So, what frame of reference is the person in Ghana who did not attend college or high school...supposed to use to better understand these important matters of public policy...and nation building? How are they supposed to make the "separations"?...It is a lot far from socialism that has allowed Ghana to lose more than 75% of all original forests and vegetation since independence...The destruction of forests and landscape (mining regions included) that is still going on in Ghana must be Dr. Pryce's version of socialist Ghana..."(Prof Lungu 21 Sep 15).
The essay by Dr. Daniel Pryce was an interesting read, so much that it was doubly-posted. Really, we did not think there was any point in commenting because of the conflation of the "personal" with the "public". That is, until we saw several comments this morning.
As providence would have it, here we were, at the end of our response. Then Ghanaweb published a report titled, "Corrupt Judges must face full rigours of the law". In that piece, the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Rev Joseph Osei-Bonsu, was unequivocal:
"If the Judicial Council establishes that these judges indeed took bribes, they should be made to face the full rigours of the law”. Reminds us of Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Djan vs Dr. Mahumud Bawumia case on conditional statements about size of population and voters, in the "New Electoral Register" brouhaha!
So we do not digress, we will say that we agree totally with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference and Rev Joseph Osei-Bonsu. We will note, however, that Rev Joseph Osei-Bonsu did not make any references to Leviticus, John, Mark, Mathew, Luke, Psalm, etc., when they issued that statement on public policy with respect to the judges: Those under investigations for taking bribes, and those who excelled in the public trust, and did not take bribes to fix a case.
That ought to be instructive to all of us!
So, the essential public policy question for Dr. Daniel Pryce is this:
Are we interested in providing workable, balanced, alternative views to solving issues that impact the public domain, or are were merely interested in proselytizing, showing off our religious banner, and subliminally "decreeing" that the “Jerusalem” view and story line is totally balanced, fair, and egalitarian for Ghana?
We will remind all that Constitutionally, democracy in America where Dr. Pryce earned his college degree(s) requires "separation of powers" and "separation of church and state". (Let no one come waste our time with the nonsense that there is no Separation of God and State in America. Even rhetoric, has its limitations).
A person with a social science Ph.D. from "capitalist" USA has presumably already internalized (we hear it in the advocacy) the free market "capitalist" form of government. We must not forget that American "capitalism" necessarily has a twin (i.e. democracy): "Democracy" determines who gets what freedoms, how, when, how much, and why, still under "separation of church and state". (Ghana's Constitution, with all those Rawlingsian warts, is similar in that latter respect).
So, what frame of reference is the person in Ghana who did not attend college or high school, one who never had those "educational benefits", what frame of reference are they supposed to use to better understand these important matters of public policy so they can contribute wisely to discourse and nation building? How are they supposed to make the "separations", and respect them, and the rights of others, including those who are unlike them, in the process?
We will state plainly that Ghana is a socialist state as much as the US is a socialist state!
To the point, regarding "socialism" in Ghana or anywhere else, we imagine our Dr. Daniel Pryce missed so much of the discourse on socialism on these same "GWEB" pages. He does not seem to recognize or care to admit that he also lives in "socialist USA". That is, notwithstanding all the rhetoric about free market capitalism.
Dear, reader, download Google map and look at the landscape of Ghana. From the Atlantic coastline in the south to the upper regions of Upper West, to the Burkinabe Faso line, observe what rain forest Ghana now looks like. It is a lot far from socialism that has allowed Ghana to lose more than 75% of all original forests and vegetation since independence, when Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was overthrown by capitalists playing tunes for others. That destruction of forests and landscape (mining regions included) that is still going on in Ghana must now be Dr. Pryce's version of socialist Ghana.
How absurd!
What is one who did not go to college or even high school supposed to know, think?
But we understand, our Dr. Daniel Pryce's "...Life's been busy - work, kids, the Lord's work...". But, that is not enough for us to fill him in! The good news is "GWEB" has the record for our Dr. Pryce to review when he has time".
Ghana is a socialist state as much as Ghana is also Muslim State, even just as Ghana is also an African Priest State!
In that sense, we could have titled our essay (Re):
a. Anas Aremeyaw Anas and the Judges: Art Thou A Stranger in “Mecca”?
b. Anas Aremeyaw Anas and the Judges: Art Thou A Stranger in “Antoa”?
c. We are sure there are other people who could help fill in more blanks: Anas Aremeyaw Anas and the Judges: Art Thou A Stranger in “_______”? (Buddhist Land, ? ?).
Now, if you truly believe in free enterprise and want to be consistent, you cannot then turn around and ask the "socialist" media owned by private enterprise to assist you in nation-building that does not sell "newspapers". And it is elementary, you cannot also count on the media owned and controlled by the government to be objective when it truly counts (i.e., investigate cases Anas-style).
Finally, with respect to old cases handled by the judges being questioned for corruption, we agree: It is a fair and necessary proposal to look into cases handled in the past by those judges. (In fact, we've read several reports that say and demand exactly that). We are thinking, though, that there ought to be a date beyond which an automatic review will not occur. But rather, if an aggrieved person has a case beyond that date, then the review ought to consider.
In conclusion, we understand perfectly that Dr. Daniel Pryce's "...Life's been busy - work, kids, the Lord's work...". Still, that is not enough for us to fill him in!
Only to say that the "Free Enterprise" capitalism that Dr. Pryce seems to prefer sits next door on a continuum with "Socialism". That for the critical mind, it is not the rhetoric that says one of them is better than the other. Rather, it is the mix, all the point in-between, that allows a nation to achieve not just economic goals, but social, political, environmental, cultural, justice, etc.
A nation of all the People, for all the People, must do all of that goal-seeking/achieving, and balance liberty/Anarchy with authoritarianism/Fascism.
So it goes, Ghana!
Sources
1. Daniel Pryce, "Anas Aremeyaw Anas and the Judges: Art Thou A Stranger in 'Jerusalem'”?, Ghanaweb, 22 September 2015.
2. Ghanaweb, General News, 'Corrupt Judges' must face full rigours of the law – Clergy, 22 September 2015.
©Prof Lungu is Ghana-Centered/Ghana-Proud.
Prof Lungu is based in Washington DC, USA.
RE: Anas Aremeyaw Anas and the Judges:....Stranger in “Jerusalem”?
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