What could it take Ghana to put together a National Agenda?

Read Comments Comments (7)

• Kojo T 10 years ago

  We would most likely do that after divisive Akuffo Addo exits the political scene and with education of the tribalist elements in NPP.They make a lot of noise and cannot see beyond their noses.I recommend they take a good loo ...
  read full comment

  We would most likely do that after divisive Akuffo Addo exits the political scene and with education of the tribalist elements in NPP.They make a lot of noise and cannot see beyond their noses.I recommend they take a good look at the zebra and also read about "the flight of the geese"We are interdependent Well said me bra

  reply
• Kow Ansah 10 years ago

  You have said it point blank.

  You have said it point blank.

  reply
• John Amponsah 10 years ago

  I agree that we are indeed interdependent! Hopefully we will show more and more of such interdependence in our ideas and our actions as a people under one national banner

  I agree that we are indeed interdependent! Hopefully we will show more and more of such interdependence in our ideas and our actions as a people under one national banner

  reply
• Abeeku Mensah 10 years ago

  The ongoing damage to Ghana comes care of Ghanaians in the Diaspora and a small collection of educated and politically connected class that justify wrong headed delusional practices in the name of democracy. In a column poste ...
  read full comment

  The ongoing damage to Ghana comes care of Ghanaians in the Diaspora and a small collection of educated and politically connected class that justify wrong headed delusional practices in the name of democracy. In a column posted by Michael Vlahoos on Huffingtonpost the former military man and instructor at the US war college reminded readers of the differences between freedom and liberty. It's an article Ghanaians in the Diaspora and those here at home ought to read and carry copies on their person to remind them of the foolishness here in Ghana we practice and call democracy.
  Democracy without liberty is a delusional democracy; it's the collective nation that live liberty not a few and certainly not brought from the outside but from within. The loudest of Ghana's democracy proponents tend to live outside Ghana and or now hold offices in Ghana after their schooling and working in nations afar. They saw things they liked and admire but lack understanding. They've made slogans out of democracy and not as anthem; they force what they think is democratic on a nation lacking in civic responsibility yet attuned to tribal bigotry and loyalties. What Ghana will forever miss is a man or woman with ideals, ideas, foresight and far ahead of his or her peers. Some in NPP may think it is J.B. Danquah or even Busia deliberately ignoring their call for denying the right to vote to all Ghanaians or for each vote to carry the same value/weight. Ghana cannot have liberty not when with the stroke of a pen ex-president Kufour could make heroes out of terrorists for tribal appeasement. For good or bad communist China survives because the people of China live it, the people of Russia live it. Socialist nations continue to live and prosper under a system of their make and yet other nations live practicing democracy that is vibrant because it is on their own terms and volition. In third world countries and so-called developing countries, just like a lost ship without mast and or radar, our leaders buy into anything and can steal off the people to become shamelessly rich while their delusional practices of democracy, socialism or communism fails and or fall apart all around them.
  Yes oh how we need liberties more as anthem not slogans.

  reply
• John Amponsah 10 years ago

  I think liberty is certainly an essential value to aspire to, as well as to protect, as part of our democracy. There is however much more to a functioning democracy than the idea of liberty, imo. Take for instance the idea of ...
  read full comment

  I think liberty is certainly an essential value to aspire to, as well as to protect, as part of our democracy. There is however much more to a functioning democracy than the idea of liberty, imo. Take for instance the idea of civic responsibilities. That seems to me to be fundamental to a truly functioning democracy.
  
  In response to your comment about Ghanaians in the Diaspora returning home to try out any new idea they have, my view is that the discussion surrounding that subject is rather thorny. I prefer to think of the importance of having of a suitable political environment where the citizenry can thrive in diverse ways. For our country to develop, we need scores of our people in different areas of specialization to make viable contributions that benefit the collective. Yet a suitable political environment should also be one that is led by principled government with a clear leadership agenda that benefits the people. Here is where I think we can benefit from having a non-partisan national agenda, as the archbishop had suggested.

  reply
• Prof Lungu 10 years ago

  We can lie and pretend as long as we want!
  
  Further, we are guessing we can have as much faith in MPs as we want.
  
  However, we should not forget that people in the civil service are being paid to do these things, alread ...
  read full comment

  We can lie and pretend as long as we want!
  
  Further, we are guessing we can have as much faith in MPs as we want.
  
  However, we should not forget that people in the civil service are being paid to do these things, already. Ghana has a National Planning Commission. And Ministers have always been around, and have as a matter of fact increased in numbers.
  
  Now, we have the Education Minister or a character of that sort wasting peoples time playing with a pencil while 15,000 teachers have not been paid for more than a month.
  
  Question is, how long must it take for a whole nation to report on the real number of fake Teachers/SSNIT numbers?
  
  So, to our current interest, when a Ghanaman ventures into visions for Ghana and planning, but fails to recognize and acknowledge the still-relevant foundations laid by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, we are forced to conclude folks are probably not serious enough, at least.
  
  To the point, in development planning and envisioning, one cannot reinvent anew and forget about history and antecedents/precedents. THIS IS NOT A POLITICAL STATEMENT.
  
  We submit that a properly curated Nkrumah legacy project over 10 years, could be worth more than $5 billion - in external payments- to Ghana over 5 years! (It will beat sitting around in Ghana and circulating Cedis, guaranteed.
  
  So, let's stop the lying to ourselves, and the massaging of our sore, bleeding ego and conscience!
  
  Word!

  reply
• John Amponsah 10 years ago

  Your Nkrumahist leanings are noted, Prof Lungu, but I believe you make a fair point about the existence of the National Planning Commission. Thanks. As to whether it functions as it should, that could be debated.
  
  All thank ...
  read full comment

  Your Nkrumahist leanings are noted, Prof Lungu, but I believe you make a fair point about the existence of the National Planning Commission. Thanks. As to whether it functions as it should, that could be debated.
  
  All thanks to all others for your comments and suggestions.

  reply