By Kofi Akordor
Accident victims lie groaning on the bare floor. Those luckier find solace on benches. In all cases, relatives are on hand to help in the administration of drips and other medications. They have to be available to push the wheelchairs, if they cab find one, while saying their silent prayers for the survival of their relatives.
This is not a scenario in some medical facility in a remote part of the country. Those who have ever had the unfortunate experience of rushing accident victims to the Accident Centre of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital will tell you that the picture painted above is too generous to describe the pathetic situation on the ground.
That is just a small part of the Korle-Bu story. Naturally, not all victims survive the ordeal, even though with better and more adequate resources, supported with more caring and dedicated health professionals, the story will be quite different.
Korle-Bu is a human institution which cannot escape the challenges that confront institutions of that nature. Already, as a teaching hospital and the nation’s largest and arguably the last referral medical facility which is also home to some of the best brains in the medical profession, Korle-Bu’s resources, both human and material, are under constant pressure.
It should have been a last resort but patients want the best medical attention they can get and so those with simple ailments that can be handled by the polyclinics and even lesser medical facilities prefer going straight to Korle-Bu and creating congestion that should not have been the case.
These cases of clear misuse of vital national resources notwithstanding, Korle-Bu, for its strategic role in health delivery in the country, can do better than it is doing now. Korle-Bu, for many, has become a huge jungle where one could easily get lost in an emergency situation and what could easily be a manageable situation could result in death because of bureaucracy, neglect or both.
A friend said he saw his wife die before him on a stretcher at the OPD because it was a Saturday and no medical officer was available to handle a life or death situation.
Maintaining operational and administrative discipline in a vast place such as Korle-Bu, with its array of different professional groups, cannot be an easy task. All the same, its operational efficiency could be greatly undermined if workers are left to do their own thing, to the detriment of the general public.
As it is now, it seems the centre cannot hold and things are falling apart. The chain of command is blurred and patients are victims of circumstances beyond their control. That is why response to emergency situations in the country’s last referral medical facility is not the best.
The human factor aside, the most baffling thing is the neglect of Korle-Bu in terms of vital installations and equipment. Some time ago, we were told almost all the lifts were not working. Health workers and relatives are compelled to hire the services of labourers to carry patients to upper floors of the wards and consulting rooms. Surely, that cannot be a gracious commentary on our number one teaching hospital in this 21st century. Even as you read this piece, the rehabilitation/replacement of the lifts is not complete.
Korle-Bu is overcrowded and basic facilities that should be standard for any medical facility are very often unavailable at the place we all boast of as our number one hospital.
This cannot be a question of lack of funds. Installing and maintaining lifts at Korle-Bu should not be too expensive for the Republic of Ghana, the land of gold, diamond, cocoa and now oil and gas. Somebody somewhere or some groups of people are simply not taking the life of our people seriously.
Last week, we were told that 13 surgical theatres at the hospital had to be temporarily closed down because major equipment at the Anaesthesia Department had broken down. Such was the importance of the equipment that apart from emergency cases, Korle-Bu had to suspend most surgical operations.
The question is, why should this happen to Korle-Bu? We were not told what caused the breakdown of the anaesthetic machine. Whatever the cause, have we observed good practices in terms of maintenance and back-up plans?
As it is, we are not likely to get the problem resolved sooner. We have been told the hospital will require more than US$1 million to procure new machines. Secondly, the Ministry of Health has started the long process of scanning the market to identify suppliers who can deliver the equipment promptly and at competitive cost, while at the same time making efforts to mobilise funds for the procurement.
Unless the President intervenes, as has always been the case in such matters, we are not likely to get a new anaesthetic machine in the nearest future. That will be a big blow to health delivery in the country, as we have been told that Korle-Bu handles an average of 1,500 surgical operations a month.
If Korle-Bu paints such a gloomy picture, then we just have to admit that our health delivery system is in serious crisis. It seems we have tolerated our human failures for far too long. We have taken things for granted because we know at the end of the day no one would be held accountable or at worst we shall blame everything on lack of funds. And that ends the matter.
Korle-Bu is our last hope when it comes to our survival and nothing should be spared to make it function to the satisfaction of the general public. Korle-Bu must stay alive if we should not die of what is within the capability of human beings.
fokofi@yahoo.co.uk
kofiakordor.blogspot.com
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
A brothel called children's park
By Kofi Akordor
I was not in the least surprised to hear that the Children’s Park in Kumasi has become a haven for prostitutes, armed robbers and other miscreants. I was not amused to hear that the place which was to serve as a recreational and learning ground for our children has become a free range toilet for some members of the public. As usual, this is a tradition that is being observed.
The Children’s Park in Kumasi is just one of the numerous public facilities that have suffered neglect and left to rot with time. In the 1970s, the government of General I. K. Acheampong built the Kaneshie Sports Complex to serve the sporting needs of Kaneshie and its environs.
The place was designed to have playing fields for various sporting events including football, the nation’s most favourite game, and for indoor games. It also had hostel facilities to serve the camping purposes of our national teams.
It did not take long for the place to become the venue for major sporting events including international boxing tournaments. One would have thought that for its strategic importance for developing the talents of the youth apart from its recreational value, the Kaneshie Sports Complex would be developed to a higher standard beyond how the Acheampong regime left it.
Unfortunately, the place suffered total neglect until the mention of Kaneshie Sports Complex conjured images of criminal gangs, wild reptiles and mosquitoes in the minds of those who know the place very well and have had regular contact with it.
President J.A. Kufuor, in his genuine desire to honour some of our sporting heroes, decided to name the Kaneshie Sports Complex after Azumah ‘Zoom Zoom’ Nelson, the only professor of boxing in the country. One would have expected that the place will undergo a massive transformation before or after this honour. As it is now, I wonder if Azumah Nelson will feel honoured for having such a decrepit place as the Kaneshie Sports Complex named after him.
At the same time that former President Kufuor was doing honour to Azumah Nelson for his exploits in boxing, he honoured Mr Charles Kumi Gyamfi, arguably one of the best footballers, coaches and football administrators this country has ever had, by naming the Winneba Sports College after him.
Unfortunately, that was also another run-down national facility that does not do justice to the stature of C.K. Gyamfi. The good intentions notwithstanding, the deplorable conditions at the Azumah Nelson Sports Complex and the C.K. Gyamfi Sports College at Winneba have debased the spirit behind the change of name.
The Azumah Nelson Sports Complex which bears the name of a great boxer should have been provided with a modern gym to groom the up-and-coming ones, to rekindle interest in the sport and to make it more possible to raise more boxers with the pedigree of Azumah Nelson and even better.
The same can be said of the C.K. Gyamfi Sports College. The name should have conjured images of a soccer icon whose exploits both as a footballer and football coach were unmatched in the nation’s history. But the college named after a great footballer lacks the facilities that would inspire young budding stars and serve as a great monument and a symbol of Ghana’s achievements in football on the continent and on the world stage.
So if these facilities dedicated to two great sports personalities could be left to their fate, if the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum in the heart of the capital could suffer neglect, why should anyone be surprised that playgrounds dedicated to children could be turned into brothels and havens for criminals in the country?
The story of the other children parks in the country is not different from the Kumasi one. Even the Efua Sutherland Park in Accra has not been spared the neglect. Most of the time, the place is in total darkness and only comes to life occasionally on national holidays.
Elsewhere, the Efua Sutherland Park or the Accra Children’s Park should have been a beehive of daily activity. It should have been boasting a library and other educational facilities in addition to recreational activities where working mothers could conveniently live their children while attending to their money-chasing activities.
It will not be surprising if Efua Sutherland Park, like the Kumasi Children’s Park and others in the regional capitals, is serving more as a brothel and a sleeping place for lunatics than as a recreational and educational ground for children. Culture of neglect at its best.
The Kumasi story ended on a promising note. The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has expressed his intention to take over the development of the park to bring it back to life. Knowing the Asantehene’s position vis-à-vis education and children’s welfare, the Kumasi Children’s Park may be on the way for recovery. What about the rest?
fokofi@yahoo.co.uk
kofiakordor.blogspot.com
I was not in the least surprised to hear that the Children’s Park in Kumasi has become a haven for prostitutes, armed robbers and other miscreants. I was not amused to hear that the place which was to serve as a recreational and learning ground for our children has become a free range toilet for some members of the public. As usual, this is a tradition that is being observed.
The Children’s Park in Kumasi is just one of the numerous public facilities that have suffered neglect and left to rot with time. In the 1970s, the government of General I. K. Acheampong built the Kaneshie Sports Complex to serve the sporting needs of Kaneshie and its environs.
The place was designed to have playing fields for various sporting events including football, the nation’s most favourite game, and for indoor games. It also had hostel facilities to serve the camping purposes of our national teams.
It did not take long for the place to become the venue for major sporting events including international boxing tournaments. One would have thought that for its strategic importance for developing the talents of the youth apart from its recreational value, the Kaneshie Sports Complex would be developed to a higher standard beyond how the Acheampong regime left it.
Unfortunately, the place suffered total neglect until the mention of Kaneshie Sports Complex conjured images of criminal gangs, wild reptiles and mosquitoes in the minds of those who know the place very well and have had regular contact with it.
President J.A. Kufuor, in his genuine desire to honour some of our sporting heroes, decided to name the Kaneshie Sports Complex after Azumah ‘Zoom Zoom’ Nelson, the only professor of boxing in the country. One would have expected that the place will undergo a massive transformation before or after this honour. As it is now, I wonder if Azumah Nelson will feel honoured for having such a decrepit place as the Kaneshie Sports Complex named after him.
At the same time that former President Kufuor was doing honour to Azumah Nelson for his exploits in boxing, he honoured Mr Charles Kumi Gyamfi, arguably one of the best footballers, coaches and football administrators this country has ever had, by naming the Winneba Sports College after him.
Unfortunately, that was also another run-down national facility that does not do justice to the stature of C.K. Gyamfi. The good intentions notwithstanding, the deplorable conditions at the Azumah Nelson Sports Complex and the C.K. Gyamfi Sports College at Winneba have debased the spirit behind the change of name.
The Azumah Nelson Sports Complex which bears the name of a great boxer should have been provided with a modern gym to groom the up-and-coming ones, to rekindle interest in the sport and to make it more possible to raise more boxers with the pedigree of Azumah Nelson and even better.
The same can be said of the C.K. Gyamfi Sports College. The name should have conjured images of a soccer icon whose exploits both as a footballer and football coach were unmatched in the nation’s history. But the college named after a great footballer lacks the facilities that would inspire young budding stars and serve as a great monument and a symbol of Ghana’s achievements in football on the continent and on the world stage.
So if these facilities dedicated to two great sports personalities could be left to their fate, if the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum in the heart of the capital could suffer neglect, why should anyone be surprised that playgrounds dedicated to children could be turned into brothels and havens for criminals in the country?
The story of the other children parks in the country is not different from the Kumasi one. Even the Efua Sutherland Park in Accra has not been spared the neglect. Most of the time, the place is in total darkness and only comes to life occasionally on national holidays.
Elsewhere, the Efua Sutherland Park or the Accra Children’s Park should have been a beehive of daily activity. It should have been boasting a library and other educational facilities in addition to recreational activities where working mothers could conveniently live their children while attending to their money-chasing activities.
It will not be surprising if Efua Sutherland Park, like the Kumasi Children’s Park and others in the regional capitals, is serving more as a brothel and a sleeping place for lunatics than as a recreational and educational ground for children. Culture of neglect at its best.
The Kumasi story ended on a promising note. The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has expressed his intention to take over the development of the park to bring it back to life. Knowing the Asantehene’s position vis-à-vis education and children’s welfare, the Kumasi Children’s Park may be on the way for recovery. What about the rest?
fokofi@yahoo.co.uk
kofiakordor.blogspot.com
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Flying on worn-out tyres
By Kofi Akordor
Alhaji Asuma Banda might have touched raw nerves when he suggested a few months ago that the government should ban the importation of second-hand vehicles as a way of minimising the carnage on the roads.
From where he is coming from — a business magnate who is well-resourced to acquire any model of vehicle he wishes — it is easy for him to come to the conclusion that banning second-hand vehicles from the roads will provide an answer to the accident menace.
There is no doubt that old vehicles contribute to road accidents. Anything old cannot perform at optimum level. Therefore, it should be expected that a very old vehicle will experience frequent breakdowns and sometimes accidents. But, in our circumstances, it has been established that, in majority of cases, accidents are the result of human failure.
These include speeding, wrong overtaking, disregard of other road users and driving under the influence of alcohol and illegal drugs. Driving has been taken for granted and so there are many people behind the steering wheel who have not gone through any proper training but still managed to possess valid driving licences because of our corrupt nature. All these contribute 80 per cent or more to accident cases.
This means that no matter how new a vehicle is, unless we remove or reduce the above factors, the situation will not see any significant improvement.
But the greatest challenge to Alhaji Banda’s prescription is that majority of vehicles in the country are second-hand.
In the past, it was easy for any senior officer in the public service to acquire a brand new vehicle. Today, things are different. Apart from a few people who, because of their status or job specification, are given brand new vehicles by their organisations, the rest of us must go to the junk market.
At the ministries, departments and agencies, only the chief directors and a few privileged directors have access to brand new vehicles. Other officers have to fight for themselves with their meagre salaries. That was how the second-hand car business became a lucrative one.
Most of the banks have put up packages, in collaboration with the auto companies, to help workers purchase their own vehicles, but salary levels are so low that majority of workers cannot access big loans to go in for brand new vehicles.
So, as Alhaji Banda and others who share in his opinion will realise, it is not the wish of any person to purchase a used or second-hand vehicle. It is the economic status of majority of Ghanaians, including top grade professionals such as medical officers, lecturers, architects, engineers and pharmacists, that forces them onto the second-hand market.
Things are not so easy even on the second-hand market. A fairly good vehicle which is less than 10 years old, depending on the model and year of manufacture, ranges between GH¢12,000 and GH¢25,000.
The high cost of second-hand vehicles has been attributed to the excessive tax regime being applied by the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA). So a vehicle that may cost, say, US$2,000 (equivalent to GH¢3,000) may end up costing more than GH¢10,000 at the point of purchase.
Any attempt to ban the importation of used vehicles will mean that the vast majority of Ghanaians will be without their personal vehicles for private, commercial or industrial use. With the present very poor public transportation system, the situation could well be imagined.
What is even more humiliating to our dignity and dangerous to driving is the fact that about 75 per cent of tyres used by vehicles in Ghana are second-hand. This was the conclusion of a research conducted by the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC).
According to the figures, in 2005, 2006 and 2007, about 6.6 million tyres were imported into the country, out of which about 5.1 million were used ones. That translates into the fact that three in every four tyres sold in Ghana are second-hand. It means the country is virtually driving on tyres used or rejected in other countries.
The same research showed that some imported tyres were not roadworthy, as their service lives had already expired. Other tyres, labelled snow tyres, have found their way into a tropical environment like ours. It is, therefore, not surprising that the research came to the conclusion that a third of accidents could be attributed to second-hand tyres.
The Ghana Standards Board, according to its Head of Marketing and Public Relations, Mr Kofi Amponsah-Bediako, said there were no immediate plans to ban second-hand tyres until there was a review of government’s trade policy on the importation of second-hand tyres.
In February, the Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, called for a national debate on the importation of second-hand spare parts and tyres. The question is, where will the debate lead us? Second-hand goods are not a choice. No one wants anything second-hand. Even in marriage, every person would want to go in for somebody fresh.
We have been forced by our miserable circumstances to go second-hand in everything — from pants, towels, handkerchiefs, cutlery, plates, glasses, saucepans to electronic goods that have been declared waste in other countries.
Sometimes one may see a truck loaded with junk which under normal circumstances should head for the dumping site. In all probability, that truck may he heading for Abossey Okai from the Tema Port.
In the absence of a manufacturing industry, the second-hand goods business has become a major income-generation and job-creation avenue in the country. So any government will have to calculate the economic and social consequences before coming up with a policy to ban some of the used goods that have choked our markets.
Our poverty level is also a clear indication that no matter how hard we try, for a very long time to come we will have to endure the indignity of consuming what others have used and thrown away.
Maybe our oil and gas will change things later. But since we are not likely to end the importation of second-hand vehicles and worn-out tyres so soon, we just have to advise ourselves, especially the commercial drivers who get excited on the wheels, to go slow on the road.
fokofi@yahoo.co.uk
kofiakordor.blogspot.com
Alhaji Asuma Banda might have touched raw nerves when he suggested a few months ago that the government should ban the importation of second-hand vehicles as a way of minimising the carnage on the roads.
From where he is coming from — a business magnate who is well-resourced to acquire any model of vehicle he wishes — it is easy for him to come to the conclusion that banning second-hand vehicles from the roads will provide an answer to the accident menace.
There is no doubt that old vehicles contribute to road accidents. Anything old cannot perform at optimum level. Therefore, it should be expected that a very old vehicle will experience frequent breakdowns and sometimes accidents. But, in our circumstances, it has been established that, in majority of cases, accidents are the result of human failure.
These include speeding, wrong overtaking, disregard of other road users and driving under the influence of alcohol and illegal drugs. Driving has been taken for granted and so there are many people behind the steering wheel who have not gone through any proper training but still managed to possess valid driving licences because of our corrupt nature. All these contribute 80 per cent or more to accident cases.
This means that no matter how new a vehicle is, unless we remove or reduce the above factors, the situation will not see any significant improvement.
But the greatest challenge to Alhaji Banda’s prescription is that majority of vehicles in the country are second-hand.
In the past, it was easy for any senior officer in the public service to acquire a brand new vehicle. Today, things are different. Apart from a few people who, because of their status or job specification, are given brand new vehicles by their organisations, the rest of us must go to the junk market.
At the ministries, departments and agencies, only the chief directors and a few privileged directors have access to brand new vehicles. Other officers have to fight for themselves with their meagre salaries. That was how the second-hand car business became a lucrative one.
Most of the banks have put up packages, in collaboration with the auto companies, to help workers purchase their own vehicles, but salary levels are so low that majority of workers cannot access big loans to go in for brand new vehicles.
So, as Alhaji Banda and others who share in his opinion will realise, it is not the wish of any person to purchase a used or second-hand vehicle. It is the economic status of majority of Ghanaians, including top grade professionals such as medical officers, lecturers, architects, engineers and pharmacists, that forces them onto the second-hand market.
Things are not so easy even on the second-hand market. A fairly good vehicle which is less than 10 years old, depending on the model and year of manufacture, ranges between GH¢12,000 and GH¢25,000.
The high cost of second-hand vehicles has been attributed to the excessive tax regime being applied by the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA). So a vehicle that may cost, say, US$2,000 (equivalent to GH¢3,000) may end up costing more than GH¢10,000 at the point of purchase.
Any attempt to ban the importation of used vehicles will mean that the vast majority of Ghanaians will be without their personal vehicles for private, commercial or industrial use. With the present very poor public transportation system, the situation could well be imagined.
What is even more humiliating to our dignity and dangerous to driving is the fact that about 75 per cent of tyres used by vehicles in Ghana are second-hand. This was the conclusion of a research conducted by the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC).
According to the figures, in 2005, 2006 and 2007, about 6.6 million tyres were imported into the country, out of which about 5.1 million were used ones. That translates into the fact that three in every four tyres sold in Ghana are second-hand. It means the country is virtually driving on tyres used or rejected in other countries.
The same research showed that some imported tyres were not roadworthy, as their service lives had already expired. Other tyres, labelled snow tyres, have found their way into a tropical environment like ours. It is, therefore, not surprising that the research came to the conclusion that a third of accidents could be attributed to second-hand tyres.
The Ghana Standards Board, according to its Head of Marketing and Public Relations, Mr Kofi Amponsah-Bediako, said there were no immediate plans to ban second-hand tyres until there was a review of government’s trade policy on the importation of second-hand tyres.
In February, the Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, called for a national debate on the importation of second-hand spare parts and tyres. The question is, where will the debate lead us? Second-hand goods are not a choice. No one wants anything second-hand. Even in marriage, every person would want to go in for somebody fresh.
We have been forced by our miserable circumstances to go second-hand in everything — from pants, towels, handkerchiefs, cutlery, plates, glasses, saucepans to electronic goods that have been declared waste in other countries.
Sometimes one may see a truck loaded with junk which under normal circumstances should head for the dumping site. In all probability, that truck may he heading for Abossey Okai from the Tema Port.
In the absence of a manufacturing industry, the second-hand goods business has become a major income-generation and job-creation avenue in the country. So any government will have to calculate the economic and social consequences before coming up with a policy to ban some of the used goods that have choked our markets.
Our poverty level is also a clear indication that no matter how hard we try, for a very long time to come we will have to endure the indignity of consuming what others have used and thrown away.
Maybe our oil and gas will change things later. But since we are not likely to end the importation of second-hand vehicles and worn-out tyres so soon, we just have to advise ourselves, especially the commercial drivers who get excited on the wheels, to go slow on the road.
fokofi@yahoo.co.uk
kofiakordor.blogspot.com
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Africa and leadership deficit syndrome
By Kofi Akordor
Last week, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) set in motion events that adequately offer Ghanaians an idea of things to come next year when campaign for the Presidency and Parliament gathers steam and moves into top gear.
On Tuesday, May 3, 2011, a former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, paid a visit to the NDC headquarters to collect nomination forms in pursuit of her presidential ambitions.
She did not go there alone; she was joined by her cheering supporters. She followed it up with a press conference the following day at the Accra International Conference Centre to formally launch her campaign for the NDC flagbearership.
On Thursday, May 5, 2011, half of Accra came to a standstill when President John Evans Atta Mills visited the NDC headquarters to collect his nomination forms to begin another journey for the Presidency.
That should have been a simple event, but it took the form of a street carnival and it was obvious that official work in the ministries was abandoned for the day, since every minister was part of the presidential entourage in order not to be seen as part of the other camp.
In the few weeks before the Sunyani congress, we are going to witness a lot of activity from both the Nana Konadu and the President Mills camps to win the hearts of the delegates. Foul words may flow out. There may even be brawls, all in a desperate effort to win power at the party level and later at the national level.
The grand battle will be fought next year when the various presidential candidates gear up for the Presidency. A few loyalists have their fortunes intrinsically tied to those of their presidential candidates. Some will get political appointments, while others will witness breakthroughs in their business activities, hence the desperation in the campaign strategies, sometimes turning acrimonious and bloody.
But what is the gain for the country in general? Does political leadership bring about significant change in the lives of the people?
Surely, those committed to the development of this country will not waste their lives or those of others on their way to seeking the opportunity to serve their nation. The selfish motive is very strong, bringing out all the animalistic instincts in us.
That is the problem of Africa. The enthusiasm with which we approach the quest for political power wanes terribly after we get the power. Africa’s political leadership has become a subject for intense discussion at various international fora. Slavery and colonialism, which were the excuses we had been citing in the past for our poor performance in national development, have been mentioned so often that they have lost attraction.
Notwithstanding those two historical misfortunes, Africa’s underdevelopment remains a mystery, judging from the rich resources it has in abundance and which have gone to make other nations rich and powerful.
The focus is now on political leadership which has been identified as the weakest link in the continent’s quest for development. Addressing a World Economic Forum in South Africa, a former Secretary-General of the UN, Mr Kofi Annan, threw the searchlight on political leadership on the continent and said Africa risked squandering rapid economic growth because of poor leadership.
He criticised African leaders who wanted to cling on to power at all cost, instead of developing their economies. He also questioned the over-reliance on unprocessed commodities and insufficient investment in manufacturing and infrastructure.
Mr Annan is a Ghanaian and so he knew what he was talking about. We in Ghana know our situation very well, which fits into what Mr Annan described as “low-quality growth” where we have to import everything, including toothpick from China.
We pride ourselves as top exporters of cocoa beans, timber and bauxite. We have not been able to build industries revolving around these commodities to develop the country’s industrial base and offer employment to our youth.
The cocoa industry alone has the potential of offering jobs to hundreds of thousands of people if we make a deliberate policy to go beyond the production of raw cocoa beans and go into processing.
The case of Nestle is a clear example of what we can do with our natural resources. Nestle is a Swiss company. They do not grow cocoa in Switzerland but Nestle is one of the biggest manufacturers of chocolate and other cocoa products. Why should we be satisfied with being the farmers who produce the cocoa beans while others derive the full benefits?
The same can be said of timber. Why should we destroy our forests by cutting timber logs and exporting them and turn round to import furniture made from our timber for our offices?
We mine gold in Ghana, but, strangely, we do not have a gold refinery which will add value to the unrefined gold. Turkey does not mine gold or diamonds but it has one of the largest jewellery factories in the world.
We have fruits in abundance which go bad when they are in season, but almost all the fruit juices on the shelves of our supermarkets are imported.
It is sad to see tomato puree imported from China being advertised on local television as if they are the best things that could ever happen to a people.
These are serious deficiencies that cannot be blamed on slavery, colonialism, neo-colonialism or any world economic order. It is all about leadership and direction. These are serious challenges confronting us as a nation, and so when we pick nomination forms with fanfare, we should not forget that the real work is not just about talking and making promises.
It will be a good thing for our country if we pursue the goals of national development with the same vigour as we pursue the glory of political power.
We must change this country and we do not have any excuse for failure.
fokofi@yahoo.co.uk
kofiakordor.blogspot.com
Last week, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) set in motion events that adequately offer Ghanaians an idea of things to come next year when campaign for the Presidency and Parliament gathers steam and moves into top gear.
On Tuesday, May 3, 2011, a former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, paid a visit to the NDC headquarters to collect nomination forms in pursuit of her presidential ambitions.
She did not go there alone; she was joined by her cheering supporters. She followed it up with a press conference the following day at the Accra International Conference Centre to formally launch her campaign for the NDC flagbearership.
On Thursday, May 5, 2011, half of Accra came to a standstill when President John Evans Atta Mills visited the NDC headquarters to collect his nomination forms to begin another journey for the Presidency.
That should have been a simple event, but it took the form of a street carnival and it was obvious that official work in the ministries was abandoned for the day, since every minister was part of the presidential entourage in order not to be seen as part of the other camp.
In the few weeks before the Sunyani congress, we are going to witness a lot of activity from both the Nana Konadu and the President Mills camps to win the hearts of the delegates. Foul words may flow out. There may even be brawls, all in a desperate effort to win power at the party level and later at the national level.
The grand battle will be fought next year when the various presidential candidates gear up for the Presidency. A few loyalists have their fortunes intrinsically tied to those of their presidential candidates. Some will get political appointments, while others will witness breakthroughs in their business activities, hence the desperation in the campaign strategies, sometimes turning acrimonious and bloody.
But what is the gain for the country in general? Does political leadership bring about significant change in the lives of the people?
Surely, those committed to the development of this country will not waste their lives or those of others on their way to seeking the opportunity to serve their nation. The selfish motive is very strong, bringing out all the animalistic instincts in us.
That is the problem of Africa. The enthusiasm with which we approach the quest for political power wanes terribly after we get the power. Africa’s political leadership has become a subject for intense discussion at various international fora. Slavery and colonialism, which were the excuses we had been citing in the past for our poor performance in national development, have been mentioned so often that they have lost attraction.
Notwithstanding those two historical misfortunes, Africa’s underdevelopment remains a mystery, judging from the rich resources it has in abundance and which have gone to make other nations rich and powerful.
The focus is now on political leadership which has been identified as the weakest link in the continent’s quest for development. Addressing a World Economic Forum in South Africa, a former Secretary-General of the UN, Mr Kofi Annan, threw the searchlight on political leadership on the continent and said Africa risked squandering rapid economic growth because of poor leadership.
He criticised African leaders who wanted to cling on to power at all cost, instead of developing their economies. He also questioned the over-reliance on unprocessed commodities and insufficient investment in manufacturing and infrastructure.
Mr Annan is a Ghanaian and so he knew what he was talking about. We in Ghana know our situation very well, which fits into what Mr Annan described as “low-quality growth” where we have to import everything, including toothpick from China.
We pride ourselves as top exporters of cocoa beans, timber and bauxite. We have not been able to build industries revolving around these commodities to develop the country’s industrial base and offer employment to our youth.
The cocoa industry alone has the potential of offering jobs to hundreds of thousands of people if we make a deliberate policy to go beyond the production of raw cocoa beans and go into processing.
The case of Nestle is a clear example of what we can do with our natural resources. Nestle is a Swiss company. They do not grow cocoa in Switzerland but Nestle is one of the biggest manufacturers of chocolate and other cocoa products. Why should we be satisfied with being the farmers who produce the cocoa beans while others derive the full benefits?
The same can be said of timber. Why should we destroy our forests by cutting timber logs and exporting them and turn round to import furniture made from our timber for our offices?
We mine gold in Ghana, but, strangely, we do not have a gold refinery which will add value to the unrefined gold. Turkey does not mine gold or diamonds but it has one of the largest jewellery factories in the world.
We have fruits in abundance which go bad when they are in season, but almost all the fruit juices on the shelves of our supermarkets are imported.
It is sad to see tomato puree imported from China being advertised on local television as if they are the best things that could ever happen to a people.
These are serious deficiencies that cannot be blamed on slavery, colonialism, neo-colonialism or any world economic order. It is all about leadership and direction. These are serious challenges confronting us as a nation, and so when we pick nomination forms with fanfare, we should not forget that the real work is not just about talking and making promises.
It will be a good thing for our country if we pursue the goals of national development with the same vigour as we pursue the glory of political power.
We must change this country and we do not have any excuse for failure.
fokofi@yahoo.co.uk
kofiakordor.blogspot.com
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Are we serious with tourism development?
By Kofi Akordor
Ghanaians are generally fun-loving people. That is why they take advantage of every national holiday or any special occasion to celebrate with food, drink and music. Even funerals which are supposed to be solemn occasions are fun as soon as the dead is buried.
Unfortunately, recreational spots are woefully limited, thereby compelling most residents of Accra to turn to the beaches for pleasure during holidays and special occasions. This always comes with its dangers as our beaches are not well-developed for mass use by holidaymakers.
This year’s Easter beach parties turned tragic when over nine deaths through drowning or stampede were recorded. Accidents do occur no matter the precautions but either way, fatalities could have been prevented or reduced if there were good management in place at the various beaches frequented by revellers.
Take the La Pleasure Beach for instance. Apart from the sea and sand, there is nothing pleasurable about the place. All the same, people are able to extort money from holidaymakers without providing for their needs, safety and security.
This brings in the question of how enterprising our tourism industry is, for which a whole ministry has been created. The creation of the Ministry of Tourism underscores the government’s acknowledgement of the importance of tourism in packaging the country for the international market and for revenue generation.
The country abounds in tourism potential from the coastal belt with its sandy beaches to the northern zone, which could be developed to attract not only international tourists but local ones who need to travel and appreciate the good things God has endowed this country with.
It is an obvious fact that it is the interest that local people show in their tourist sites that act as magnets to attract foreign visitors. In Ghana, apart from students and occasionally church and other social groups who organize group tours, many Ghanaians show very little interest in internal tourism.
The fault is not theirs. Tourism has seen very little development, if any at all, and, therefore, holds very little attraction to the generality of the population. Take the Aburi Botanical Gardens for example. This wonderful place opened in March 1890 on 64.8 hectares of land is only 35 kilometres away from Accra, the national capital.
Situated 460 metres above sea level, Aburi Botanical Gardens is one of the most beautiful, peaceful and fascinating places that many Ghanaians and foreign visitors would like to visit, for the sheer beauty of the place or to relax and kill stress because of the invigorating nature of the place. I mean this would happen under normal circumstances, but things are not normal at Aburi Botanical Gardens.
Since the colonialists handed over the place to us, we have done very little to add value to it. I will not be surprised if the people of Aburi no longer feel any sense of pride about the place. The visitor is left in awe at the beauty of nature. That is all. Other things that should complement the place and make it exciting and attractive are not there. By now, Aburi Botanical Gardens should have modern chalets that would attract writers, the religiously-inclined, the sick and even newly-wed couples who want a quiet but luxurious environment to spend a few days to work, meditate, convalesce or enjoy at a reasonable fee.
It needs good restaurants which serve local dishes for the sake of foreign guests who will want to savour some of our delicacies they cannot find in their home countries. It needs amusement parks where children, accompanied by their parents, could visit at weekends for educational tours and relaxation.
After more than 100 years of existence, Aburi Botanical Gardens has lost its ‘gardenness’ and is now more or less a forest reserve with very little attraction for those who love nature and the luxury of green vegetation. So even though Aburi Botanical Gardens is so close to Accra, the city dwellers do not frequent the place as expected. Foreigners who would want to escape the harsh winter conditions in their countries to spend days at Aburi Botanical Gardens may be disappointed for lack of the necessary facilities. That is the miserable story of Aburi Botanical Gardens.
The Mole Game Reserve in the Northern Region has a big name on the tourism map of Ghana. However, all excitement will be deflated when the visitor comes face-to-face with the game reserve. Mole Game Reserve is in shambles.
The game reserve is the largest national park and home to 93 mammalian species, 33 reptiles, nine amphibians and an estimated 300 bird species. With this rich collection of animals, Mole Game Park should be an attraction to both local and foreign visitors, but it is not. The roads are bad; the hospitality facility is very poor and inadequate. What nature has generously provided, we as human beings have failed to harness and add value to.
The overlord of the Gonja Traditional Area, Yagbonwura Tuntumka Boresa I, in desperation, called on the government to do something about the game reserve to save it from total collapse when he addressed his people at the recent Damba festival of the people.
Our beaches have been degraded to the extent that only we find it a suitable place for holidays. Beach fronts are prime zones in many places where many would like to spend their days and evenings. Ours have been turned into public toilets and dumping grounds for refuse.
Aburi Botanical Gardens and Mole Game Reserve are true reflections of how serious we have taken tourism development in the country over the years. The places are not accessible. When you manage to get there, you are quickly disappointed by what you see or what you do not see.
Even the castles and forts that we market widely for historical reasons have not been developed and repackaged as tourism attractions for both local and foreign visitors.
Tourism has the potential of bringing money not only into the national coffers, but also capable of changing the economy of our rural areas. The multiplier effect of tourism facilities are obvious and should be known to our political leaders who need to pursue an aggressive tourism development agenda and not the lip-service witnessed so far.
Employment generated in the tourism industry will be more long-lasting and not the short-term measures being pursued by our governments for some political advantage. The vast tourism potential of the Volta Lake, with its numerous islands, are being wasted away while we continue to beg others who know how to harness their natural resources for development for support. Dodi Island is another disappointment for those who were excited on hearing of the place and visited there.
Tourism is a money spinner and can transform our economy, especially the rural economy. But if we are to make it big, then tourism development counts. If we are serious then the plans must be taken away from the desks of bureaucrats and their political masters to the corporate world where firms and individual entrepreneurs will be prepared to make heavy investments in the industry.
Maybe if the Tourism Development Authority becomes real, it would generate more heat and put a fresh impetus into the sector. Aburi Botanical Gardens, the Mole Game Reserve and such other places must not die. And Ghanaians should not die at the beaches because of poor management practice.
fokofi@yahoo.co.uk
kofiakordor.blogspot.com
Ghanaians are generally fun-loving people. That is why they take advantage of every national holiday or any special occasion to celebrate with food, drink and music. Even funerals which are supposed to be solemn occasions are fun as soon as the dead is buried.
Unfortunately, recreational spots are woefully limited, thereby compelling most residents of Accra to turn to the beaches for pleasure during holidays and special occasions. This always comes with its dangers as our beaches are not well-developed for mass use by holidaymakers.
This year’s Easter beach parties turned tragic when over nine deaths through drowning or stampede were recorded. Accidents do occur no matter the precautions but either way, fatalities could have been prevented or reduced if there were good management in place at the various beaches frequented by revellers.
Take the La Pleasure Beach for instance. Apart from the sea and sand, there is nothing pleasurable about the place. All the same, people are able to extort money from holidaymakers without providing for their needs, safety and security.
This brings in the question of how enterprising our tourism industry is, for which a whole ministry has been created. The creation of the Ministry of Tourism underscores the government’s acknowledgement of the importance of tourism in packaging the country for the international market and for revenue generation.
The country abounds in tourism potential from the coastal belt with its sandy beaches to the northern zone, which could be developed to attract not only international tourists but local ones who need to travel and appreciate the good things God has endowed this country with.
It is an obvious fact that it is the interest that local people show in their tourist sites that act as magnets to attract foreign visitors. In Ghana, apart from students and occasionally church and other social groups who organize group tours, many Ghanaians show very little interest in internal tourism.
The fault is not theirs. Tourism has seen very little development, if any at all, and, therefore, holds very little attraction to the generality of the population. Take the Aburi Botanical Gardens for example. This wonderful place opened in March 1890 on 64.8 hectares of land is only 35 kilometres away from Accra, the national capital.
Situated 460 metres above sea level, Aburi Botanical Gardens is one of the most beautiful, peaceful and fascinating places that many Ghanaians and foreign visitors would like to visit, for the sheer beauty of the place or to relax and kill stress because of the invigorating nature of the place. I mean this would happen under normal circumstances, but things are not normal at Aburi Botanical Gardens.
Since the colonialists handed over the place to us, we have done very little to add value to it. I will not be surprised if the people of Aburi no longer feel any sense of pride about the place. The visitor is left in awe at the beauty of nature. That is all. Other things that should complement the place and make it exciting and attractive are not there. By now, Aburi Botanical Gardens should have modern chalets that would attract writers, the religiously-inclined, the sick and even newly-wed couples who want a quiet but luxurious environment to spend a few days to work, meditate, convalesce or enjoy at a reasonable fee.
It needs good restaurants which serve local dishes for the sake of foreign guests who will want to savour some of our delicacies they cannot find in their home countries. It needs amusement parks where children, accompanied by their parents, could visit at weekends for educational tours and relaxation.
After more than 100 years of existence, Aburi Botanical Gardens has lost its ‘gardenness’ and is now more or less a forest reserve with very little attraction for those who love nature and the luxury of green vegetation. So even though Aburi Botanical Gardens is so close to Accra, the city dwellers do not frequent the place as expected. Foreigners who would want to escape the harsh winter conditions in their countries to spend days at Aburi Botanical Gardens may be disappointed for lack of the necessary facilities. That is the miserable story of Aburi Botanical Gardens.
The Mole Game Reserve in the Northern Region has a big name on the tourism map of Ghana. However, all excitement will be deflated when the visitor comes face-to-face with the game reserve. Mole Game Reserve is in shambles.
The game reserve is the largest national park and home to 93 mammalian species, 33 reptiles, nine amphibians and an estimated 300 bird species. With this rich collection of animals, Mole Game Park should be an attraction to both local and foreign visitors, but it is not. The roads are bad; the hospitality facility is very poor and inadequate. What nature has generously provided, we as human beings have failed to harness and add value to.
The overlord of the Gonja Traditional Area, Yagbonwura Tuntumka Boresa I, in desperation, called on the government to do something about the game reserve to save it from total collapse when he addressed his people at the recent Damba festival of the people.
Our beaches have been degraded to the extent that only we find it a suitable place for holidays. Beach fronts are prime zones in many places where many would like to spend their days and evenings. Ours have been turned into public toilets and dumping grounds for refuse.
Aburi Botanical Gardens and Mole Game Reserve are true reflections of how serious we have taken tourism development in the country over the years. The places are not accessible. When you manage to get there, you are quickly disappointed by what you see or what you do not see.
Even the castles and forts that we market widely for historical reasons have not been developed and repackaged as tourism attractions for both local and foreign visitors.
Tourism has the potential of bringing money not only into the national coffers, but also capable of changing the economy of our rural areas. The multiplier effect of tourism facilities are obvious and should be known to our political leaders who need to pursue an aggressive tourism development agenda and not the lip-service witnessed so far.
Employment generated in the tourism industry will be more long-lasting and not the short-term measures being pursued by our governments for some political advantage. The vast tourism potential of the Volta Lake, with its numerous islands, are being wasted away while we continue to beg others who know how to harness their natural resources for development for support. Dodi Island is another disappointment for those who were excited on hearing of the place and visited there.
Tourism is a money spinner and can transform our economy, especially the rural economy. But if we are to make it big, then tourism development counts. If we are serious then the plans must be taken away from the desks of bureaucrats and their political masters to the corporate world where firms and individual entrepreneurs will be prepared to make heavy investments in the industry.
Maybe if the Tourism Development Authority becomes real, it would generate more heat and put a fresh impetus into the sector. Aburi Botanical Gardens, the Mole Game Reserve and such other places must not die. And Ghanaians should not die at the beaches because of poor management practice.
fokofi@yahoo.co.uk
kofiakordor.blogspot.com
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