By Kofi Akordor
“THE greatest injustice I will do to Accra is not to bring my experience gained outside to bear on the development of Ghana’s national capital for which I will regret later.”
That was how he opened an interview with this writer and in these words Mr Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, the Chief Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), outlined his vision for Accra, the nation’s capital.
In what he described as the Seven Pillars, Mr Vanderpuije said his vision for Accra was captured in seven major areas. These are: solid and liquid waste management, revenue mobilisation, decongest Accra by removing all street hawkers from the streets and ensuring availability of pavements for the use of pedestrians, ensure the demolition of all unauthorised structures in waterways, improve on existing road infrastructure and construct new ones, implement an effective solar-powered street lighting system throughout the metropolis and provide social amenities, including access to education and health facilities, for residents of the city.
Everyone who returns to Accra after visiting other cities in Europe, America and Asia will come to one realisation — that Accra is not planned, it has narrow and poorly-constructed roads, the city centre is densely populated with street hawkers and illegal structures and, generally speaking, Accra symbolises constructional indiscipline and the lack of political will and direction to make it what it should be.
Mr Vanderpuije is not oblivious to these facts and he takes consolation from the words of President Barack Obama that this country can only develop the way we want it if we allow state institutions to operate the way they should.
This is in reference to the reaction of the public and sometimes the political leadership anytime the city authorities attempt to enforce the various bye-laws on street hawking, illegal structures at unauthorised places and sanitation laws which have cumulatively made Accra a huge jungle that defies all laws of order and modernity.
Mr Vanderpuije hit a brick wall a few weeks ago when he set in motion his pledge to decongest the city, clear it of street hawkers and enforce sanitation regulations. The criticisms which came from people in government even drowned those from victims of the exercise. He is, however, determined to carry out his agenda of making Accra a Millennium City by 2015 to meet part of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
“The cynics thought the decongestion exercise in Accra would be a nine days’ wonder, but we are winning by monitoring the situation continuously. Every little bit of success must be monitored and vigorously enforced,” he said with enthusiasm.
To attain this ambitious goal which is envisaged under the MDGs, Mr Vanderpuije said certain urban centres would be developed to showcase examples of good urban planning that provided good sanitation, good health, clean and adequate water supply, education facilities and a good road network for residents. With the support of the Earth Institute, communities such as James Town, Mamprobi, Chorkor, Mamobi, Nima and Accra New Town would be upgraded with modern amenities and facilities to make Accra a modern city for the 21st century.
These are challenges that could only be met with adequate financial support and the political will. To that end, Mr Vanderpuije has outlined a plan to overhaul and modernise the revenue collection system of the AMA, which currently relies on property rates (commercial and industrial), lorry park and market tolls. He thinks with a modernised and expanded tax system, the AMA can raise more revenue to support its core activities.
He said part of the expansion of the revenue generation system means the AMA would enter into commercial ventures either solely or in partnership with other investors.
One of the projects dear to the heart of Mr Vanderpuije and which is expected to take off before the end of the year is the installation of a waste processing plant to generate energy.
Waste collection and management are taking a heavy toll on the resources of the AMA which, according to the AMA chief executive, takes over 90 per cent of the city’s resources. As you read this, the AMA is heavily indebted to refuse collectors to the tune of GH¢12 million.
The waste processing plant will, therefore, play multiple roles by solving the problem of waste collection, relocating dumping sites, save cost, provide revenue and generate energy for industrial use.
As part of the decongestion exercise, the city mayor said the foodstuffs market would be relocated to the Odawna area to enhance the food market, while that at Agbogbloshie would be relocated at Amasaman. This will make Accra a real city and not a huge market.
Mr Vanderpuije has plans to phace out the shift system in basic schools in the metropolis. He has projected that from September 2010 when the new academic year begins, no school-going child will seek refuge under the shift system to avoid the classroom. In short, the shift system will be a thing of the past as the AMA will endeavour to provide the needed facilities to ensure that all schools run a full stream of eight hours.
After this, the AMA will enforce the bye-laws which ban children of school age from hawking. Eventually, Mr Vanderpuije hopes that that venture will curb the socio-economic devastation of children. But this is at an envisaged cost of GH¢6 million which comes from the AMA’s coffers and donor support.
On noise-making, Mr Vanderpuije has admitted it is a big challenge facing the AMA. He said since most of the noise is made by churches, some of which have operated for a very long time, the AMA will begin the approach by way of dialogue, after which the law will be applied. For those churches and commercial entities that operate without permit, the response is simple — they should cease the illegality.
On illegal structures, the AMA boss said his immediate focus was on structures on water courses and pavements, after which he would come to encroachment.
Meanwhile, the AMA are putting in place preventive measures to ensure that the incidence of illegal and unauthorised structures is halted. As part of the measure, the AMA will work and approve permits for buildings expeditiously.
Mr Vanderpuije certainly may not have been the first person who sat in the AMA chief executive chair to have nursed such ambitious dreams. It is the hope of many Ghanaians that what others before him lacked — the vision, the will power, the political support and the resources — to execute their mandate will not elude him, so that with the support of the rest of us, Accra will be transformed into a city that is beautiful, user-friendly and ready to embrace the rest of the world as it welcomes the many investors expected in the country to participate in our oil and gas bonanza.
fokofi@yahoo.co.uk
kofiakordor.blogspot.com
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
When the last light goes off
By Kofi Akordor
THE early warning signs were clear: power supply became erratic and unreliable. There were the usual explanations and assurances from the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), the nation’s power distributor, that its engineers and technicians were doing their best to restore power to consumers.
In the past, power outages were a regular feature, especially during the dry season when the water in the Akosombo Dam dropped as a consequence of low or no rainfall. Late last year, the situation was different — it had to do more with technical problems, poor logistics and obsolete equipment. And the three service providers — the Volta River Authority (VRA), which is the bulk supplier, GRIDCo, the transmission company, and the ECG, the distributor — have their problems which aggregately affect power supply to the consumer, whether domestic, commercial or industrial.
On December 12, 2009, the Ministry of Energy made a public admission of the constraints facing the power supply system when Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, a Deputy Minister of Energy, told Parliament that supply of power was “characterised by inadequate generation reserve margin, excessive transmission, network constraints and poor voltage support, especially during the peak demand period of between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. each day”.
He explained further that even though total installed generation was about 1,945 megawatts, scheduled maintenance activities had reduced the total available capacity to about 1,425 megawatts.
He told Parliament that even though a number of projects were in place to bring about a significant improvement in the distribution system, the country would need US$1 billion in capital investments in the medium term to ensure a reliable distribution network in the country.
From Mr Buah’s submissions to Parliament last year, it should be obvious that power supply in the country is in a very critical situation in terms of installed capacity, transmission and distribution.
On Thursday, February 4, 2010, the VRA brought its case into the public domain when the Daily Graphic published an interview with Mrs Gertrude Koomson, its Head of Public Relations, on the VRA’s operations in relation to power supply in the country.
In that interview and subsequent disclosures, the VRA made it clear that unless there was a drastic improvement in the financial position of the VRA, the power supply system was heading towards total collapse.
Some of the problems enumerated by the VRA might sound too technical for ordinary people like us to understand, but in the ordinary person’s language, it is running at a loss.
First, a lot of organisations, including ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), industries and some mining companies owe the VRA over GH¢250 million and it has projected that it will lose GH¢570 million this year at current tariff rates.
Two, it had been compelled under circumstances beyond its control to sell power cheaper than the production cost and thereby forced into the situation where it is not able to raise enough funds to sustain its operations. For instance, the VRA says it spends between US$30 million and US$40 million on crude importation monthly to operate its thermal plants, without generating enough revenue to pay for the oil.
The last tariff adjustments were made in 2007, on the assumption that the West African Gas Pipeline Project would become operational and bring gas from Nigeria at a cheaper cost to Ghana. The story of that project is still being told in different voices. But the truth is, the Nigeria gas is yet to flow through the pipelines.
At a joint press conference on Monday, February 8, 2010, the three service providers placed their cards on the table and made a case for tariff adjustment to reflect current operational costs and to raise revenue to increase installed capacity, improve and modernise the transmission and distribution systems.
Mr Kweku Awortwi, the Chief Executive Officer of the VRA, made a 115 per cent rise in tariffs, while Mr Charles Darku of GRIDCo, which does the transmission, asked for a 173 per cent rise. Mr Cephas Gakpo of the ECG, the distribution company that comes into regular contact with the consuming public, made demand for a 105 per cent rise at current rates.
All the chief executives defended their positions with facts and figures which painted a gloomy picture of the power supply situation in the country in the future. The ECG says it will need at least US$180 million to meet its annual investment in order to meet the growing need for electricity in the country. Mr Gakpo said at current rates, the ECG was able to internally generate only US$30 million annually to support its capital investment projects, with the explanation that that amount could not satisfy the seven per cent annual demand growth for energy of the country.
On the part of GRIDCo, Mr Darku explained that the peak power demand in Accra had grown from about 110 megawatts in 1990 to about 400 megawatts as of last year. He said the transformer capacity of Accra, which is about 415, is almost exhausted. This demands a capital investment programme to cater for the construction of transmission lines and substations, the installation of transformers and substation equipment and the provision of tools for maintenance and operations.
Enter the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), the body that acts as a buffer between consumers and service providers. The PURC admitted receiving proposals from the three service providers but it was unable to approve them for several reasons. Its main concern, however, was that the three service providers had not exhibited enough efficiency in their operations; otherwise there could have been savings to reduce cost.
Again, the PURC argued that in 2007 it approved a 35 per cent tariff increase for the VRA on the understanding that it would generate 65 per cent of power from hydro and 35 per cent from thermal. Instead, the VRA generated 75 per cent from hydro and 25 per cent thermal and so to it the VRA had made enough money to sustain its operations.
The position of the PURC can be understood, especially from the point of view of consumers who want good and efficient service at a reasonable price. Where these are lacking, there is a weak argument for increase in tariffs. It can also be argued that the service providers cannot deny that there are administrative and operational bottlenecks within their systems that can impede smooth and cost-effective delivery of services.
These notwithstanding, there are some basic truths that we cannot run away from.
One, expansion over the years failed to match increase in population and for that matter increase in demand for electricity for domestic, commercial and industrial use.
Two, a lot of the equipment of these service providers are not only old and obsolete but also dangerous for service delivery, taking cognisance of the fact that electricity is a dangerous energy and the replacement of this equipment is capital intensive.
Three, the default rate is very high. Incidentally, most of the defaulters are government institutions which the ECG and the VRA in particular find difficult to deal with. It is the responsibility of the government to pay its due and meet its obligations, and then the service providers can proceed from there.
Four, not only is our population expanding; the economy is also growing and will even experience phenomenal growth when the oil and gas industry comes mainstream. Naturally the demand for power will increase.
Five, the Nigerian gas we have all been waiting for has so far proved elusive, which means the VRA will continue to rely on crude oil imports to operate its plants. The cedi/dollar rate is not in our favour and, therefore, to continue to pretend that everything is all right will mean postponing doomsday which will come with cataclysmic consequences.
It is, therefore, necessary to do a balancing act. While ensuring administrative and operational discipline, it is also prudent that the PURC sits down with the service providers to come to a reasonable compromise for the sake of adequate and efficient power supply. The three institutions cannot all be wrong at the same time and these are highly technical institutions that cannot just take things for granted.
The PURC may be making an argument in favour of consumers for now, but what about tomorrow when there is no power even to pay for? I heard Nana Owusu-Afare, the President of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), saying that the association would prefer constant delivery of power at a cost to an erratic, irregular and sometimes no power system which, in the long run, becomes more expensive to industry.
That is the issue confronting us. Efficient and regular power delivery as against low tariffs — which comes first? Remember, when the last light goes off, there will be no tariffs to pay.
fokofi@yahoo.co.uk
kakordor.blogspot.com
THE early warning signs were clear: power supply became erratic and unreliable. There were the usual explanations and assurances from the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), the nation’s power distributor, that its engineers and technicians were doing their best to restore power to consumers.
In the past, power outages were a regular feature, especially during the dry season when the water in the Akosombo Dam dropped as a consequence of low or no rainfall. Late last year, the situation was different — it had to do more with technical problems, poor logistics and obsolete equipment. And the three service providers — the Volta River Authority (VRA), which is the bulk supplier, GRIDCo, the transmission company, and the ECG, the distributor — have their problems which aggregately affect power supply to the consumer, whether domestic, commercial or industrial.
On December 12, 2009, the Ministry of Energy made a public admission of the constraints facing the power supply system when Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, a Deputy Minister of Energy, told Parliament that supply of power was “characterised by inadequate generation reserve margin, excessive transmission, network constraints and poor voltage support, especially during the peak demand period of between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. each day”.
He explained further that even though total installed generation was about 1,945 megawatts, scheduled maintenance activities had reduced the total available capacity to about 1,425 megawatts.
He told Parliament that even though a number of projects were in place to bring about a significant improvement in the distribution system, the country would need US$1 billion in capital investments in the medium term to ensure a reliable distribution network in the country.
From Mr Buah’s submissions to Parliament last year, it should be obvious that power supply in the country is in a very critical situation in terms of installed capacity, transmission and distribution.
On Thursday, February 4, 2010, the VRA brought its case into the public domain when the Daily Graphic published an interview with Mrs Gertrude Koomson, its Head of Public Relations, on the VRA’s operations in relation to power supply in the country.
In that interview and subsequent disclosures, the VRA made it clear that unless there was a drastic improvement in the financial position of the VRA, the power supply system was heading towards total collapse.
Some of the problems enumerated by the VRA might sound too technical for ordinary people like us to understand, but in the ordinary person’s language, it is running at a loss.
First, a lot of organisations, including ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), industries and some mining companies owe the VRA over GH¢250 million and it has projected that it will lose GH¢570 million this year at current tariff rates.
Two, it had been compelled under circumstances beyond its control to sell power cheaper than the production cost and thereby forced into the situation where it is not able to raise enough funds to sustain its operations. For instance, the VRA says it spends between US$30 million and US$40 million on crude importation monthly to operate its thermal plants, without generating enough revenue to pay for the oil.
The last tariff adjustments were made in 2007, on the assumption that the West African Gas Pipeline Project would become operational and bring gas from Nigeria at a cheaper cost to Ghana. The story of that project is still being told in different voices. But the truth is, the Nigeria gas is yet to flow through the pipelines.
At a joint press conference on Monday, February 8, 2010, the three service providers placed their cards on the table and made a case for tariff adjustment to reflect current operational costs and to raise revenue to increase installed capacity, improve and modernise the transmission and distribution systems.
Mr Kweku Awortwi, the Chief Executive Officer of the VRA, made a 115 per cent rise in tariffs, while Mr Charles Darku of GRIDCo, which does the transmission, asked for a 173 per cent rise. Mr Cephas Gakpo of the ECG, the distribution company that comes into regular contact with the consuming public, made demand for a 105 per cent rise at current rates.
All the chief executives defended their positions with facts and figures which painted a gloomy picture of the power supply situation in the country in the future. The ECG says it will need at least US$180 million to meet its annual investment in order to meet the growing need for electricity in the country. Mr Gakpo said at current rates, the ECG was able to internally generate only US$30 million annually to support its capital investment projects, with the explanation that that amount could not satisfy the seven per cent annual demand growth for energy of the country.
On the part of GRIDCo, Mr Darku explained that the peak power demand in Accra had grown from about 110 megawatts in 1990 to about 400 megawatts as of last year. He said the transformer capacity of Accra, which is about 415, is almost exhausted. This demands a capital investment programme to cater for the construction of transmission lines and substations, the installation of transformers and substation equipment and the provision of tools for maintenance and operations.
Enter the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), the body that acts as a buffer between consumers and service providers. The PURC admitted receiving proposals from the three service providers but it was unable to approve them for several reasons. Its main concern, however, was that the three service providers had not exhibited enough efficiency in their operations; otherwise there could have been savings to reduce cost.
Again, the PURC argued that in 2007 it approved a 35 per cent tariff increase for the VRA on the understanding that it would generate 65 per cent of power from hydro and 35 per cent from thermal. Instead, the VRA generated 75 per cent from hydro and 25 per cent thermal and so to it the VRA had made enough money to sustain its operations.
The position of the PURC can be understood, especially from the point of view of consumers who want good and efficient service at a reasonable price. Where these are lacking, there is a weak argument for increase in tariffs. It can also be argued that the service providers cannot deny that there are administrative and operational bottlenecks within their systems that can impede smooth and cost-effective delivery of services.
These notwithstanding, there are some basic truths that we cannot run away from.
One, expansion over the years failed to match increase in population and for that matter increase in demand for electricity for domestic, commercial and industrial use.
Two, a lot of the equipment of these service providers are not only old and obsolete but also dangerous for service delivery, taking cognisance of the fact that electricity is a dangerous energy and the replacement of this equipment is capital intensive.
Three, the default rate is very high. Incidentally, most of the defaulters are government institutions which the ECG and the VRA in particular find difficult to deal with. It is the responsibility of the government to pay its due and meet its obligations, and then the service providers can proceed from there.
Four, not only is our population expanding; the economy is also growing and will even experience phenomenal growth when the oil and gas industry comes mainstream. Naturally the demand for power will increase.
Five, the Nigerian gas we have all been waiting for has so far proved elusive, which means the VRA will continue to rely on crude oil imports to operate its plants. The cedi/dollar rate is not in our favour and, therefore, to continue to pretend that everything is all right will mean postponing doomsday which will come with cataclysmic consequences.
It is, therefore, necessary to do a balancing act. While ensuring administrative and operational discipline, it is also prudent that the PURC sits down with the service providers to come to a reasonable compromise for the sake of adequate and efficient power supply. The three institutions cannot all be wrong at the same time and these are highly technical institutions that cannot just take things for granted.
The PURC may be making an argument in favour of consumers for now, but what about tomorrow when there is no power even to pay for? I heard Nana Owusu-Afare, the President of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), saying that the association would prefer constant delivery of power at a cost to an erratic, irregular and sometimes no power system which, in the long run, becomes more expensive to industry.
That is the issue confronting us. Efficient and regular power delivery as against low tariffs — which comes first? Remember, when the last light goes off, there will be no tariffs to pay.
fokofi@yahoo.co.uk
kakordor.blogspot.com
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Who will cast the first stone at Ansabah?
By Kofi Akordor
I never had the privilege of listening directly to what I will describe as the ‘confessions’ of Ebenezer Ato Sam, alias Baby Ansabah, on how he fabricated stories, which he knew very well to be untrue, for political, monetary and other favours.
What is common knowledge now is that Ansabah’s confession has attracted wild and general condemnation from many and brought into question the professional integrity of journalists and how they are contributing to the shaping of the political culture of this country.
Some people may not admit it, but the truth is that much as we may stand on the rooftops to condemn Ebenezer Ato Sam, who has decided, by some strange reasons, to be known in media circles as Baby Ansabah, his case is just a graphic picture of the criminality, vile and vicious propaganda and the immorality that we have introduced into our politics and media practice.
If our politicians were to play it straight according to the rules, if they were sincere about their pledges to turn around the fortunes of this country and make the citizens happier and more comfortable, there would not be any fertile ground for people such as Ansabah to germinate, let alone flourish. Indeed the Baby Ansabahs in the media would have been irrelevant
There is no doubt that the media are a powerful and important tool that drive the wheels of democracy. That is why it is very easy to detect the first and commonest signs of dictatorship as the absence of media freedom which epitomises lack of freedom of expression.
The media can also leave powerful images in the minds of people. That is why people in powerful positions, whether in business or politics, or people aspiring to capture power or dislodge others from power and control people, will seek solace in the comfortable bosom of the media to set the agenda rolling.
In Ghana, our politicians, for some strange reason, have chosen to use the media not to propagate their ideas, ideals and strengths to win the confidence and support of the people but rather destroy their opponents. So some have established their own newspapers, radio and television stations not to do journalism but pure propaganda. Others have found it more convenient to form cells within the media fraternity to do the hatchet work for them and for which they are prepared to offer anything, from huge sums of money, vehicles, houses and the privilege of going on overseas trips.
We may forget so soon, but if we can recall some of the things that were said on the various radio and television stations or published in the newspapers in 2008 when the presidential and parliamentary elections were approaching their climax, we could see the hidden hands of politicians bent on winning power by all means, fair or foul, using people who described themselves as journalists.
Why, for the sake of attaining or retaining political power, should we present demagogues, mob rousers, people with motives that are anything but honourable, people without any proven professional competence as heroes and even as deserving national awards?
Why should politicians contract people purposely to join phone-in programmes to insult or vilify political opponents, tell lies about others and incite people to violence? Why should we make these serial callers, as they proudly want to be known, feel important?
In our recent history, some of these serial callers have assumed roles as show hosts and infiltrated journalism.
The media are supposed to light the path for the people. They are to serve as the voice of the voiceless and set the agenda for national development. They are to put governments on their toes and make public office holders accountable to the people. That is why they are often referred to as the Fourth Estate of the Realm.
Ghana has celebrated 52 years of independence without any remarkable achievement, at least compared to others in the same group. And that is the challenge to journalists in the country. We are still debating the best educational system for our children who have virtually become guinea pigs in the hands of confused politicians who cannot tell their right from left.
With all the good things we have heard over the years, our health facilities are poor and incapable of delivering good health to the people. We still import tonnes and tonnes of food items annually, while we have large tracts of fertile land. Almost all our industries have collapsed and the country has been turned into a giant supermarket for imported new and junk items. The textile industry as we know, is probably the worst hit.
These and many others are the real issues confronting us and it is for the media to highlight them constantly and engage politicians to focus on national development.
But the media cannot operate in isolation. That, however, does not mean journalists should go to bed with politicians and other public office holders for personal aggrandisement, at the expense of their professional dictates and the well-being of the majority of the people.
If the media decide to make themselves appendages of other institutions of state, they will forfeit their mandate as the fourth estate and naturally their ability to play interventionist role on behalf of the people.
Yes, there are many journalists in the country who, against all odds, are doing their best to deliver their mandate as the eyes of the people, the voice of the voiceless, saying what must be said and generally making sure that this country moves from dependency and subservience to a fully independent status. Unfortunately, the noisy empty barrels and those who fabricate stories are more in the minds of the public and have clouded the good works of the rest.
As someone put it, Ansabah may be an embarrassment to himself, but his case is an indictment on a media that are gradually losing focus and rendering themselves an easy tool to be manipulated by those who have more to gain and less to lose in the hands of a docile and corrupt media.
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has embarked on what could only be a self-redemption exercise by referring Ansabah to its Ethics and Disciplinary Committee.
But is the association standing on a solid ground? How many members, including the executives, can stand aside or cast the first stone for not having fabricated stories in the past? Remember the Hit List? How many of them have not benefited from the largesse of politicians in the form of cash, vehicles, houses and many other favours in kind for either suppressing vital information or fabricating others for personal gain, much against the ethics of the profession? I pray members of the association do not behave like vultures who swoop on one of their kind who is now lifeless.
To some of us, Ansabah was not only confessing but also lamenting for going down in the mud, without recognition and reward as others. If only others will also confess!
Ansabah stands accused, but he will not be in the dock alone. The media in Ghana are generally on trial because in the last few years, since the inception of the Fourth Republic, many journalists have done more politics than journalism and they did crude and immoral politics. It is time journalists did some soul-searching and salvage their professional image.
fokofi@yahoo.co.uk
kofiakordor.blogspot.com
I never had the privilege of listening directly to what I will describe as the ‘confessions’ of Ebenezer Ato Sam, alias Baby Ansabah, on how he fabricated stories, which he knew very well to be untrue, for political, monetary and other favours.
What is common knowledge now is that Ansabah’s confession has attracted wild and general condemnation from many and brought into question the professional integrity of journalists and how they are contributing to the shaping of the political culture of this country.
Some people may not admit it, but the truth is that much as we may stand on the rooftops to condemn Ebenezer Ato Sam, who has decided, by some strange reasons, to be known in media circles as Baby Ansabah, his case is just a graphic picture of the criminality, vile and vicious propaganda and the immorality that we have introduced into our politics and media practice.
If our politicians were to play it straight according to the rules, if they were sincere about their pledges to turn around the fortunes of this country and make the citizens happier and more comfortable, there would not be any fertile ground for people such as Ansabah to germinate, let alone flourish. Indeed the Baby Ansabahs in the media would have been irrelevant
There is no doubt that the media are a powerful and important tool that drive the wheels of democracy. That is why it is very easy to detect the first and commonest signs of dictatorship as the absence of media freedom which epitomises lack of freedom of expression.
The media can also leave powerful images in the minds of people. That is why people in powerful positions, whether in business or politics, or people aspiring to capture power or dislodge others from power and control people, will seek solace in the comfortable bosom of the media to set the agenda rolling.
In Ghana, our politicians, for some strange reason, have chosen to use the media not to propagate their ideas, ideals and strengths to win the confidence and support of the people but rather destroy their opponents. So some have established their own newspapers, radio and television stations not to do journalism but pure propaganda. Others have found it more convenient to form cells within the media fraternity to do the hatchet work for them and for which they are prepared to offer anything, from huge sums of money, vehicles, houses and the privilege of going on overseas trips.
We may forget so soon, but if we can recall some of the things that were said on the various radio and television stations or published in the newspapers in 2008 when the presidential and parliamentary elections were approaching their climax, we could see the hidden hands of politicians bent on winning power by all means, fair or foul, using people who described themselves as journalists.
Why, for the sake of attaining or retaining political power, should we present demagogues, mob rousers, people with motives that are anything but honourable, people without any proven professional competence as heroes and even as deserving national awards?
Why should politicians contract people purposely to join phone-in programmes to insult or vilify political opponents, tell lies about others and incite people to violence? Why should we make these serial callers, as they proudly want to be known, feel important?
In our recent history, some of these serial callers have assumed roles as show hosts and infiltrated journalism.
The media are supposed to light the path for the people. They are to serve as the voice of the voiceless and set the agenda for national development. They are to put governments on their toes and make public office holders accountable to the people. That is why they are often referred to as the Fourth Estate of the Realm.
Ghana has celebrated 52 years of independence without any remarkable achievement, at least compared to others in the same group. And that is the challenge to journalists in the country. We are still debating the best educational system for our children who have virtually become guinea pigs in the hands of confused politicians who cannot tell their right from left.
With all the good things we have heard over the years, our health facilities are poor and incapable of delivering good health to the people. We still import tonnes and tonnes of food items annually, while we have large tracts of fertile land. Almost all our industries have collapsed and the country has been turned into a giant supermarket for imported new and junk items. The textile industry as we know, is probably the worst hit.
These and many others are the real issues confronting us and it is for the media to highlight them constantly and engage politicians to focus on national development.
But the media cannot operate in isolation. That, however, does not mean journalists should go to bed with politicians and other public office holders for personal aggrandisement, at the expense of their professional dictates and the well-being of the majority of the people.
If the media decide to make themselves appendages of other institutions of state, they will forfeit their mandate as the fourth estate and naturally their ability to play interventionist role on behalf of the people.
Yes, there are many journalists in the country who, against all odds, are doing their best to deliver their mandate as the eyes of the people, the voice of the voiceless, saying what must be said and generally making sure that this country moves from dependency and subservience to a fully independent status. Unfortunately, the noisy empty barrels and those who fabricate stories are more in the minds of the public and have clouded the good works of the rest.
As someone put it, Ansabah may be an embarrassment to himself, but his case is an indictment on a media that are gradually losing focus and rendering themselves an easy tool to be manipulated by those who have more to gain and less to lose in the hands of a docile and corrupt media.
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has embarked on what could only be a self-redemption exercise by referring Ansabah to its Ethics and Disciplinary Committee.
But is the association standing on a solid ground? How many members, including the executives, can stand aside or cast the first stone for not having fabricated stories in the past? Remember the Hit List? How many of them have not benefited from the largesse of politicians in the form of cash, vehicles, houses and many other favours in kind for either suppressing vital information or fabricating others for personal gain, much against the ethics of the profession? I pray members of the association do not behave like vultures who swoop on one of their kind who is now lifeless.
To some of us, Ansabah was not only confessing but also lamenting for going down in the mud, without recognition and reward as others. If only others will also confess!
Ansabah stands accused, but he will not be in the dock alone. The media in Ghana are generally on trial because in the last few years, since the inception of the Fourth Republic, many journalists have done more politics than journalism and they did crude and immoral politics. It is time journalists did some soul-searching and salvage their professional image.
fokofi@yahoo.co.uk
kofiakordor.blogspot.com
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
What is at the Ministry of Youth and Sports?
By Kofi Akordor
There was a gasp of surprise, or was it disbelief? Some even contemptuously questioned the wisdom of the President in sending a woman to that ministry. Why that woman? They even querried.
Being assigned to any ministry with sports as part of its portfolio comes with its peculiar challenge, not because of workload. A ministry with sports has a reputation which many with clear conscience, who stand for the truth, who want things done the right way, would not want to share. It is a ministry where those who know its intricacies and intrigues, welcome ministers sent there with scepticism, fear, suspicion or joy, depending on the outlook, intention, disposition or agenda of the person or group making the observation.
All these added to the turbulence on the minds of many when the President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, named Honourable Akua Sena Dansua, the Member of Parliament for North Dayi in the Volta Region, as the new Minister of Youth and Sports.
There are those who are genuinely concerned for a good reason and wish that the new minister succeeds and comes out unscathed where others went and made a hasty and sad exit. There are also the mischievous and doomsday people of course, who prefer to celebrate what they consider to be failure and not success.
For many, the story of the ministry of sports is well known. For the sake of those who may still not know, in 2001, a young man called Mallam Yusif Issa, was plucked from nowhere and made the Minister of Education, Science and Sports. Barely three months later, Mallam Issa became the first casualty of the Kufuor Administration, when he was booted out of office for not accounting for US$26,000 meant as bonus for players of the senior national football team, the Black Stars, who were to defend the national flag in a World Cup qualifier in The Sudan.
The truth was never known, but there were rumours that Mallam Issa was set up by officials of the ministry. This was vehemently denied by the officials. Whatever the case, the ministry gained notoriety for shady deals masterminded by some untouchables who have entrenched themselves in some impregnable fortresses.
In 2009, Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, the young Member of Parliament for Asawase, assumed office as Minister of Youth and Sports. Remember, Sports is always looking for fresh partners. The new minister plunged into business with all the vigour and enthusiasm, powered by youthful exhuberance.
By some strange coincidence, three months later, just like in the case of Mallam Issa, Alhaji Mubarak ran into turbulence. His charges, among others, were that, he had used or rather misused his office to transport an unauthorised person at state expense on two occasions to Germany and Cote d’Ivoire. He was also accused of a large appetite for the consumption of large quantities of ching-chinga, a local delicacy of spiced, grilled meat.
Alhaji Mubarak’s tribulations did not end there. He was accused of embarking on unbridled buying spree involving baby nappies and other such things. He also did not escape the charge of not accounting for money given to him. Alhaji Mubarak sadly made a premature exit when he resigned his post.
There are common strands in the Mallam Issa and Alhaji Mubarak cases. They are both young and both promised to clear the stables and bring financial sanity to the sports ministry. Both never stayed long enough to carry out their missions. In fact both were consumed by allegations of fraud and corruption, the two evils they pledged to stamp out at the ministry.
So what was her reaction when she first heard of her new portfolio, I asked Honourable Dansua. Shock! Shock because she was not expecting a change in portfolio now, having set a cracking pace at the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs, where she had generally performed well and gearing up to consolidate ground and put a lot of her programmes and policies into action. That was why she thought this reshuffle should have passed by her.
Second, the new portfolio was a great surprise. She felt in the event of any change, she would be considered for a position her professional training and disposition could easily accommodate, say the Ministry of Information, being a professional journalist or the leadership of the House, where she is a three-term member. All the same, the President being the team leader knows best. She has, therefore, embraced the challenge, determined to succeed and prepare the ground for other women to tread in future without fear of failure.
When I suggested the idea that her new appointment might be a trap for self-destruction, judging from the experience of some others before her, Honourable Dansua was of the strong view that her choice as the first female Minister of the Ministry of Youth and Sports is an affirmation of faith and confidence in the ability of women by President Mills generally and in her personal qualities.
As to how she is going to cope with a ministry that has gained notoriety for swallowing its ministers, Honourable Dansua said until she gets there, she would not know what are those demons that have been haunting people there. However, one thing is certain. She is going to be a team leader who will use the services of all the human resources available to build up the image of the ministry. In the same vein, she would expect others, especially the technical staff, to exhibit honesty, transparency, absolute support and co-operation so that collectively they could build a good image for sports in Ghana and beyond.
She said rightly or wrongly, the ministry had a bad image in the eyes of the public and it was their collective responsibility to correct that perception and build a positive image for the ministry.
Her first task would be to organise an open forum and put her agenda on the table and would equally expect an open and frank response from all stakeholders. In her opinion, what may be deemed a failure of an individual minister is actually a failure of all those who have anything to do with the administration of the ministry. On those intrigued with the idea of a woman going to head a dreaded ministry, Honourable Dansua said the problem was not about gender, but the institution itself which needed major reforms. So it is possible that where many men went and failed, a woman will go and succeed.
On her vision for the ministry, Honourable Dansua said it was not about sports or football alone. Preparing the youth for the future is the responsibility of the ministry. She made reference to the age-old adage that: “The devil finds work for idle hands”, and gave the assurance that she would fine-tune existing programmes and design new ones that would respond to the needs of the youth. “When the youth are unemployed, they tend to engage in bad habits such as stealing, robbery, Sakawa and many such evil practices,” she noted, and pledged to make the development of the youth the focal point of her policy at the ministry.
In the same way she would popularise other sporting disciplines such as swimming, tennis, women’s football and help in the revival of student teams like the Academicals which served as a nursing ground for the national football team in the past.
Honourable Akua Dansua is going to be new at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, but she is more than a matured wine on the political landscape. A product of Mawuli School, the Ghana Institute of Journalism, the School of Communication Studies of the University of Ghana, Legon, and the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, Honourable Dansua was into mainstream journalism for many years before veering into active politics in 1997, when she was made the District Chief Executive for Kpando, a position she held with distinction till 2001, when the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government gave way to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) after the 2000 election.
From 2001 to date, Honourable Dansua has been a Member of Parliament where she has held many leadership positions. They include Second Deputy Minority Whip (January 2004-January 2009) and First Deputy Majority Whip (January 7-February 13, 2009). She also represented Parliament on several local and international committees and travelled widely to several countries on many parliamentary missions.
On February 13, 2009, Honourable Dansua assumed office as Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs, a position she held to the admiration of many until last Monday, when President Mills appointed her to the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
From her humble beginnings, Honourable Dansua has piled up years of hard work and experience and is, therefore, confident that with the support of all well-meaning Ghanaians she is not going to fail and prayed for the co-operation of all.
“I have the professional competence, political experience, the independence of mind and the neutrality needed in a multi-faceted environment such as the Ministry of Youth and Sports to handle the ministry and turn the place around,” she declared with optimism, “and I see my new role not only as a personal challenge, but to all of us women who want the world to know and accept that we are more than capable in whatever challenge we are confronted with.”
fokofi@yahoo.co.uk
kofiakordor.blogspot.com
By Kofi Akordor
There was a gasp of surprise, or was it disbelief? Some even contemptuously questioned the wisdom of the President in sending a woman to that ministry. Why that woman? They even querried.
Being assigned to any ministry with sports as part of its portfolio comes with its peculiar challenge, not because of workload. A ministry with sports has a reputation which many with clear conscience, who stand for the truth, who want things done the right way, would not want to share. It is a ministry where those who know its intricacies and intrigues, welcome ministers sent there with scepticism, fear, suspicion or joy, depending on the outlook, intention, disposition or agenda of the person or group making the observation.
All these added to the turbulence on the minds of many when the President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, named Honourable Akua Sena Dansua, the Member of Parliament for North Dayi in the Volta Region, as the new Minister of Youth and Sports.
There are those who are genuinely concerned for a good reason and wish that the new minister succeeds and comes out unscathed where others went and made a hasty and sad exit. There are also the mischievous and doomsday people of course, who prefer to celebrate what they consider to be failure and not success.
For many, the story of the ministry of sports is well known. For the sake of those who may still not know, in 2001, a young man called Mallam Yusif Issa, was plucked from nowhere and made the Minister of Education, Science and Sports. Barely three months later, Mallam Issa became the first casualty of the Kufuor Administration, when he was booted out of office for not accounting for US$26,000 meant as bonus for players of the senior national football team, the Black Stars, who were to defend the national flag in a World Cup qualifier in The Sudan.
The truth was never known, but there were rumours that Mallam Issa was set up by officials of the ministry. This was vehemently denied by the officials. Whatever the case, the ministry gained notoriety for shady deals masterminded by some untouchables who have entrenched themselves in some impregnable fortresses.
In 2009, Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, the young Member of Parliament for Asawase, assumed office as Minister of Youth and Sports. Remember, Sports is always looking for fresh partners. The new minister plunged into business with all the vigour and enthusiasm, powered by youthful exhuberance.
By some strange coincidence, three months later, just like in the case of Mallam Issa, Alhaji Mubarak ran into turbulence. His charges, among others, were that, he had used or rather misused his office to transport an unauthorised person at state expense on two occasions to Germany and Cote d’Ivoire. He was also accused of a large appetite for the consumption of large quantities of ching-chinga, a local delicacy of spiced, grilled meat.
Alhaji Mubarak’s tribulations did not end there. He was accused of embarking on unbridled buying spree involving baby nappies and other such things. He also did not escape the charge of not accounting for money given to him. Alhaji Mubarak sadly made a premature exit when he resigned his post.
There are common strands in the Mallam Issa and Alhaji Mubarak cases. They are both young and both promised to clear the stables and bring financial sanity to the sports ministry. Both never stayed long enough to carry out their missions. In fact both were consumed by allegations of fraud and corruption, the two evils they pledged to stamp out at the ministry.
So what was her reaction when she first heard of her new portfolio, I asked Honourable Dansua. Shock! Shock because she was not expecting a change in portfolio now, having set a cracking pace at the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs, where she had generally performed well and gearing up to consolidate ground and put a lot of her programmes and policies into action. That was why she thought this reshuffle should have passed by her.
Second, the new portfolio was a great surprise. She felt in the event of any change, she would be considered for a position her professional training and disposition could easily accommodate, say the Ministry of Information, being a professional journalist or the leadership of the House, where she is a three-term member. All the same, the President being the team leader knows best. She has, therefore, embraced the challenge, determined to succeed and prepare the ground for other women to tread in future without fear of failure.
When I suggested the idea that her new appointment might be a trap for self-destruction, judging from the experience of some others before her, Honourable Dansua is of the strong view that her choice as the first female Minister of the Ministry of Youth and Sports is an affirmation of faith and confidence in the ability of women by President Mills generally and in her personal qualities.
As to how she is going to cope with a ministry that has gained notoriety for swallowing its ministers, Honourable Dansua said until she gets there, she would not know what are those demons that have been haunting people there. However, one thing is certain. She is going to be a team leader who will use the services of all the human resources available to build up the image of the ministry. In the same vein, she would expect others, especially the technical staff, to exhibit honesty, transparency, absolute support and co-operation so that collectively they could build a good image for sports in Ghana and beyond.
She said rightly or wrongly, the ministry had a bad image in the eyes of the public and it was their collective responsibility to correct that perception and build a positive image for the ministry.
Her first task would be to organise an open forum and put her agenda on the table and would equally expect an open and frank response from all stakeholders. In her opinion, what may be deemed a failure of an individual minister is actually a failure of all those who have anything to do with the administration of the ministry. On those intrigued with the idea of a woman going to head a dreaded ministry, Honourable Dansua said the problem was not about gender, but the institution itself which needed major reforms. So it is possible that where many men went and failed, a woman will go and succeed.
On her vision for the ministry, Honourable Dansua said it was not about sports or football alone. Preparing the youth for the future is the responsibility of the ministry. She made reference to the age-old adage that: “The devil finds work for idle hands”, and gave the assurance that she would fine-tune existing programmes and design new ones that would respond to the needs of the youth. “When the youth are unemployed, they tend to engage in bad habits such as stealing, robbery, Sakawa and many such evil practices,” she noted, and pledged to make the development of the youth the focal point of her policy at the ministry.
In the same way she would popularise other sporting disciplines such as swimming, tennis, women’s football and help in the revival of student teams like the Academicals which served as a nursing ground for the national football team in the past.
Honourable Akua Dansua is going to be new at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, but she is more than a matured wine on the political landscape. A product of Mawuli School, the Ghana Institute of Journalism, the School of Communication Studies of the University of Ghana, Legon, and the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, Honourable Dansua was into mainstream journalism for many years before veering into active politics in 1997, when she was made the District Chief Executive for Kpando, a position she held with distinction till 2001, when the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government gave way to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) after the 2000 election.
From 2001 to date, Honourable Dansua has been a Member of Parliament where she has held many leadership positions. They include Second Deputy Minority Whip (January 2004-January 2009) and First Deputy Majority Whip (January 7-February 13, 2009). She also represented Parliament on several local and international committees and travelled widely to several countries on many parliamentary missions.
On February 13, 2009, Honourable Dansua assumed office as Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs, a position she held to the admiration of many until last Monday, when President Mills appointed her to the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
From her humble beginnings, Honourable Dansua has piled up years of hard work and experience and is, therefore, confident that with the support of all well-meaning Ghanaians she is not going to fail and prayed for the co-operation of all.
“I have the professional competence, political experience, the independence of mind and the neutrality needed in a multi-faceted environment such as the Ministry of Youth and Sports to handle the ministry and turn the place around,” she declared with optimism, “and I see my new role not only as a personal challenge, but to all of us women who want the world to know and accept that we are more than capable in whatever challenge we are confronted with.”
fokofi@yahoo.co.uk
kofiakordor.blogspot.com
By Kofi Akordor
There was a gasp of surprise, or was it disbelief? Some even contemptuously questioned the wisdom of the President in sending a woman to that ministry. Why that woman? They even querried.
Being assigned to any ministry with sports as part of its portfolio comes with its peculiar challenge, not because of workload. A ministry with sports has a reputation which many with clear conscience, who stand for the truth, who want things done the right way, would not want to share. It is a ministry where those who know its intricacies and intrigues, welcome ministers sent there with scepticism, fear, suspicion or joy, depending on the outlook, intention, disposition or agenda of the person or group making the observation.
All these added to the turbulence on the minds of many when the President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, named Honourable Akua Sena Dansua, the Member of Parliament for North Dayi in the Volta Region, as the new Minister of Youth and Sports.
There are those who are genuinely concerned for a good reason and wish that the new minister succeeds and comes out unscathed where others went and made a hasty and sad exit. There are also the mischievous and doomsday people of course, who prefer to celebrate what they consider to be failure and not success.
For many, the story of the ministry of sports is well known. For the sake of those who may still not know, in 2001, a young man called Mallam Yusif Issa, was plucked from nowhere and made the Minister of Education, Science and Sports. Barely three months later, Mallam Issa became the first casualty of the Kufuor Administration, when he was booted out of office for not accounting for US$26,000 meant as bonus for players of the senior national football team, the Black Stars, who were to defend the national flag in a World Cup qualifier in The Sudan.
The truth was never known, but there were rumours that Mallam Issa was set up by officials of the ministry. This was vehemently denied by the officials. Whatever the case, the ministry gained notoriety for shady deals masterminded by some untouchables who have entrenched themselves in some impregnable fortresses.
In 2009, Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, the young Member of Parliament for Asawase, assumed office as Minister of Youth and Sports. Remember, Sports is always looking for fresh partners. The new minister plunged into business with all the vigour and enthusiasm, powered by youthful exhuberance.
By some strange coincidence, three months later, just like in the case of Mallam Issa, Alhaji Mubarak ran into turbulence. His charges, among others, were that, he had used or rather misused his office to transport an unauthorised person at state expense on two occasions to Germany and Cote d’Ivoire. He was also accused of a large appetite for the consumption of large quantities of ching-chinga, a local delicacy of spiced, grilled meat.
Alhaji Mubarak’s tribulations did not end there. He was accused of embarking on unbridled buying spree involving baby nappies and other such things. He also did not escape the charge of not accounting for money given to him. Alhaji Mubarak sadly made a premature exit when he resigned his post.
There are common strands in the Mallam Issa and Alhaji Mubarak cases. They are both young and both promised to clear the stables and bring financial sanity to the sports ministry. Both never stayed long enough to carry out their missions. In fact both were consumed by allegations of fraud and corruption, the two evils they pledged to stamp out at the ministry.
So what was her reaction when she first heard of her new portfolio, I asked Honourable Dansua. Shock! Shock because she was not expecting a change in portfolio now, having set a cracking pace at the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs, where she had generally performed well and gearing up to consolidate ground and put a lot of her programmes and policies into action. That was why she thought this reshuffle should have passed by her.
Second, the new portfolio was a great surprise. She felt in the event of any change, she would be considered for a position her professional training and disposition could easily accommodate, say the Ministry of Information, being a professional journalist or the leadership of the House, where she is a three-term member. All the same, the President being the team leader knows best. She has, therefore, embraced the challenge, determined to succeed and prepare the ground for other women to tread in future without fear of failure.
When I suggested the idea that her new appointment might be a trap for self-destruction, judging from the experience of some others before her, Honourable Dansua is of the strong view that her choice as the first female Minister of the Ministry of Youth and Sports is an affirmation of faith and confidence in the ability of women by President Mills generally and in her personal qualities.
As to how she is going to cope with a ministry that has gained notoriety for swallowing its ministers, Honourable Dansua said until she gets there, she would not know what are those demons that have been haunting people there. However, one thing is certain. She is going to be a team leader who will use the services of all the human resources available to build up the image of the ministry. In the same vein, she would expect others, especially the technical staff, to exhibit honesty, transparency, absolute support and co-operation so that collectively they could build a good image for sports in Ghana and beyond.
She said rightly or wrongly, the ministry had a bad image in the eyes of the public and it was their collective responsibility to correct that perception and build a positive image for the ministry.
Her first task would be to organise an open forum and put her agenda on the table and would equally expect an open and frank response from all stakeholders. In her opinion, what may be deemed a failure of an individual minister is actually a failure of all those who have anything to do with the administration of the ministry. On those intrigued with the idea of a woman going to head a dreaded ministry, Honourable Dansua said the problem was not about gender, but the institution itself which needed major reforms. So it is possible that where many men went and failed, a woman will go and succeed.
On her vision for the ministry, Honourable Dansua said it was not about sports or football alone. Preparing the youth for the future is the responsibility of the ministry. She made reference to the age-old adage that: “The devil finds work for idle hands”, and gave the assurance that she would fine-tune existing programmes and design new ones that would respond to the needs of the youth. “When the youth are unemployed, they tend to engage in bad habits such as stealing, robbery, Sakawa and many such evil practices,” she noted, and pledged to make the development of the youth the focal point of her policy at the ministry.
In the same way she would popularise other sporting disciplines such as swimming, tennis, women’s football and help in the revival of student teams like the Academicals which served as a nursing ground for the national football team in the past.
Honourable Akua Dansua is going to be new at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, but she is more than a matured wine on the political landscape. A product of Mawuli School, the Ghana Institute of Journalism, the School of Communication Studies of the University of Ghana, Legon, and the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, Honourable Dansua was into mainstream journalism for many years before veering into active politics in 1997, when she was made the District Chief Executive for Kpando, a position she held with distinction till 2001, when the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government gave way to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) after the 2000 election.
From 2001 to date, Honourable Dansua has been a Member of Parliament where she has held many leadership positions. They include Second Deputy Minority Whip (January 2004-January 2009) and First Deputy Majority Whip (January 7-February 13, 2009). She also represented Parliament on several local and international committees and travelled widely to several countries on many parliamentary missions.
On February 13, 2009, Honourable Dansua assumed office as Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs, a position she held to the admiration of many until last Monday, when President Mills appointed her to the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
From her humble beginnings, Honourable Dansua has piled up years of hard work and experience and is, therefore, confident that with the support of all well-meaning Ghanaians she is not going to fail and prayed for the co-operation of all.
“I have the professional competence, political experience, the independence of mind and the neutrality needed in a multi-faceted environment such as the Ministry of Youth and Sports to handle the ministry and turn the place around,” she declared with optimism, “and I see my new role not only as a personal challenge, but to all of us women who want the world to know and accept that we are more than capable in whatever challenge we are confronted with.”
fokofi@yahoo.co.uk
kofiakordor.blogspot.com
There was a gasp of surprise, or was it disbelief? Some even contemptuously questioned the wisdom of the President in sending a woman to that ministry. Why that woman? They even querried.
Being assigned to any ministry with sports as part of its portfolio comes with its peculiar challenge, not because of workload. A ministry with sports has a reputation which many with clear conscience, who stand for the truth, who want things done the right way, would not want to share. It is a ministry where those who know its intricacies and intrigues, welcome ministers sent there with scepticism, fear, suspicion or joy, depending on the outlook, intention, disposition or agenda of the person or group making the observation.
All these added to the turbulence on the minds of many when the President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, named Honourable Akua Sena Dansua, the Member of Parliament for North Dayi in the Volta Region, as the new Minister of Youth and Sports.
There are those who are genuinely concerned for a good reason and wish that the new minister succeeds and comes out unscathed where others went and made a hasty and sad exit. There are also the mischievous and doomsday people of course, who prefer to celebrate what they consider to be failure and not success.
For many, the story of the ministry of sports is well known. For the sake of those who may still not know, in 2001, a young man called Mallam Yusif Issa, was plucked from nowhere and made the Minister of Education, Science and Sports. Barely three months later, Mallam Issa became the first casualty of the Kufuor Administration, when he was booted out of office for not accounting for US$26,000 meant as bonus for players of the senior national football team, the Black Stars, who were to defend the national flag in a World Cup qualifier in The Sudan.
The truth was never known, but there were rumours that Mallam Issa was set up by officials of the ministry. This was vehemently denied by the officials. Whatever the case, the ministry gained notoriety for shady deals masterminded by some untouchables who have entrenched themselves in some impregnable fortresses.
In 2009, Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, the young Member of Parliament for Asawase, assumed office as Minister of Youth and Sports. Remember, Sports is always looking for fresh partners. The new minister plunged into business with all the vigour and enthusiasm, powered by youthful exhuberance.
By some strange coincidence, three months later, just like in the case of Mallam Issa, Alhaji Mubarak ran into turbulence. His charges, among others, were that, he had used or rather misused his office to transport an unauthorised person at state expense on two occasions to Germany and Cote d’Ivoire. He was also accused of a large appetite for the consumption of large quantities of ching-chinga, a local delicacy of spiced, grilled meat.
Alhaji Mubarak’s tribulations did not end there. He was accused of embarking on unbridled buying spree involving baby nappies and other such things. He also did not escape the charge of not accounting for money given to him. Alhaji Mubarak sadly made a premature exit when he resigned his post.
There are common strands in the Mallam Issa and Alhaji Mubarak cases. They are both young and both promised to clear the stables and bring financial sanity to the sports ministry. Both never stayed long enough to carry out their missions. In fact both were consumed by allegations of fraud and corruption, the two evils they pledged to stamp out at the ministry.
So what was her reaction when she first heard of her new portfolio, I asked Honourable Dansua. Shock! Shock because she was not expecting a change in portfolio now, having set a cracking pace at the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs, where she had generally performed well and gearing up to consolidate ground and put a lot of her programmes and policies into action. That was why she thought this reshuffle should have passed by her.
Second, the new portfolio was a great surprise. She felt in the event of any change, she would be considered for a position her professional training and disposition could easily accommodate, say the Ministry of Information, being a professional journalist or the leadership of the House, where she is a three-term member. All the same, the President being the team leader knows best. She has, therefore, embraced the challenge, determined to succeed and prepare the ground for other women to tread in future without fear of failure.
When I suggested the idea that her new appointment might be a trap for self-destruction, judging from the experience of some others before her, Honourable Dansua was of the strong view that her choice as the first female Minister of the Ministry of Youth and Sports is an affirmation of faith and confidence in the ability of women by President Mills generally and in her personal qualities.
As to how she is going to cope with a ministry that has gained notoriety for swallowing its ministers, Honourable Dansua said until she gets there, she would not know what are those demons that have been haunting people there. However, one thing is certain. She is going to be a team leader who will use the services of all the human resources available to build up the image of the ministry. In the same vein, she would expect others, especially the technical staff, to exhibit honesty, transparency, absolute support and co-operation so that collectively they could build a good image for sports in Ghana and beyond.
She said rightly or wrongly, the ministry had a bad image in the eyes of the public and it was their collective responsibility to correct that perception and build a positive image for the ministry.
Her first task would be to organise an open forum and put her agenda on the table and would equally expect an open and frank response from all stakeholders. In her opinion, what may be deemed a failure of an individual minister is actually a failure of all those who have anything to do with the administration of the ministry. On those intrigued with the idea of a woman going to head a dreaded ministry, Honourable Dansua said the problem was not about gender, but the institution itself which needed major reforms. So it is possible that where many men went and failed, a woman will go and succeed.
On her vision for the ministry, Honourable Dansua said it was not about sports or football alone. Preparing the youth for the future is the responsibility of the ministry. She made reference to the age-old adage that: “The devil finds work for idle hands”, and gave the assurance that she would fine-tune existing programmes and design new ones that would respond to the needs of the youth. “When the youth are unemployed, they tend to engage in bad habits such as stealing, robbery, Sakawa and many such evil practices,” she noted, and pledged to make the development of the youth the focal point of her policy at the ministry.
In the same way she would popularise other sporting disciplines such as swimming, tennis, women’s football and help in the revival of student teams like the Academicals which served as a nursing ground for the national football team in the past.
Honourable Akua Dansua is going to be new at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, but she is more than a matured wine on the political landscape. A product of Mawuli School, the Ghana Institute of Journalism, the School of Communication Studies of the University of Ghana, Legon, and the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, Honourable Dansua was into mainstream journalism for many years before veering into active politics in 1997, when she was made the District Chief Executive for Kpando, a position she held with distinction till 2001, when the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government gave way to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) after the 2000 election.
From 2001 to date, Honourable Dansua has been a Member of Parliament where she has held many leadership positions. They include Second Deputy Minority Whip (January 2004-January 2009) and First Deputy Majority Whip (January 7-February 13, 2009). She also represented Parliament on several local and international committees and travelled widely to several countries on many parliamentary missions.
On February 13, 2009, Honourable Dansua assumed office as Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs, a position she held to the admiration of many until last Monday, when President Mills appointed her to the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
From her humble beginnings, Honourable Dansua has piled up years of hard work and experience and is, therefore, confident that with the support of all well-meaning Ghanaians she is not going to fail and prayed for the co-operation of all.
“I have the professional competence, political experience, the independence of mind and the neutrality needed in a multi-faceted environment such as the Ministry of Youth and Sports to handle the ministry and turn the place around,” she declared with optimism, “and I see my new role not only as a personal challenge, but to all of us women who want the world to know and accept that we are more than capable in whatever challenge we are confronted with.”
fokofi@yahoo.co.uk
kofiakordor.blogspot.com
By Kofi Akordor
There was a gasp of surprise, or was it disbelief? Some even contemptuously questioned the wisdom of the President in sending a woman to that ministry. Why that woman? They even querried.
Being assigned to any ministry with sports as part of its portfolio comes with its peculiar challenge, not because of workload. A ministry with sports has a reputation which many with clear conscience, who stand for the truth, who want things done the right way, would not want to share. It is a ministry where those who know its intricacies and intrigues, welcome ministers sent there with scepticism, fear, suspicion or joy, depending on the outlook, intention, disposition or agenda of the person or group making the observation.
All these added to the turbulence on the minds of many when the President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, named Honourable Akua Sena Dansua, the Member of Parliament for North Dayi in the Volta Region, as the new Minister of Youth and Sports.
There are those who are genuinely concerned for a good reason and wish that the new minister succeeds and comes out unscathed where others went and made a hasty and sad exit. There are also the mischievous and doomsday people of course, who prefer to celebrate what they consider to be failure and not success.
For many, the story of the ministry of sports is well known. For the sake of those who may still not know, in 2001, a young man called Mallam Yusif Issa, was plucked from nowhere and made the Minister of Education, Science and Sports. Barely three months later, Mallam Issa became the first casualty of the Kufuor Administration, when he was booted out of office for not accounting for US$26,000 meant as bonus for players of the senior national football team, the Black Stars, who were to defend the national flag in a World Cup qualifier in The Sudan.
The truth was never known, but there were rumours that Mallam Issa was set up by officials of the ministry. This was vehemently denied by the officials. Whatever the case, the ministry gained notoriety for shady deals masterminded by some untouchables who have entrenched themselves in some impregnable fortresses.
In 2009, Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, the young Member of Parliament for Asawase, assumed office as Minister of Youth and Sports. Remember, Sports is always looking for fresh partners. The new minister plunged into business with all the vigour and enthusiasm, powered by youthful exhuberance.
By some strange coincidence, three months later, just like in the case of Mallam Issa, Alhaji Mubarak ran into turbulence. His charges, among others, were that, he had used or rather misused his office to transport an unauthorised person at state expense on two occasions to Germany and Cote d’Ivoire. He was also accused of a large appetite for the consumption of large quantities of ching-chinga, a local delicacy of spiced, grilled meat.
Alhaji Mubarak’s tribulations did not end there. He was accused of embarking on unbridled buying spree involving baby nappies and other such things. He also did not escape the charge of not accounting for money given to him. Alhaji Mubarak sadly made a premature exit when he resigned his post.
There are common strands in the Mallam Issa and Alhaji Mubarak cases. They are both young and both promised to clear the stables and bring financial sanity to the sports ministry. Both never stayed long enough to carry out their missions. In fact both were consumed by allegations of fraud and corruption, the two evils they pledged to stamp out at the ministry.
So what was her reaction when she first heard of her new portfolio, I asked Honourable Dansua. Shock! Shock because she was not expecting a change in portfolio now, having set a cracking pace at the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs, where she had generally performed well and gearing up to consolidate ground and put a lot of her programmes and policies into action. That was why she thought this reshuffle should have passed by her.
Second, the new portfolio was a great surprise. She felt in the event of any change, she would be considered for a position her professional training and disposition could easily accommodate, say the Ministry of Information, being a professional journalist or the leadership of the House, where she is a three-term member. All the same, the President being the team leader knows best. She has, therefore, embraced the challenge, determined to succeed and prepare the ground for other women to tread in future without fear of failure.
When I suggested the idea that her new appointment might be a trap for self-destruction, judging from the experience of some others before her, Honourable Dansua is of the strong view that her choice as the first female Minister of the Ministry of Youth and Sports is an affirmation of faith and confidence in the ability of women by President Mills generally and in her personal qualities.
As to how she is going to cope with a ministry that has gained notoriety for swallowing its ministers, Honourable Dansua said until she gets there, she would not know what are those demons that have been haunting people there. However, one thing is certain. She is going to be a team leader who will use the services of all the human resources available to build up the image of the ministry. In the same vein, she would expect others, especially the technical staff, to exhibit honesty, transparency, absolute support and co-operation so that collectively they could build a good image for sports in Ghana and beyond.
She said rightly or wrongly, the ministry had a bad image in the eyes of the public and it was their collective responsibility to correct that perception and build a positive image for the ministry.
Her first task would be to organise an open forum and put her agenda on the table and would equally expect an open and frank response from all stakeholders. In her opinion, what may be deemed a failure of an individual minister is actually a failure of all those who have anything to do with the administration of the ministry. On those intrigued with the idea of a woman going to head a dreaded ministry, Honourable Dansua said the problem was not about gender, but the institution itself which needed major reforms. So it is possible that where many men went and failed, a woman will go and succeed.
On her vision for the ministry, Honourable Dansua said it was not about sports or football alone. Preparing the youth for the future is the responsibility of the ministry. She made reference to the age-old adage that: “The devil finds work for idle hands”, and gave the assurance that she would fine-tune existing programmes and design new ones that would respond to the needs of the youth. “When the youth are unemployed, they tend to engage in bad habits such as stealing, robbery, Sakawa and many such evil practices,” she noted, and pledged to make the development of the youth the focal point of her policy at the ministry.
In the same way she would popularise other sporting disciplines such as swimming, tennis, women’s football and help in the revival of student teams like the Academicals which served as a nursing ground for the national football team in the past.
Honourable Akua Dansua is going to be new at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, but she is more than a matured wine on the political landscape. A product of Mawuli School, the Ghana Institute of Journalism, the School of Communication Studies of the University of Ghana, Legon, and the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, Honourable Dansua was into mainstream journalism for many years before veering into active politics in 1997, when she was made the District Chief Executive for Kpando, a position she held with distinction till 2001, when the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government gave way to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) after the 2000 election.
From 2001 to date, Honourable Dansua has been a Member of Parliament where she has held many leadership positions. They include Second Deputy Minority Whip (January 2004-January 2009) and First Deputy Majority Whip (January 7-February 13, 2009). She also represented Parliament on several local and international committees and travelled widely to several countries on many parliamentary missions.
On February 13, 2009, Honourable Dansua assumed office as Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs, a position she held to the admiration of many until last Monday, when President Mills appointed her to the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
From her humble beginnings, Honourable Dansua has piled up years of hard work and experience and is, therefore, confident that with the support of all well-meaning Ghanaians she is not going to fail and prayed for the co-operation of all.
“I have the professional competence, political experience, the independence of mind and the neutrality needed in a multi-faceted environment such as the Ministry of Youth and Sports to handle the ministry and turn the place around,” she declared with optimism, “and I see my new role not only as a personal challenge, but to all of us women who want the world to know and accept that we are more than capable in whatever challenge we are confronted with.”
fokofi@yahoo.co.uk
kofiakordor.blogspot.com
By Kofi Akordor
There was a gasp of surprise, or was it disbelief? Some even contemptuously questioned the wisdom of the President in sending a woman to that ministry. Why that woman? They even querried.
Being assigned to any ministry with sports as part of its portfolio comes with its peculiar challenge, not because of workload. A ministry with sports has a reputation which many with clear conscience, who stand for the truth, who want things done the right way, would not want to share. It is a ministry where those who know its intricacies and intrigues, welcome ministers sent there with scepticism, fear, suspicion or joy, depending on the outlook, intention, disposition or agenda of the person or group making the observation.
All these added to the turbulence on the minds of many when the President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, named Honourable Akua Sena Dansua, the Member of Parliament for North Dayi in the Volta Region, as the new Minister of Youth and Sports.
There are those who are genuinely concerned for a good reason and wish that the new minister succeeds and comes out unscathed where others went and made a hasty and sad exit. There are also the mischievous and doomsday people of course, who prefer to celebrate what they consider to be failure and not success.
For many, the story of the ministry of sports is well known. For the sake of those who may still not know, in 2001, a young man called Mallam Yusif Issa, was plucked from nowhere and made the Minister of Education, Science and Sports. Barely three months later, Mallam Issa became the first casualty of the Kufuor Administration, when he was booted out of office for not accounting for US$26,000 meant as bonus for players of the senior national football team, the Black Stars, who were to defend the national flag in a World Cup qualifier in The Sudan.
The truth was never known, but there were rumours that Mallam Issa was set up by officials of the ministry. This was vehemently denied by the officials. Whatever the case, the ministry gained notoriety for shady deals masterminded by some untouchables who have entrenched themselves in some impregnable fortresses.
In 2009, Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, the young Member of Parliament for Asawase, assumed office as Minister of Youth and Sports. Remember, Sports is always looking for fresh partners. The new minister plunged into business with all the vigour and enthusiasm, powered by youthful exhuberance.
By some strange coincidence, three months later, just like in the case of Mallam Issa, Alhaji Mubarak ran into turbulence. His charges, among others, were that, he had used or rather misused his office to transport an unauthorised person at state expense on two occasions to Germany and Cote d’Ivoire. He was also accused of a large appetite for the consumption of large quantities of ching-chinga, a local delicacy of spiced, grilled meat.
Alhaji Mubarak’s tribulations did not end there. He was accused of embarking on unbridled buying spree involving baby nappies and other such things. He also did not escape the charge of not accounting for money given to him. Alhaji Mubarak sadly made a premature exit when he resigned his post.
There are common strands in the Mallam Issa and Alhaji Mubarak cases. They are both young and both promised to clear the stables and bring financial sanity to the sports ministry. Both never stayed long enough to carry out their missions. In fact both were consumed by allegations of fraud and corruption, the two evils they pledged to stamp out at the ministry.
So what was her reaction when she first heard of her new portfolio, I asked Honourable Dansua. Shock! Shock because she was not expecting a change in portfolio now, having set a cracking pace at the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs, where she had generally performed well and gearing up to consolidate ground and put a lot of her programmes and policies into action. That was why she thought this reshuffle should have passed by her.
Second, the new portfolio was a great surprise. She felt in the event of any change, she would be considered for a position her professional training and disposition could easily accommodate, say the Ministry of Information, being a professional journalist or the leadership of the House, where she is a three-term member. All the same, the President being the team leader knows best. She has, therefore, embraced the challenge, determined to succeed and prepare the ground for other women to tread in future without fear of failure.
When I suggested the idea that her new appointment might be a trap for self-destruction, judging from the experience of some others before her, Honourable Dansua is of the strong view that her choice as the first female Minister of the Ministry of Youth and Sports is an affirmation of faith and confidence in the ability of women by President Mills generally and in her personal qualities.
As to how she is going to cope with a ministry that has gained notoriety for swallowing its ministers, Honourable Dansua said until she gets there, she would not know what are those demons that have been haunting people there. However, one thing is certain. She is going to be a team leader who will use the services of all the human resources available to build up the image of the ministry. In the same vein, she would expect others, especially the technical staff, to exhibit honesty, transparency, absolute support and co-operation so that collectively they could build a good image for sports in Ghana and beyond.
She said rightly or wrongly, the ministry had a bad image in the eyes of the public and it was their collective responsibility to correct that perception and build a positive image for the ministry.
Her first task would be to organise an open forum and put her agenda on the table and would equally expect an open and frank response from all stakeholders. In her opinion, what may be deemed a failure of an individual minister is actually a failure of all those who have anything to do with the administration of the ministry. On those intrigued with the idea of a woman going to head a dreaded ministry, Honourable Dansua said the problem was not about gender, but the institution itself which needed major reforms. So it is possible that where many men went and failed, a woman will go and succeed.
On her vision for the ministry, Honourable Dansua said it was not about sports or football alone. Preparing the youth for the future is the responsibility of the ministry. She made reference to the age-old adage that: “The devil finds work for idle hands”, and gave the assurance that she would fine-tune existing programmes and design new ones that would respond to the needs of the youth. “When the youth are unemployed, they tend to engage in bad habits such as stealing, robbery, Sakawa and many such evil practices,” she noted, and pledged to make the development of the youth the focal point of her policy at the ministry.
In the same way she would popularise other sporting disciplines such as swimming, tennis, women’s football and help in the revival of student teams like the Academicals which served as a nursing ground for the national football team in the past.
Honourable Akua Dansua is going to be new at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, but she is more than a matured wine on the political landscape. A product of Mawuli School, the Ghana Institute of Journalism, the School of Communication Studies of the University of Ghana, Legon, and the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, Honourable Dansua was into mainstream journalism for many years before veering into active politics in 1997, when she was made the District Chief Executive for Kpando, a position she held with distinction till 2001, when the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government gave way to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) after the 2000 election.
From 2001 to date, Honourable Dansua has been a Member of Parliament where she has held many leadership positions. They include Second Deputy Minority Whip (January 2004-January 2009) and First Deputy Majority Whip (January 7-February 13, 2009). She also represented Parliament on several local and international committees and travelled widely to several countries on many parliamentary missions.
On February 13, 2009, Honourable Dansua assumed office as Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs, a position she held to the admiration of many until last Monday, when President Mills appointed her to the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
From her humble beginnings, Honourable Dansua has piled up years of hard work and experience and is, therefore, confident that with the support of all well-meaning Ghanaians she is not going to fail and prayed for the co-operation of all.
“I have the professional competence, political experience, the independence of mind and the neutrality needed in a multi-faceted environment such as the Ministry of Youth and Sports to handle the ministry and turn the place around,” she declared with optimism, “and I see my new role not only as a personal challenge, but to all of us women who want the world to know and accept that we are more than capable in whatever challenge we are confronted with.”
fokofi@yahoo.co.uk
kofiakordor.blogspot.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)