Well, it?s amazing how far away we Africans, especially Ghanaians are from real democracy. It?s even more alarming how Kufuor fans and NPP die-hards reacted to the Government shake-up. You could read stuff like
?? Kufour is great! Kufour is the best President
?.. NPP forever
?.. This Government is working, and so on?.
PATHETIC!!!
Simply put, a Government shake-up in a real democratic society means bad news for the sitting president. That means things, and I mean all things are not working according to what?s planned. It hence confirm the inability or in-competency of the sitting Government, not its efficiency. It means back to the status quo in Ghana where few and I mean few people live really good and others, well, go figure. All these shake-up came too late. Due to pressure from some officials in Washington, Kufuor was given some measures to be taken in order for the MCA fund to be released. The Kufuor government has been asked to fight corruption and cut down on state expenditure. However, a lot of these shake-ups are just window dressing.
Mr. Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey has been appointed the Minister for Diaspora Relations. So what do High Commissions and Embassies around the world do for Ghanaian citizens in the Diaspora? One can argue that this ministry will co-ordinate with high commissioners and consular generals, right? If so then what is the function of the foreign ministry? Is the foreign minister a lame duck?
Charles Bintim, Minister of local Government and Rural Development, deposited a whopping ?1.95 billion in his personal bank account with the High Street Branch of Barclays Bank within a period of eight months, where is the investigation? The Director of Passports, Mr. Kwesi Quartey has confirmed on the media reports that there were series of scandals in his office. He elaborated that the current system of passport acquisition was so porous, outdated and fraud-filled that some unscrupulous officers might be conniving with the so-called ?passport contractors? and taking advantage of the loopholes in the system to carry out fraudulent deals. Where is the investigation?
A former High commissioner to India builds six mansions in a year at Accra, where did he get the money? Are we telling our kids not to bother studying medicine or engineering because the shortest path to richness is through politics? The agony is; what about the president himself? Is he competent? Kuffour himself must be investigated. He has stolen as well and must be brought to justice. Has he really given real answers to all those corruption allegations against him?
Are Ghanaian journalists demanding real answers to who really bought that Hotel? Has anyone dared to ask Kuffour about the castle kickback allegations? Has Kuffour come out clean about his twins in America, and if so, has he publicly apologized to the nation, his wife and children? Some of are probably shaking your dumb heads asking why Kuffour should apologize publicly. The man has the highest position in Ghana, a country that boasts of high morality and discipline, after all, with a mare 20 million people, Ghana has more churches than America. We therefore expect its leaders to lead by example, not leading the way to embarrassment and destruction.
A Ghanaian Cabinet minister (Richard Anane) attending AIDS conference, go ahead and perform unprotected sex. Its consequence, using Ghana airways funds as child support and thus bringing down the national airline. The aftershock, the minister is given another cabinet position instead of being fired. Looks like Jesus asked Kuffour; cast a stone if you have no sins.
On Tuesday, 25 April 2006, we all read this on the Ghana-web and I quote; ?some of the workers inside this house called the Passport Office of Ghana are busily destroying Ghana?s pride and image by fraudulently processing original Ghanaian passports in large quantities, for export to ?non-Ghanaian criminals?, in countries like Libya, Italy, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Holland, Britain, Germany and others?.
Oh Mother Ghana, we all know corruption has been part of our culture from history but can we all agree that it?s been multiplied into alarming proportions since the NPP came to power? Ghana of all nations has become a safe heaven for drug traffickers; arrested drug traffickers do escape from prisons easily and never found again. Ghanaian Member of Parliament, Amoateng sits in New York Jail whiles holding on to his seat. Whiles this could have been an ultimate embarrassment for any country; it?s not a bid deal in ?Ogyakrom?.
We have a society where everyone from the President, through the chief justice, politicians, judges, police officers, professors and even doctors are all CORRUPT to the core. Can we solve this? Not until we stop paying lip service to our nation. Not until we stop being blind to our politicians due to our tribal or political affiliations. Not until we stop practicing nepotism, tribalism and ass-kissing. And definitely not until we identify ourselves as Ghanaians first before our tribes. Let?s start all over; we can do it but certainly not our time.
Long live Ghana.
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
Views expressed by the author(s) do not necessarily reflect those of GhanaHomePage.
