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Doomed to Failure series…. Watch your mouth Alice!
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As soon as Esaaba left, Alice called Maureen. ‘Hey girl. What is this I hear about you and Martin? I introduced you to him because you said you needed someone like you to help you set up your processing plant. And knowing that you were already doing well with the sale of fruit juices, I thought he would be a great help. But I hear he’s now more than your consultant. You are always with him, living it up’.
‘Hey, Alice watch your mouth. And what if in the course of business we have become a little close? The guy is good-looking, and so easy to get attracted to. I couldn’t help it’ ‘Well, Esaaba has just been here, and she’s not amused at all. She’s going to put a stop to it’.
‘What’s she going to do? Shoot me? I hope you didn’t tell her about Mr. C and Mr. F’. ‘I didn’t tell her anything. But I was hoping you would tell me what is happening, especially since you have gotten Martin involved in your mess’. ‘You think I did that deliberately? Listen, I have fallen badly for that guy, and if it weren’t for the current, er, financial problems, I would fight to win him. But things are not going well, so I will wait for a while, before letting him know.
For now, I hope to continue seeing him’. ‘Don’t count on it. Esaaba will skin you alive. And let me tell you, Maureen, you were not honest with me. If I knew you had problems with money, that the capital for the processing plant was not coming from you but from two sugar daddies, I would never have introduced Martin to you.
As things stand, you have no money to pay him, unless of course you will find another sugar daddy very quickly. And from the look of things, you don’t have money to continue with the project. But Maureen, you have always been an intelligent, hardworking girl, so when did you get into this sugar daddy thing?’
‘It’s not my fault that I’m pretty, Alice. They are always there, and whichever way you turn, they insist on buying you everything. And just at the time that I really need money badly they chickened out. Idiots’. ‘So what actually happened. How come both of them abandoned you just at the most crucial time?’ ‘They got wind of what I was planning to do. I think they got alarmed by my demands for money. They are both rich, so I didn’t think a few thousand dollars at a time would bother them. I bought the land and made part payment for the equipment, then they froze payments. I didn’t understand then, but I now realise that they suspected that I was either financing a young guy, or preparing to dump them, so they made discreet enquiries and found out I was building a plant, then they cut me off, right in the middle’. ‘Unfortunate, but you didn’t need to get involved with them in the first place. So, will you tell Martin or shall I tell him?’ ‘I don’t have the courage, so please do. Maybe he will agree to help me in the future’. ‘I will call him now, and let him know that the fling with you was doomed to failure’.
Martin stopped at the gate and greeted the security man politely. ‘Brother Martin, good morning. Esaaba is not in yet. She is normally here before eight. They must have been caught in traffic. So please park the car and wait at the reception. She will be here very soon’.
‘Okay boss’. I will wait in the car. I will be making some calls’. Martin had been having some serious thoughts since Esaaba gave her that brief but telling lecture. He wasn’t feeling too bad for having a fling with Maureen. That girl was a real bomb. But he felt stupid for falling for her charms, or tricks as he was realising.
She liked being pampered, but was that because she had been pampered as a child? Until Esaaba schooled her, he did not seem to find anything wrong with taking her round the fancy restaurants, eating all kinds of fancy stuff, when he and his buddies and, of course, Esaaba, were regular patrons of nice Ghanaian restaurants.
Esaaba, of course, had always treated him to delicacies like apapransa, epitsi, etor and others. And how come he had been able to virtually relegate Esaaba to second place, whilst showering time and affection on Maureen? Maureen was certainly beautiful and very charming, but Esaaba was the real queen, easily streets ahead in looks, intelligence and confidence. And she had a lot of time for Martin.
He had come to kneel down and beg her, and promise never to do that again. He saw her get out of the car and walk past his car, heading for the entrance. Then their eyes met. ‘Martin! Is everything okay?’ ‘No, not at all?’ ‘Ei! What’s happening?’ I hope nobody is hurt?’ ‘No, nothing of the sort. I just had to see you’. She walked silently with him to her office, opened the door and offered him a seat and sat down’. ‘I’m all ears. You gave me the impression that something has gone badly wrong’. ‘I just came to say that I am very sorry for my recent behaviour. I am really sorry. I cant explain my behaviour. But please, Esaaba, I was never going to leave you. You mean just too much to me’. ‘Okay, I accept your apology. You really hurt me. But I love you too much, and I know you also care for me, so let’s look forward. But let me ask, what did you see in that girl? Is she better-looking, or better in any other way, than me?’ ‘Certainly not! You know, she was always very flirtatious, pretending she was so vulnerable and needed me around, and all that. I was a little flattered that someone seemed to be all over me, but there was never a time when I thought of leaving you for her.
Please, never think that. I am really very sorry. This will never happen again. I’m glad you brought me back to my senses when you sat me down and lectured me. You know, for the first time I had started working for a client without asking her to sign a contract and making a down payment. I have been very, very foolish’. ‘Okay, you have learnt a lesson, and our relationship is still intact. Let’s look forward’. ‘Haven’t we looked forward enough? Why don’t we do what we’ve been preparing to do all along?’ ‘You mean get married?’ Martin nodded, and Esaaba broke into tears of joy. ‘Let me call my parents.
By Ekow De Heer
“A woman who abandons her baby in a dustbin at Kasoa Lorry Station is not always a wicked woman. Sometimes, she is a wounded woman whose mind has broken, whose family has rejected her, and whose society has left her with only one terrible option: disappear or be disgraced.”
That is the hard truth Ghana must hear.
In the last 10 days alone, our nation has been confronted with the same painful headline, twice.
Case 1 – Kasoa Main Lorry Station, Central Region: A newborn baby girl was found abandoned inside a dustbin at the public toilet of the Kasoa Main Station. A woman who went to use the facility discovered the infant and raised an alarm. Commercial drivers and bystanders quickly retrieved the baby and rushed her to the Kasoa Polyclinic for emergency medical care.
Case 2 – Asante Bekwai, Ashanti Region: On Thursday morning, August 20, 2026, a two-week-old neonate was reportedly abandoned by an unknown nursing mother at Bekwai in the Ashanti Region. Residents who came across the child raised the alarm. The baby was admitted to the Bekwai Government Hospital as police commenced investigations.
Let me be clear from the start: Newborn abandonment is wrong. It is dangerous. It is criminal. And it can kill. This article does not excuse it. But if we only arrest and shame, we will never stop it. We must treat the root, not just punish the fruit.
What exactly is newborn abandonment? – The two definitions
The Legal Definition: Under Ghana’s Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), Section 96, and the Children’s Act, 1998 (Act 560), abandonment of a child under 12 years is a criminal offence. It is classified as exposure and abandonment, punishable as a misdemeanor or felony. The law sees the mother as a perpetrator.
The Psychological definition: In clinical textbooks, newborn abandonment is defined as the intentional, permanent relinquishment of all parental rights, care, and responsibilities over an infant within the first 28 days of life without making formal, legal arrangements for care.
To understand this crisis properly, we must not confuse it with child abandonment. Newborn abandonment happens within 0-28 days of life, often driven by acute panic, denial of pregnancy, or postpartum psychosis where the attachment bond never formed. Child abandonment, on the other hand, involves toddlers to teenagers where a bond existed but collapsed over time due to chronic poverty, family breakdown, or parental burnout. One is an acute crisis of the first month; the other is a chronic breakdown over years. Both are harmful, but they need different interventions.
Psychologically, newborn abandonment is the ultimate rupture of the primary attachment bond. Think of a 19-year-old university student who secretly gives birth alone in her hostel room, wraps the crying baby in a polythene bag, and drops it at a refuse dump at midnight. That is not just a crime scene; it is a scene of extreme panic and psychological dissociation.
Why would a mother carry a baby for 9 months and then abandon it?
This is the question every Ghanaian asks. If you wanted to abandon it, why not abort? The answer is deeply psychological:
1. The psychodynamics of denial of pregnancy: This is a profound defense mechanism, not a lie. The mother’s subconscious mind completely rejects the reality of the pregnancy. She does not gain weight normally, feels no kicks, does not seek antenatal care, and genuinely convinces herself she is not pregnant until sudden, shocking labour pains take her by surprise in a toilet or bedroom.
2. Fantasy of a dissolving problem: This is called cognitive avoidance. She believes “my boyfriend will come back,” “my mother will forgive me,” or “something miraculous will happen before birth.” So she waits, paralyzed, until the baby is here.
3. Barriers to safe abortion: Deep religious guilt, moral anxiety, fear of dying from a back-alley abortion, lack of money for a safe procedure, and family laws force her to carry to term even when she feels incapable.
4. The shock of reality and acute panic: Upon delivery, the physical presence and crying of the newborn shatters all denial. Confronted with immediate exposure, shame, and reality, her brain enters a trauma response — “fight, flight, or freeze.” For many, it becomes “flight” — physically escape the threat of exposure to survive socially. That is why babies are left in places where others will find them -lorry stations, churches, hospitals.
Source:
Counselor Prince Offei, CPAC’s founder, is a leading Mental Health Professional, Marriage Counsellor, Author, ADR Expert/Arbitrator, and Spectator Newspaper Columnist. He writes on relationships, marriage, parenting, special needs support, and their connection to mental health. For therapy, counselling, or enquiries, contact Counselor Prince & Associates Consult (CPAC) in Accra on 0559850604 / 0551428486.
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Features
Environmental stewardship is an act of worship: The Islamic response to climate change, environmental degradation (Part 4)
The environmental consequences of illegal mining have reached alarming levels in Ghana. Several major rivers, including the Pra, Ankobra, Offin, Birim and Tano, have experienced significant pollution from illegal mining activities, increasing the cost and complexity of water treatment while threatening the availability of potable water for millions of citizens (Water Resources Commission, 2024; Ghana Water Limited, 2024). These developments underscore the urgent need for stronger environmental governance and collective action.
Islam equally emphasises accountability in governance. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught that every leader is responsible for those under his or her authority (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 7138; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1829). This principle extends to public officials entrusted with environmental regulation, traditional authorities responsible for communal lands, mining companies, local assemblies, and community leaders. Environmental protection cannot succeed
where accountability is absent.
At the same time, addressing galamsey requires more than law enforcement. Sustainable solutions must tackle the underlying socio-economic realities that drive individuals into illegal mining. Many young people are motivated by unemployment, poverty, and limited economic opportunities. Islamic principles of social justice therefore call for the creation of alternative livelihoods through sustainable agriculture, vocational training, responsible small-scale mining under strict environmental standards, entrepreneurship, and skills development. Environmental protection and economic empowerment should not be viewed as competing priorities but as complementary goals that promote human dignity and national development.
Faith communities also have an indispensable role to play. Mosques, churches, schools, traditional councils, and civil society organisations possess significant influence in shaping public attitudes and behaviours. Imams, in particular, should consistently remind congregations that wealth acquired through actions that destroy communities and Allah’s creation cannot be regarded as a blessing. Religious education should cultivate environmental ethics alongside spiritual devotion, reinforcing the understanding that protecting rivers, forests, and farmlands is an expression of gratitude to Allah and a fulfilment of the trust of Khalifah.
Ultimately, the struggle against galamsey is more than a campaign to protect natural resources; it is a struggle to uphold justice, preserve human dignity, and honour the trust that Allah has placed upon humanity. Lasting solutions will require strong governance, responsible citizenship, sustainable economic opportunities, and renewed moral leadership. Only when these elements
work together can Ghana safeguard its natural heritage for present and future generations.
Water conservation, waste management and sustainable development: Practical expressions of Islamic stewardship
Religious education should cultivate environmental ethics alongside spiritual devotion, reinforcing the understanding that protecting rivers, forests, and farmlands is an expression of gratitude to Allah and a fulfilment of the trust of Khalifah.
Ultimately, the struggle against galamsey is more than a campaign to protect natural resources; it is a struggle to uphold justice, preserve human dignity, and honour the trust that Allah has placed upon humanity. Lasting solutions will require strong governance, responsible citizenship, sustainable economic opportunities, and renewed moral leadership. Only when these elements
work together can Ghana safeguard its natural heritage for present and future generations.
Islam is not merely a religion that condemns environmental destruction; it also provides practical guidance for preserving and sustaining the natural world. Through its teachings on moderation, cleanliness, conservation, and responsible consumption, Islam cultivates an environmental ethic that remains remarkably relevant to contemporary challenges such as water scarcity, pollution, waste management, and climate change. These teachings encourage Muslims to become
responsible custodians of Allah’s creation in both private and public life.
Water conservation: A sacred responsibility
Water occupies a unique position in Islam as the source of life and an essential element of worship. Allah says, “And We made from water every living thing. Then will they not believe?” (Qur’an 21:30, Sahih International). This verse reminds believers that water is not merely an economic resource but a divine blessing upon which all living creatures depend. The importance of water is further reflected in Islamic acts of worship. Muslims perform ablution (wudu) before the five daily prayers and ritual bathing (ghusl) under prescribed circumstances.
Yet, despite its central role in purification, Islam strongly discourages wastefulness. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) once advised one of his companions not to waste water while performing ablution, even when using water from a flowing river (Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 425). This timeless guidance establishes the principle that abundance does not justify extravagance.
Conservation remains a religious obligation regardless of the apparent availability of natural resources.
This Prophetic teaching carries profound implications for contemporary Ghana. Illegal mining has severely polluted many rivers, increasing the cost of water treatment and limiting access to safe drinking water for numerous communities. Climate change has also intensified seasonal variability in rainfall, placing additional pressure on freshwater resources (IPCC, 2023). Against this
backdrop, conserving water is no longer simply an environmental preference—it is a moral imperative grounded in Islamic teaching.
Water conservation should therefore become a shared responsibility among households, educational institutions, industries, and places of worship. Simple practices such as repairing leaking pipes, harvesting rainwater, protecting riverbanks, avoiding contamination of water bodies, and promoting efficient irrigation contribute to safeguarding one of Allah’s greatest blessings. Every effort to preserve water is an investment in public health, food security, and the
wellbeing of future generations.
Unfortunately, indiscriminate disposal of refuse remains a significant challenge in many communities. Plastic waste clogs drainage systems, contributes to flooding during the rainy season, pollutes rivers and beaches, and threatens marine ecosystems. Open burning of waste further degrades air quality and poses serious health risks, particularly for children and the elderly (UNEP,2024).
The author is Chief Imam of Katamanso Municipal and Certified Counsellor and Governnace Expert.
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