JUBILEE OIL - BLESSING OR CURSE.....?

There has been a very strong debate over the allocation of oil revenue as the Western Region wants it fair share of the national cake no matter what others say.

Interestingly that is what was promised to the people of the region during the 2008 General Elections by the current Administration. The Vice President John Mahama made the promise on a campaign platform in the Western Region to give 10 percent of the oil revenue to the people of the region if his party, the NDC, won power.

Fortunately, the NDC wrested power from the then ruling party, the NPP. And just as the first barrel of oil was about to flow from the Jubilee field a delegation of chiefs from the Western Region House of Chiefs marched straight to Parliament House. Their mission was to remind the House and the government about the promise that the Vice President made to them so that it does not become just another one of those promises by politicians that go unfulfilled.

After a warm welcome and a nice reception the chiefs were asked by the leadership of the House to return home as their request is considered. Parliament apparently did not want to set a bad precedent for other regions and communities with other natural resources.

But let’s make no mistake.

Among the major exports of Ghana including timber, cocoa and gold Western Region contributes about 57% of the entire exports revenue of the country. For Cocoa, the Western Region has been the leading producer since 2007. In the 2007/2008 cocoa season, despite all the smuggling, the region recorded 369,360 tonnes of cocoa, in 2008/2009 season, the region recorded 413,395 tonnes, and in the 2009/2010 season it recorded 359,909 tonnes of cocoa. When the Western Region is moved out of the cocoa equation, Ghana will struggle to balance its books.

Despite all these riches Western Region is one of the most neglected and underdeveloped regions in Ghana. Over the years though, rural electrification projects by the government has brought electricity to various parts of the region. But the spine of the road network in the region is crumbling due to excessive use by heavy trucks.

This is simply because heavy goods such as timber, bauxite, manganese etc which were hitherto transported by rail to Takoradi Port for export are now being transported by road.

Thus, the surfaces of the roads continuous to develop dilated “potholes or manholes” as people humorously prefer to call it.

In view of the above, Western Region has a good cause to ask for 10 percent of the oil revenue for its development. Such neglect resulted in the problem the Nigerian oil industry has in the in the Niger Delta. If Ghana can escape such a situation as exists in the Niger Delta, then the needs of the Region should not be neglected but rather addressed.

“When the frog in front falls into a pit, all others that follow take caution”.

Also, if the Jubilee oil will be a blessing and not a curse, then an example should be learnt from some best practices elsewhere in the world such as Norway. This way our country can avoid the curse that has blighted lives and economic prospects of many oil producers in Africa. Let’s help in making the Jubilee oil a blessing for all Ghanaians.

Ekow Aidoo
paanyan7@gmail.com

RICE PRODUCTION - THE STORY SO FAR

The agricultural industry is no more attractive because “things are falling apart”.

The Northern Region was known to be the “Rice city”, because of the higher quantity of rice that was produced there. Today, the region can not boost of such right again because the developments in the rice industry is “nothing to write home about”.

Ghanaians can not get locally produced rice to buy because the market is full of imported rice.
 

The going down of the rice industry in the northern region can be attributed to the political instability of the country which we had some time ago and the attitude of governments not continuing good policies started by their predecessors.

On the other hand, one would also argue that there are valleys of rice farmers and the labour force is still available but there is lack of potential will to mobilize resources, equipment and machinery for farmers to go into commercial farming.

Imported rice has become very common on the market hence the gradual demise of locally manufactured rice.

Some years back, workers of the Ghana Railways Corporation (GRC) were given locally manufactured rice as part of their Christmas bonus to motivate them to work harder.
The Railways itself has collapse and nothing can be said of the rice industry, bringing everything to “square one”.

Infrastructural support such as machinery and equipment, adequate input such as fertilizers, agro-chemicals, the breakdown of engineering service centres for farm machinery and equipment and the removal of subsidies on farm inputs had led to the abandonment of large-scale rice production.

Measures should be taken to reduce the importation of rice and promote the once manufactured locally and also to attract foreign investors.

Ekow Aidoo
paanyan7@gmail.com

GHANAIANS CAUTIONED OVER THE MISUSE OF NATIONAL SYMBOL

Mr. Baba Jamal, Deputy Minister of Information has warned the general public to desist from using the national emblems such as the coat of arms which they are not mandated use.

 

In a statement issued to climax his two week nationwide tour last Tuesday in Accra, the Deputy Minister said, through his interactions with the public he observed that the national emblems were being misused and also realised that the National Anthem was being played at private and social gatherings such as funerals and weddings.
He said “nobody has the right to use the national emblems unless permission is given”.

Mr. Jamal added that, the Coat of Arms must not be seen on private cars, private houses, offices or complimentary cards but public institutions, official government offices and the general public have the right to use the national colours.

He advised that entrepreneurs in this country must be helped to grow by patronising their locally made products to indicate that we are a proud country and aim high as the shining black star of Africa.

Mr. Baba Jamal reiterated that, his tour highlighted on three main objectives namely; to monitor how effective government information is being managed on the ground by agencies that are entrusted with such responsibilities.

Also, to foster and deepen working relation between the Information Service Department (ISD) and other agencies under the Ministry of Information and various Regional Coordinating Council’s (RCC’s) and Metropolitan and Municipal Districts Assemblies (MMD’s) to ensure effective collaboration in informing and creating enlightenment of our people and to prepare the ground for the official launch of a project code named “Ghana Database Project” which is to collect and collate complete information on all institution across the country and to make them available to the public.

The Minister added that, the Ghana Database Project aim at branding Ghana from inside and making information assessable for the public, which will go beyond mentioning of names and statistics but will give concrete information of institutions and agencies across the country.

“We wish to acknowledge that some of this information exists in other portals and websites but the Ghana Database Project is to provide a one stop database where all information of the country can be assessed”.

This, he said, will help the public who goes to the internet and to the national portal and wants information on a particular ministry, to get all the addresses of that particular ministry. This will not be available only at the national level but also at the agencies and offices across the country and to give the public adequate information about them.

Another aspect of this Database is to help the various regions adopt regional slogans to make the regions unique.

He said three regions; Ashanti, Greater Accra and the Northern regions are yet to settle on their slogans which will be part of the database, but the slogans of the seven other regions are as follows; Upper East-the light of the North, Upper West-the smile of the Xylophone, Brong Ahafo-the Best of all, Eastern-the Best starts from the East, Volta-Very Reliable, whiles Central and Western Regions adopted the Centre of Excellence and the Best Comes from the West respectively.

Ekow Aidoo
paanyan7@gmail.com

LET US SUPPORT MADE IN GHANA GOODS

It has been fifty-four (54) years now when Ghana’s first President Osegyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, in his independence speech noted that Ghanaians must realize they were no more under a colonial authority, but an independent State emphasising “the Black African is ready to fight his own battle and show that after all, the black man is capable of managing his own affairs”.

But what do we see as Ghanaians, in our taste and preference for the local products. It is evident that, the Ghanaian’s mentality is being associated with the failure of Ghanaian products to compete with foreign made products.

Governments over the years have tried to ensure that Ghanaians love their own local product rather than patronizing foreign products. For this reason, the made in Ghana products are being promoted to gain grounds on our Ghanaian markets.

During Friday’s for instance, Ghanaians are being asked to wear Made in Ghana fabric to help the private businesses grow, but this is not seen of many Ghanaians because they prefer the foreign print than the local ones. Their reason is that they are normally smart when they are in “suit and tie”.

The preference of Ghanaians adapting to the foreign product can be attributed to the colonial mentality where anything of the “white” are held to be of more quality than the ones produced locally.

The negative “African mentality” has to be fought and conquered because it is collapsing many Ghanaian industries. Condemning such act by a “Blackman” or an African can not make things better, but Ghanaians need a lot of public education and orientation about made in Ghana products.

The Ghanaian industries also need to be technologically advanced, for it is not just psychological for a Ghanaian to have a foreign preference. This is because goods produced locally are, sometimes, of inferior quality as compared to foreign products.

In economics, a consumer is said to be rational to choose goods and better products to satisfy his consumption. So the local consumer can not be blame for not patronizing made in Ghana products.

The Ghanaian producer should make efforts to improve the quality of locally manufactured goods so that the Blackman prove to the world that he can manage his own affairs.

Ekow Aidoo
paanyan7@gmail.com

POSITIVE THINKING

In our world today, individuals can be classified into two group, i.e. Achievers and Non-achievers. Make no mistake because God created all of us equal. He did not create any one as an achiever (successful) and non-achiever (failure). It is the state of the mind of the individual that maketh either an achiever or non-achiever.

What one becomes in future depends on the way he/she think today.
Those who succeed in life and those who fail in life have different things in common. They think in different directions, i.e. Achievers think positively (clockwise) and Non-achievers think negatively (anti-clockwise).

It is through this thinking process that will determine whether one is flourishing or malfunctioning. Keep in mind that, good thoughts yield good results and translates into good actions whereas bad thoughts yield bad actions and is associated with bad results.

A mentor in an individual’s life is very important. Everybody needs a mentor. Having a mentor helps one to emulate his/her good aspects of life that helped him/her to reach higher. These mentors are achievers because they always think positively.

One cannot be an achiever when the maker is left behind. As the apostle Paul wrote to the Philipians; “i can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”.

I strongly believe that when we make the LORD part of the things that we do we will “smile at the storm”, and let remember always that “WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE”.

Ekow Aidoo
paanyan7@gmail.com

CHOLERA, VERY DEADLY!

Since diarrhoea is one of the symptoms of cholera, i was very scared to visit the hospital when i experienced frequent watery stool recently.

The wind of cholera has started blowing in Accra and for that matter the whole country. Lives have been lost and many infected with this dangerous disease.

Vibrio Cholerae’s {V. Cholerae} infection of the small intestine have made eating and drinking very difficult, because the primary transmission of this epidemic disease is through consuming contaminated drinking water or food.

Research has proven that the developed countries {USA}, seafood usually cause’s cholera, while in the developing countries, it is mostly water.

It is for this reason that the Ghana Standard Board and other Health organizations and personnel are warning us to be very cautious of what we take and drink {especially “pure water”}.

If the “dirty water” is the main transmitter of this deadly disease in Ghana, then what should we drink when we are thirsty because we have been made to believe that these have been treated and are pure?

Also, what should we use to mix the only first aid {O.R.S.}, when one realizes that he or she has profuse diarrhoea and vomiting?

If cleanliness is next to Godliness, then filth is next to acquiring of cholera. Therefore, let all Tom, Dick, and Harry help in keeping our surroundings clean, because its through dirty that we acquire cholera and it’s not harmless, but harmful and deadly.

Ekow Aidoo
paanyan7@gmail.com

NO MAN OR WOMAN, BORN OF A WOMAN CAN ALTER YOUR DESTINY

My friends, the universe may be vast, but it can also be a wonderfully interconnective place .Nobody can alter your God given destiny. What God has spoken concerning your life, must surely manifest to his glory. No matter how long it takes, no matter what the powers that “be.” do to you and your destiny.

Folks, what God has ordained for your life will come to pass like the “WHIRLWIND”. That is where people will begin to question whether or not it is you they are seeing.My friends, the last time I had an encounter with God and I think I have to share it with you. No matter what your religious inclinations are, you know something about Governor Joseph and his brothers. You have heard of his dreams and how he was envied by his own blood brothers. How he was subjected to ridicule and frustrations, how they had wanted to kill him, just because they wanted to alter his destiny.

Eventually they succeeded in selling him into slavery, thinking they had gotten a “touch-down” in their bid to change their brother’s destiny. God, who knew what he had in store for Sir Joseph, lifted him from DISGRACE unto GRACE. Even in slavery, God’s spoken word concerning Joseph’s life manifested. He became a governor and the first minister of food and agriculture in Egypt.

Through this, his brothers, his parents and the entire descendants of father Abraham at the time were saved from hunger and starvation. This fulfilled a long awaited spoken word on the destiny of Joseph. 

You might be facing similar situation or going through a lot of difficulties, talebearers are frustrating you, they are saying all sort of things about you to your bosses .You have lost your bearings in life, your job is lost, your position and all the goodies that life represents are gone. To you, there is no light at the end of the tunnel. You have tried everything humanly possible just to make things happen. Yet there seem to be no end in sight.

Nothing seems to be working for you. Whatever you hold seems to be falling apart. You are being swallowed by debts and all sort of financial storms. Are you about to give up? Have you given up? Are you planning to commit suicide and saying that life is not fair? Or are you saying that God is not fair? Folks, God’s plans for you are so special and spectacular, as even your enemies think they are sending you into bondage and trying to ex-communicate you from society, God is preparing a very great throne for you. He is making a way where there seem to be no way for you. You will definitely be counting your blessings and naming them one by one.

Do not give up! Your miracle is just on the way. If God in his infinite mercy and grace, can forgive me, and deliver me from my enemies, to fulfill my destiny. Then he can do likewise for you. My God whom I serve shall supply you all your needs according to his riches in glory.Cast your cares and burden unto him who is able, his name is JESUS. He is always at hand to give you rest .
 

Remember that what is written is written. Your detractors will always try to derail you, but always let God arise and his enemies will be scattered! AMEN. You are blessed. God will make you more honorable he will make you so great.

Ekow Mensah-Shalders (I.D.P.F USA)

idemocracypf@journalist.com