By
William Yaw Adufutse, Ph.D
I try to not involve myself in certain issues especially when it comes to politics. My forte and what I have authority in, is management and business issues. I wrote several articles on the Ghanaweb about business: starting and funding them.
I am however, prompted to write this piece because of what I see and read about the demeaning and the lack of respect for Ghanaians and the African workers as a whole. For example an article from a Chinese manager stated:
Our factory is a bit like a military organisation. The labour here is not highly educated so we have to use a very simple way to communicate and organise them," said Nara Zhou, Huajian's spokeswoman, as she walks through the aisles of the large factory hall.
Are the Chinese telling us that we are so illiterate such that we can be tossed around anyhow they want to? In a way I do not blame them because if those in authority in every African country have a handle of certain issues knowing that they are fiduciaries and guardians of their countries’ resources, then that will not happen. What was China until the last 10 to 15 years? Most of them were and are still worse off than Ghanaians and other Africans. Just read another way in which they are getting over Africans and elevating their silly selves over us.
Entry-level salaries in Ethiopia range from $35 to $40 per month, significantly below average Chinese manufacturing wages of $629 per month, a figure reported to have tripled between 2000 and 2010.
You may want to read the whole story at:
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2014/12/ethiopia-booming-business-underpaid-workers-20141228732485264.html
Shoddy work and inferior quality work is what they produce. Just look at projects in Ghana such as construction projects, and their imported goods. Can those in authority in Africa prove themselves worthy of doing good for those whom they have social contract with? That is their own people they have fiduciary relationships with? The problem as I see it is that everyone wants to get rich so quickly such that those who elect them are no concerns for them. Some of them want to make millions of dollars before they retire from politics with no concern about helping with development agendas. The worse part of it is that, the laws do not have any bite to prosecute and imprison officials in high positions who steal millions of dollars. Rather the laws have teeth to bite Mr. Kofi Akpeteshi the ordinary guys who after drinking akpeteshi decides to steal a goat, or a chicken and the like. Mr Kofi Akpeteshi will end up doing 20 years in prison but not the politician who stole millions of dollars.
Can we please stop adoring the Chinese by not giving them our lands to devastate in the pursuit of mining gold, and in so doing destroy our forests? I do not mention other nationals because those nationals have laws at home that will deal with them by their home government if there is a complain, but not in China. It just hurts to see other nationals tossing Ghanaians and Africans as a whole around as though these are not people. Can the law makers make laws to persecute their own who break the laws by stealing from the people they serve? The judges too are involved to enforce the law. May we stop licking after the Chinese and other foreigners so that we place emphasis on Ghanaians, and Africans? Maybe this is a dream that may not come true in my lifetime but I am hoping.
Dr. William Yaw Adufutse is from Anfoega in the Volta Region, and a Professor of Leadership and Organizational Change in the US. He can be reached at adufu1wy@yahoo.com
