TWO FINGERS IN THY MOUTH, FIVE IN THY RECTUM: THE CHRONICLES OF NANA ADDO, THE NDC AND THE PEOPLE.
By Issifu Seidu Kudus Gbeadese
(0244198031)
skseidu_14@yahoo.com
“The chick that will grow into a hen can spotted the very day it hatches”...this was Okonkwo’s fear with the arrival of the Europeans in Nigeria in the late Nineteenth Century as captured in the Novel, “Things Fall Apart”. The cry of Okonkwo was borne out of the conspicuous danger the African Culture was due to suffer with the imposition of the White man’s culture and religion on the African. It’s much the same way the actions of the Nana Addo led government and the growing levels of impunity today are a reflection of what was shown the Ghanaian people when NPP was in opposition and immediately they assume power in 2017.
The formation of militant groups (invincible forces, delta forces, etc) to serve as parallel forces of the security agencies in Ghana while in opposition is a sign that with state power to control and expend resources, they can do anything to anybody and still call the bluff of the Ghanaian people. After testing their two fingers in our mouths and never got bitten, they will surely put the five fingers in our rectum and play with our intestines and lungs.
Once nobody got fired and nobody saw the need to apologize and take responsibility for stealing parts of speeches of three Presidents for Nana Addo to read to the Ghanaian people and the world, we were being told to prepare for their worse. The embarrassment that greeted us with this incident is still fresh in our minds. That was the beginning of the test of the patience and tolerance of the people.
The NDC and the Ghanaian people should never expect President Nana Addo and his NPP to do anything better than the display of arrogance, vindictiveness, abuse of power, broad day robbery from the public purse, harassment of dissenting voices, intimidation and the return of culture of silence among others. The show of excessive forms of tolerance to the above serves as a fertile ground for them to firm their grips and beat the hell out of us.
To my NDC comrades and the genuine dissenting voices, get prepared for the worse. The harassment of John Mahama out of his official bungalow with the excuse that Dr Bawumia (VEEP) was homeless but finally got the Senior Minister to occupy the same bungalow should have signaled us that this battle won’t be cool. They are currently chasing Chairman Ofosu Ampofo around over leaked tape while the real threats to the peace of this country are serving in sensitive positions in government. All these are testimonies to the fact that we the flies who chant around without any grounding can easily be crushed without stress. So what surprises you when Sammy Gyamfi got ambushed and ultimately arrested after a TV Program? If we didn’t see this coming then, we are some jokers in this redefined democracy of Akufo-Addo.
The beating of ACP Nanka Bruce at the seat of government by the militants of the NPP was a message to the police force that the invincible forces now have power over them once Nana Addo is President of Ghana. The Ayawaso West Wuogon show at the by-election was a equally a message to the Ghanaian that the 2020 election might be a battle of the strong and not ideas. Today, Double and his gang of militants operating as National Security Operatives are paid with our taxes after the government threw the Emile Short’s recommendations to the bin. Do we have a National Peace Council?
The disruption of court proceedings in Kumasi by the Delta Forces and the subsequent filing of no case by government should have told the Judiciary that “contempt of court” was being redefined by the NPP and applied as they defined. Those Delta Force Militants are walking free and living at the expense of the taxpayer while an arrest warrant is served on Kelvin Taylor by a Judge. The open attacks of Hon Kennedy Agyapong on the Military for refusing to employ his over 100 NPP boys into the service without following the recruitment procedure is a clear indication that the respect for the barracks is about to be waived. Who doesn’t fear and respect the military uniform?
The killing of Ahmed Hussein-Suale and its attended challenges; the threats on the head of Anas Aremeyaw Anas, the Internationally Celebrated Investigative Journalist; the threats on Manasseh and his subsequent exile; the threats on Edward Adeti for exposing corruption in NPP government and the several cases of intimidation and open attacks on Journalists and media houses for doing less of what they did to the Mahama administration marks the return of the culture of silence in multitudes. Is it the case that the media is enjoying this and are only interested in reviewing Ananse stories on their shows, interviewing Fake Prophets and not the protection of its members? Once Kennedy Agyapong and the NPP succeeded in deliberately denting the image of an Award Winning Investigative Journalist like Anas, the rest of the media men and women are just like carrots who can be chewed without boiling.
As businesses are struggling to break even; as importers are struggling with rising BPs because of the depreciation of the cedi and ever increasing port charges; as the trotro driver is making up with the unannounced increases in prices of petroleum products; as the banking sub-sector is sinking and employment shrinking in alongside; and as the suffering Ghanaian continue to suffer in solitude, the Electoral Commission of Ghana is bent on blowing several millions of dollars on a register almost 40 CSOs, several political parties and majority of Ghanaians said they don’t need. Even when their lame explanations and ever changing narratives are further exposing the selfish intentions, they NPP’s General Secretary, Mr John Boadu came to announce the date for the commencement of the exercise. The worse scenario is even that the Emile Short led Eminent Advisory Committee’s request for a meeting with EC and the IPAC has angered the EC to come out to corroborate the announcement made by John Boadu on the date for the said exercise. If this is not arrogance, if this is not abuse of power, if this is not disrespect, if this is not insensitivity, then I am still looking around to find any reasonable but sound description of the EC’s actions.
Ambulances are parked for close to 5 months because the President want to cut a tape in a ceremony organize with taxes, and not even the noise from the Ghanaian would get the government sensitive. An innocent medical student had to suffer arrest for a harmless protest before the University of Ghana Medical Centre got partially operationalized. As we speak, the Ghana Maritime Authority and the Bank of Ghana Hospitals are locked up without explanation. Are we contend with the no bed syndrome and the pain and frustration many a pregnant woman go through in Korle Bu and 37? Several hospital projects have been abandoned and not even the call from chiefs will sound any meaning in the ears of the President and his appointees. Some selected road projects which were ongoing have been suspended with the excuse that some auditing were being done and for three years now, no audit report has been published and work on those roads have not commenced. Is the Ghanaian this tolerant or Mahama was just not lucky?
Appointees who hitherto were ordinary dependents are now overnight rich men who call all the shocks in towns and villages. Their flamboyance and opulence are put on stages without fear. The President is flying private jets at a cost to the taxpayer and his cousin is directing government agenda out of government. The NPP senior members are openly declaring their intention to steal the 2020 elections on talk shows and not at cabinet meetings. All these have passed the test for the real show in December 2020.
Perhaps, the show put out by the NPP militants at Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election and the statement by the majority leader in Parliament to the effect that with the compilation of the new register, the NDC will never win an election in this country might just be as dangerous as the operations of terrorists groups in Somalia. And this must be worrying to the Ghanaian than the so called leak tape from Chairman Ofosu or some so called cyber crimes by Sammy Gyamfi.
To my NDC comrades, no amount of press conferences or releases from our council of elders will get the NPP to be democratic and sincere during election 2020. No amount of expose’ of corruption in this government will stop them from engaging in same acts now and forever. The language the NPP understands is different from the language the NDC is speaking now. Why not stiff boycots? Why not simultaneous peaceful demonstrations across regions? Beware! The second coming of Nana Addo will witness the highest form of impunity in Ghana. If we are lucky, they will only chase all of us into exile and sell this country to the Danquah’s so we can serve as refugees in other countries in peace.
Get down from your gentle horses and act as citizens. I know the NDC love this country, and I know the NDC will be the last to pray for any instability, but that shouldn’t serve as our weaknesses. We need to rescue this country and this must be a civic duty to all of us.
I am a patriotic citizen! Shalom!
Monday, 27 January 2020
Saturday, 22 June 2019
RE:NPP LOVES KAMARAS THAN THE NDC-NPP.
Issifu Seidu Kudus Gbeadese
(0244198031)
It is very refreshing to note that after failing the good people of Damongo Constituency, the NPP surrogates have decided to dabble in ethnocentrism and tribal politics. I am excessively bruised and ashamed as a Kamara who has high expectations for the Kamaras not only those who are back home in Laribanga and Nabori but Kamaras all over the world. We always deserve better because we are not one of those mediocre group of people who are so inward-looking that, nothing of external pricks our conscience. We deserve better as Kamaras!
It’s very interesting reading an article written by one Habib Mandeya with the caption: NPP loves Kamaras more than the NDC. In this article, one Osman Iddi who is supposed to be the NPP coordinator for the Laribanga electoral area was quoted in the context of the above caption. A further elaboration sought to highlight some scattered dots of development that the NPP undertook in Laribanga ONLY. Without much I do, I wish to add to these scattered dots of development projects but this time, not only would it be from the perspective of the NDC but it would be as comprehensive as possible. But let me say that the Kamara people are predominantly spread across Laribanga and Nabori so this would as well include the works of the NDC in Nabori.
Under electrification:
To begin with, it was under NDC that Laribanga was connected to the National Grid alongside Damongo and Canteen. In fact, Laribanga was the only community that was chosen outside of Damongo to be connected in 1998/99. So any other economic activity that operates with the support of electricity in Laribanga should be credited to the NDC. NPP in power for the 8 long years couldn’t erect a single streetlight to boost the security situation in Laribanga until the return of the NDC in 2009. Even as we speak the NPP is in power with a Kamara as a DCE and a Kamara appointee to the Hajj Board, but it has to take an NDC MP to replace fused bulbs and changed most of the streetlights to LED streetlights. After the NPP failed woefully in the area of rural electrification, the return of the NDC saw the connection of Nabori to the national grid and got the entire community connected with streetlights to boost the security situation. In fact, Nabori was selected amongst two other communities (Busunu and Achubunyor) to be connected before the massive connection along the Fufulso-Damongo-Sawla road.
Under Education the following were/are the projects undertaken by the NDC in Laribanga and Nabori: the first ever school block in Laribanga was built by the NDC which is opposite the Laribanga park. It wasn’t just a single structure but other two structures were built alongside by same NDC. Also, A 6 unit classroom block was built opposite the Laribanga mystic stone. It is not true that it is the NPP that built the first teacher’s bungalow in Laribanga. There was a teacher’s quarters built by the NDC way before the coming of the NPP in 2001 which they came to add to, so my friend should do his research very well. Another three unit classroom block was under construction before NDC left power and it had to take the NDC members in Laribanga to ask for the school to be completed after its blocks were moved to construct a pavilion in Sieyiri. The first Kindergarten in Laribanga was built by the NDC government opposite the Mystic stone which was ably supported by USAID. The current teacher’s quarters at Nabori was built by the NDC in 2010.
Under health:
The NPP in 8 years from 2001 to 2008 struggled to complete just a two side-rooms CHPS compound for the people of Laribanga but couldn’t. Before they left office in 2008, the people of Laribanga still struggled to share the Mole Health Centre or at best travel on bicycles with pregnant women to the West Gonja District Hospital. The NDC MP and the DCE in 2011 came to complete the structure, furnished and commissioned it into use in July 2011. In the course of the commissioning, the then DCE promised to convert the said facility into a Health Centre by providing additional facilities for nurses to stay in Laribanga instead of traveling tro and fro Damongo to attend to patients. In view of this promise, additional two semi detached nurses bungalows were constructed by the DCE through DDF. As a result of the construction of the Fufulso-Damongo-Sawla road, an additional bigger facility with OPD and other units where patients can admitted have been provided and another two semi detached nurses bungalows constructed to house all staff with in Laribanga. This facility was furnished with up to date equipment for effective delivery of services. A mechanized borehole was drilled by this facility to serve the Health Centre and the staff with water. The MP for Damongo, Hon Adam Mutawakilu then added an Ambulance in 2016 to make the Centre more effective with emergency services. When the ambulance later broke down, the NPP government refused to fix it and it has to take the MP to still call for the Ambulance to be fixed as though it were his personal property. It’s still been worked on after the current administration refused to work on it.
The Fufulso-Damongo-Sawla road project didn’t pass through Laribanga just like that, it came with ancillary facilities. Under the project, a parking lot was constructed at the entrance of the Mystic stone, 6 mechanized boreholes were drilled in addition to an already drilled mechanized borehole which the people still refers to as “John Mahama”. A dam was also built as a result of the construction of of the road which is still the single most biggest source of water for building and other economic activities for the people of Laribanga. Due to this, the people have named it the “Chinese dam”.
In order to empower the women in the West Gonja District, the NDC government through the DCE and for that matter the District Assembly initiated the village savings and loans scheme in collaboration with Jaksali in 2011. In order to sustain this, the DCE through the District Assembly committed funds as collateral so that some level of trust was injected into the operations of Jaksali. Today, other organizations like the World Vision and the rest have joined this scheme and the District has not less than 380 women groups and counting. The first time it was rolled out, just a little about 4 groups were enrolled from Laribanga, today we are talking about more than 40 of these groups and still growing. This was a novelty and the most single initiative that is supporting families to sustain their economic activities and survival.
As for the issue of who was/is appointed by which government, the output and its relative impact on the lives of the people should form the bases of our conversation and not just the mere fact that they are our own. I have decided to build my argument on this analogy because of the position and posture of the NPP in not only Damongo Constituency but the entire Gonjaland to the effect that, our support as Gonjalanders for the NDC shouldn’t be because Former President John Mahama is one of us but what his contribution to the development of the place has being. When we mention the massive infrastructure and human capital developments in Gonjaland under John Mahama as President, they still tell us it’s not enough. So I dare say that the people of Laribanga haven’t had enough of developments with their own being at the helm of affairs according to the narrative of the NPP in the Damongo Constituency. But Osman has just told us that Mr Haruna Yussif, who is an elected constituency executive of the NDC in the Damongo Constituency isn’t a Kamara or less of a Kamara as Alhaji Adam who is the Constituency chairman of the NPP by accident . Or maybe the current Presiding Member of the West Gonja District Assembly, Mr Katribi, is less of a Kamara as he Osman Iddi. Is that good enough for our brotherhood? It’s a shame!
We are yet to see the completion of a single room of the so called Islamic Secondary School in Laribanga since it took the NPP 8 long years to build just one single CHPS compound.
Shalom 🙏🙏.
Issifu Seidu Kudus Gbeadese
(0244198031)
It is very refreshing to note that after failing the good people of Damongo Constituency, the NPP surrogates have decided to dabble in ethnocentrism and tribal politics. I am excessively bruised and ashamed as a Kamara who has high expectations for the Kamaras not only those who are back home in Laribanga and Nabori but Kamaras all over the world. We always deserve better because we are not one of those mediocre group of people who are so inward-looking that, nothing of external pricks our conscience. We deserve better as Kamaras!
It’s very interesting reading an article written by one Habib Mandeya with the caption: NPP loves Kamaras more than the NDC. In this article, one Osman Iddi who is supposed to be the NPP coordinator for the Laribanga electoral area was quoted in the context of the above caption. A further elaboration sought to highlight some scattered dots of development that the NPP undertook in Laribanga ONLY. Without much I do, I wish to add to these scattered dots of development projects but this time, not only would it be from the perspective of the NDC but it would be as comprehensive as possible. But let me say that the Kamara people are predominantly spread across Laribanga and Nabori so this would as well include the works of the NDC in Nabori.
Under electrification:
To begin with, it was under NDC that Laribanga was connected to the National Grid alongside Damongo and Canteen. In fact, Laribanga was the only community that was chosen outside of Damongo to be connected in 1998/99. So any other economic activity that operates with the support of electricity in Laribanga should be credited to the NDC. NPP in power for the 8 long years couldn’t erect a single streetlight to boost the security situation in Laribanga until the return of the NDC in 2009. Even as we speak the NPP is in power with a Kamara as a DCE and a Kamara appointee to the Hajj Board, but it has to take an NDC MP to replace fused bulbs and changed most of the streetlights to LED streetlights. After the NPP failed woefully in the area of rural electrification, the return of the NDC saw the connection of Nabori to the national grid and got the entire community connected with streetlights to boost the security situation. In fact, Nabori was selected amongst two other communities (Busunu and Achubunyor) to be connected before the massive connection along the Fufulso-Damongo-Sawla road.
Under Education the following were/are the projects undertaken by the NDC in Laribanga and Nabori: the first ever school block in Laribanga was built by the NDC which is opposite the Laribanga park. It wasn’t just a single structure but other two structures were built alongside by same NDC. Also, A 6 unit classroom block was built opposite the Laribanga mystic stone. It is not true that it is the NPP that built the first teacher’s bungalow in Laribanga. There was a teacher’s quarters built by the NDC way before the coming of the NPP in 2001 which they came to add to, so my friend should do his research very well. Another three unit classroom block was under construction before NDC left power and it had to take the NDC members in Laribanga to ask for the school to be completed after its blocks were moved to construct a pavilion in Sieyiri. The first Kindergarten in Laribanga was built by the NDC government opposite the Mystic stone which was ably supported by USAID. The current teacher’s quarters at Nabori was built by the NDC in 2010.
Under health:
The NPP in 8 years from 2001 to 2008 struggled to complete just a two side-rooms CHPS compound for the people of Laribanga but couldn’t. Before they left office in 2008, the people of Laribanga still struggled to share the Mole Health Centre or at best travel on bicycles with pregnant women to the West Gonja District Hospital. The NDC MP and the DCE in 2011 came to complete the structure, furnished and commissioned it into use in July 2011. In the course of the commissioning, the then DCE promised to convert the said facility into a Health Centre by providing additional facilities for nurses to stay in Laribanga instead of traveling tro and fro Damongo to attend to patients. In view of this promise, additional two semi detached nurses bungalows were constructed by the DCE through DDF. As a result of the construction of the Fufulso-Damongo-Sawla road, an additional bigger facility with OPD and other units where patients can admitted have been provided and another two semi detached nurses bungalows constructed to house all staff with in Laribanga. This facility was furnished with up to date equipment for effective delivery of services. A mechanized borehole was drilled by this facility to serve the Health Centre and the staff with water. The MP for Damongo, Hon Adam Mutawakilu then added an Ambulance in 2016 to make the Centre more effective with emergency services. When the ambulance later broke down, the NPP government refused to fix it and it has to take the MP to still call for the Ambulance to be fixed as though it were his personal property. It’s still been worked on after the current administration refused to work on it.
The Fufulso-Damongo-Sawla road project didn’t pass through Laribanga just like that, it came with ancillary facilities. Under the project, a parking lot was constructed at the entrance of the Mystic stone, 6 mechanized boreholes were drilled in addition to an already drilled mechanized borehole which the people still refers to as “John Mahama”. A dam was also built as a result of the construction of of the road which is still the single most biggest source of water for building and other economic activities for the people of Laribanga. Due to this, the people have named it the “Chinese dam”.
In order to empower the women in the West Gonja District, the NDC government through the DCE and for that matter the District Assembly initiated the village savings and loans scheme in collaboration with Jaksali in 2011. In order to sustain this, the DCE through the District Assembly committed funds as collateral so that some level of trust was injected into the operations of Jaksali. Today, other organizations like the World Vision and the rest have joined this scheme and the District has not less than 380 women groups and counting. The first time it was rolled out, just a little about 4 groups were enrolled from Laribanga, today we are talking about more than 40 of these groups and still growing. This was a novelty and the most single initiative that is supporting families to sustain their economic activities and survival.
As for the issue of who was/is appointed by which government, the output and its relative impact on the lives of the people should form the bases of our conversation and not just the mere fact that they are our own. I have decided to build my argument on this analogy because of the position and posture of the NPP in not only Damongo Constituency but the entire Gonjaland to the effect that, our support as Gonjalanders for the NDC shouldn’t be because Former President John Mahama is one of us but what his contribution to the development of the place has being. When we mention the massive infrastructure and human capital developments in Gonjaland under John Mahama as President, they still tell us it’s not enough. So I dare say that the people of Laribanga haven’t had enough of developments with their own being at the helm of affairs according to the narrative of the NPP in the Damongo Constituency. But Osman has just told us that Mr Haruna Yussif, who is an elected constituency executive of the NDC in the Damongo Constituency isn’t a Kamara or less of a Kamara as Alhaji Adam who is the Constituency chairman of the NPP by accident . Or maybe the current Presiding Member of the West Gonja District Assembly, Mr Katribi, is less of a Kamara as he Osman Iddi. Is that good enough for our brotherhood? It’s a shame!
We are yet to see the completion of a single room of the so called Islamic Secondary School in Laribanga since it took the NPP 8 long years to build just one single CHPS compound.
Shalom 🙏🙏.
Wednesday, 24 April 2019
THE NATIONAL CHIEF IMAM ON A RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE TEST?
By Issifu Seidu Kudus Gbeadese
(0244198031).
I bring to you the usual Islamic greetings “Salam Alaikum”. May Allah’s blessings and peace be upon us all. May Allah forgive us for our inadequacies. May we be guided by the word of God and not by man’s dictates.
Just a quick reminder; I am writing this not as an Islamic scholar, but just an ordinary-moderate-practicing Muslim. Religion they say and believe is complex, but complex not because of its spiritual underpinnings but out of the creation of man due to greed and the quest to exploit the ignorance of another man. This is a personal observation and not a widely held opinion based on research. So take note!
Before the advent of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula, there were several faiths including, Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, Polytheists and even those who believed in nothing. And when Islam began to spread especially after the migration of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) from Mecca to Yathrib (Madina), these faiths were never denounced but rather accommodated and recognized as a whole part of religious life in Madina where Islam became a formal state. So according to Islamic Scholars and Historians, when the first constitution “Saheeha”was promulgated guided by the precepts of Islam to regulate life and property in Madina, all the existing faiths were duly recognized and protected. In fact, the first article in this constitution captured it clearly-“....one nation to the exclusion of all others...” The extended portions of this constitution sets a clear path as to how the Jews and other faiths were to be protected-“....To the Jews who follow us belong, we should help and treat them with equity. He(Jew) shall not be harmed nor his enemies be protected.” To this, any attack on other religions or tribe was considered an attack on Islam and by extension the state. That was why the Jews were allowed to have their own school called Bait-ul-Midras where they recited the “Torah”, worshipped and taught themselves. So when did Islam/Muslims start to discriminate against “the people of the book” as they were referred to by the early scholars?
Allah Almighty in His wisdom admonished Mankind not to force belief systems on one another. That is why he said in the Holy Quran 2:256...”there is no compulsion in religion.” The “tafsir” (further and better particulars) of this verse give meaning to religious plurality on the surface of this earth and thereby give the rights to individuals to choose the path which they believe to be true. Religion is not to be, and was never, forced upon against individuals against their will. Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) therefore left his life as both a religious and political leader to uphold these tenets in order to give effect to the above verse.
By the above narratives, I dare ask these simple questions, has the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Nuhu Sharabutu committed “shrik” (an unpardonable sin) when he attended upon a church to interact with them? Could he ever be wrong for praying with his fellow Christians? Before I attempt some answers to these questions, let me quote this Hadith to give some background and effect to my answers...”The Prophet (PBUH) said: Religion is very easy and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way. So you should not be an extremist, but try to be near perfection and receive the good tidings that will be rewarded”. Sahih Bukhari Vol. 1, Book 2, No. 38.
The above Hadith simply teaches us the simplicity in Islam and condemns religious extremists who go extra beyond the very dictates of the religion to harm others and pass judgment on colleague Muslims without any justification. I read on social media the unwarranted attacks on the Chief Imam and the straight forward judgement from colleague Muslims for worshipping with Christians. What is his crime? Don’t Christians sit with us in our mosques anytime we have our weddings (Nikka)? Don’t they sit and listen to our sermons which sometimes speak against their beliefs? What is the difference?
To the extent that the Old Man never made any “intention
By Issifu Seidu Kudus Gbeadese
(0244198031).
I bring to you the usual Islamic greetings “Salam Alaikum”. May Allah’s blessings and peace be upon us all. May Allah forgive us for our inadequacies. May we be guided by the word of God and not by man’s dictates.
Just a quick reminder; I am writing this not as an Islamic scholar, but just an ordinary-moderate-practicing Muslim. Religion they say and believe is complex, but complex not because of its spiritual underpinnings but out of the creation of man due to greed and the quest to exploit the ignorance of another man. This is a personal observation and not a widely held opinion based on research. So take note!
Before the advent of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula, there were several faiths including, Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, Polytheists and even those who believed in nothing. And when Islam began to spread especially after the migration of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) from Mecca to Yathrib (Madina), these faiths were never denounced but rather accommodated and recognized as a whole part of religious life in Madina where Islam became a formal state. So according to Islamic Scholars and Historians, when the first constitution “Saheeha”was promulgated guided by the precepts of Islam to regulate life and property in Madina, all the existing faiths were duly recognized and protected. In fact, the first article in this constitution captured it clearly-“....one nation to the exclusion of all others...” The extended portions of this constitution sets a clear path as to how the Jews and other faiths were to be protected-“....To the Jews who follow us belong, we should help and treat them with equity. He(Jew) shall not be harmed nor his enemies be protected.” To this, any attack on other religions or tribe was considered an attack on Islam and by extension the state. That was why the Jews were allowed to have their own school called Bait-ul-Midras where they recited the “Torah”, worshipped and taught themselves. So when did Islam/Muslims start to discriminate against “the people of the book” as they were referred to by the early scholars?
Allah Almighty in His wisdom admonished Mankind not to force belief systems on one another. That is why he said in the Holy Quran 2:256...”there is no compulsion in religion.” The “tafsir” (further and better particulars) of this verse give meaning to religious plurality on the surface of this earth and thereby give the rights to individuals to choose the path which they believe to be true. Religion is not to be, and was never, forced upon against individuals against their will. Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) therefore left his life as both a religious and political leader to uphold these tenets in order to give effect to the above verse.
By the above narratives, I dare ask these simple questions, has the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Nuhu Sharabutu committed “shrik” (an unpardonable sin) when he attended upon a church to interact with them? Could he ever be wrong for praying with his fellow Christians? Before I attempt some answers to these questions, let me quote this Hadith to give some background and effect to my answers...”The Prophet (PBUH) said: Religion is very easy and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way. So you should not be an extremist, but try to be near perfection and receive the good tidings that will be rewarded”. Sahih Bukhari Vol. 1, Book 2, No. 38.
The above Hadith simply teaches us the simplicity in Islam and condemns religious extremists who go extra beyond the very dictates of the religion to harm others and pass judgment on colleague Muslims without any justification. I read on social media the unwarranted attacks on the Chief Imam and the straight forward judgement from colleague Muslims for worshipping with Christians. What is his crime? Don’t Christians sit with us in our mosques anytime we have our weddings (Nikka)? Don’t they sit and listen to our sermons which sometimes speak against their beliefs? What is the difference?
To the extent that the Old Man never made any “intention
Wednesday, 6 February 2019
BASKIN AFRICA CALLS ON THE GOVERNMENT OF GHANA TO RESTORE LAW AND ORDER TO AVOID ANY CHAOS IN GHANA
BASKIN Africa, a civil society organization in Ghana has joined well-meaning Ghanaians and several other International Organizations including governments and their allied agencies to call on the Government of Ghana to as a matter of urgency restore law and order to avert a degeneration of the emergent chaos and disorder. This call is necessitated by the plethora of insecurity cases in recent times; bolstered political party vigilantism, phenomenal daylight robberies, strange kidnappings, targeted killings, marauding electoral violence and a host of other very obscene acts of violence and lawlessness which have become the bane of our young but flourishing, and heavily touted democratic credentials. Indeed, citizens and allies of this great nation are justified in their worry over the seemingly endless cycle of impunity because, at a break of any unrest, the affluent political elite can afford to escape, leaving the vulnerable and deprived to helpless and yet, needless sufferings.
Wednesday, 23 January 2019
THE LOVE AFFAIR BETWEEN DAGBON AND GONJA: A RELATIONSHIP BUILT TO LAST.
By Issifu Seidu Kudus Gbeadese
(0244198031)
Oral history they say is largely subjective, but in it are a few extracts of objective recount of practical events in the past which give labels to nations, Kingdoms, people etc. The histories of Gonja and Dagbon as are told and handed over to generations are with some enviable similarities (culture, tradition etc). And over the period (spanning hundreds of years and beyond), Dagombas and Gonjas have lived a life with one enviable face as people of Northern Descent.
Northern Region has four great Kingdoms (Dagbon, Gonja, Nanum and Mamprugu). Among these, Dagbon has a greater share in terms of population and in many other areas. These Kingdoms have lived over all these years, share land boundaries, cultures, intermarriages etc. The Kings and their people respected and still respect each other. I won’t be far from right if I say Dagbon and Gonja Kingdoms have closed land boundaries than Dagbon and the other two Kingdoms. From the East, Dagbon shares boundaries with Gonja in East Gonja (Kpembe Traditional Area). In the South, Dagbon shares boundaries with Kusawgu traditional area in the Central Gonja District. And in the North, Gonja (Wasipe) shares boundaries with Dagbon in the North Gonja District. This creates a platform for us to share most social amenities (markets, schools, roads, health facilities etc).
Aside Traditional and Cultural Relationships, it is on record that popular and influential figures in both Kingdoms have intermarried and their offerings are now coded blood (Dagbon-Gonja mix). Alhaji Mustapha Ali, one of the finest Dagbon politician married to a Gonja Woman. Alhaji Hudu Yahaya, one of the respected sons of Dagbon has a Gonja as a wife. Our own Hon Gilbert Iddi couldn’t stand the beauty of Dagomba ladies when he moved to Tamale, so he got married to one of the finest and respected Dagomba woman. Our own Hon Mutala Ibrahim is an offspring of Dagomba-Gonja intermarriage. In fact, he was partly raised by his maternal grandfather from Daboya. This relationships crossed borders from traditional to culture, to religion, to social and politics.
It is a known fact that some of our finest Islamic clerics from Gonjaland especially from Damongo were taught and nurtured by Dagomba Islamic Clerics. Sheikh Afajura of blessed memory taught and nurtured respected Islamic Clerics like Alhaji Ustaz Kassim and Alhaji Ustaz Abubakr Gozabri both from Damongo. Many other young men and women from Gonjaland are still under the tutorship of offerings of Sheikh Afajura even today. This is Dagbon and Gonja relationship.
In the political and commerce fronts, just as how Gonjaland Politicians and businessmen over the years have groomed and gave opportunities to Dagombas, same way Dagombas have groomed and given such opportunities to Gonjas. In the heat of the debate about family and friends government under Former President John Dramani Mahama, his opponents and critics never discriminated between appointees from Gonjaland and that of Dagbon. In fact, in most cases, the first names they start to mention are the Hon Inusah Fuseini’s, the Hon Haruna Iddrisu’s even before they would remember the likes of Mohammed Muniru Limuna (a Gonja). Under HE John Mahama, Dagombas represented Northern Region in his cabinet if we do the computation well. This was a time when Gonjaland had given the NDC and HE John Mahama all the 7 seats, but non of the MPs was even appointed by President John Mahama as a Deputy Minister. But we had Lawyer Haruna Iddrisu (MP) as a cabinet minister, Lawyer Inusah (MP) as a Cabinet Minister, Hon ABA Fuseini as a Deputy Minister, Hon Murtala Mohammed (MP) as a Deputy Minister, Hon Dr Ahmed Yakubu Alhassan (MP) as a Deputy Minister. In all these, Northern Region, Gonjaland and Dagbon were proud of these sons serving in HE John Mahama’s government. Not the Gonjaland Youth Association, Not Gonja Traditional Council, not the Gonjaland NDC Youth Caucus and not even the Gonjaland MPs Caucus had cause to raise a voice against HE John Mahama for not appointing their MPs and rather appointing their Dagomba counterparts. This is the extent of the cordial relationship that exist between Gonjas and Dagombas. A lot of Gonjaland Politicians got groomed under HE Aliu Mahama as a VEEP. It would forever remain in the Political history of Ghana that HE Alaji Aliu Mahama (A Dagomba) rose to the political apex of Ghana before HE John Dramani Mahama (A Gonja) rose to become a VEEP and a President ultimately. There is no competition in this, after all, when the clouds of stereotypes are falling on Northerners, nobody (outside of Northern Ghana) has the luxury of time to find out who a Dagomba or a Gonja is. Some of us who have schooled in the South had the fare share of the stereotype on the happenings in Bawku, in Dagbon, Bimbilla, Chereponi, recently in Bole etc. We are always put in one basket and attacked as one people (Northerners) when there are few chieftaincy and land disputes. So why must we also discriminate amongst ourselves?
Today, HE John Mahama is who he is because he was partly raised in Dagbon. His father took that decision of bringing him down from the South to school in Tamale(Ghanasco) for a reason. His brother Ibrahim Mahama schooled in Tamasco which is why today, he’s building an ultramodern hall complex for Tamasco as his pay back. I am aware that one of the main spokespersons of Ibrahim Mahama (Rafik) is a Dagomba. I am also aware that one of the closest aides to Hon Lawyer Haruna Iddrisu (Hamid) is a royal from Kpembe. I am equally aware that Alhassan Andani (A Dagomba Banker) has nurtured many Gonjas and gave them life. It is an undeniable fact the current Secretary to the Urban Roads Boss (Dagomba) is a Gonja. And the list goes on. So you see the longstanding connection?
Although Tamale is increasingly becoming a complex cosmopolitan area, it is no doubt that Dagombas hold the larger share, own and control it. As a regional capital which has been administered by many a son from Gonjaland dating as far back as the era of Nkrumah (E.A Mahama, Hon Gilbert Iddi, Hon Issah Ketekewu, Hon Boniface Abubakari, Hon Limuna Muniru), had the needed cooperation from our Dagomba brothers during their respective tenures. Chief Sofo Azorka is treated like a chief in Tamale and in Dagbon, but a few people know him as a Gonja. In fact, he speaks Dagbani fluently than Gonja. This is how much we (Dagombas and Gonjas) have been flirting with each other.
It is on record that, the first petition which was jointly submitted to the government of Ghana in 2009 for the partitioning of Northern Region into three or two was led by Prof Naa Nabila (Wulugu Naba). He was by then the President of the National House of Chiefs, although their joint petition referenced a sole petition submitted by the Overlord of Gonjaland in March 2003, His Royal Majesty, Yagbonwura Bawa Abudu Doshie. Part of the delegation that went to meet HE John Mahama, then VEEP in 2009 were Chiefs and opinion leaders from Dagbon to represent their respective skins and the Northern Regional House of Chiefs. So the recent petitions which saw to the ultimate creation of Savannah Region and North-East Region took their spirit and content from these petitions in the past. So let nobody think that, Gonjaland did it all by themselves or Mamprugu went all out to achieve it all alone. In fact, some Dagombas participated in the just ended referendum in Gonjaland. In the Damongo Constituency, most communities (Sumpini, Kojokura, Kedendelmpa) are dominated by Dagombas and they gladly participated to ensure the creation of Savannah Region. Same as part of Central Gonja (Jabalpe, Sankpala etc) and North Gonja Districts (Sisina, Tidrope, Kagbal etc).
Will you be surprise to learn that the current King of Gonjaland who also doubles as the President of the Northern Regional House of Chiefs, His Majesty, Yagbonwura Jakpa Sulemana Boresa I, spent most of his youthful life in Dagbon? As a young, handsome man, he was trained an artisan in Dagbon and he raised most of his children in Dagbon. That is how much we are connected with each other.
The overwhelming support President John Dramani Mahama have enjoyed and still enjoys from Dagbon can’t be quantified. So any attempt to sow a seed of discord between HE John Mahama and Dagombas cannot gather any mass. We are together in good and in bad times.
In the current circumstances, I personally share the pain and the confusion of most of my Dagomba brothers. Ethnocentrism leaves more than necessary scars for generations to suffer their potential bleeding. When Dagbon had the chieftaincy misunderstandings in 2002, Gonjalanders didn’t go to sleep and/or fold their arms. In fact, most Gonjalanders were affected and are still suffering from that unfortunate incident that befell Dagbon in 2002.
It is worthy to note that amongst the Eminent Chiefs who finally crafted the roadmap for peace in Dagbon was the overlord of Gonjaland. Two successive overlords from Gonjaland served in that committee (Yagbonwura Doshie and the current Yagbonwura Jakpa Boresa Tuntumba). We all watched and applauded the rich but enviable culture of Dagbon especially when the chief warrior (Kumbugu Naa) moved his battalions and bees to Yendi. He showcased the rich and unique culture and tradition of Dagbon and that gave Northern Ghana a positive face. Today, we have our Yaa Naa and we all rejoice and support Dagbon to rise once again. Dagbon and Gonja have never been in competition politically, traditionally etc and the two Kingdoms would remain united and grow together.
On the face of the recent happenings which has left many social media friends from Dagbon to take up the matter is understandable. You can’t kill a snake and deny it the space to roll and turn. It is my prayer that our brothers and friends from Dagbon would see the brotherhood displayed in a swift DISCLAIMER issued by the mouthpiece of Gonjaland as far as the youth of the land are concerned (Gonjaland Youth Association). The Gentleman in question has not only pulled down the post but has since apologized for his post on social media in addition to his denial of portions of the post which were edited (according to him). This has also caused his resignation as the PRO of Gonjaland Youth Association. He has shown enough remorse and would continue to show same as far as this issue is under contention. The entire land is pained by the development thereafter and it is only fair that we apologize to Dagbon. This is a sensitive matter that needs to be condemned with alacrity and we all as stakeholders of Gonjaland have done so individually and collectively on several platforms.
It is our prayer that this would not lead to any explosions and create needless tensions. We all need peace to develop Northern Ghana as a people. Dagbon and Gonja shall forever rise together.
Shalom!!!
By Issifu Seidu Kudus Gbeadese
(0244198031)
Oral history they say is largely subjective, but in it are a few extracts of objective recount of practical events in the past which give labels to nations, Kingdoms, people etc. The histories of Gonja and Dagbon as are told and handed over to generations are with some enviable similarities (culture, tradition etc). And over the period (spanning hundreds of years and beyond), Dagombas and Gonjas have lived a life with one enviable face as people of Northern Descent.
Northern Region has four great Kingdoms (Dagbon, Gonja, Nanum and Mamprugu). Among these, Dagbon has a greater share in terms of population and in many other areas. These Kingdoms have lived over all these years, share land boundaries, cultures, intermarriages etc. The Kings and their people respected and still respect each other. I won’t be far from right if I say Dagbon and Gonja Kingdoms have closed land boundaries than Dagbon and the other two Kingdoms. From the East, Dagbon shares boundaries with Gonja in East Gonja (Kpembe Traditional Area). In the South, Dagbon shares boundaries with Kusawgu traditional area in the Central Gonja District. And in the North, Gonja (Wasipe) shares boundaries with Dagbon in the North Gonja District. This creates a platform for us to share most social amenities (markets, schools, roads, health facilities etc).
Aside Traditional and Cultural Relationships, it is on record that popular and influential figures in both Kingdoms have intermarried and their offerings are now coded blood (Dagbon-Gonja mix). Alhaji Mustapha Ali, one of the finest Dagbon politician married to a Gonja Woman. Alhaji Hudu Yahaya, one of the respected sons of Dagbon has a Gonja as a wife. Our own Hon Gilbert Iddi couldn’t stand the beauty of Dagomba ladies when he moved to Tamale, so he got married to one of the finest and respected Dagomba woman. Our own Hon Mutala Ibrahim is an offspring of Dagomba-Gonja intermarriage. In fact, he was partly raised by his maternal grandfather from Daboya. This relationships crossed borders from traditional to culture, to religion, to social and politics.
It is a known fact that some of our finest Islamic clerics from Gonjaland especially from Damongo were taught and nurtured by Dagomba Islamic Clerics. Sheikh Afajura of blessed memory taught and nurtured respected Islamic Clerics like Alhaji Ustaz Kassim and Alhaji Ustaz Abubakr Gozabri both from Damongo. Many other young men and women from Gonjaland are still under the tutorship of offerings of Sheikh Afajura even today. This is Dagbon and Gonja relationship.
In the political and commerce fronts, just as how Gonjaland Politicians and businessmen over the years have groomed and gave opportunities to Dagombas, same way Dagombas have groomed and given such opportunities to Gonjas. In the heat of the debate about family and friends government under Former President John Dramani Mahama, his opponents and critics never discriminated between appointees from Gonjaland and that of Dagbon. In fact, in most cases, the first names they start to mention are the Hon Inusah Fuseini’s, the Hon Haruna Iddrisu’s even before they would remember the likes of Mohammed Muniru Limuna (a Gonja). Under HE John Mahama, Dagombas represented Northern Region in his cabinet if we do the computation well. This was a time when Gonjaland had given the NDC and HE John Mahama all the 7 seats, but non of the MPs was even appointed by President John Mahama as a Deputy Minister. But we had Lawyer Haruna Iddrisu (MP) as a cabinet minister, Lawyer Inusah (MP) as a Cabinet Minister, Hon ABA Fuseini as a Deputy Minister, Hon Murtala Mohammed (MP) as a Deputy Minister, Hon Dr Ahmed Yakubu Alhassan (MP) as a Deputy Minister. In all these, Northern Region, Gonjaland and Dagbon were proud of these sons serving in HE John Mahama’s government. Not the Gonjaland Youth Association, Not Gonja Traditional Council, not the Gonjaland NDC Youth Caucus and not even the Gonjaland MPs Caucus had cause to raise a voice against HE John Mahama for not appointing their MPs and rather appointing their Dagomba counterparts. This is the extent of the cordial relationship that exist between Gonjas and Dagombas. A lot of Gonjaland Politicians got groomed under HE Aliu Mahama as a VEEP. It would forever remain in the Political history of Ghana that HE Alaji Aliu Mahama (A Dagomba) rose to the political apex of Ghana before HE John Dramani Mahama (A Gonja) rose to become a VEEP and a President ultimately. There is no competition in this, after all, when the clouds of stereotypes are falling on Northerners, nobody (outside of Northern Ghana) has the luxury of time to find out who a Dagomba or a Gonja is. Some of us who have schooled in the South had the fare share of the stereotype on the happenings in Bawku, in Dagbon, Bimbilla, Chereponi, recently in Bole etc. We are always put in one basket and attacked as one people (Northerners) when there are few chieftaincy and land disputes. So why must we also discriminate amongst ourselves?
Today, HE John Mahama is who he is because he was partly raised in Dagbon. His father took that decision of bringing him down from the South to school in Tamale(Ghanasco) for a reason. His brother Ibrahim Mahama schooled in Tamasco which is why today, he’s building an ultramodern hall complex for Tamasco as his pay back. I am aware that one of the main spokespersons of Ibrahim Mahama (Rafik) is a Dagomba. I am also aware that one of the closest aides to Hon Lawyer Haruna Iddrisu (Hamid) is a royal from Kpembe. I am equally aware that Alhassan Andani (A Dagomba Banker) has nurtured many Gonjas and gave them life. It is an undeniable fact the current Secretary to the Urban Roads Boss (Dagomba) is a Gonja. And the list goes on. So you see the longstanding connection?
Although Tamale is increasingly becoming a complex cosmopolitan area, it is no doubt that Dagombas hold the larger share, own and control it. As a regional capital which has been administered by many a son from Gonjaland dating as far back as the era of Nkrumah (E.A Mahama, Hon Gilbert Iddi, Hon Issah Ketekewu, Hon Boniface Abubakari, Hon Limuna Muniru), had the needed cooperation from our Dagomba brothers during their respective tenures. Chief Sofo Azorka is treated like a chief in Tamale and in Dagbon, but a few people know him as a Gonja. In fact, he speaks Dagbani fluently than Gonja. This is how much we (Dagombas and Gonjas) have been flirting with each other.
It is on record that, the first petition which was jointly submitted to the government of Ghana in 2009 for the partitioning of Northern Region into three or two was led by Prof Naa Nabila (Wulugu Naba). He was by then the President of the National House of Chiefs, although their joint petition referenced a sole petition submitted by the Overlord of Gonjaland in March 2003, His Royal Majesty, Yagbonwura Bawa Abudu Doshie. Part of the delegation that went to meet HE John Mahama, then VEEP in 2009 were Chiefs and opinion leaders from Dagbon to represent their respective skins and the Northern Regional House of Chiefs. So the recent petitions which saw to the ultimate creation of Savannah Region and North-East Region took their spirit and content from these petitions in the past. So let nobody think that, Gonjaland did it all by themselves or Mamprugu went all out to achieve it all alone. In fact, some Dagombas participated in the just ended referendum in Gonjaland. In the Damongo Constituency, most communities (Sumpini, Kojokura, Kedendelmpa) are dominated by Dagombas and they gladly participated to ensure the creation of Savannah Region. Same as part of Central Gonja (Jabalpe, Sankpala etc) and North Gonja Districts (Sisina, Tidrope, Kagbal etc).
Will you be surprise to learn that the current King of Gonjaland who also doubles as the President of the Northern Regional House of Chiefs, His Majesty, Yagbonwura Jakpa Sulemana Boresa I, spent most of his youthful life in Dagbon? As a young, handsome man, he was trained an artisan in Dagbon and he raised most of his children in Dagbon. That is how much we are connected with each other.
The overwhelming support President John Dramani Mahama have enjoyed and still enjoys from Dagbon can’t be quantified. So any attempt to sow a seed of discord between HE John Mahama and Dagombas cannot gather any mass. We are together in good and in bad times.
In the current circumstances, I personally share the pain and the confusion of most of my Dagomba brothers. Ethnocentrism leaves more than necessary scars for generations to suffer their potential bleeding. When Dagbon had the chieftaincy misunderstandings in 2002, Gonjalanders didn’t go to sleep and/or fold their arms. In fact, most Gonjalanders were affected and are still suffering from that unfortunate incident that befell Dagbon in 2002.
It is worthy to note that amongst the Eminent Chiefs who finally crafted the roadmap for peace in Dagbon was the overlord of Gonjaland. Two successive overlords from Gonjaland served in that committee (Yagbonwura Doshie and the current Yagbonwura Jakpa Boresa Tuntumba). We all watched and applauded the rich but enviable culture of Dagbon especially when the chief warrior (Kumbugu Naa) moved his battalions and bees to Yendi. He showcased the rich and unique culture and tradition of Dagbon and that gave Northern Ghana a positive face. Today, we have our Yaa Naa and we all rejoice and support Dagbon to rise once again. Dagbon and Gonja have never been in competition politically, traditionally etc and the two Kingdoms would remain united and grow together.
On the face of the recent happenings which has left many social media friends from Dagbon to take up the matter is understandable. You can’t kill a snake and deny it the space to roll and turn. It is my prayer that our brothers and friends from Dagbon would see the brotherhood displayed in a swift DISCLAIMER issued by the mouthpiece of Gonjaland as far as the youth of the land are concerned (Gonjaland Youth Association). The Gentleman in question has not only pulled down the post but has since apologized for his post on social media in addition to his denial of portions of the post which were edited (according to him). This has also caused his resignation as the PRO of Gonjaland Youth Association. He has shown enough remorse and would continue to show same as far as this issue is under contention. The entire land is pained by the development thereafter and it is only fair that we apologize to Dagbon. This is a sensitive matter that needs to be condemned with alacrity and we all as stakeholders of Gonjaland have done so individually and collectively on several platforms.
It is our prayer that this would not lead to any explosions and create needless tensions. We all need peace to develop Northern Ghana as a people. Dagbon and Gonja shall forever rise together.
Shalom!!!
Sunday, 13 January 2019
RE: DAMONGO IS UNFIT TO HOST THE SAVANNAH REGIONAL CAPITAL
RE: DAMONGO UNFIT TO HOST THE SAVANNAH REGIONAL CAPITAL.
By Issifu Seidu Kudus Gbeadese
0244198031
email: skseidu_14@yahoo.com
Let me begin by apologizing to the Overlord of Gonjaland, Yagbonwura Tuntumba Sulemana Jakpa Boresa I, His Royal Highness, Jira Buipewura Abdulai Jinapor II (the Vice President of the Gonjaland Traditional Council), the Kpembewura and all the chiefs and revered Traditional leaders of Gonjaland who were present at the maiden Savannah Region stakeholders meeting held in Damongo on the 12th of January 2019 at the instance of the Overlord himself. I am apologizing because we were restraint from barking like others. And as they say, when two dogs are fighting over a bone, the one that has the bone in it’s mouth doesn’t bark. But in our case now, the other “dog” is not only barking because it doesn’t have the bone in the mouth but it’s also biting.
So I am taking this risk to respond to the many needless articles and press conferences put together by many a son from Kpembe which on the face value reads as though they were just ordinary opinions expressed by some exuberant youth but with a third eye, one can see a clear scheme with heavy hands beneath and pulling the political strings to heed their “selfish” calls.
The Overlord on the 12th of January, 2019 made a declaration as the chief petitioner and the landlord of Gonjaland to the effect that Damongo was the proposed regional capital of the yet to be constituted Savannah Region. His declaration was applauded by all sons and daughters present at the occasion with the Kpembewura himself clapping to remotely endorse the decision. We all know the Yagbonwura could not make such a declaration without consultations across Gonjaland. The Overlord’s declaration was never in isolation since available records prove that Dr Braimah Clifford, the MD for Ghana Water Company Limited and a son from Kpembe(East Gonja) led the crusade for Damongo to be made the regional capital when the Technical Committee visited Damongo for the hearing. He substantially made the case and stated reasons backed by facts as to why Damongo should be made the regional capital as contained in the petition submitted by the Yagbonwura.
Just some few hours after the exit of the Overlord at the program to make way for Jira Buipewura to coordinate the second session, the Laison Officer, Mr Iddi who is supposed to serve as a strategic arbiter in times like this made some unfortunate remarks seeking to show down the traditional authority of the petitioner (Yagbonwura) in his declaration. Mr Iddi subtly told the Yagbonwura that he doesn’t have any such authority over all of us and that the decision to choose a regional capital was a political exercise than a traditional declaration. He went further to state that Damongo is caught up in the chieftaincy disputes in Gonjaland and on that leg, it should be disqualified. As unfortunate as his comments were which showed a high level of insubordination to the Overlord, they seem to be taken shape back home in East Gonja where he comes from.
Need I remind Mr Iddi and some of the people of Kpembe that the chieftaincy disputes in Damongo or Bole are not the sole responsibility of the people of Damongo or Bole but that of Gonjaland including Kpembe. Ndewura Jakpa in his struggles never discriminated amongst his people. He taught them to be collectively responsible to anything that befalls them. That is why when the 1992-94 war erupted in Kpembe Traditional Area the people of Damongo didn’t fold their arms and look on for Kpembe alone to battle it out. In fact, the scars and memories of this war still live with the people of Gonjaland including Damongo. Brave warriors and chiefs from Damongo fell and families were rendered impotent as a result. Mbonwura Jimah who was known across Gonjaland fell in this war when he led the Damongo warriors to that war. Canteenwura, Issah Chairman, Abulai Mapurdoh all fell along with the lead warrior in this battle. These are painful accounts which still cause tears to flow anytime they come up. At the time, it was as if the War was in Damongo. Today, the same land we fought for and lost great warriors and chiefs has been silently lost (not captured under Savannah Region). The entire Gonjaland had to swallow a very flimsy explanation from the people of Kpembe as to why we lost Kpandai. It is said in the Gonja parlance that “when the eyes mourn the nose doesn’t cast glances and smiles but joins in the mourning”. We are equally losing lands on the Salaga North stretch which shares boundary with Tamale south Constituency. That is part of East Gonja...or?
Why is Kpembe quiet on the economic lands and activities it’s losing along the Abrumase area? Shouldn’t that engage their energies? What happened when ballot boxes were sent to those areas during the referendum? Are we sweeping all those under the carpet!
Yes, I admit that Damongo has chieftaincy dispute so as Bole and other areas. Is that enough a justification for this unfortunate but selfish move by some people in East Gonja? Maybe I should remind the writers and their patrons that Kafaba was almost in ashes. There were shootouts in Kafaba which led to the death of sons and daughters of the land. Is Kafaba not part of East Gonja Municipal? Or they are telling us that aside the Municipal Capital in Salaga all the surrounding communities which still fall under the watch of East Gonja DISEC can go to war and kill themselves? When you throw a stone while standing by a glass house, you need to exercise extreme caution.
Interestingly, the writers and their unseen patrons do selective analysis of issues. If chieftaincy disputes were a key factor in this exercise then the capital of Ghana should be moved to Kumasi or Volta instead of Accra. Since the demise of Boni Nii Amugi in 2004, the position of Ga Mantse has been in dispute with competing claimants to the stool. Just in 2018, three people emerged to claim the Ga Mantse title. Meanwhile there are four royal gates which ascend the Ga Mantse (Teiko Tsuru We, Amugi We, Abola Piam We and Tackie Kommey We). All of these gates except Tackie Kommey have been battling to ascend the throne since the late Boni Nii passed. We have experienced couple of reprisal attacks from these gates. In fact, these issues are still in courts and not seeing an end soon per the available information.
Today’s Tamale was a city which was well planned and executed. Tamale wasn’t a big time city with all the available social amenities before the Capital was moved from Gambaga in the then Northern Territories to Tamale. If you read a paper titled: The History of Tamale, 1907-1957 and Beyond... by one Wyatt MacGaffey and subsequently published by Historical Society of Ghana, you would realize that several separate villages including Choggu, Changli, Nashegu, Bulpiela etc were pieced together in a well designed city planned by the Urban Council chaired by one Ebenezer Adam. At the time (1954), the place we now call the city of Tamale was filled with Centuries-old Swish round buildings with thatch roofs. In fact, one of the major challenges of the then Urban Council in putting together this modern day Tamale plan was the title to land (check the history of Dapkema and the Tindanas of Dagbon). With all these, how then would anybody think that Damongo should have it all before it can host the capital? Non of the above had/has it all even as we grow as a country.
Mr Laison Officer, you lost it that day and your remarks are a betrayal of trust as enshrined in your terms of engagement as a Laison Officer. Or you feel it’s a political position so as usual the partisan persuasions will make the way other than logic? Are you not supposed to be responsible in the coordination of multiple opinions, incidents and any such issues that will see the realization of the dreams of the people of Gonjaland and the government in the Savannah Region? You rather chose your hometown (Kpembe) over the interest of Gonjaland in this?
Now to the most unfortunate but weird arguments advance by some of the people of East Gonja including the patrons and the clients; They claim that Damongo doesn’t have enough or if you like better road network. Quiet weird of an arguments. Which road leads one to the capital of East Gonja from Tamale (the major stretch). That main road is more of a death trap. In fact, the number of accidents recorded on that road only the short period within the rainy season in 2018 are countless. In short, there is no tarred road leading one to the capital of East Gonja. But the 147.5Km road from Fufulso through Damongo to Sawla links two regions (NR and UWR). The road came with ancillary facilities (clinics, schools water facilities etc). The road network within the Damongo township is superb as compared to Salaga. In Salaga apart of the Y-link which welcomes you to the town and leads you to Kpembe and one joining to the West, which other road is a link road if not man-made paths forced and created by motorists?
Another flawed argument is that of numerical strength in terms of physical schools without considering the quality (output) of these schools. The writer(s) sought to imply that because the report from the Justice Brobbey Committee captured education as one of the factors to be considered in siting regional capital, it was so limited to physical schools or who has the numerical strength. Well, let me state, that in terms of secondary education, Damongo has three SHS (Damongo Senior High, Ndewura Jakpa SHS, St Anne’s Girls SHS). An Islamic Senior High School is earmarked for Laribanga (my hometown). In terms of tertiary (post secondary) institutions, aside the Kpembe Nursing and Midwifery College, which one can Salaga boast of again? Well, Damongo has Nurses Training College, Agric College and a site for UDS satellite campus which has been earmarked to be develop in the very near future.
Did I read about a District Magistrate? Well, when one is drowning, even a yellow floating leaf can be a rescuer. Well, some issues are left to hang on their own faith.
On the issue of roads linking to other Districts/Regions, aside the fact that Damongo is in the Centre and houses the King of Gonjaland, it’s West links one easily to Bole and Sawla, the North links you to Wasipe (North Gonja) through Murugu and Busunu-Tachali (road under construction). The Southern part of Damongo links you to Central Gonja through Sor No. 3 and Leeto. The East as well connects you to Central Gonja District along the Busunu-Fufulso stretch of the road. So Damongo can easily connect you to 4 other Gonjaland Districts from one turning point. Tell me which of the Districts can connect to East Gonja through any other route apart from the poor road from Tamale to Salaga?
Interestingly, they are not talking about an existing hospital with immediate facilities to be raised to the standard of a Regional Hospital and some existing infrastructure to house the region for the time being. when. The West Gonja District Hospital still holds its enviable record as one of the referral hospitals in Northern Region aside Tamale Teaching Hospital. Just a reminder though!
So are the people or Kpembe telling us that at anytime any Kpembewura ascends Yagbon, he will not be privileged to attend any regional house of chiefs meeting in Kpembe assuming it were considered as the regional capital? Maybe they are losing sight of the customs and traditions of Gonja.
The most annoying argument is that it’s only Salaga which has an NPP MP...and so what? Maybe they should be reminded that President Nana Addo didn’t win in Salaga South, JM did. And since when has these political twists and turns set in? Siting Kpembewura as an appointee of Nana Addo as a case? How about Buipewura Jinapor? I am imagining whether the people of Kpembe led by their patrons would have shown this level of insubordination to the Yagbonwura if it were Yagbonwura Bawa Doshie.
Salaga is a municipal. Yes it is, and what about that? Was Tamale a municipality when it was made the capital? Was Wa a municipality when it was made the capital? Come on!
Shouldn’t we as Gonjalanders be celebrating because we have the largest part of Mole National Park sitting right on our land? The writer doesn’t even know that the Park spreads to Four different Distritcs and two regions; West Gonja, North Gonja, Sawla/Tuna/Kalba and Wa East in the Upper West Region. And the issue about expansion towards the Game reserve and how limited that would be in future, maybe the writer ought to know that Accra is now connected to the Eastern Region in the West (Nsawam), in the North-West at Aburi and connected to Central Region at Kasoa. In fact, Kasoa is now a suburb of Accra but a constituency in the Central Region. Are we looking at Savannah Region in the next 5 years or beyond decades and centuries?
Let me end this by calling on the Kpembewura who I respect so much to call his people to order. Kpembewura and the big political heads who are being accused of pulling these strings from the backdoor must act before the entire Gonjaland start to demand from them the whereabouts of Kpandai. People are still pained by the lost of Kpandai and that must be stated without fear. We can do better than the current ridiculous maneuverings aimed at destroying the image Gonjaland has built over the years and especially during this period when we went seeking for a region.
I write this as resident of Damongo, a native of Laribanga and not as a Kamara.
Let the voice of the King Suffice.
By Issifu Seidu Kudus Gbeadese
0244198031
email: skseidu_14@yahoo.com
Let me begin by apologizing to the Overlord of Gonjaland, Yagbonwura Tuntumba Sulemana Jakpa Boresa I, His Royal Highness, Jira Buipewura Abdulai Jinapor II (the Vice President of the Gonjaland Traditional Council), the Kpembewura and all the chiefs and revered Traditional leaders of Gonjaland who were present at the maiden Savannah Region stakeholders meeting held in Damongo on the 12th of January 2019 at the instance of the Overlord himself. I am apologizing because we were restraint from barking like others. And as they say, when two dogs are fighting over a bone, the one that has the bone in it’s mouth doesn’t bark. But in our case now, the other “dog” is not only barking because it doesn’t have the bone in the mouth but it’s also biting.
So I am taking this risk to respond to the many needless articles and press conferences put together by many a son from Kpembe which on the face value reads as though they were just ordinary opinions expressed by some exuberant youth but with a third eye, one can see a clear scheme with heavy hands beneath and pulling the political strings to heed their “selfish” calls.
The Overlord on the 12th of January, 2019 made a declaration as the chief petitioner and the landlord of Gonjaland to the effect that Damongo was the proposed regional capital of the yet to be constituted Savannah Region. His declaration was applauded by all sons and daughters present at the occasion with the Kpembewura himself clapping to remotely endorse the decision. We all know the Yagbonwura could not make such a declaration without consultations across Gonjaland. The Overlord’s declaration was never in isolation since available records prove that Dr Braimah Clifford, the MD for Ghana Water Company Limited and a son from Kpembe(East Gonja) led the crusade for Damongo to be made the regional capital when the Technical Committee visited Damongo for the hearing. He substantially made the case and stated reasons backed by facts as to why Damongo should be made the regional capital as contained in the petition submitted by the Yagbonwura.
Just some few hours after the exit of the Overlord at the program to make way for Jira Buipewura to coordinate the second session, the Laison Officer, Mr Iddi who is supposed to serve as a strategic arbiter in times like this made some unfortunate remarks seeking to show down the traditional authority of the petitioner (Yagbonwura) in his declaration. Mr Iddi subtly told the Yagbonwura that he doesn’t have any such authority over all of us and that the decision to choose a regional capital was a political exercise than a traditional declaration. He went further to state that Damongo is caught up in the chieftaincy disputes in Gonjaland and on that leg, it should be disqualified. As unfortunate as his comments were which showed a high level of insubordination to the Overlord, they seem to be taken shape back home in East Gonja where he comes from.
Need I remind Mr Iddi and some of the people of Kpembe that the chieftaincy disputes in Damongo or Bole are not the sole responsibility of the people of Damongo or Bole but that of Gonjaland including Kpembe. Ndewura Jakpa in his struggles never discriminated amongst his people. He taught them to be collectively responsible to anything that befalls them. That is why when the 1992-94 war erupted in Kpembe Traditional Area the people of Damongo didn’t fold their arms and look on for Kpembe alone to battle it out. In fact, the scars and memories of this war still live with the people of Gonjaland including Damongo. Brave warriors and chiefs from Damongo fell and families were rendered impotent as a result. Mbonwura Jimah who was known across Gonjaland fell in this war when he led the Damongo warriors to that war. Canteenwura, Issah Chairman, Abulai Mapurdoh all fell along with the lead warrior in this battle. These are painful accounts which still cause tears to flow anytime they come up. At the time, it was as if the War was in Damongo. Today, the same land we fought for and lost great warriors and chiefs has been silently lost (not captured under Savannah Region). The entire Gonjaland had to swallow a very flimsy explanation from the people of Kpembe as to why we lost Kpandai. It is said in the Gonja parlance that “when the eyes mourn the nose doesn’t cast glances and smiles but joins in the mourning”. We are equally losing lands on the Salaga North stretch which shares boundary with Tamale south Constituency. That is part of East Gonja...or?
Why is Kpembe quiet on the economic lands and activities it’s losing along the Abrumase area? Shouldn’t that engage their energies? What happened when ballot boxes were sent to those areas during the referendum? Are we sweeping all those under the carpet!
Yes, I admit that Damongo has chieftaincy dispute so as Bole and other areas. Is that enough a justification for this unfortunate but selfish move by some people in East Gonja? Maybe I should remind the writers and their patrons that Kafaba was almost in ashes. There were shootouts in Kafaba which led to the death of sons and daughters of the land. Is Kafaba not part of East Gonja Municipal? Or they are telling us that aside the Municipal Capital in Salaga all the surrounding communities which still fall under the watch of East Gonja DISEC can go to war and kill themselves? When you throw a stone while standing by a glass house, you need to exercise extreme caution.
Interestingly, the writers and their unseen patrons do selective analysis of issues. If chieftaincy disputes were a key factor in this exercise then the capital of Ghana should be moved to Kumasi or Volta instead of Accra. Since the demise of Boni Nii Amugi in 2004, the position of Ga Mantse has been in dispute with competing claimants to the stool. Just in 2018, three people emerged to claim the Ga Mantse title. Meanwhile there are four royal gates which ascend the Ga Mantse (Teiko Tsuru We, Amugi We, Abola Piam We and Tackie Kommey We). All of these gates except Tackie Kommey have been battling to ascend the throne since the late Boni Nii passed. We have experienced couple of reprisal attacks from these gates. In fact, these issues are still in courts and not seeing an end soon per the available information.
Today’s Tamale was a city which was well planned and executed. Tamale wasn’t a big time city with all the available social amenities before the Capital was moved from Gambaga in the then Northern Territories to Tamale. If you read a paper titled: The History of Tamale, 1907-1957 and Beyond... by one Wyatt MacGaffey and subsequently published by Historical Society of Ghana, you would realize that several separate villages including Choggu, Changli, Nashegu, Bulpiela etc were pieced together in a well designed city planned by the Urban Council chaired by one Ebenezer Adam. At the time (1954), the place we now call the city of Tamale was filled with Centuries-old Swish round buildings with thatch roofs. In fact, one of the major challenges of the then Urban Council in putting together this modern day Tamale plan was the title to land (check the history of Dapkema and the Tindanas of Dagbon). With all these, how then would anybody think that Damongo should have it all before it can host the capital? Non of the above had/has it all even as we grow as a country.
Mr Laison Officer, you lost it that day and your remarks are a betrayal of trust as enshrined in your terms of engagement as a Laison Officer. Or you feel it’s a political position so as usual the partisan persuasions will make the way other than logic? Are you not supposed to be responsible in the coordination of multiple opinions, incidents and any such issues that will see the realization of the dreams of the people of Gonjaland and the government in the Savannah Region? You rather chose your hometown (Kpembe) over the interest of Gonjaland in this?
Now to the most unfortunate but weird arguments advance by some of the people of East Gonja including the patrons and the clients; They claim that Damongo doesn’t have enough or if you like better road network. Quiet weird of an arguments. Which road leads one to the capital of East Gonja from Tamale (the major stretch). That main road is more of a death trap. In fact, the number of accidents recorded on that road only the short period within the rainy season in 2018 are countless. In short, there is no tarred road leading one to the capital of East Gonja. But the 147.5Km road from Fufulso through Damongo to Sawla links two regions (NR and UWR). The road came with ancillary facilities (clinics, schools water facilities etc). The road network within the Damongo township is superb as compared to Salaga. In Salaga apart of the Y-link which welcomes you to the town and leads you to Kpembe and one joining to the West, which other road is a link road if not man-made paths forced and created by motorists?
Another flawed argument is that of numerical strength in terms of physical schools without considering the quality (output) of these schools. The writer(s) sought to imply that because the report from the Justice Brobbey Committee captured education as one of the factors to be considered in siting regional capital, it was so limited to physical schools or who has the numerical strength. Well, let me state, that in terms of secondary education, Damongo has three SHS (Damongo Senior High, Ndewura Jakpa SHS, St Anne’s Girls SHS). An Islamic Senior High School is earmarked for Laribanga (my hometown). In terms of tertiary (post secondary) institutions, aside the Kpembe Nursing and Midwifery College, which one can Salaga boast of again? Well, Damongo has Nurses Training College, Agric College and a site for UDS satellite campus which has been earmarked to be develop in the very near future.
Did I read about a District Magistrate? Well, when one is drowning, even a yellow floating leaf can be a rescuer. Well, some issues are left to hang on their own faith.
On the issue of roads linking to other Districts/Regions, aside the fact that Damongo is in the Centre and houses the King of Gonjaland, it’s West links one easily to Bole and Sawla, the North links you to Wasipe (North Gonja) through Murugu and Busunu-Tachali (road under construction). The Southern part of Damongo links you to Central Gonja through Sor No. 3 and Leeto. The East as well connects you to Central Gonja District along the Busunu-Fufulso stretch of the road. So Damongo can easily connect you to 4 other Gonjaland Districts from one turning point. Tell me which of the Districts can connect to East Gonja through any other route apart from the poor road from Tamale to Salaga?
Interestingly, they are not talking about an existing hospital with immediate facilities to be raised to the standard of a Regional Hospital and some existing infrastructure to house the region for the time being. when. The West Gonja District Hospital still holds its enviable record as one of the referral hospitals in Northern Region aside Tamale Teaching Hospital. Just a reminder though!
So are the people or Kpembe telling us that at anytime any Kpembewura ascends Yagbon, he will not be privileged to attend any regional house of chiefs meeting in Kpembe assuming it were considered as the regional capital? Maybe they are losing sight of the customs and traditions of Gonja.
The most annoying argument is that it’s only Salaga which has an NPP MP...and so what? Maybe they should be reminded that President Nana Addo didn’t win in Salaga South, JM did. And since when has these political twists and turns set in? Siting Kpembewura as an appointee of Nana Addo as a case? How about Buipewura Jinapor? I am imagining whether the people of Kpembe led by their patrons would have shown this level of insubordination to the Yagbonwura if it were Yagbonwura Bawa Doshie.
Salaga is a municipal. Yes it is, and what about that? Was Tamale a municipality when it was made the capital? Was Wa a municipality when it was made the capital? Come on!
Shouldn’t we as Gonjalanders be celebrating because we have the largest part of Mole National Park sitting right on our land? The writer doesn’t even know that the Park spreads to Four different Distritcs and two regions; West Gonja, North Gonja, Sawla/Tuna/Kalba and Wa East in the Upper West Region. And the issue about expansion towards the Game reserve and how limited that would be in future, maybe the writer ought to know that Accra is now connected to the Eastern Region in the West (Nsawam), in the North-West at Aburi and connected to Central Region at Kasoa. In fact, Kasoa is now a suburb of Accra but a constituency in the Central Region. Are we looking at Savannah Region in the next 5 years or beyond decades and centuries?
Let me end this by calling on the Kpembewura who I respect so much to call his people to order. Kpembewura and the big political heads who are being accused of pulling these strings from the backdoor must act before the entire Gonjaland start to demand from them the whereabouts of Kpandai. People are still pained by the lost of Kpandai and that must be stated without fear. We can do better than the current ridiculous maneuverings aimed at destroying the image Gonjaland has built over the years and especially during this period when we went seeking for a region.
I write this as resident of Damongo, a native of Laribanga and not as a Kamara.
Let the voice of the King Suffice.
Wednesday, 24 October 2018
THE HISSES OF A VEEP: SOCIAL INTERVENTIONS IN A PROPER CONTEXT
THE HISSES OF A VEEP: SOCIAL INTERVENTIONS IN PROPER CONTEXT.
By Issifu Seidu Kudus Gbeadese
0244198031
On the 12th of July, 2018, I authored an article titled; WHEN A NATION GETS ITS POLITICS WRONG. In that article, I attempted to expose the rots in the system caused by the kind of politics we have chosen for ourselves. In it was the simple analogy of a class society where the ruling class mostly dictates to the masses (proletariat) as to what to discuss (the smaller things) while the( bourgeois) engage in the bigger things that will make them remain more powerful and forever consolidate power. The current happenings in our political space is just but a microcosm of that analogy.
H.E Dr Bawumia, has grown from an exalted technocrat in 2008 to a crafty but smart political propagandist who knows how to manipulate his political opponents for his political gains. The 2016 elections was won by Dr Bawumia with his embellished and well crafted propaganda and juicy but unrealistic promises. He got the NDC talking about theories while he targeted the ordinary Ghanaian with a simple catchy message wounded around the unrealistic 1V1D, 1D1F, $1m1C slogans. This perfectly worked for him and his party. Even in government, Dr Bawumia from time to time still gets the NDC talking for the bad reasons. He has just thrown one jab and my party is struggling to keep pace with his jabs.
I laugh sometimes and weep down my heart in most cases, when I watch my people helping Dr Bawumia to achieve his goal. Little did we know that this call for a headcount of “social intervention programs” was designed to take the attention of the Ghanaian from the painful increases in fuel prices, the over 1million job loses which the NPP attempted to shelve with the ailing NABCO, increases in tariffs as a result of increase in taxes (VAT, NHIL, GETfund levy etc) and many other genuine challenges the ordinary Ghanaian is facing. We have fallen for this prank just like we did in the Nana Addo and his Kalypo prank. While I wonder in my lonely world as to why the NDC has always played on the periphery, my mind chanced on a quote in a letter written by Niccolo Machiavelli to his friend, Francesco Vettori in December 10, 1513...”for whoever let’s go off his own convenience for the convenience of others, only loses his own and gets no thanks for them”—THE PRINCE.
Social policies go with social infrastructure, so while they play the social policy (intangibles) card, the NDC has a bigger opportunity to also play the social infrastructure (tangibles) card especially at a time when the people of Ghana have been made aware of the enormous benefits of the massive social and economic infrastructure President Mahama pursued. What happened to the many hospitals and schools built? What happened to the many rural roads constructed to boost local economic activities? What happened to the many CHPS compounds in very remote villages to ease the stress of having to commute between villages and towns in search of one single bed for a pregnant woman to deliver? Sad!
Let me try this small brain of mine on the subject matter; Small brain which was trained in the confines of some village schools. My Public Policy Professor told me that all policies (social economic etc) are designed to solve identified problems (social, economic etc) in a society. I also learnt on the sidelines that these policies could be temporary(short to medium term) or permanent (long term). Ordinarily, any interventionists program(s) is/are designed to solve socioeconomic problems; They are designed to solve a social problem in the short run but cause an economic impact (positive) in a long run. They could be regulatory in nature so that a government deliberately take actions to interfere with the decisions and actions of individuals, groups, organizations to cause a social change and an ultimate economic benefit. They could be a response to an emergency situation like provision of relief items to disaster affected persons, etc.
Social interventions are mostly targeted at socially excluded groups (minorities, the destitute, less privileged etc). The targeted clause embedded in most of these policies are used as performance indicators to measure the impact of same. So that if LEAP beneficiaries are supposed to be the “poor” in rural Ghana, policy implementors are tasked to use same indicator to measure the policy outcomes. So that Free SHS policy which is supposed to be targeted at the “poor” which is not so in the case of the present implementation model anyway...then overtime, policy implementors are tasked to evaluate the impact of the policy using the “poor” as the standard measure. In the case of the Free SHS, it would be difficult to measure its social benefit relative to its economic payoff because of its undefined target group. Both the poor and the rich are treated equally (government should pay the school fees of the daughter of the minister of finance just as it will pay the school fees of the son of that widow in my village who sells cola in the village market)...inequality entrenched?
In the foregoing needless debate which I have joined anyway, I chanced upon several NDC members trying hard to mention the likes of free distribution of school uniforms, exercise and text books, the community day senior high school program and the likes as social interventions. Others tried to go as far back as the establishment of GETfund, PAMSCAD, etc as cases in point. I would try to deviate from that exercise of a headcount into some selected area on this subject matter. That is not to say the above list isn’t and can’t be part of the interventionists list.
The education and health sub sectors are mostly the areas successive governments focus their attention, once their impacts are felt in rural communities which are mostly poor. Let me attempt this scenario; So in 1995 the FCUBE policy was adopted to make basic education not only free but compulsory. The policy committed the government of Ghana within a period of 10 years (1995-2005) to put in place measures to ensure the total eradication of all forms of fees (Cultural and sports fees, PTA dues, exams fees, etc). This provided the framework upon which the capitation grant policy was introduced by President Kuffour in 2005. Subsequent governments have made it better although the grants is still being abused by the education system and its agents which is making it difficult to achieve the desired results after more than a decade of its implementation. If we were to list as some of the social interventions and we conveniently choose the capitation grant without recourse to the policy framework that gave birth to this, we would have been doing a great disservice to the Ghanaian.
The mutual health insurance scheme that was piloted since the mid 1990s and was finally adopted by President Kuffour is yet another fine example to set. The NDC under Rawlings accepted the pilot programs in some selected Districts of which my own District (West Gonja, Damongo) was one. Although it was resisted by the then Ranking Member for Health, Hon Addo Kuffour who didn’t see the viability of the scheme and charged government to consider other sectors and policies other than the NHIS. After assuming power, the NPP government was obliged to implement the policy within the framework of the HIPC initiative. The HIPC initiative had provided a policy guideline for proper coordination and monitoring of policy alternatives. After assuming power in 2009, the NDC under Prof Mills didn’t only refined the scheme into a universal National Health Insurance scheme, but enrollment increased and utilization increased from about 9million Ghanaians to about 29million. This is policy continuity.
Within the transport sub sector; the Omnibus Service Authority (OSA) was introduced by the NDC government under Rawlings. This was to provide public transport to rural Ghana irrespective of nature of roads. The NPP came to power in 2001 and decided to rebrand it into the Metro Mass Transit system. The Mahama administration also added the Ayalolo transport system as a means of serving a social good. So what is the point to say the NPP government initiated the public transport system in Ghana (MMT)? Are we serious?
The NDC under Rawlings started a deliberate rural electrification program to get Northern Ghana (rural communities) hooked up onto the national grid. The program fed into an already existing national electrification scheme. This provided several communities (especially the District Capitals) with electricity). Successive governments continued with the program and the latest one the government of Ghana is implementing (SHEP 5) was initiated in July 2015 by Former President Mahama to extend electricity to 556 rural communities in 5 regions in Ghana. Ask those communities whether this intervention never came to solve any social problem or boosted local economies to improve the lives of rural folks.
Per the above and many other cases, it will be an exercise of mediocrity to circumscribe social intervention programs/projects/policies to some selected few and call on some patronized Ghanaian Youth who have become tools for manipulation because of some one-way party loyalty to join in that chorus. Let’s elevate our discourse as a nation especially those in higher authorities. Social interventions go beyond freebies. Any strategy/policy/program/project that is aimed at causing a social change in society can be termed a social intervention.
Just a scenario: In 1962, the government of the United Kingdom created a system out of a statute to extend bursaries (grants) to full-time UK students studying for a first degree. And this was means tested according to parental income (targeted at black and minority ethnic groups). This policy lasted between 1962 and 1990 until when some changes were effected. But in 2015 when times had changed and the need for manpower gradually lost its value, former Chancellor George Osborne announced the government’s intention to abolish the grants and replaced same with loans payable over time. This was done to abate the impact of any economic pay off as a result of the social intervention which had lasted for over 6 decades. Import; social policies are good but they come with economic pay offs overtime. They must be supported with well coordinated economic programs/projects for them to yield their desired outcomes. They must be targeted and must have a lifespan depending upon the economic condition at a time. In most cases, social welfare program make a society lazy and economically unproductive.
The story of Ghana is just one surrounded by cheap populists whose agenda is to consolidate and expand their power base, and not any agenda to root out poverty. I ask again, why must the state pay the school fees of the daughter of the minister for finance in the name of some Free SHS policy the same way it pays the school fees for the son of my auntie who sells koko by the roadside? Is that equity? Can we weigh the social benefit and the relative economic cost to the citizenry by way of higher taxes and lost of quality to our human resource development? Another topic for another day.
If YES (Youth Enterprise Support) program is not a social intervention, then I am still looking for a discrete definition of social intervention.
What is a social intervention program?
By Issifu Seidu Kudus Gbeadese
0244198031
On the 12th of July, 2018, I authored an article titled; WHEN A NATION GETS ITS POLITICS WRONG. In that article, I attempted to expose the rots in the system caused by the kind of politics we have chosen for ourselves. In it was the simple analogy of a class society where the ruling class mostly dictates to the masses (proletariat) as to what to discuss (the smaller things) while the( bourgeois) engage in the bigger things that will make them remain more powerful and forever consolidate power. The current happenings in our political space is just but a microcosm of that analogy.
H.E Dr Bawumia, has grown from an exalted technocrat in 2008 to a crafty but smart political propagandist who knows how to manipulate his political opponents for his political gains. The 2016 elections was won by Dr Bawumia with his embellished and well crafted propaganda and juicy but unrealistic promises. He got the NDC talking about theories while he targeted the ordinary Ghanaian with a simple catchy message wounded around the unrealistic 1V1D, 1D1F, $1m1C slogans. This perfectly worked for him and his party. Even in government, Dr Bawumia from time to time still gets the NDC talking for the bad reasons. He has just thrown one jab and my party is struggling to keep pace with his jabs.
I laugh sometimes and weep down my heart in most cases, when I watch my people helping Dr Bawumia to achieve his goal. Little did we know that this call for a headcount of “social intervention programs” was designed to take the attention of the Ghanaian from the painful increases in fuel prices, the over 1million job loses which the NPP attempted to shelve with the ailing NABCO, increases in tariffs as a result of increase in taxes (VAT, NHIL, GETfund levy etc) and many other genuine challenges the ordinary Ghanaian is facing. We have fallen for this prank just like we did in the Nana Addo and his Kalypo prank. While I wonder in my lonely world as to why the NDC has always played on the periphery, my mind chanced on a quote in a letter written by Niccolo Machiavelli to his friend, Francesco Vettori in December 10, 1513...”for whoever let’s go off his own convenience for the convenience of others, only loses his own and gets no thanks for them”—THE PRINCE.
Social policies go with social infrastructure, so while they play the social policy (intangibles) card, the NDC has a bigger opportunity to also play the social infrastructure (tangibles) card especially at a time when the people of Ghana have been made aware of the enormous benefits of the massive social and economic infrastructure President Mahama pursued. What happened to the many hospitals and schools built? What happened to the many rural roads constructed to boost local economic activities? What happened to the many CHPS compounds in very remote villages to ease the stress of having to commute between villages and towns in search of one single bed for a pregnant woman to deliver? Sad!
Let me try this small brain of mine on the subject matter; Small brain which was trained in the confines of some village schools. My Public Policy Professor told me that all policies (social economic etc) are designed to solve identified problems (social, economic etc) in a society. I also learnt on the sidelines that these policies could be temporary(short to medium term) or permanent (long term). Ordinarily, any interventionists program(s) is/are designed to solve socioeconomic problems; They are designed to solve a social problem in the short run but cause an economic impact (positive) in a long run. They could be regulatory in nature so that a government deliberately take actions to interfere with the decisions and actions of individuals, groups, organizations to cause a social change and an ultimate economic benefit. They could be a response to an emergency situation like provision of relief items to disaster affected persons, etc.
Social interventions are mostly targeted at socially excluded groups (minorities, the destitute, less privileged etc). The targeted clause embedded in most of these policies are used as performance indicators to measure the impact of same. So that if LEAP beneficiaries are supposed to be the “poor” in rural Ghana, policy implementors are tasked to use same indicator to measure the policy outcomes. So that Free SHS policy which is supposed to be targeted at the “poor” which is not so in the case of the present implementation model anyway...then overtime, policy implementors are tasked to evaluate the impact of the policy using the “poor” as the standard measure. In the case of the Free SHS, it would be difficult to measure its social benefit relative to its economic payoff because of its undefined target group. Both the poor and the rich are treated equally (government should pay the school fees of the daughter of the minister of finance just as it will pay the school fees of the son of that widow in my village who sells cola in the village market)...inequality entrenched?
In the foregoing needless debate which I have joined anyway, I chanced upon several NDC members trying hard to mention the likes of free distribution of school uniforms, exercise and text books, the community day senior high school program and the likes as social interventions. Others tried to go as far back as the establishment of GETfund, PAMSCAD, etc as cases in point. I would try to deviate from that exercise of a headcount into some selected area on this subject matter. That is not to say the above list isn’t and can’t be part of the interventionists list.
The education and health sub sectors are mostly the areas successive governments focus their attention, once their impacts are felt in rural communities which are mostly poor. Let me attempt this scenario; So in 1995 the FCUBE policy was adopted to make basic education not only free but compulsory. The policy committed the government of Ghana within a period of 10 years (1995-2005) to put in place measures to ensure the total eradication of all forms of fees (Cultural and sports fees, PTA dues, exams fees, etc). This provided the framework upon which the capitation grant policy was introduced by President Kuffour in 2005. Subsequent governments have made it better although the grants is still being abused by the education system and its agents which is making it difficult to achieve the desired results after more than a decade of its implementation. If we were to list as some of the social interventions and we conveniently choose the capitation grant without recourse to the policy framework that gave birth to this, we would have been doing a great disservice to the Ghanaian.
The mutual health insurance scheme that was piloted since the mid 1990s and was finally adopted by President Kuffour is yet another fine example to set. The NDC under Rawlings accepted the pilot programs in some selected Districts of which my own District (West Gonja, Damongo) was one. Although it was resisted by the then Ranking Member for Health, Hon Addo Kuffour who didn’t see the viability of the scheme and charged government to consider other sectors and policies other than the NHIS. After assuming power, the NPP government was obliged to implement the policy within the framework of the HIPC initiative. The HIPC initiative had provided a policy guideline for proper coordination and monitoring of policy alternatives. After assuming power in 2009, the NDC under Prof Mills didn’t only refined the scheme into a universal National Health Insurance scheme, but enrollment increased and utilization increased from about 9million Ghanaians to about 29million. This is policy continuity.
Within the transport sub sector; the Omnibus Service Authority (OSA) was introduced by the NDC government under Rawlings. This was to provide public transport to rural Ghana irrespective of nature of roads. The NPP came to power in 2001 and decided to rebrand it into the Metro Mass Transit system. The Mahama administration also added the Ayalolo transport system as a means of serving a social good. So what is the point to say the NPP government initiated the public transport system in Ghana (MMT)? Are we serious?
The NDC under Rawlings started a deliberate rural electrification program to get Northern Ghana (rural communities) hooked up onto the national grid. The program fed into an already existing national electrification scheme. This provided several communities (especially the District Capitals) with electricity). Successive governments continued with the program and the latest one the government of Ghana is implementing (SHEP 5) was initiated in July 2015 by Former President Mahama to extend electricity to 556 rural communities in 5 regions in Ghana. Ask those communities whether this intervention never came to solve any social problem or boosted local economies to improve the lives of rural folks.
Per the above and many other cases, it will be an exercise of mediocrity to circumscribe social intervention programs/projects/policies to some selected few and call on some patronized Ghanaian Youth who have become tools for manipulation because of some one-way party loyalty to join in that chorus. Let’s elevate our discourse as a nation especially those in higher authorities. Social interventions go beyond freebies. Any strategy/policy/program/project that is aimed at causing a social change in society can be termed a social intervention.
Just a scenario: In 1962, the government of the United Kingdom created a system out of a statute to extend bursaries (grants) to full-time UK students studying for a first degree. And this was means tested according to parental income (targeted at black and minority ethnic groups). This policy lasted between 1962 and 1990 until when some changes were effected. But in 2015 when times had changed and the need for manpower gradually lost its value, former Chancellor George Osborne announced the government’s intention to abolish the grants and replaced same with loans payable over time. This was done to abate the impact of any economic pay off as a result of the social intervention which had lasted for over 6 decades. Import; social policies are good but they come with economic pay offs overtime. They must be supported with well coordinated economic programs/projects for them to yield their desired outcomes. They must be targeted and must have a lifespan depending upon the economic condition at a time. In most cases, social welfare program make a society lazy and economically unproductive.
The story of Ghana is just one surrounded by cheap populists whose agenda is to consolidate and expand their power base, and not any agenda to root out poverty. I ask again, why must the state pay the school fees of the daughter of the minister for finance in the name of some Free SHS policy the same way it pays the school fees for the son of my auntie who sells koko by the roadside? Is that equity? Can we weigh the social benefit and the relative economic cost to the citizenry by way of higher taxes and lost of quality to our human resource development? Another topic for another day.
If YES (Youth Enterprise Support) program is not a social intervention, then I am still looking for a discrete definition of social intervention.
What is a social intervention program?
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