Tribalism Is Keeping Ghana Back; Is There A Cure?

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JATO KWASHIVI RAWLINGS 10 years ago

TRIBALISM SHOULD BE UNLAWFUL IN ALL ITS GUISES, LIKE RACISM IS UNLAWFUL IN THE DEMOCRACIES OF WESTERN EUROPE AND THE UNITED STATES.

TRIBALISM SHOULD BE UNLAWFUL IN ALL ITS GUISES, LIKE RACISM IS UNLAWFUL IN THE DEMOCRACIES OF WESTERN EUROPE AND THE UNITED STATES.
Barima Osei 10 years ago

My own tribesmen are responsible for this rise in tribalism. Too inward looking

My own tribesmen are responsible for this rise in tribalism. Too inward looking
francis kwarteng 10 years ago

Dear Readers,

Note:

Title: "Socialism Is The Life Blood Of Ghanaian Tribalism"

Source: Modernghana

Date: 15 August 2015

Author: Philip Kobina Baidoo Jnr.

.................................................... ...
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Dear Readers,

Note:

Title: "Socialism Is The Life Blood Of Ghanaian Tribalism"

Source: Modernghana

Date: 15 August 2015

Author: Philip Kobina Baidoo Jnr.

........................................................................................................................................................
Just over a week ago Patrick Fynn touched one of the raw nerves of our favourite national pastime – tribalism. He wrote a riveting piece that attracted quite a few commentaries entitled ‘Tribalism is holding back Ghana's development’. Tribalism is, without doubt, one of the few topics that stir a lot of emotions on ghanaweb and many of the Ghanaian websites. Anytime the topic of tribalism is raised it opens a lot of horrible old wounds that many would like to do without. It is a huge concern to a lot of Ghanaians who look for solutions that never comes. Not many can deny that tribalism is a massive problem in our nation; it is very pervasive, and no single soul in the country can run away from its harmful tentacles. You can behave like an ostrich, yet it will stare at you from your rear. We all wish it can be solved, but it is rock sturdy and unshakeable like the rock of Gibraltar.

To a degree, it is the elephant in the room that nobody is prepared to talk about with honesty. However, make an unguarded statement and it will be the end of your ultimate political aspirations if you are in public life. As bad as it is, it’s also a conduit, in some cases, for people to vent their anger and frustration. The fact is tribalism, like nepotism, cronyism, and corruption are all bedfellows with incompetence – they are inseparable. There are those who deny it without acknowledging the fact that it is a latent force that lies just beneath our skin. There are a lot of noble people out there who are able to elevate themselves above some of these mushy bits of our humanity. My frustration is with those who condescend to the rest who are unable to distance themselves from this fundamental survival instinct.

Every society has fissures and fractures, which experience strain every now and then, mostly in times of economic difficulty. Even in the West, racism, xenophobia and nationalism experience exponential activities in times of economic down turn. Tribalism is not any different from some of these social dregs. The solutions are not easy but, be that as it may, there is a way to solve it, nevertheless most of the people who complain bitterly are not prepared to contemplate or give free market a hearing. Free market and less government is the only way that can cure this perennial national cancer for good, or perhaps curb its destructive influence in our national life.

Place two people who naturally will hate each other’s guts in a dangerous position where their life is threatened, and they will instinctively cooperate to liberate themselves. Their cooperation is not based on their love for each other, but predicated on their mutual interest for the preservation of their individual lives. A very good example that comes to mind is the story of the Tuskegee airmen, which has been made into a film. Of course, Hollywood always embellishes even true stories to the extent of grotesqueness, but there is also a limit to what can be done to make it more appealing to movie audience. It was at the height of the racist Jim Crow laws during the WWII. Though a lot of people opposed the formation of the unit, regardless, through back room dealings and arm twisting it saw the light of day. Eventually, this all black American military pilots passed out and excelled in the theatre of war. They were so good white bomber units who under normal circumstances wouldn’t have anything to do with them sought after their services as bomber escorts when this black unit proved their superior ability. My moral point is the white bomber crew did not seek their service because they loved them; it was due to the fact that this black unit had superior ability to keep them alive. By the experience of this white bomber crew some of the racial barriers would have been broken down not by legislation, but by mutual interest. It is obvious that, perhaps some of their prejudicial beliefs of black inferiority would have also been shattered.

Now, coming to the nitty-gritty of the piece, it’s important to note that every single action we take has a price. Some are less expensive and others are very dear. When you hold a government position and you don’t pay a price for your actions you continue to do the same costly things indefinitely. In Ghana, most of the best jobs are in government. For example, let’s assume the chief executive of a government enterprise employs the services of an incompetent crony to fill a position, though there are better qualified applicants. The fact is that CEO does not pay a price for the indulgence of his unprofessional choices. So long as he does not pay a price there is no need for him to change for the better. Let’s broach a very practical example of a lazy salesman. If the CEO of a private company employs a lazy crony who is unable to bring in clients do you think that CEO will continue to keep that person even if he is his own brother? It will not continue if that person is really in business to make money. He will definitely get the best salesman available who can keep his operations afloat. Currently, will any Ghanaian care a damn about who rules if that person delivers the best opportunities available. Not a single soul will care a hook even if it is a monkey.

There is no way anybody is ever going to complain if a better candidate is picked ahead of him. However, if you realises that an incompetent person was employed for the simple reason that he belongs to the tribe of the boss who refused you a job you are going to be angry. For example, in a state enterprise everyone pays taxes for that company to be established. For that reason, a young man goes for an interview in that company with pre-packaged expectations and misplaced sense of entitlement. Sadly, he fails to secure the job and later he finds out that the boss comes from an undesirable tribe who coincidentally offered the job to his fellow tribesman. In the mind of this jilted applicant, the conspiracy has run its full circle. On the other hand, that presumption will not open a vista in the mind of this young man if it’s a private business.

Finally, if the owner of a business knows that employing a particular member of his tribe will earn him GHc 10,000 and engaging the service of another from outside his tribe will fetch him twice that who do you think the owner will go for? On the other hand, if he is that stubborn to act out his tribalism that is his cup of tea. I can assure you he will not last long in that business when his competitors are able to cut down their cost and pass it on to their customers. Any wise person will go for the best person available to gain the maximum returns. Tribalism can be strangled in Ghana if we promote economic growth through private enterprise rather than thinking that the government should provide everything like Mahama is moving heaven and earth to establish a new national airline.

Philip Kobina Baidoo Jnr
London
baidoo_philip@yahoo.co.uk
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C.Y. ANDY-K 10 years ago

Time for me to get some sleep but I can't help writing this, as I might not get the chance to comment later in the day. Not easy managing ones own biz. Phew!

First, I have to say that I have been readinga lot of hollow wri ...
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Time for me to get some sleep but I can't help writing this, as I might not get the chance to comment later in the day. Not easy managing ones own biz. Phew!

First, I have to say that I have been readinga lot of hollow write-ups on tribalism, that of Fynn inclusive, just as teh present writer's. They don't define it. A whole lot of concepts or phenomena are juxtaposed under tribalism and presented as tribalism, whereas tribalism as used in political science refers specifically to a defined phenomenon involving a govt or govt functionary giving state resources to undeserving members of his/her ethnic group or where he/she comes from to the dteriment of more deserving members of another ethnic group or area. Is that really a a big problem in Ghana?

Now, it is only someone ignorant of Ghanai's political history or a pur hypocrite who would deny that some members of teh Akan ethnic group are the biggest complainants aganst tribalism in Ghana and Ewes are the people they accuse most as practising tribalism against them. Let me just bend down, pick and type out what the late Adu Boahen said on the topic in an interview with Steve Mallory in the "New African" of Feb, 1994: 15.

"We asked Adu Boahen whether there is any substancein teh oft-repeated charge of tribalism in Ghanaian politics, especially under Rawlings.

"There is some substance in it, but it's exaggerated", Boahen said.

"Yes, it's true that certain areas of national life, like the security agencies, are dominated by people from a particular ethnic group.
"Yes, in some of the most lucrative, most sensitive and most important areas you find a predominance of this particular ethnic group...
"When we come to power we will ensure that no particular ethnic group dominates any sector of teh economy or the governance of the country."

Well said! But will Adu Boahen and the NPP ever come to power?"
----------------------

You don't have to be the proverbial nuclear scientist to know that Adu Boahen's "particular ethnic group" refers to Ewes, but in all honesty, I couldn't figure out the "most lucrative..." he was referring to: gold, diamonds and timber kept up cropping in my mind! As a history don, one would have expected him to explain to us why Ewes appear to be allegedly "dominant" in the security forces. I have the full names and bios of all the 29 Ghanaians who reached officer status on the eve of independence. Afrifa was the only person from the former Ashanti Protectorate comprising present Ash/R and B/A. Bawa was the only "northern" name among them but he seems to have come from the TVT area which got cut off to join Northern Region. People from within the Gold Coast proper before Ashanti and Northern Protectorates were added in 1946 formed the bulk. That included Ewes, of course but they were not dominant. I shall delve into details in my own write up but suffice it to ask whether Ewes were in charge of the recruitment into the security agencies during the colonial era to have given the nudge to the pioneer Ewe officers such as Brigadier Joseph Edward Michel (the gem of them), Kotoka, Harlley, etc? I shall return on this, Allah willing.:-)

Needless to say that Adu Boahen and the NPP never came to power but Kufuor and the NPP did. How Kufuor set about implementing this agenda of the NPP is legendary but didn't make me shed a tear for all those affected. In fact, I laughed at some to their faces and told two I met here in London it served them right! One was my senior, the late Philip Fiadzomor, who died here in London at the tender age of 56! As genial as ever he only smiled his wry smile as I explained to him why I felt no remorse about his fate. Had I known that he was nursing high pressure, I'd have been a bit more lenient. One was my mate from Mawuli School who was visiting London while on indefinite leave too. Luckily for him, Mills came and he was recalled and even promoted to the post of Commissioner of Taxes, or Revenue, whatever. Even if my own junior brother were still with the Ghana Reinsurance Company as the Local Manager, effectively the second in charge, or became the CEO after Mr Dzikunu by the time the NPP assumed power and he was also relieved of his post for an unending "£orensic audit" to be done , I'd have laughed at him and ask whether he recalled telling me that those who have who have time to respond to "those people" accusing them of getting their posts (The Chronicle did a number on them too) through tribalism were like the man in the bathroom who came out to chase the mad man who took his wrapper! My brother, a lawyer, then was the most qualified insurance practioner in Ghana, even more so than his boss. So, for the 8 years the NPP was in power, I had peace of mind and enjoyed my life, while they wrecked havoc in the careers of many.

I got an intimate report of how Tarzan implemented that equalisation policy at VRA and laid to waste the strictly meritous was staff was recruited there prior to him. It was hilarious and I had another good laugh! Even the narrator, a victim, who was angry at first joined me in laughing later. One day, I might narrate how Mr Dokyi got his sack. I guess his name was too much like an Ewe name, even though an Asante, and he had been listed among the Ewes having top posts which "these Akans" used to circulate on the Internet and among themselves and he NEVER came out once to say he wasn't an Ewe, thereby fueling the animus against Ewes for taking all the lucratice jobs. Good for him! "Yeah! Just like Prof. Akilagpa Sawyerr, a Ga, was also mentioned by Adu Boahen in his British Council Lecture as an Ewe who got the VC post instead of him!) So Dokyi got the sack and that made sooooo happy! The man was having a shower when the letter was delivered to his house. Go and ask him if I lie bad!

Folks, I have to catch some sleep, so let me end by saying that what we have causing much turbulence in Ghana and on the Internet is the ethnic prejudices of many members of the Akan ethnic group from the NLM tradition, which they are in the habit of translating into tribalism against others, esp., Ewes, when given political power. Busia and his PP started it with his sacking of mostly Ewes. Sallah took him to court and won! What proof do you want again? That's the theme and topic of Kofi Awoonor's The Ghana Revolution. He opportunitistically used the wrong heading which gave a misleading impression that the book was about the 31st Dec coup. It wasn't!

Now, I am gone, so can't recount fully how I went to visit a comrade and a Nyebro in Ghaan and discovered him working for an Asante, just as many of the staff, including the watch-man! Phew! I said. The man discovered Baidoo's free market forces after returning from America and using his own people and failing in business woefully! So he did what others were doing: recruit Ewes! They work for you like it is their own father's biz! Ha! ha!

Andy-K
J. D Mahamai 10 years ago

Your sentences and some spellings stink and suck Mr tribalist, nyebro.

Your sentences and some spellings stink and suck Mr tribalist, nyebro.
C.Y. ANDY-K 10 years ago

Ah! Considering that I was dozing on and off when I wrote that, I still think I did a far better job than a heap of you who are just pests on Ghanaweb.

I can read through and correct for you, if you are unable to underst ...
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Ah! Considering that I was dozing on and off when I wrote that, I still think I did a far better job than a heap of you who are just pests on Ghanaweb.

I can read through and correct for you, if you are unable to understand what I wrote. It is far better illuminating than what Baidoo and Fynn together wrote.

Andy-K
C.Y. ANDY-K 10 years ago

Phew! Just completed reading through! That was awesome! I wrote "forensic audit" as "£orensic audit. Very original! I typed all "the" as "teh" and gave up trying to correct them, btw. And then a lot of other typos to make yo ...
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Phew! Just completed reading through! That was awesome! I wrote "forensic audit" as "£orensic audit. Very original! I typed all "the" as "teh" and gave up trying to correct them, btw. And then a lot of other typos to make you grin widely in amusement but I still maintain that it is not my worst gibberish under the influence of sleep! And I still make more sense than many.

Ha! ha! ha!

Andy-K
Nii Teiko 10 years ago

Why do you alway get fired up in defense of your Anlo-Trokosi tribe anytime issues bordering on tribalism is raise on this forum, and even when Trokosis are not the main focus? " the Palm tree don't know its owner now" as one ...
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Why do you alway get fired up in defense of your Anlo-Trokosi tribe anytime issues bordering on tribalism is raise on this forum, and even when Trokosis are not the main focus? " the Palm tree don't know its owner now" as one of Nigerian friends use to say. It is also true that " the old woman become uneasy when dry bones are mention." By the way, aren't you suppose to be the athiest we use to know on this forum? Or were you were highed on something when you wrote ; ".... etc? I shall return on this, Allah willing.:-) ? Do you really recognize the existence of God Or Allah? Let 'your yes be yes and your no be no ', you petite coward.
MAWULIAN 10 years ago

Andy hates liars, And there is nothing like Anlo-Trokosi.

Andy hates liars, And there is nothing like Anlo-Trokosi.
Somuah 10 years ago

This guy Andy_K is always writing rubbish. The man threw people away and did what other people are doing - recruited ewes.
It is this kind of nonsense and justification of bias that people are fighting against. You Ewes are ...
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This guy Andy_K is always writing rubbish. The man threw people away and did what other people are doing - recruited ewes.
It is this kind of nonsense and justification of bias that people are fighting against. You Ewes are trying to develop a culture of impunity and trying to marginalize the rest of the people. Akans must rise up and take control of our resources.

Gamel 10 years ago

kwasia... rise up and go where?

kwasia... rise up and go where?
amanfo 10 years ago

Dear Sir Baidoo, though you have implored me to drop the courtesy and follow the normal route by which others refer to you but, I cannot simply adopt to that simple instruction because you really put in much effort to bring a ...
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Dear Sir Baidoo, though you have implored me to drop the courtesy and follow the normal route by which others refer to you but, I cannot simply adopt to that simple instruction because you really put in much effort to bring a piece to your readers and for that, your efforts must be commended at least it help to shape our line of thinking and help make an inform decisions.I rather finds your essay very interesting and somehow seems like you are taking essay path to praise the very system that gave birth to tribalism. Capitalism, no doubt was the originator of tribal conflicts and I do hope you sincerely believe but, for your love of it, have chosen an easy path to get away with the modes by which it operated to spring up tribalism. Hope you are aware of the plebiscites that was voted against by small group of capitalist blacks who thought integration was inimical to their quest for power and a threat to your elitist lifestyles?.I just wants to remind you but, faithfully knew you have not forgotten it. Thank you
Charles Agbenu 10 years ago

Mills /Mahama govt sent 250 Ghanaian students to Cuba. All the Asante Region candidates were the Seidus, Agbos, Lateef, Mumunis, Dagartis etc living in the region. Only 3 indigenous Asantes were in the group.

At the scho ...
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Mills /Mahama govt sent 250 Ghanaian students to Cuba. All the Asante Region candidates were the Seidus, Agbos, Lateef, Mumunis, Dagartis etc living in the region. Only 3 indigenous Asantes were in the group.

At the scholarship secretariat, Asantes are deliberately denied. 100 oil/gas students in Norway scholarship had no Asante. Asantes are denied top positions in Civil servic, public boards, military, police, immigration, NADMO.

Because of tribalism, developments are unbalanced and uneconomic. Roads which take 100 vehicles a day are tarred as against roads which take more than 3000 vehicles etc. Busy airports are denied amenities in favour of far less busy airports. On on on we can go to show the tribal damage to Ghanas economic life
Azure 10 years ago

Charles, your analysis of govt's marginalization of Asantes in granting scholarships is interesting. But I think your analysis would have been more credible if you gave us a breakdown of how many Mohammeds, Atongos, Dagartis, ...
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Charles, your analysis of govt's marginalization of Asantes in granting scholarships is interesting. But I think your analysis would have been more credible if you gave us a breakdown of how many Mohammeds, Atongos, Dagartis, Ashantes, etc. benefited from govt. scholarships within the eight years of the Kufour lead govt. I believe the majority of the 250 medical students you talked about came from particular ethnic groups because those ethnic groups were deliberately excluded from govt. scholarships under Kufour apart from the fact that the North lacks Doctors than any region. On the matter of airports and roads I think every region deserves attention irrespective of traffic. If you think Ashante region should have something before any region can merit it then there is no need for those regions you think should be threated as second and third class to get involved in our politics and elections. Ashante region has not been marginalized. Under Mills and Mahama, the Ashante region has received more development than the two regions of Upper East and West combined despite our massive support for the NDC. Charles, can you believe that in eight years the NPP could only construct two kilometers of road in Bolgatanga, a regional capital? Under eight years of NPP, not a single district was linked to any regional capital by way of tarred road in any of the three regions of the North. This is what ethnic exclusion in national development is if you don't know.
MINOR CASE 10 years ago

So you are justifying the skewed development of some regions by Mahama administration ,because Kuffuor did the same. This stance taken by the various administrations is what the writer of this article is worried about. I thin ...
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So you are justifying the skewed development of some regions by Mahama administration ,because Kuffuor did the same. This stance taken by the various administrations is what the writer of this article is worried about. I think the federal system is best for Ghana . Particular regions have been carrying the burden of the country's development for far too long.it is time each region takes care of itself.
Somuah 10 years ago

They are seeking to keep the Ashantes in the bush so they will cultivate cocoa and coffee and accrued foreign exchange used to educate Ewes, Gas and Northerners. The Ashantes will be "cocoa ase ukurasefo" (cocoa farm villager ...
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They are seeking to keep the Ashantes in the bush so they will cultivate cocoa and coffee and accrued foreign exchange used to educate Ewes, Gas and Northerners. The Ashantes will be "cocoa ase ukurasefo" (cocoa farm villagers) whilst their counterparts will be educated elites. What a fuck!
C.Y. ANDY-K 10 years ago

Somuah, is this kind of trash completely devoid any logic and facts on the ground you deem as sensible? It is unadulterated nonsense based on myths!

1. Factum: Ashantis are NOT major cultivators of cocoa in Ghana, before ...
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Somuah, is this kind of trash completely devoid any logic and facts on the ground you deem as sensible? It is unadulterated nonsense based on myths!

1. Factum: Ashantis are NOT major cultivators of cocoa in Ghana, before or even now.

2. The central zone of cocoa production has been moving from region to region since cocoa production started in the Gold Coast. From Eastern Region it moved to the Central and Ash/R. The VR was once the 3rd largest contributor to total prod., despite the heavy smuggling to Togo. The BA became the largest grower after Ash/R. Now, the W/R is the largest, with all the former leading regions still making their contributions.

3. In all these, it was the migrant cocoa farmers from southern Ghana who were the pioneers. Polly Hill had chronicled that story superbly in the appropriately named book, The Migrant Cocoa Farmers of Southern Ghana. They carried cocoa growing to the Ash/R. and secured lands from the chiefs to plant the first crops. Even in the cocoa growing areas of of the VR, you'd be surprised to find out that Anlos, Krobos, Kwawus, etc., were the major cocoa farms owners. As recent as the 1990s, these settlers were still responsible for up to 75% of cocoa output in Ghana, according to UNCTAD?FAO records. It must be noted that Asantes have now also joined those migrant farmers/owners and now own farms in the BA and WR. I was taken in 1993 to an outpost of the Amanano Rural Bank, Nyinahin, in Bibiani in the W/R and given talk on why the bank opened a branch there: to serve Asante cocoa farmers in the area. I advised that the locals should be given facilities too, in order to curb the nascent tension arose by the opening of the bank there.

4. The labour for the cocoa farms were/are also largely migrants, from within Ghana and outside Ghana, from Burkina, Togo and as far as Niger Rep. and Mali. How Busia's Aliens Compliance Order decimated cocoa and food production has been chronicled.

Man, I go on and on to lecture you on cocoa production in Ghana and explain to you why the cocoa growing areas are terribly underdeveloped. It is not different from how the gold, diamond, etc, producing areas don't have much to show for the wealth being extracted from the mining areas. And the same shall happen with the oil production, compounded with the terribly bad agreements our bloody ignorant technocrats have been advising the clueless politicians to sign.

Andy-K
francis kwarteng 10 years ago

Dear Nyebro Yao,

I now understand why you sometimes give up on these Danquahists.

You give them the facts, statistics, and references and they come churning the same garbage, much like Baidoo has been doing in his unin ...
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Dear Nyebro Yao,

I now understand why you sometimes give up on these Danquahists.

You give them the facts, statistics, and references and they come churning the same garbage, much like Baidoo has been doing in his uninformed articles.

You see, a reader like MINOR CASE goes undercover (I mean disappears probably under different monikers) when he is assiled with hard facts, statistics, and references.

Readers like MINOR CASE, Somuah, etc., come here saying this and that about Baidoo's articles not knowing that most of the things he discuuses in his articles are largely uninformed by "scientific" facts but rather informed by uninformed ideology and personal idolization.

Nyebro Yao you will not want to know what some of my friends who had taught (and continue to teach) these topics topics Baidoo writes about (for 30 years and some) have to say. You see this ignorance paraded openly on Ghanaweb everyday.

Even with all the facts you cite here regarding cocoa production in the Volta Region, Western Region, etc., I bet you they will still come bacj churning out chaff like you said.

The interesting part of it all is that some of us don't take Baidoo, the MINOR CASEs, the Somuahs, the Jaos, etc., serious and that we will continue to expose Baidoo's intellectual shoddiness, ignorance, and warped thinking about mots basic ideas so that his unsuspecting readerships get better informed in the process.

Continue to educate them as you have always done.

Thanks.
Somuah 10 years ago

I know what you are saying is factually in-accurate. You damn fucking saying that the cocoa that our parents and uncles grew and still continue to grow was/is done by migrants from Togo, Mali and Burkina Fasso? Where in Ghana ...
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I know what you are saying is factually in-accurate. You damn fucking saying that the cocoa that our parents and uncles grew and still continue to grow was/is done by migrants from Togo, Mali and Burkina Fasso? Where in Ghana has this taken place. You quote these history books to please the uninitiated. They are the people singing your praise. Not me. I say and I repeat that Ashantis are a major cocoa growing folks in Ghana. And that is a fact. All that you have outlined there is full of inaccuracies. So get out of here!!!!!
Kwasi Kwarteng 10 years ago

Thanks for these important revelations. Now I hate the so called Asantehene for aligning himself with this NDC administration and all those Asante NDC members who only think about their stomachs only. See how the mentality of ...
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Thanks for these important revelations. Now I hate the so called Asantehene for aligning himself with this NDC administration and all those Asante NDC members who only think about their stomachs only. See how the mentality of the nyebros in following the NDC like a herd has made them powerful in this administration . That is true unity. No political party gets 3 percent in votes as compared with NDC over 98 percent. Their herd mentality is primitive but it has paid off.

adumtumi nyansafuo 10 years ago

It is rather the European colonialism mindset that the people of Ghana have that is holding them back. You are just using tribalism as an excuse. Ghanaians are trying to imitate the American and the british and that is why Gh ...
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It is rather the European colonialism mindset that the people of Ghana have that is holding them back. You are just using tribalism as an excuse. Ghanaians are trying to imitate the American and the british and that is why Ghana is in debt. This is why our youth dress like baltimore thugs. This is why our leaders where top notch suits. The Ghanaian is striving to be Caucasian and is slowly dying. Wake up fool.
Nana Oben 10 years ago

It's interesting to note that during the colonial period as well as the 1st republic, the nation's major institutions were headed mostly by Fantis, Gas, Ahantas. And they did an excellent job, using every available capable ex ...
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It's interesting to note that during the colonial period as well as the 1st republic, the nation's major institutions were headed mostly by Fantis, Gas, Ahantas. And they did an excellent job, using every available capable expertise regardless of its tribe. That's whyn the country became the envy of the sub-region; with these Fanti and Ga executives being recruited to other newly independent African nations. Sadly, the opposite with its resulting mediocrity has become the norm with: first Rawlings and his Ewenization, followed by Mahama and his Northernization, interspesed by Kuffour with his Asantization. Kuffour may be excused since, UNLIKE THE SMALLER EWE AND NORTHERN POPULATIONS, the sheer number of Asantes offers a wider pool of expertise; hence the success of the Kuffour administration.

IT'S ALSO INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT THE FANTIS, AHANTAS, AND GAS DO NOT GENERALLY VOTE ON TRIBAL LINES, OTHERWISE HEAVEN KNOWS WHAT RAWLINGS AND MAHAMA WOULD BE DOING DURING THIS 4TH REPUBLIC.
YES, TRIBALISM IS KILLING US!!
Nana Oben 10 years ago

I apologize for the portion of the title "better than". It should have been "less tribalistic than". I definitely DID NOT mean to suggest "Fantis, eytc. are better than Ewes, etc." Sorry!!

I apologize for the portion of the title "better than". It should have been "less tribalistic than". I definitely DID NOT mean to suggest "Fantis, eytc. are better than Ewes, etc." Sorry!!
C.Y. ANDY-K 10 years ago

Whatever, it betrayed your mind-set ane ethnic prejudice.

What you wrote is simply a heap of nonsense devoid of any factual accuracy. Ewes have been integral to the colonial administration and the merchant houses prior to ...
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Whatever, it betrayed your mind-set ane ethnic prejudice.

What you wrote is simply a heap of nonsense devoid of any factual accuracy. Ewes have been integral to the colonial administration and the merchant houses prior to indep. You are not aware of what the Britihs wrote about how valuable their services were to them.

Andy-K
francis kwarteng 10 years ago

Dear Nyebro Yao,

Thanks for straightening up Nana Oben.

Of course, changing his titles does not change his negative assumptions about certain ethnic groups.

Sometimes I wonder why some think the Volta Region is an ...
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Dear Nyebro Yao,

Thanks for straightening up Nana Oben.

Of course, changing his titles does not change his negative assumptions about certain ethnic groups.

Sometimes I wonder why some think the Volta Region is an ethnically monolithic region. I strongly believe Nana Oben betrayed his true intentions about certain ethnic groups.

Changing his titles even makes his intentions worse. This is clear in his earlier comments.

I also agree with you that what he "wrote is simply a heap of nonsense of any factual accuracy." This powerful sentence also goes for Philip Kobina Baidoo's articles. People like Baidoo and Nana Oben can't be taken serious.

Yet we do have to respond to their warped and ignorant positions for the sake of their unsuspecting readership.

Thanks Andy!
francis kwarteng 10 years ago

See how you capitalist Kuffour and others benefited from the failed Nkrumah investments (and how they continue to save Ghana from bankruptcy):

By Kweku Dadzie
.............................................................. ...
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See how you capitalist Kuffour and others benefited from the failed Nkrumah investments (and how they continue to save Ghana from bankruptcy):

By Kweku Dadzie
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The struggle for the ownership of property as an essential means of production varies in time and place and has remained the source of conflict and tension between the few ruling-property owning classes and the majority exploited classes. The bourgeois State forms part of the neo-colonial arrangements, maintaining and consolidating a dependent economic structure for political and social influence of the few ruling elites over the larger populace.

As you are well aware, arguments over the sale of state assets or divestiture have been a major feature of the struggle for the ownership of property among classes. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, socialist countries have undergone pressures to implement unprecedented privatization of State assets. It has been presented that the largest privatization in history took place in Russia between 1992 and 1995 when as many as 75,000 small and medium scale enterprises were auctioned, 14,000 medium to large scale firms were sold and 130 to 140 million new shareholders were created (IFC 1995).[1]

However, to a lesser extent, the same phenomenon occurred in all former socialist countries with the exception of Cuba and China, even though in the case of China, a guarded promotion of liberalisation is ongoing.

According to Stephen Adei on his “Governance, State-ownership and Divestiture – the Ghanaian Experience”[2], he notes that “the immediate post-colonial economy era in Ghana was characterized by high levels of government ownership of enterprises, high levels of economic regulation, and explicit suppression of financial markets and exchange. This trend continued for most parts of the 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s when Ghana began to change course with the adoption of the Structural Adjustment Program. Most of these programs included the transfer of state enterprises into the private sector”.

In this discussion, it is important to ask whether poor performance of some of the state enterprises could be attributed to the bourgeois nature of Governance of the Civilian government of PP, NDC, and NPP and also military governments of NLC, SMC, AFRC, and PNDC. Did Nkrumah’s administration succeed in his formative years of establishing and managing state enterprises because the underpinning ideological framework was scientific-socialist driven and therefore appropriate to the pursuit of its corresponding economic policies?

If, from 1957 to the early 60s, Ghana’s increase in productivity in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors was the result of efforts toward strengthening the State’s share and increase in ownership of productive assets, then, the Five Year Development Plan, the Consolidated Plan and the truncated Seven Year Development Plan point to a significant fact: that a growing conflict of the internal and the external was expected to confront the CPP Government heavily in no time.

Pomadze Tomatoe Factory, Komenda Sugar Factory, Asutsuare Sugar Factory, Bolgatanga Meat Factory, Kumasi Jute Factory, Kumasi Shoe Factory, Ghana Railways Corporation, Ghana Airways, Tema Dry Dock, Tema Sanyo, Tema Steel Works, Tema Batteries, Tema Paints Factory, Tema Cold Stores, Tema Food Complex, Abosso Glass Factory, Bonsa Tyres, Kade Match Factory, Suhum Garment Factory, Ghana Fishing Corporation with 21 Trawlers, SSNIT, ADB, NIB, Ghana Commercial Bank, State Insurance Company, State Distilleries, Takoradi Boatyard, Takoradi Cocoa Processing Corporation, Tema Cocoa Processing Corporation and many, many of them which were established by the State with controlling interests, posed an economic threat to Western economic interests in Ghana. From this emerging progressive pattern of economic production and property relations in Ghana, a major source of wealth for financing free education and delivery of quality health care became materialized in Ghana.

The State’s effort in accumulating capital, aimed at productive growth for social good, suffered severely from 1966. Naked implementation of neo-liberal policies of Capitalism, lack of foresight in leadership and unwarranted military takeovers depleted Government’s assets in its own establishment. The private-sector as the engine of growth became dominant in the actions of Governments. Through the ERPs of the 1980s and GPRSs in the 2000s, the sale of Government assets remained the main source of fruit for the survival of the private sector.

It is important to mention that the sales of Government assets have included the following:

(1) sale of whole or part shares/assets of an enterprise, established by the State or in partnership with a private entity, to a private entity. This is commonly referred to as divestiture;

(2) transfer of ownership of public Lands to private interests.

Both form part of a broader notion of Privatization which further involves the promotion of market liberalisation through policies and legislations.

Many times we are confused by the subtle distinctions of definitions of these neo-liberal phrases. But they are arguably all offspring and extensions of Capitalism.

Generally, some underlining reasons usually given over the years by Government functionaries, reactionary think-tanks and the neo-colonial academia, set-up for the justification of the sale of Government assets, have included:

a. Filling in budget potholes

b. Fulfilling IMF/World Bank conditionalities

c. Increasing Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) targets

d. Re-capitalisation of loss-making state enterprise.

e. Expansion of economy etc.

On the other side of the leaf, one major argument presented by Marxist-Nkrumaists for state-control and management of productive resources has been that, in order to accelerate development after long periods of colonial exploitation and slavery, Governments must intervene decisively by policy, creation of socio-economic infrastructure and ownership of productive assets to bridge income gaps, break barriers of economic and social injustices and accelerate growth of the human resource base of an underdeveloped country. The aim is also to reduce economic dependency on the metropolis.

In 1983, the PNDC Government launched the Economic Review Programme which became the key policy tool for neo-liberal approach to recovering the economy of Ghana.

Among several measures that the PNDC Government took was the disposal of loss-making state enterprises. In order to give legislative enforcement to this neo-colonial arrangement, the PNDC passed the Divestiture of State Interest (Implementation) Law, 1993(PNDCL, 326), which was deemed to have come into force on 1st January 1988, to divest, thus by the State, of any of its interests in any statutory corporation or any corporate body incorporated under the Companies Code, 1963 (Act 179) or under the Incorporated Private Partnership Act, 1962 (Act 152). Note that Section (1) of the Decree, allowed directives of divesture to be carried in accordance with policy directives as the PNDC may from time to time determine.

The Divestiture Implementation Committee, which develops a criteria for the selection of enterprises to be divested and assume such responsibility as they may deem fit over bodies earmarked for divestiture in order to prepare such enterprises for sale, was established.

At the beginning of the divestiture programme, over 300 state-owned enterprises (SOEs) were operating in all sectors of the economy. Whilst a large number of them were in manufacturing and agriculture (including cocoa and coffee plantations, poultry and fishing), others were in the mining, hotel and timber sectors.

Some of the enterprises which were affected by the divestiture programme included the following:

? Ghacem Cement (Shares sold to Norwegians)

? Ghana Telecom (Shares sold to Malaysians)

? Kwame Nkrumah Catering Rest Houses – Atlantic Houses (Sold to private individuals)

? Nsawam Cannery (Sold to 31st DWM)

? Kanda GNTC (Sold to private individuals)

? Atlantic Hotel, Meridian and Star Hotels (Sold to private entities)

? Abosso Glass Factory (Sold to private individual)

? Continental Hotel (Sold to Golden Tulip)

? West Africa Mills Company

? Tema Steel Company

? Ghana Agro Food Company –formerly TFCC

? GIHOC Bottling– (became The Coca Cola Bottling Company of Ghana Ltd)

? Gliksen W/A Company (acquired by SUHUMA Timber Company Ltd)

? Ghana Oil Palm Development Company (Sold in 1995)

It is necessary to draw a lesson from the political effect of the sale of many of these assets; as an inclusive factor in the deepening of tension and political unrest between pro-democratic groups and the PNDC government. Note that the left in the pro-democratic movement raised questions about the selling of some of these state assets to private foreigners.

Let us now consider few selected cases of recent sale of national assets under the Fourth Republican constitution in the following areas.

Mining Sector

In the mining sector, today, Ghanaians have lost their majority shares in AngloGold Ashanti to nothing. In 2007, the NPP Government sold Ghana’s non-controlling interests of 5% to Anglogold Ashanti Ltd. The NDC Government under the Mills Administration in January 2011 also sold the nation’s last shares of 2.5% to Anglogold Ashanti which generated an amount of US $215million, whereas accounts of its utilization was not clearly provided.

Public Lands as a Primary National Asset

According to the laws of Ghana, lands acquired by the government are supposed to be used only in the public interest or for the public purpose for which it was acquired. (Article 20(5) of the 1992 Constitution).

The selling of public lands under a disguised policy of re-zoning of lands for redevelopment of the capital city was embarked by the first NDC Government.

Under Phase 1 of the first NDC Government’s Accra Redevelopment Policy in 2000, the proceeds from the sale of 67 plots of land (sold mostly to companies and private individuals), enabled them to build 83 replacement bungalows and 169 residential units.

However, the Government then did not take into account the Constitutional provision which requires that “the owner of the property immediately before the compulsory acquisition shall be given the first option for acquiring the property” (Article 20: Clause 6).

In 2009, the NPP continued with the running of economic liberalization of the past PNDC and NDC, under a disguised framework of Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy I and II, placing the private sector as the vehicle for development and growth.

During the NPP’s administration, the Government decided to ignore laid-down procedures, such as open bidding and going for Cabinet approval of allocations, as stipulated in the State Lands Regulations, 1962 (L.I. 230). Instead, between 2003 and 2008, the NPP Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing, in his individual capacity proceeded to allocate 46.85 acres of residential plots and houses without subjecting the allocation to competitive bidding or the laid-down guideline established by the cabinet.

According to the Committee for Joint Action, a lead campaigner against unlawful and arbitrary sale of public lands, the implementation of the redevelopment scheme under the NPP was so arbitrary and haphazard that even persons who were allocated with the plots did not complete the Application for Leases/Licenses for Government Plots (Form 5) as stipulated in LI 230.

The pressure group identified that the Kuffuor Government’s exclusive and restrictive bidding process created and allocated 103 plots to NPP members and supporters. 88 plots of land located in prime areas at Ridge, Cantonments and Airport were sold under protocol arrangements with premiums ranging between six thousand and eight thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢ 6, 000/GH¢ 8, 000) per plot.

This sharply brings into light the opportunities opened to a category of people on the basis of their class interest as against the majority interest whether under NDC or NPP.

Ghana Telecom as a National Asset

As part of the privatization policy, the first NDC Government offloaded shares in Ghana Telecom to the Malaysians to restructure and re-capitalize. Before then GT had retrogressively continued to suffer from mismanagement, political manipulation and eventual breakdown in competitive operation.

The Kuffuor Government, on July 3, 2008, signed a Sale and Purchase Agreement with Vodafone International to sell off 70% of the Government’s stake in GT to Vodafone, at an approximate value of US$1.3 billion, plus an expected cash injection of US$500 million, totaling US$1.8 billion. Among several components of what was described as the “Enlarged GT” was the fibre optic. It is public knowledge that documents presented to the Inter-Ministerial Committee showed that the Social Security and National Investment Trust (SSNIT) had expressed its desire to operate a Fibre-optic network in the country but was not allowed to do so. Volta River authority had interest in the utilization of the fibre optic. However, several assets of GT were sold to Vodafone without, firstly, considering local interest. The only reason why these Governments would ignore all available options for an equitable national advantage was/is what some individuals in them would benefit from the transaction.

Notwithstanding the fact we can still wait for the Accra Commercial Court to decide as some members of the CPP still seeking from the court a declaration that the agreement, entered into by the Kuffuor government, was not in accordance with the due process of the law and was therefore a nullity, the case of GT sale to Vodafone is a clear example of the difficulty of neo-colonial regimes in effectively managing state enterprises, since their ideological interest conflicts with the framework of managing state enterprises.

The Agriculture Development Bank and Merchant Bank have similarly attracted the interest of Governments for sale to foreign private investors.

However, it is most welcoming that the Mills-Mahama administration pursued some national effort in the capital re-acquisition of state assets in the Volta Aluminium Company Ltd (VALCO) and Tema Drydock Ltd.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the sale of Government assets has evolved through all successive civilian and military Governments after 1966. This neo-colonial process has affected all productive sectors of the economy: mining, agriculture, banking, transportation etc.

Whereas on one hand, at the start of Ghana’s privatization drive, the sale of Government assets have led to significant retrenchment of labour and strengthening of capital markets for the benefit of few private individuals and firms, on the other hand state-ownership has provided 55% of employment in the formal sector excluding the civil service, and accounted for 25% of domestic investment.[3] It is worth raising the awareness of the direct and overall effects of the sale of Government assets on Ghanaian economic life in order to fast track organised mass revolt against the phenomenon for a better replacement with a dominant public ownership and prudent management of national resources.
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revolutionary 10 years ago

Well said

Well said
still rastafari 10 years ago

tribalism plus chieftaincy and the type of leaders and politicians in africa

tribalism plus chieftaincy and the type of leaders and politicians in africa
YAW 10 years ago

Free market and less government is the only way that can cure this perennial national cancer for good, or perhaps curb its destructive influence in our national life.

Baidoo"s ignorant loquacity is turning him into a repul ...
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Free market and less government is the only way that can cure this perennial national cancer for good, or perhaps curb its destructive influence in our national life.

Baidoo"s ignorant loquacity is turning him into a repulsive creep. It was the unbridled free market that made the capitalists "jettison" Africans on the ship called the Zong. The same principle applied to the "Tolpuddle Martyrs" when their capitalist boss kept reducing their wages.

Baidoo,this is the true face of your free market.

McDonald’s has found itself at the centre of a race row after an assistant manager told an employee she wouldn’t get any extra shifts because she is black.
Divine Tenn, 18, was working at a West Midland McDonald’s on a zero hour contract when she tried to sign up for some extra shifts.
But she was told by her boss Jaskaran Singh Khela that instructions had been handed down that meant no shifts were being given out to the restaurant’s 20 black workers.

On socialism.Lee Kuan Yew had no problem using state funds to build affordable housing for the workers. He had no qualms using state funds in establishing "Temasek Holdings" something similar to "Gihoc",that owns and control Singapore airlines.

Get it into your capitalist minted head that,the Asian boom has little to do with laissez-faire capitalism. It is based on gargantuan state intervention {socialism] at every conceivable level.

Your designer capitalism tells us that from Nigeria,Angola,Equa Guinea to Congo the blueprint is for the top 10 percent to live well at the expense of the 90 percent.

Baidoo"s greatest asset as a defender of capitalism and denouncer of socialism is that he is very much at sea.
Agonaba 10 years ago

"Being born in a particular tribe is sacred,nobody asked God ,father,mother,grandparent,great grandparents to be born into a certain tribe"

"Being born in a particular tribe is sacred,nobody asked God ,father,mother,grandparent,great grandparents to be born into a certain tribe"

Jack Asibu 10 years ago

Excellent piece.

Excellent piece.
insp we.i 10 years ago

You wrote a good piece but your conclusion is off mark. Are you saying
Ex president kufour was practising socialism when he made his younger brother Addo Kuffour , a medical doctor, the minister of defence?His bother in law ...
read full comment

You wrote a good piece but your conclusion is off mark. Are you saying
Ex president kufour was practising socialism when he made his younger brother Addo Kuffour , a medical doctor, the minister of defence?His bother in law JH Mensah was moved from one role to another until eventually he could not find a role in which he could perform competently? Please review your notes.
insp we.i 10 years ago

You wrote a good piece but your conclusion is off mark. Are you saying
Ex president kufour was practising socialism when he made his younger brother Addo Kuffour , a medical doctor, the minister of defence?His bother in law ...
read full comment

You wrote a good piece but your conclusion is off mark. Are you saying
Ex president kufour was practising socialism when he made his younger brother Addo Kuffour , a medical doctor, the minister of defence?His bother in law JH Mensah was moved from one role to another until eventually he could not find a role in which he could perform competently? Please review your notes.
insp we.i 10 years ago

You wrote a good piece but your conclusion is off mark. Are you saying
Ex president kufour was practising socialism when he made his younger brother Addo Kuffour , a medical doctor, the minister of defence?His bother in law ...
read full comment

You wrote a good piece but your conclusion is off mark. Are you saying
Ex president kufour was practising socialism when he made his younger brother Addo Kuffour , a medical doctor, the minister of defence?His bother in law JH Mensah was moved from one role to another until eventually he could not find a role in which he could perform competently? Please review your notes.
insp we.i 10 years ago

You wrote a good piece but your conclusion is off mark. Are you saying
Ex president kufour was practising socialism when he made his younger brother Addo Kuffour , a medical doctor, the minister of defence?His bother in law ...
read full comment

You wrote a good piece but your conclusion is off mark. Are you saying
Ex president kufour was practising socialism when he made his younger brother Addo Kuffour , a medical doctor, the minister of defence?His bother in law JH Mensah was moved from one role to another until eventually he could not find a role in which he could perform competently? Please review your notes.
insp we.i 10 years ago

You wrote a good piece but your conclusion is off mark. Are you saying
Ex president kufour was practising socialism when he made his younger brother Addo Kuffour , a medical doctor, the minister of defence?His bother in law ...
read full comment

You wrote a good piece but your conclusion is off mark. Are you saying
Ex president kufour was practising socialism when he made his younger brother Addo Kuffour , a medical doctor, the minister of defence?His bother in law JH Mensah was moved from one role to another until eventually he could not find a role in which he could perform competently? Please review your notes.
Philip Kobina Baidoo 10 years ago

Hello Insp we.i, if you follow my write ups you will know that I am not a big fun of government. On the other hand, Kufour acted just as I expected. He did not pay any price for appointing JH Mensah in the various positions y ...
read full comment

Hello Insp we.i, if you follow my write ups you will know that I am not a big fun of government. On the other hand, Kufour acted just as I expected. He did not pay any price for appointing JH Mensah in the various positions you alluded. Therefore, I don't see how this contravenes what I wrote. Thank you.

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Tribalism Is Keeping Ghana Back; Is There A Cure?

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