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Construction crew or demolition squad? Part 2
In part one of this article, I recalled the days of yore when Ghanaian pupils in the elementary school studied civics. For the benefit of those who had no idea about the subject, I explained that the course was all about responsibilities and obligations of the citizens of a country, usually categorised into the good and the bad, depending on their behaviour. Then, I inferred that the whole concept boiled down to the idea of the Construction Crew and the Demolition Squad. Beginning with the government, the article dealt with the various instances of injustice that most Ghanaians, especially the rural folk, are made to endure perennially by government after government. I paraphrased George Orwell’s satirical novel – Animal Farm – juxtaposed it with the situation in Ghana and submitted that after independence our motto, Freedom and Justice seems like a mirage. It is still my contention that justice has taken a back seat and the motto has remained, at best, a mere rhetoric. I continue from where I left off.
In the previous article, I asked three questions and I repeat them. Does Animal Farm ring a bell in Africa? Does it sound familiar in Ghana? Do you see those who have now put on airs?
Just a casual glance around the corridors of the Ghanaian society is enough to reveal that themes of Animal Farm continue to reverberate in every aspect of our body politic. Where is the justice when scholarships meant for poor and brilliant students somehow find their way to children of the rich who can afford everything without sweat? I am not talking about free senior high school.
It is on record that the Scholarship Secretariat has now decentralised its operations, initially, to the regional level in the 2018/2019 academic year, and then all the way down to the Metropolitan, Municipal and District levels in the 2019/2020 academic year. Good enough, at least, on paper!
According to the Secretariat, this has led to “significant strides or achievement in the increase of scholarships awarded to Ghanaian students pursuing higher education in the local tertiary institutions, both public and private. More than thirty thousand (30,000) Ghanaian students in the locally accredited tertiary institutions benefitted from the scheme in the 2019/2020 academic year.”
Now, the question is: How many of those 30,000 scholarships were given to applicants under the categories of Merit Awards, Hardship Awards (that is, for needy but brilliant students), and the Presidential Independence Day Awards? And how many qualified from the districts? Are they not the children of rich politicians and other affluent people in the cities – those with connections – who still benefitted despite the noise about decentralisation?
If the process were transparent, the records would be readily available and easily accessible at the District, Municipal, and Metropolitan Assemblies for all to find. By the way, how many farmers in the villages have even been notified by their respective assemblies that they can access scholarships for their needy but brilliant children who qualify for such grants? Transparency, indeed!
Where is the justice when the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer? Is it not criminal that the poverty-stricken masses are saddled with loads of care in the form of high transportation cost, utility bills and other encumbrances while those who can virtually afford everything get them free of charge? Do not tell me they are the perks that accompany certain positions. The truth is these benefits are just an icing on the cake, yet majority of the citizens do not have any cake to eat at all. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, and rightly so, that “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
After cajoling the longsuffering masses to vote you into office, whether as Assembly Members, Union Leaders, Members of Parliament, or having been appointed Ministers, do you now behave like Napoleon the pig, (Animal Farm) and think only of your welfare and that of your family?
Are you accessible to your constituents? Can they reach you on your phone? No! And they can neither come to your house because the preventive duty of your trained, wild dog is well defined and noticeably advertised. Under the guise of deterring criminals from attempting any mischief against your property, you have conspicuously hung the sign: “Beware of wild dogs.” In reality, however, it is a coded message directed at perceived intruders from your constituency. The sign echoes an implicit message loudly: “Do not dare to approach this house; you are not welcome here.” How will anyone venture a visit under such circumstance?
These patient citizens live in resource-filled parts of the country yet do not have potable water in this day and age. Their school buildings are dilapidated and at the mercy of the elements. While their gas, oil, gold, bauxite, and other resources are extracted for the collective good of the country, they, as the custodians of these assets, have little or nothing to show for their potential prosperity all these years.
Maybe, the right person is nominated for the position of M.C.E. or D.C.E. to help administer and, hopefully, transform the various constituencies.But as an assembly man or woman, you see the confirmation process as an opportunity to dig gold. You, therefore, insist on a token, a euphemism for bribe, else you would not vote to approve the nominee. Meanwhile, your constituents put you up there to help them get their fair share of the national cake. Where do you belong, the “Construction Crew” or the “Demolition Squad?” What happened to your civics lessons?
Dear Civil Servant, thank you for all the hard work you put in despite the paltry salary. But I have a problem with those who pretend that somebody’s file is missing only for them to dramatically recover it from the “sinkhole” into which it dropped.
“Eureka! I have found it,” he would exclaim, just after his palms are not only greased, but lubricated well. Otherwise, not even the most powerful laser – Light Amplification by Simulated Emission of Radiation – can track and retrieve the missing document needed urgently to transact legitimate business for the mutual benefit of the client and the nation. This is the modus operandi of the “Demolition Squad.” No nation can develop with this attitude.
Sadly, this brazen exploitation has become so systemic that it has degenerated into a contagion of epidemic proportions permeating every fibre of the Ghanaian society. Just apply for a passport or try to register a company at the Registrar-General’s Department. You may also attempt to obtain a driver’s licence. You would not only understand what I am saying but you would also be amazed at the scope of rottenness prevailing in the system.
Issuance of passports was decentralised decades ago to enable Ghanaians to access travel documents easily, affordably, and speedily. But what was meant to be a division of labour to boost productivity, has evolved into the decentralisation of corruption. In the past only those in Accra had the chance to indulge in the practice. Now, it is “EGLE” – Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere. Did you know that once upon a time there was a political party by that name? Ei! Ghana! Trailblazers in everything!
Anyway, at the various passport offices spread over the country, they have rates of bribe that applicants must pay before they secure their passports, depending on how badly they need them. The faster you want it, the more you pay. Now that new regions have been created, I would not be surprised if people have started lobbying to be sent there. And why not? After all, the fastest and easiest means to make it in Ghana is ready for grabs.
Mr. Immigration Officer and Matthew, (a customs officer who became Jesus’s disciple), why did you enter these service institutions, to join the Construction Crew or the Demolition Squad? Why do you insist that your pot must be sweetened before you do what you are paid to do? It is no longer a gift if you demand it. It becomes a bribe. Plain and simple! Matthew repented and became, not just a disciple but one of the twelve apostles. Over to you!
A stitch in time saves nine!
Contact: teepeejubilee@yahoo.co.uk
BY TONY PREMPEH
Walk into any supermarket in Accra, Kumasi, or Tamale today, and you will see the modern Ghanaian diet packaged as ‘progress.’ You will see breakfast cereals with cartoon mascots, fruit drinks that are mostly sugar and colour, and snacks promising energy and happiness in bright fonts.
Even products loaded with salt and unhealthy fats often wear a health halo labeled as fortified or natural, while the real nutritional risk is hidden in tiny print on the back. This is not just a consumer inconvenience; it is a public health blind spot. Ghana is living through a silent surge of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like hypertension, diabetes, and stroke.
These conditions quietly drain household income and steal productive years. According to the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates, NCDs are now responsible for nearly 45 per cent of all deaths in Ghana.
We cannot build a healthy nation on a food environment designed to confuse people at the point of purchase. Ghana must mandate simple front-of-pack warning labels (FOPWL) on high-sugar, high-salt, and high-fat packaged foods because consumers deserve truth at a glance, and industry must be pushed to reformulate.
Why Back-of-Pack Labels Are Not Enough
In theory, consumers can read nutrition panels. In reality, most Ghanaians shop under pressure, limited time, rising prices, and children tugging at their sleeves. The back label is a relic that requires a high cognitive load to interpret—essentially, the seller knows what is inside, but the buyer cannot easily tell.
This ‘information asymmetry’ is not fair. It is not consumer choice when the information needed to choose well is deliberately difficult to find.
Simple warning labels like the black octagons used in the Chilean Model act as a ‘stop-and-think’ nudge. They do not ban products but they simply tell the truth so people can decide.
Reshaping Our Food Environment
A generation ago, Ghana’s meals were mostly home-prepared, like kenkey and banku with soups and stews. Today, ultra-processed foods have become the norm, especially in urban areas. Children are growing up with sugary drinks and salty snacks as everyday items, not occasional treats.
If Ghana is serious about prevention, we must act where decisions are made—thus, the shelf. Warning labels protect parents from sugar traps and pressure the market to improve. When warning labels are mandatory, manufacturers start to compete to make healthier recipes to avoid the stigma of the label.
Addressing the Pushback
Industry will argue that labels create fear or that education alone is enough. However, health education is slow; labels work immediately. While the informal street food sector is a challenge, regulating pre-packaged goods is the practical starting point because the supply chain is traceable. We cannot wait until the whole system is perfect; we must start where action is feasible.
A 2026 Implementation Roadmap for Ghana
To move from talk to action, Ghana needs this 5-step plan:
- Issue mandatory regulation: The Ministry of Health, Food and Drug Authority (FDA), and Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) must define the label format and nutrient thresholds for all pre-packaged foods.
- Simple, bold symbols: Use plain language and clear symbols, such as “HIGH IN SUGAR,” designed for busy families, not experts.
- Transparent thresholds: Adopt technically defensible standards adapted to the Ghanaian diet.
- Transition and enforce: Provide a 12–18 month period for manufacturers to reformulate, followed by firm enforcement at ports and retail centers.
- National literacy campaign: The Ghana Health Service must pair labels with public messages explaining why high salt or sugar increases disease risk.
Conclusion: Truth Is Not a Luxury
Prevention is cheaper than treatment. A warning label costs little compared to the price of dialysis, stroke rehabilitation, or lifelong diabetes complications. A black octagon on a box of biscuits is more than a label; it is a shield for the health of all Ghanaians. It is time to put the truth where we can see it, right on the front.
By Abigail Amoah Sarfo
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Natives of the Kenkey Kingdom were mad with joy. They were still recovering from the hangover of the kingdom’s loss of the African Cup when their spirits were rekindled. Their great warrior, Zoom Zoom, stormed Melbourne and made sure that every Australian refused food. And that was after he had drawn contour lines on the face of their idol, Jeff Fenech.
Not only did the terrible warrior transform Old Boy Jeff’s face into a contour map useful for geography lessons, but he also accomplished the feat of retaining the much-envied super-kenkeyweight title against all odds. The warrior had not been eating hot kenkey for nothing.
The Fight Against Fenech
When Jeff Fenech bit the dust in the eighth round, I was tempted to consider if Adanko Deka could not have faced him in any twelve-rounder, title or non-title bout. Adanko has improved tremendously, and soon he would be facing Pernell Whitaker.
Sincerely, I was pessimistic about Azumah’s man, who the last time took him through twelve grueling rounds of rough boxing. I expressed my fears to my colleague Christian Abbew, alias Gbonyo, who surprisingly had total confidence that the Australian brawler would fall, predictably in Round Five.
Gbonyo gave reasons for his contention, all of which I counteracted using the age factor. Fact is, I didn’t know that contrary to the laws of nature, Azumah was all the time growing younger.
When Fenech fell briefly in round one, I asked my brother whether it was the same Fenech that fought Azumah in Las Vegas. Sure, it was the same Fenech, all out to beat Azumah before his countrymen.
But the African Professor had no intention of making the Australian a hero. As he spun round the desperate Aussie, dancing and stinging out his jabs, it was not too long before I realized that the end was near.
The Eighth Round Showdown
Two minutes into the eighth round, the African ring-master proved to the whole world that he was a true son of Bukom. He himself was cornered, but like the tough nut he is, he managed to break free before overwhelming the panting Australian with several blows that made him crash headlong.
Moments after, the referee, expressing fatherly sympathy, stopped the fight to prevent an obituary. After the ordeal, Fenech’s fairly handsome face was full of newly constructed hills, valleys, ox-bow lakes—whatever. I noticed that his nose was very tired and had a miniature volcano sitting restlessly on it. Obviously, Jeff’s wife will have to nurse that nose back to its normal shape—but I’d advise her not to use iodine, otherwise her dear husband will wail like a banshee.
Reflections on Boxing
Because Mohammed Ali was the kind of boxer kids liked, many school-going kids often entertained the wish of becoming like him. I remember one day when I told my father I wanted to become a boxer, and he advised me to first complete my education to the highest level. Then, if I decided to become a boxer and was knocked out a couple of times, I’d fall back on my degrees and make a living.
Boxing used to be interesting when bouts were fought more with the mouth and tongue than with gloves. You had to brag well, psychologically belittling your opponent before beating him up physically. Mohammed Ali became a very successful pugilist because he also managed to become a poet. He often blew his horn across America, calling himself the “pretty boxer” and opponents like Joe Frazier “the gorilla.”
Ali made a living fighting hard fists like Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, Jerry Quarry, George Foreman, Leon Spinks, and Trevor Berbick. Twice he came back from retirement to fight just for money. It was Larry Holmes who finally pensioned him, and since then the great Ali has never been himself.
The Path Ahead for Azumah
When Azumah nailed Jeff Fenech on the cross and barked almost immediately that he was after the head of Pernell Whitaker, I was happy but concerned. I would have been happier if he had announced his resignation there and then—he would have been more of a hero. Beating Fenech in Australia is more newsworthy than facing Whitaker in the States.
With Whitaker, it might be a little difficult. The “Sweet Pea” is agile, has a crooked body like a snake with diarrhea, and stands awkwardly as a southpaw. He is known for having the fastest pair of fists and the rare ability to dodge punches no matter how close they may be.
Much as I do not doubt that Azumah can take his title, I also don’t want him to retire beaten. I want him to retire as a hero and live a fuller, healthy life.
As Azumah himself said after dishing Fenech, he is now a professor and has something to show for it. Like a true professor, I think it is time he resigned and took up training young talents who could draw inspiration from him and become like him in the future.
Closing Thoughts
I must say that although ageing boxers like Larry Holmes and George Foreman are making a name for themselves, boxing is not like the Civil Service, where you can even change your age and retire at 74. Zoom Zoom has delighted the hearts of the natives, and Sikaman will forever hold him in high esteem—but only when he retires as a hero.
This article was first published on Saturday, March 7, 1992.
