Ghana: A nation of experts with questionable expertise

For the purposes of this periodical, I will define an expert as “a person with a high degree with skill in, or knowledge of a particular subject (Oxford English Dictionary).”

Whereas an expertise is the dexterity of an individual to apply the acquired skill or knowledge,---also known as the motivation to transfer.

Based on the Oxford English Dictionary definition of expert, we, Ghanaians, prefer to call the vast majority of higher degree achievers as experts. Nevertheless, whether if the so-called experts have the needed expertise to transfer is a million dollar question.

For, in Ghana today, you hear all sorts of experts, ranging from security , communication, labour, energy, governance, sanitation, finance to marketing, etc. But the big question is, do the experts really have the expertise?

Tell me, for instance, if we really have energy experts, why the “dumsor?”

For if anything at all, we are being swamped by tons of rubbish, yet our so-called energy experts are unable or unwilling to apply their expertise to generate power from the tons of rubbish.

And how come we have free flowing rivers and streams and the energy experts among us cannot see the need to come up with prudent plan to generate power through the construction of mini dams?

How come we have abundant sunshine and our so-called energy experts are lacking the expertise to generate solar energy from the copious sunshine? Experts without expertise indeed.

And how come we boast of communication experts, yet communicated abysmally during the 59th independence anniversary celebration?

They are experts with inconclusive expertise, so to admit.

As a matter of fact, we are a nation fond of bestowing accolades on individuals unnecessarily. For if that was not the case, how come we have tagged our own President Mahama as a communication expert, yet he more than often fail to communicate to an acceptable standard?

Take for instance, in one of his recent ‘changing lives’ speeches, President Mahama sarcastically suggested that Bawumia has not been a vice president before and therefore cannot impugn incompetence on his government. President Mahama went ahead and uncharacteristically asserted that only our two former Presidents, Kuffour and Rawlings have the pedigree and therefore may criticise him.

I also recall some time ago, President Mahama went to Kumasi and castigated the entire people of Ashanti region. He referred to Ashantis as ungrateful lots who would never even be content with gold plated roads. How bizarre?

To be quite honest, it was uncharacteristic on the part of a supposedly communication expert to suggest that all Ashantis are unappreciative.

I recollect in one of the Parliamentary sittings, President Mahama had the cheek to insult Ashantis indiscriminately.

He openly said: “People of the Ashanti origin have problem with letters L&R”. In other words, Mahama was implying that Ashantis cannot pronounce words that have letters L&R.

That was an impertinent boldness from a supposedly communication expert. Do Ghanaians call such an individual a communication expert ?

Again, in the wake of the public discourse on the suitability of the proposed burial place of our departed president Mills, President Mahama incoherently stated that Ghanaians who took part in the debate both on radio, television and even in their private homes and work places engaged in a “USELESS” discourse.

That was uncharacteristic of a President who is being tagged as a communication expert, humble, respectful, God fearing etc.

With due respect, Mahama’s use of intemperate words is out of this world. He is simply not an expert communicator.

As a matter of fact, President Mahama has a predilection to abuse those who show divergent views to his.

For example, during the debate on the STX Housing deal, President Mahama, then Vice President, abused our Members of parliament who opposed the deal.

He told them: “BALONEY”. In other words, President Mahama was suggesting that the Parliamentarians were engaging in “foolish discourse”. How bizarre?

An expert communicator and Humble President indeed.

I also witnessed Mahama’s lividness when the Attorney General’s office charged Kennedy Agyepong with Treason, Terrorism & genocide and former President Kuffuor humbly appealed for calm, and suggested that the government should avoid ‘killing a fly with a Sledge Hammer.

President Mahama subsequently replied hastily and lividly: “We will kill a fly with a Bulldozer”.

Honestly speaking, that incoherent remark can only come from the lips of a bellicose and not from the lips of a supposedly communication expert, submissive and a peaceful President.

We also claim to have sanitation experts among us, yet we are being swamped by tons of rubbish.

Well, all that one can conclude is that our so-called sanitation experts lack the motivation to transfer. In other words, they are experts without expertise. For they lack the practical ability to transfer their acquired skills to work settings.

Then again, you hear of all sorts of ‘financial gymnastics’ by the so-called financial experts who have been entrusted with our economy .

Regretfully, however, they lack the motivation to transfer. For the so-called financial experts are often failed to put in place expedient measures to transform the ever so unstable economy.

They are experts of dubitable expertise, so to speak.

So, let the so-called experts among us give us a break and go ahead and apply their expertise to advance the nation meaningfully.

For they will remain experts without the needed expertise, so long as they lack the motivation to transfer.

K. Badu, UK.