year and be part of the solution to any problem in the rebuilding of the new society outlined in the Better Ghana agenda.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

GO ALL OUT, ECG (JAN 5, 2011)

EVERY country thrives on energy. It is one of the basic requirements in any human endeavour.
It is from this realisation that Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, undertook what was then the biggest investment in sub-Saharan Africa, the construction of the Akosombo Dam.
At that time, the capacity of the dam extended to other countries in the West African sub-region. Sadly, however, as has been the bane of our development agenda, lack of proper planning led us to abandon most of our hydro-electric projects almost 40 years after independence.
Today, the country is faced with serious national electricity challenges, to the point that it is no longer news to report the blackout that some parts of the capital suffered prior to the Yuletide.
We recognise that the people must pay realistic tariffs for the use of power, but the challenges facing electricity supply in the country do not support this argument of charging realistic tariffs.
One such challenge is the huge indebtedness of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) for electricity consumption, a situation that has nearly crippled the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
The news that about 900 prepaid meters have been installed in some MDAs, in spite of some initial resistance, gives some reprieve to domestic users of power.
While the DAILY GRAPHIC commends the ECG for going ahead to install the prepaid meters, we are not happy at the slow pace at which the exercise is being carried out.
Altogether, there are more than 4,000 prepaid meters to be installed in the MDAs and ECG officials will have to step up the pace to make the exercise successful.
Commercial consumers of power are reeling under pressure from the increases of last year. Individual consumers have also been through the harsh reality of paying high tariffs for power.
It cannot be that the government, whose interest is to work for the people, will overburden individuals, as well as commercial users of energy, by accumulating huge bills and subsequently passing on their cost to the ordinary consumer of power.
The prepaid concept has helped generate the cash flow which the ECG badly needs to address its shortcomings. However, the DAILY GRAPHIC cautions that if the inefficiencies and corrupt practices inherent in the administration of power in the country are not addressed head on, the country will not be able to overcome its power needs, irrespective of the installation of prepaid meters.
But, above all, the DAILY GRAPHIC strongly believes it is about time the country took a long-term approach to solving our energy challenges. For starters, the MDAs must take a cue from the Energy Ministry which currently uses solar energy to generate its power needs.
Everybody will be too willing to pay realistic tariffs for power only when the issue of illegal connections is firmly dealt with and a conscious effort made to improve service delivery.
It is said that the ECG loses about 13 per cent of the power it regularly purchases from the Volta River Authority (VRA) to illegal connections and the earlier this canker is uprooted, the better it will be for all of us.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

POLITICAL TOLERANCE CRUCIAL (JAN 4, 2011)

TOLERANCE and respect for one another’s views is the bedrock of any democracy and, in mature democracies, though people may hold divergent political views, the discourse is laden with decorous language.
Since Ghana set off on the democratic path in 1992, the language used by our politicians has notoriously become offensive. The inordinate zealousness to score cheap political points has led to the use of intemperate language, abuses, slander and outright peddling of falsehood.
On radio and television and at political fora, political opponents have sought to win the support of the public by displaying intolerance.
In the process, we have witnessed political discourse characterised by name-calling, such as freaks, punks, thieves and many other unpalatable tags.
The problem arises when people hold on strongly to their views and consider those of others as wrong and are unwilling to change, no matter the circumstance.
As we enter 2011, a year before the 2012 elections, political activities are expected to increase and if care is not taken, the nation will witness a further rise in the political temperature.
It is for this reason that the DAILY GRAPHIC sees a lot of wisdom in the advice given by the Omanhene of the Dormaa Traditional Area, Osagyefo Agyeman Badu, for Ghanaians to accommodate one another’s political views as we draw closer to the 2012 elections.
Speaking at an end-of-year get-together organised by the Dormaa Traditional Council, Osagyefo Agyeman Badu said, “Democracy thrives on the free expression of divergent views and opinions. The fact that you disagree with the views or opinions expressed by someone who does not share your political ideology does not make the person an enemy.”
In that regard, he appealed to supporters of both the NPP and the NDC in his jurisdiction not to allow their political differences to divide them as a people, saying they should rather unite for the sake of Dormaa and the nation at large.
Perhaps we need to stress that no development engagement can take place without unity and respect for the views of others. Many of the countries that slide down the path of civil war or unrest started with intolerant gestures which ended in chaos and anarchy.
As a nation, we have remained united since independence, although we have witnessed some skirmishes which sought to undermine our cohesion.
President John Evans Atta Mills has declared 2011 an action year but his efforts at transforming Ghana into a new haven could seriously be undermined by division, rancour, bitterness, intolerance and pettiness.
The Good Book says a house divided against itself cannot stand. We should, therefore, look at the issues that unite us, instead of the things that divide us.
Fortunately, as a nation, everything seems to be going well for us. We have discovered oil in commercial quantities and managed to stabilise the economy and set it out on a plateau for take-off.
Undoubtedly, we have recorded impressive democratic credentials which have made the nation an international showpiece. We, therefore, call on Ghanaians to avoid conflicts and unnecessary tension which can only disturb the country and jeopardise our development efforts.
Let us all rally behind the national vision of reducing poverty, improving access to education, providing better roads, ensuring better electricity supply and, above all, putting butter and bread on the table.
For, posterity will hold us accountable and responsible if we mess up this golden opportunity to contribute to the development of the country and humanity.

Monday, January 3, 2011

MAKE CHIEFTAINCY RELEVANT (JAN 3, 2011)

Ghanaians from all walks of life hold their chiefs in high esteem because of the roles the latter play in the governance of our communities.
The first place of call by persons seeking justice for any wrongful acts meted against them is the chief’s palace.
Consequently, in all palaces our chiefs have established councils of elders to adjudicate in cases involving residents of their communities in order to promote law and order.
These councils use the alternative dispute resolution mechanism to settle disputes in their communities and some of these decisions are upheld in the courts of law.
The Daily Graphic believes that the importance of the chieftaincy institution cannot be downplayed by anybody who has followed keenly the political evolution and development of the country.
Although the Constitution debars chiefs from taking part in active party politics and advises any chief wishing to do so and seeking election to Parliament to abdicate his stool or skin, politicians visiting any locality first stop over at the chief’s palace to announce their presence in the community.
However, certain developments in recent times give cause for concern among a section of our population.
One school of thought holds the view that the chieftaincy institution has become irrelevant in the present modern governance system, especially when chiefs are debarred from participating in active party politics.
That school of thought also believes that the chieftaincy institution is the source of the numerous instances of land and communal violence in our communities.
But there are others who think that the future of our country rests on how effectively we are able to reform the chieftaincy institution to spearhead participatory democracy and good governance.
While we agree with Daasebre Prof (Emeritus) Oti Boateng that traditional leaders could do better without political interference in chieftaincy matters, our chiefs should also lead by example by not encouraging divisions in their localities through support for factions in dispute over a stool or skin.
Daasebre Oti Boateng answered his concerns over political interference in chieftaincy matters when he urged his peers “to prize honour and virtue above anything else and resist all undue influence in whatever shape and form so as to restore the dignity of the sacred institution of chieftaincy”.
The Daily Graphic is worried about instances when chieftaincy disputes have led to loss of lives and property in many communities.
The local economies of some communities have been shattered because of chieftaincy disputes, as is the case in Bawku, Dagbon, Buipe and Anloga, as a result of which once very vibrant communities are struggling to stand on their feet.
When these developments rear their ugly heads, the political authorities, including the central government, will step in to restore law and order and these actions give a semblance of political interference in chieftaincy matters.
Of course, there are occasions when the long arm of the government has been seen in the choice of who occupies a stool or skin in particular localities. This is unacceptable.
The chieftaincy institution has a lot of work to do to regain its dignity because there are many communities where rival chiefs are fighting for the control of the stool or skin.
The Daily Graphic calls on the National House of Chiefs to put its act together by making it unattractive for non-royals to buy their way to the stools or skins of our communities.
The practice of king makers and paramount chiefs offering skins or stools to the highest bidders must stop.
Chiefs and those who have a role to play to keep the chieftaincy institution sacred must just live above reproach. If they do so, our traditional leaders will remain relevant to the aspirations of their people.

2011 — A YEAR OF HOPE (JAN 1, 2011)

AS the clock struck midnight on December 31, 2010, celebrations began all over the world in different forms and shapes to usher in the year 2011.
Although the new year comes with both hope and uncertainties over what the future holds, it offers mankind the opportunity to cherish the memories of the previous year, learn from its mistakes and make resolutions to make life better.
For us in Ghana, 2010 went down as one of the most exciting and challenging years. It was the year in which the country witnessed the commercial production of oil, in which the senior national team became the third African country to reach the quarterfinals of the World Cup, in which the Black Satellites won the FIFA-under 20 World Cup and in which the attainment of a middle-income status became a reality.
Also, the managers of the economy succeeded in stabilising the cedi, reducing inflation to a single digit and reducing the lending rate. The nation also witnessed an impressive food production and set in motion a number of initiatives to deal with the myriad of problems in the health, education, housing and road sectors.
Ghanaians ended the year united as a people with a common destiny, upholding the principles of democracy, the rule of law and good governance to the admiration of the watching world.
Notwithstanding the successes, challenges of poverty, unemployment, hunger and squalor continue to confront us as a nation.
As we welcome the new year, the DAILY GRAPHIC looks forward to good things happening all over the world and, particularly, to Ghana. We expect to see a marked reduction in all troubles in the world — natural disasters, terrorism, hunger and famine.
We look forward with hope that our development engagement in the country will be fast-tracked on all fronts.
President John Evans Atta Mills has already given the signals that the year 2011 will be full of action. In his New Year message, the President was very optimistic and confident that there would be massive improvement in the country’s development.
It is instructive to add that the vision and purposefulness of the government to build a strong, united nation, and improve the lives of Ghanaians could only manifest if we spend a lot more time looking for things that unite us than those which divide us.
If we devote much attention to things that unite us than those which separate us from one another, we would appreciate that Ghana is a blessed country.
Indeed our enemies are not the people with different ideologies or views but rather the poverty, squalor, hunger, diseases and general under-development that manifest themselves in many parts of the country.
We are hopeful Ghanaians will witness unstoppable favour in the year 2011. As we welcome the year, we urge all Ghanaians to continue to work hard for prosperity, since no nation has failed from working hard but many nations have collapsed because of laziness.
The DAILY GRAPHIC also hopes that the resources which would be made available from the commercial production of oil and other economic activities will be managed well for the common good of the people.
Even as we wish all Ghanaians a Happy and Prosperous New Year, we ask every Tom, Dick and Harry to put all hands on deck to build a prosperous nation. For, together we swim or sink.