Features
Are we serious as a nation?
Infrastructure is a high priority for government, citizens and donors alike on account of its crucial role in achieving socio-economic development for the country. Unfinished infrastructural projects are a common sight in most part of the country and the situation is, indeed, disturbing.
It is highly frustrating and puzzling to see much needed infrastructure development projects abandoned mid-construction. In this country, research indicates that about one-third of projects started in previous regimes where never completed and that consumed about 20 per cent of all local government expenditure. Some of these abandoned projects which include, school buildings, hospitals and clinics, silos, warehouses, community centres, roads, pipe borne water among others, have been left at the mercy of the weather to rot.
This unfavourable situation can be attributed to local political actors not being able to agree on where projects should be sited and the inability to maintain consistent expenditure priorities which lead projects to be abandoned mid- construction.
PROPOSED DEMOLITION OF KATH MATERNITY BLOCK:
The unpalatable news about the proposed demolition of the 45-year-old maternity and baby unit building project at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi which was started in 1976 and was stalled in 1979 but later reactivated by the late former President Jerry John Rawlings is a good topic for discussion.
The structure, meant to accommodate 750-bed including lecture halls, restaurant, operation theatres among others, has been found to be too weak to accommodate all the equipment and the number of people expected to use the facility. Following a number of structural analysis conducted on the building, it has been recommended that it should be demolished for a new one to be built in its stead.
The project was handed over to the current contractors, Contracta UK Limited on May 15, 2020, by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo after he had cut the sod for the project to commence. The 155 million- euro project is to be financed from a Deutche Bank facility through the UK Export Finance. It was expected to be executed within 36 months. After a number of tests on the structural integrity of the building, it came out that the building had become too weak to accommodate the equipment and the anticipated human traffic and ,therefore, might not survive the test of time. The contractors proposed that the building should be pulled down for work to start afresh on the facility. Similar test conducted by the Ministry of Health also confirmed that the columns of the structure had become too old and weak while the concrete too had become brittle and the iron rods getting rusted.
SOCIAL COST OF PROJECT:
The social cost of the non- completion of the project is very high as money spent on this project alone would be enough to tackle other projects such as school buildings to accommodate a large number of students across the country. This fiscal waste may have long-term developmental consequences.
It is disheartening and mind-boggling when projects started with the hard-earned foreign exchange and meant to serve the interest of the larger society are abandoned midway due to negative and unforeseen circumstances. It is a fact that negative and incoherent politics practised by successive governments have contributed in no small way to some of these project failures and abandonment.
AWARD OF CONTRACT ON POLITICAL LINES:
Studies have also proved that contracts can be awarded to a contactor not because of a proven competence but on political lines. This normally leads to a shoddy work or inability to complete project due to ineptitude on the part of the contractor. The trend of a political party assuming incumbency only to focus on its own campaign promises, contributes to project failure and abandonment. It is also a fact that the nation lacks law enforcement and policies that check the government in power to continue and complete those uncompleted projects started by its predecessors. It is also a fact that the local people who happen to be the beneficiaries of these projects are not allowed to participate and develop interest in some of these projects.
This leads to alienation of the projects from the local beneficiaries since they are not allowed to partake and contribute their quota to the project and ,therefore, cannot monitor the stakeholders and the contactors working on the projects.
Most people assume that some of these unfinished projects are driven by corruption and are not finished because contractors give kickbacks to politicians or bureaucrats and then do not complete the work.
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN:
As being suggested in certain quarters, this country needs a national development plan devoid of partisan influence just like what persists in other developed nations to ensure that projects are not truncated when there is a change of government and leadership.
Countries that are making significant progress in their infrastructural developments are conscious of their developmental agenda by relying on continuity in projects started by previous administrations. This beautiful country called Ghana would have been paradise by now if our leaders approached development projects on the basis of continuity devoid of partisan interest and colorisation.
FINANCIAL LOSS TO THE STATE:
Indeed, the proposed demolition of the KATH maternity project will amount to a huge financial loss to the state which should have been avoided in the past.
Already, this country is saddled with a lot of financial problems which have greater effect on our economic progress, therefore, we do not want to burden ourselves with some of these financial losses which will deepen our woes.
By Charles Neequaye
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
