Features
A soldier’s lingo
Sometime last week I watched a video clip on Facebook where a Drill Sergeant of the Ghana Armed Forces was taking new recruits through what I want to refer to as an orientation. What I saw, or heard, was very instructive and I picked a great lesson therefrom.
He said something to the effect that there were only two religions during their training period. You are either Muslim or Christian. If presently you are not either, you have to choose one of them. Then came the very profound statement. The Drill Seargent said again that it did not matter who brought them into the Armed Forces and that would not affect the course of the drills and the training.
This was profound for a number of reasons. First, it is clear that the trainers are aware that some of these young ones were brought in through influence peddling and political patronage as I had alluded to in an earlier article. Second, he was making it clear to the recruits that irrespective of how they were admitted; there would be no favouritism of any sort.
If any of the sponsors of those young recruits watched the video clip, I wonder what would be going through their minds. Would they say they had done their part and it was now left over to their charges to prove their mettle? Or will they try to influence the Drill Seargents as well? My honest prayer is that each and everyone of those sponsored recruits should fail to make the mark and get sent away.
The idea of protocol enlistment into our security services has gained currency over the last couple of years and, as a nation, we need to be overly worried about this development if nothing is done to check the canker. No more is this a circulating rumour to be wished away; it is the reality.
People come to me with varying stories of being turned away from some of the security services because they are not on what is termed “Protocol List.” It is in the Police Service, Immigration Service, Fire Service, Prisons Service and in the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority. You must go through someone to be enlisted; bottom line.
A Fire Service officer once told me in frustration how the service was inundated with protocol demands during the enlistment season of 2017. Ministers of State, Members of Parliament and other government officials brought their lists. In one case, an MP had brought a list of up to 500 people. According to this officer, it wasn’t the numbers that concerned them as much as the indiscipline of those who passed out. These young ones would not take orders from their superiors because they had godfathers behind them.
No one needs a sponsor to be enlisted into our security services. There are standards; academic, physical, health and mental aptitude to become a professional security person. We are likely to have a cripple saunter into a training ground to be enlisted in the very near future. Do you know why we do not have flatfoots, crotchet legs, bowlegs in the security services? Ask.
The story is told of a young man who completed his “O” Levels in 1966. In 1967 he happened to be in the Teshie area and saw other young men milling into a hall around the Burma Camp. He followed, thinking there was a job recruitment, only to realize that they were going to write an aptitude test to be enlisted in to the Armed Forces. He decided to give it a try and went to write the test. When a year and a half later he visited his village, he was dressed as a Flying Officer of the Ghana Air Force to the disbelief of his folks. He retired as a Squadron Leader.
Our Armed Forces are the only institution left standing on the scale of integrity, professionalism and high standards. To taint this institution with nepotism, favouritism, political patronage and influence peddling is to deliver the security of Ghana into the hands of dogs. If the senior men of the Armed Forces are not openly grumbling about this new trend it does ot mean they are not murmuring. You only need to get as close to know what they are thinking.
When I heard that retired Colonel Felix Aboagye had warned that the government’s avowed aim to impose this E-Levy on the nation was a recipe for a military putsch, I knew this could be a trigger, but there are underlying conditions as I have enumerated in this article. Our politicians must not think Ghanaians do not know what is happening. Jerry Rawlings once said that no coup will succeed unless the situation calls for it.
As time goes on, as I have stated in an earlier write-up, Ghana is likely to have Service Commanders who are where they are by political patronage. Then there will be dire consequences for the stability of this country. Captain Joel KwamiSowu has said it many times that one of the main reasons Nkrumah was overthrown was the fact that the Osagyefo wanted Ghana’s soldiers to be card-bearing members of the Convention People’s Party (CPP).
Are we not treading the same path by using subtlety to politicize the Armed Forces and other security services? It is not my prayer that our democratic experiment be scuttled but we delude ourselves if we think it cannot happen. Today, the “Boys” are in charge in Mali, Guinea Conakry and Burkina Faso, all ECOWAS member states. Let’s not forget that when the “Boys” start, the cycle gets completed in our subregion. Each time it happens ECOWAS suspends the country. If the numbers dwindle, will it be the “Boys’ who will revatalise it? It is my wish and hope it does not come to that.
The Drill Seargent in the video has spoken a soldier’s lingo.
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By Tony Prempeh
I experienced something on Monday, June 15, that really frustrated me. I had to go to the ministries but I could not get up early that day so I decided to pick a taxi and get to the Tuba Junction.
When I got there I realised that Traffic had built up from the Toll Booth towards Accra. After a while I got a Taxi and it was when we got to a certain spot on the road, that I realised why there was a traffic jam.
There is a short stretch of the road where each time it rains heavily, loose material run down the hill onto the road, blocking one side of the road. Vehicles from Kasoa to Accra are then forced to move into one of the lanes of those going towards Kasoa from Accra.
The two lane road from Accra to Kasoa becomes a single carriage way. That was the reason for the traffic jam from the toll booth onwards.
This has been a perineal problem and yet, no permanent solution has been found till date. The area falls under Ga South and even though, a new MCE has taken over, the technocrats are still there and so the problem is not new to them.
There is therefore no excuse for the inability of the Ga South Metropolitan Assembly to resolving the problem on that stretch of the road. Apart from the Ga South Metropolitan Assembly, another institution that must be held accountable is the Ghana Highways Authority.
The Highways Authority cannot say they are unaware of this issue. The fact that the problem falls within the area of responsibility of the Ga South Assembly, does not relieve the Ghana Highways Authority, of their responsibility of ensuring that our highways are maintained in a motorable state at all times.
A collaboration between the Ghana Highways Authority and The Ga South Municipal Assembly is required for a permanent resolution of the problem.
There was another traffic jam at a place called Atala about 250 metres to the traffic light at Old Barrier as a result of an issue similar to the one close to the toll booth, that I talked about earlier.
When we got to Weija junction, we encountered another traffic jam. The cause of this jam was a bad condition of road about 80 metres from the traffic light at Ga South Hospital heading towards Accra.
Due to the bad nature at that section of the road, vehicles are compelled to slow down resulting in a traffic jam stretching all the way to Weija Junction.
I started wondering if that short stretch of road cannot be sorted on one Sunday when traffic is usually light. When we got to the traffic light at Odorkor, there was another issue.
When the traffic light shows green, there is a slow down because there is a big pothole or should I say manhole in the outer lane, right at the traffic light. Vehicles in the outer lane are compelled to swerve into the second lane thereby causing a traffic to slow down and resulting in a traffic jam.
It is very important to take into account the effect of traffic jam on the national economy. If we are able to assess the value of the loss to the economy of the nation, I believe the issue of traffic jam will be prioritised.
Imagine persons working at various Government Organisations like Registrar General’s Department, Ghana Ports and Habours Authority, Ghana Revenue Authority, CEPS etc. and lives at Kasoa and whose job is to collect revenue for the state and is held up in traffic.
Just imagine the effect their lateness to work will have on the economy if you consider the delays in say clearing of goods at the port and as a result traders cannot sell their goods for government to generate the required taxes.
Let us deal with the traffic jams on our streets to promote economic growth. God bless.
By Laud Kissi-Mensah
Mortality is an inherent aspect of life, a universal experience that has sparked philosophical, theological, and scientific inquiry throughout human history.
This article aims to provide a comprehensive and nuanced exploration of mortality, acknowledging the complexity of the topic and the diverse perspectives surrounding it.
The biological imperative
From a biological standpoint, death is a natural part of the life cycle. It serves as a mechanism for the evolution of species, allowing for the passing on of genetic material and the adaptation to environmental changes.
Evolutionary perspective: Death allows for the recycling of resources, promoting the survival and adaptation of species.
Life span and senescence: Cellular aging and the limitations of biological systems contribute to mortality.
Philosophical and existential perspectives
Existentialism: Emphasises individual freedom and responsibility in the face of mortality.
Meaning and purpose: The finite nature of life can prompt individuals to seek meaning and purpose.
The human condition: Mortality is a fundamental aspect of the human experience, shaping our perceptions and values.
Cultural and spiritual views
Afterlife and spirituality: Many cultures and religions believe in an afterlife or spiritual continuation.
Rituals and mourning: Cultural practices surrounding death reflect the significance of mortality in human experience.
Legacy and remembrance: The impact of one’s life can transcend mortality.
Ethical considerations
End-of-life care: Ethical debates surround issues like euthanasia, assisted dying, and palliative care.
Quality of life: Balancing the value of life with the quality of life is a complex ethical issue.
Resource allocation: Societal decisions about healthcare and resource distribution involve considerations of mortality.
Psychological impact
Grief and loss: The experience of mortality can evoke profound emotional responses.
Fear and anxiety: The awareness of mortality can lead to existential anxiety.
Appreciation and gratitude: Recognising mortality can foster appreciation for life.
Conclusion
Mortality is a multifaceted aspect of human existence, influencing how we live, relate, and find meaning. Understanding and acknowledging mortality can prompt deeper reflections on life and our place in the world.
By Robert Ekow Grimmond-Thompson
