Shut up Professor: Oil “Act of God” My Foot “Bridge”!

Quick: In 2009, Americans and Liberians are smarter than Ghanaians. Do you agree?

Dear reader, before you answer that question please read this. According to a recent report attributed to Professor Mills, the discovery of oil in Ghana is an act of God, not creditable to a human being.

Permit us to say this is as fanatical and as absurd as we’ve heard from a Ghanaian leader in many months. Here is a leader of a republic, a trained lawyer, acting clueless about what agency actually means for governance. Sorry, but this is a darn “stupid” statement, if we can paraphrase President Barack Obama of the United States.

Certainly, we cannot rely on such a statement to inspire anyone to work harder in 2009!

Maybe, this failure to articulate the importance of agency explains why Mr. Mills failed to pass the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill within 100 days after winning the elections. Maybe it explains why no important policy statements or decisions were announced during his recent travels to the Western Region, Brong Ahafo, and other areas.

Compare that to Barack Obama who, just 1 day outside Washington DC, following his trip to Ghana, announced in Indiana a major public initiative to grow the American electric car industry by providing over $2.4 billion in new investments and has prevailed on the Senate to provide an additional $2 billion dollars to thousands of ordinary Americans to purchase more fuel efficient automobiles.

Is enacting a FOI bill in Ghana more difficult than approving $4.4 billion for ordinary US citizens? Is it more difficult that passing a healthcare insurance reform? Not!

In all his travels, Prof Mills did not have a word on the energy situation, the FOI bill, or education! Maybe it would have helped if he had explained why the BNI is exercising all those police powers while hundreds of people in the offices of the Attorney General, the Serious Fraud Office, CID, etc., are paid to investigate precisely those cases. And the revision to the Constitution? Is that not fundamental to “good governance”?

What about some words from Professor Mills on the ex-gratia awards, or a rendering of account on the program that “awards” MPs all those loans? Maybe Prof. Mills could have explained to the “Chiefs and Queens” in Sunyani, Cape Coast, and other places why MPs deserve $50,000 loans, how many such loans are outstanding, who owes what, and which MP will not get “their share” because they have dipped into the pot too often.

Imagine, former US congressman from Louisiana. Mr. Jefferson was recently convicted of bribery, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit bribery. He hid over $70,000 in bribe money in his freezer as par of a scheme to influence Ghanaian and Nigerian officials. And the UK Serious Fraud Office is investigating cases related to the old NDC and “bridge” bribes. Should not Mr. Mills provide an explanation and even ask the Attorney General to work to earn her salary for a change? Are we supposed to assume that the US AG would sit mute and talk about “superstition” under these circumstances? Are we that stupid, Professor?

And what about the big one – the Oil Contracts?

On 4 June 09, the Ghana Mines Workers Union (GMWU) of the TUC joined Prof Lungu’s call for the NDC administration to re-assess all oil contracts signed by Ghana and multinationals. Clearly, only an imbecile will suppose that God can do that for Ghanaians. It is 18 Aug and there is still no word on that one from the NDC or Prof Mills. But we thought the NDC people are always with the workers!

The fact of the matter is, as far as the “Oil Find” goes, even a 8-year old can quickly understand that some individuals saw a benefit, sought an advantage, and used their resources (capital, finance, and connections) to explore, discover, and attempt to produce the oil. In fact, the record shows that some individuals have already been paid for “Connections to the Oil” find. Therefore, don’t we expect that even the 8-year old can swiftly understand that a trillion-barrel oil deposit under the ground isn’t worth a pesewa if a human being, an agent, does not prospect, produce, market, and distribute that oil?

Conversely, only a few political fanatics and religious zealots will argue that in negotiating the contracts with the multinationals, God had the back of Ghanaians, that the interest of Ghanaians as owners of that depletable resource were justly considered and protected in those contracts. Consider what a mess the NPP government made of the Ghana Telecom fire sale, a much easier quantifiable national asset!

But times have changed. Reckoning, professionally reviewing, and re-negotiating is of cardinal interest to Ghanaians in 2009. What is Prof Mills and the NDC afraid of? Or have they received some “bridge” payments to shut up and close the books?

This is what we are saying: Others have done their part. It is now the responsibility of Prof. Mills to order a review of all those contracts. The people deserve to know all the details about all the multi-year contracts. Review all the contracts!

Pass the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill and link it to the Asset Declaration law!

And so, we will argue that the Minister for Energy, Dr. Joe Oteng-Adjei, attempted to pull a fast one on us the other day when he called “for a review of policies on oil and gas to ensure effective management, guarantee sustainability and protect the environment.” Question for Dr Oteng-Adjei is this: How will Ghanaians be sure they can wisely do all of that when the core contractual document is shrouded in secrecy? How does Dr Oteng-Adjei get to “policies” when he is not interested in sharing information about the contracts that set up the enterprise in the first place? What does he know? Does he have a “bridge” loan, or know someone who got paid?

So what does all of this have to do with Liberia, you ask?

For the record, in our 17 Mar 09 Ghanaweb essay titled “Ghana Sheds Light on Oil Contracts – Rejoinder,” we made a strong case for review of the contracts. We said there are lessons to be learned from Liberia regarding the manner in which Liberia re-negotiated the Firestone Rubber contract. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf smartly and wisely positioned Liberia to earn more funds for development and even secured an increase in net investment by Firestone.

So you see, Americans and Liberians really have good many good reasons to clap. But Ghanaians?

Tell us, now then, who is smarter in 2009!

ITEM: It ought to be clear to the reader that in order to get more Ghanaians clapping purposefully for the NDC government, President Mills ought to go ahead and without further delays and certainly with less talk, pass the FOI bill and publish all significant contracts signed by the NPP administration. Consider that as a first step towards re-negotiation of those contracts in priority order: Oil Contracts, GT sale, Mineral Concessions, Bui Dam, Accra-Kumasi-Bole Toll road, etc. So where are the darn websites chockfull with information on these items, if we stand for “good governance”?

Fact is, there is absolutely nothing wrong with a proud country re-negotiating any contract with anyone. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia is doing it!

But first, Ghana’s current officials must know what is good for the people. Officials must understand that the peoples’ resource are depleting. Further, there are actually many people willing and able to lend expert ears, eyes, and over-sight to those technical details, for practically nothing. The “leaders” must direct!

Lead, Professor Mills, or get out of the way, NDC!

Dear reader, now tell us that you agree: In 2009, Americans and Liberians are truly “smarter” than Ghanaians!

NOTES: The Freedom of Information (FOI) bill. Ask the NDC and Professor Mills. Support passage of a strong Freedom of Information (FOI) bill. Visit www.GhanaHero.com. Send a request for your copy of FOIB – Are You Pickable, Mr. Politician?

© Prof Lungu, Ghana-centered, Ghana-Proud, Always!

Prof Lungu, Tokyo, Japan, 18 August 2009.