By Ekua Kwansema
There are certain unwritten codes that tend to guide people when they set foot on unfamiliar waters. These codes usually tend to help newly appointed bosses to succeed when they follow them. Therefore, when you are appointed to a new position the first and most important thing you do is to take sometime and study your new environment extremely well, most of the time with ample help from the â˜little guys at the organization. These ˜little guys when contacted can give a new boss the history at that organization and tons of information that could help the new boss avoid certain pitfalls.
Its important to note that whilst studying your new environment you also use your God given head to avoid certain drawbacks that most organizations have made it a norm and usually ˜tempt new entrants especially bosses with. You may go to a certain organization that the accountant may inform the new boss that he is entitled to a certain amount of money for his weekend entertainment or some other ˜huhudious benefits.
The usual coercive follow-up talk to the new boss is that all past bosses did the same thing. It is here that you have to use your head to determine whether accepting the money or additional package is right or wrong. If this money is quoted in your appointment letter or benefits package, God bless you. But if not please flee away from such enticement which may eventually spell your doom down the road.
It is in this vein that I find it extremely strange that Alhaji Muntaka Mubarak, the beleagued Minster of Youth and Sports, would say that he was misled by somebody to present receipts for his baby's diapers to be paid for by the Ministry. My simple but basic question is, 'Why on earth would Mr. Mubarak think that baby diapers of government ministers are paid for by their various ministries?'
Of all the allegations against Mr. Mubarak, this is the most bizarre one and if he should be forgiven of all the charges, the one that should strongly go against him is the diapers issue. And it beats my understanding that Mr. Mubarak was not plucked from somewhere and appointed a Youth and Sports Minister. He is a parliamentarian and has friends in parliament who have also been appointed Ministers. Therefore, if for nothing at all, could Mr. Mubarak not have found time to ask any of those minister friends whether their baby diapers are being paid for by their ministries?
And to add insult to injury Mr. Mubarak said when he later found out that the diapers payment was wrong and he made an attempt to refund the money he was rebuffed. Mr. Minister, please save this ˜Kweku Ananse' story for your children when they stop wearing diapers.
If it is proven that Mr. Mubarak indeed took money for his baby diapers, then I think he should go in peace. If I were Mr. Mubarak and I did that I would not even wait for the presidential ˜push button. I will resign and let peace reign. After all life goes on without baby diapers.
Ghana , just like all economies is struggling to find the right accord in the midst of the global economic crunch. Even in spite of heavy doses of financial support to save US General Motors (GM) dating back to Bush's presidency, GM has eventually tanked. Therefore, Ghana cannot waste some of its hard earned money on baby diapers for ministers when the health, education and other sectors of the economy needs urgent attention.
What even annoys me is that as a member of parliament and minister, Mr. Mubarak is well catered for. So why can't he pay for simple diapers but throw the burden on the poor tax payer. This is what we call the abuse of power to the highest heavens. And it is these silly mistakes that tend to provide fresh fodder for the NPP opposition to jump on.
President Mills' does not need these distractions. In fact the president does not need to cover these silly but avoidable mistakes. It would be better for Mr. Mubarak to save the NDC and the for that matter President Mills further pain and embarrassment by resigning his position in government so that a competent person who would act as a mature and grown up person is appointed in his stead if he indeed took money for those diapers.
ekwansema@yahoo.com
