MEMORANDUM OF CONCERN TO GHANA’S AMBASSADOR TO SWITZERLAND ALSO ACCREDITED TO AUSTRIA AND PERMENENT REPRESENTATIVE TO THE OFFICES OF THE UNITED NATIONS, HIS EXCELLENCY, MR.KWABENA BAAH-DUODU, ON GHANA@50 FESTIVITIES.
Summary:
1: Transitional Provisions
2. Re-locating Ghana’s capital
3. Protecting Ghana’s Constitution
4. Polygamy/delinquency
Your Excellency, the Ambassador: it has become necessary for me to assemble some few points in a form of memorandum, in this period--Ghana@50--to attract your attention and consideration, and first/foremost, that of Ghana Government.
Special Tribute: Before giving a full outline on issues affecting the Ghanaian society, hopefully, his Excellency will allow me few minutes to pay Special Tribute to honour the memory of two diligent Diplomats who we lost in offices of Ghana Mission, Geneva. In a short spate of time some few years ago, these highly dedicated citizens of Ghana, who patriotically served in our Foreign Mission for along period of time, through tact and diplomacy, manifested love, sense of belonging and togetherness, to create a better understanding between the Mission and entire Diaspora Ghanaian public.
They were late Messrs Joseph Nwaneanpeh, who served as Minister- Councilor, and Bernard Takyi, It is our earnest prayer, Oh Lord of Heavens and Earth, that the light of love and hope that they lit, will continue to burn relentlessly, to serve as a shining example; that each one of us, have a role to play, to creating a better society: They were true friends to the Diaspora Community: May their souls rest in peace.
Transitional Provisions:
Likewise, I stand on behalf of the silent majority, to honour all those who sacrificed their lives through divergent ways for the mother land, to ensuring an establishment of new order of freedom and justice, peace, stability and progress; and at this period, I find it necessary to mention also all those who lost their lives during the turbulent periods of nearly 2 decades in Ghana’s history, including Heads of States, Wing commanders, Judges and students etc.
Even though a national reconciliation program, thanks to President Kuffour’s government, had elaborately been initiated and its purpose achieved, it is our prayer and hope that the Transitional Provisions inserted in the Ghana’s constitution, which seeks, among others, to protect the deeds of the AFRC/PNDC, etc, should be expunged, as the constitution demands, through referendum; This I strongly believe, would allow all aggrieved persons, who were denied justice, because of the said provisions, to seek redress in the courts: for justice delayed is justice denied; and rule of law should have to prevail, over the law of the jungle. For example, Ghanaians deported to the United States of America during those turbulent periods, for allegedly spying for the U.S. should he given the chance to seek redress; be rehabilitated and compensated.
Other areas of great concern, which have been undermining development efforts are in areas of security and immigration or call it, exodus from the rural to urban centers. Serious efforts must still be made to bridge urban-rural development, to offset greater influx to cities; over-population in the cities has long been creating problems for planners to made adequate provisions for improved sanitation; i.e. supply of utility services, like water and electricity.
Ghana’s capital:
At this juncture, I will also like to add my voice to calls for re-location of Ghana’s capital, and suggesting that the capital be moved to Yendi, in the Northern region. This in my view will help open the country up in terms of development and investment. . Accra, as it stands at moment, is burdened with population over-load; Funds must be found to re-construct/re-locate the Accra Regional Police headquarters and re-house its occupants: the building as it stands right in the centre has really become an eye-sore; just like Accra railway station buildings; the area, being turned into a great environmental disaster.
Criminal gangs: - Serious efforts must still be made to clear criminal gangs, armed robbers from the streets, by putting more policemen in the street. Perhaps means should be explored to create special police fund, which should be financed by special security levy, by imposing tax on each walled-house in the cities; because of the current heightened insecurity, walls around houses, have been raised sky-high, even getting taller than those erected to protect OSU Christiansborg Castle built by the Portuguese in 1550: many are those who have become prisoners in their own homes. What an environmental eye-sore and nuisance?
Police:-The presence of police must be felt in the society to be protecting lives and properties. The present frightful insecurity state which pertains in the cities, and else where in the country is a great threat to Ghana’s tourist business and threat to programs aimed at attracting foreign investors. I am hoping to see substantial increase in budget allocation to the judiciary and the police to enable them to optimize their operations. The police must be provided with needed equipments, in-service training programs, and improved working conditions in a way to upgrading its performance.
At this juncture, I pause here to congratulate President Kuffour’s government for its achievement on many aspects of security: security programs should still be strengthened to protect Ghana’s constitution from subversive acts; for rampant military interventions in Ghana’s political system undoubtedly, turned clock of development backwards.
On education:- Strides must still be made to equip properly technical school and intensify vocational/technical/science studies, while school curriculums are seriously geared to creativity, assisting students to acquire job creation and managerial skills: and possibly, a program of financial assistance should be laid out to assist those company/business set-ups: assistance must be sought from UNESCO and donor countries, like EU countries, Japan, USA, Canada and Russia to assist Ghana educational development and development of its infrastructures. Ghanaian society must be wary of schools turning out only “white collar job” aspirants, to be chasing non-existent jobs. There should also be insensitive programs to encourage sport activities in all spheres to unearth talents and encourage ‘professionalism’ in all disciplines. Teaching of arts and music must also be given a high priority: Arts/music area areas of complete ‘gold mine’ which must be harnessed.
Polygamy:
Socio-cultural: - Polygamy permitted in Ghana’s traditional practices, has greatly contributed to social decadence, parental irresponsibility, delinquency, leading to promotion of strive, hatred and jealousy; also becoming contributory factor to family high domestic spending, and over-population. At this moment of 50 years in Ghana’s historical life, which calls for a period of reflection, I am by this calling for a national debate, involving parliament, churches and entire public, to examine its merits and de-merits, in the hope to banning such obnoxious practice. It is my hope also that scriptural studies will be included in school curriculum to teach principles on leadership, responsibility and honesty to help re-infuse discipline in the society. Family planning programs must be intensified as a check on teen/unwanted pregnancies and control of population growth.
Foreign names:-Another area of great concern is the dehumanization nature of Ghanaian culture by preferences to the use of foreign names: which has affected Ghana’s proud heritage: Kwadwo becomes ‘Cudjoe’ Kwabena, becomes “Cobbie” and Abena, and becomes ‘Abe’: Akua Mansa; will prefer to be called “Mary” and Aadee being spelt as “Addy” and fellows being proud to call themselves “Gideon”, instead of Yaw, Ernest/Ernie, Chubby etc.,”. The Ministry of Culture must as a matter of urgency, explore the field to embark on intensive civic education campaign to educate the public to be proud of being not only Ghanaian but of African origin; the days of a slave master, naming his slaves, are times of the past. Portugal recently made a bold stride to ban the usage of foreign names: I think, Ghana can learn from their example to ban the usage of such names as “John, James, etc, etc”.
On Child welfare: extra efforts are needed to strengthened values and investments under child rights programs for all: present yawing rural/urban gap in terms of quality education for the first cycle schools must be corrected without delay, in an efforts to minimize fears to creating a class society; surveillances are also needed to eliminate/control child labor market, making sure that all children have access to education.
Ethics and values in Ghana’s domestic economy in this period of the country’s history, need to be upgraded, in terms of working levels of standards, minimum wage pegged to cost of living index, insurance benefits to cover loss of employment: Plans should be expedited to develop modern railway network, through strategic parts of the country, to reduce the over-load on road traveling and haulage: and agriculture given a high priority attention.
Permanent offices for Ghana Mission: The government must pursue its policy to construct offices, to house the Ghana Mission in Geneva: Houses like the USA, Saudi Arabia, France, Algeria, etc, are accruing good results from their investment on construction of permanent premises. Diplomats: I am also repeating my appeal to the authorities to allow serving diplomats and their spouse’s s returning home from duty, to be provided free port access on their belongings and efforts explored to upgrade I.T. systems of the missions/Embassies.
