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It’s time govt officials got serious …and stopped that ‘loose’ and ‘reckless’ talks!
The term “loose talk” is used to describe talk or a statement that is made carelessly or recklessly without the speaker thinking of the ramifications of his or her statements. By definition, “loose talk” means inhibited and indiscreet talk or conversation, especially as might unintentionally lead to revealing private or sensitive information to others. Simply put, a loose talk has the potential or likelihood of offending or causing harm in the future,
LOOSE TALKS COST LIVES
History tells us that there is a popular phrase about loose talk which says, “Loose talk costs lives”. That phrase, we are told, came into being during the Second World War and now many decades after that, this phrase has been used extensively in movies, books and songs all over the world.
The reason loose talk costs lives is that one must not be reckless or careless with what he or she says because it can lead to unpalatable events that might end up claiming the lives of innocent people. Several instances of loose talks and their ramifications have been cited and for the handsight of this article and the benefit of my readers, I will like to mention two of them to keep them abreast of the dangers involved.
EXAMPLES OF WHAT LOOSE TALKS CAN DO TO SOCIETY
Let’s say a prominent politician mounts a podium and starts saying negative things and castigating a particular religion. In the politician’s loose talk, he totally condemns the religion much to the fury or anger of the millions of followers of that particular religion. This I believe, can lead to a chaotic situation that can claim a number of lives around the world. Another example of loose talk is an instance in which a country’s Defence Minister, goes on air and starts talking about the very sensitive issues about his country which are not supposed to be disclosed and heard by the public because it can greatly harm the security of his country.
I have taken my time to dwell into the issue of loose talk and the emerging consequences involved because of the recent pronouncement by the Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr Kwasi Amoako-Attah, about the fact that the toll booths which have been abandoned across the country because of the abolishment of road toll collection would be used to serve another public purpose.
ROAD MINISTER’S LOOSE STATEMENT
According to the minister, these toll booths are to be converted into public urinals. To quote him, “We even want to refurbish all the toll booth structures to provide proper and decent washrooms for the use by motorists so that we can advise them to desist from that practice where sometimes you see cars stopping on the highways and people getting down to ‘wee wee’ as we usually see”.
It is recalled that the government in its 2022 Budget and Financial Policy Statement, announced the removal and scrapping of toll collections across the country. A directive from the sector minister caused the cessation of tolls even before the budget was approved by Parliament, an act which many described as unlawful. These toll booths, since the abolishment, have been abandoned and that had raised concerns in many quarters with the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), urging the government to demolish the structures for the sake of road safety. But it appears that the government has different plans for the abandoned structures.
For goodness sake, does it make sense to construct urinals at the middle of express roads for motorists to stop and ease themselves and what kind of purpose will such facilities serve to the Ghanaian public? It appears that Ghanaians are being taken for granted by some of our ministers and other public officials and that is most unfortunate.
MINISTER’S DENIAL IN PARLIAMENT
Recently, the Roads and Highways Minister was in Parliament denying that he had said the toll booths were to refurbished and converted into places of urinal and that he said many things and was quoted out of context by the media. His utterances in parliament sounded awkward and unfounded because his voice was recorded on tape and had been played many times by some radio and television stations in the country. The best thing to do by the minister is to accept his guilt and apologise strongly to the media and Ghanaians in general.
THE E-LEVY AND NEGATIVE UTTERANCES
There is another loose talk statement currently circulating on social media and attributed to the First Deputy Speaker, Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu, aka Joe Wise, alleging that “if Ghanaians do not support the introduction of the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy), the various road construction work going on in the country will be stopped by the government.” This has generated a lot of fury or anger from a section of the public castigating and raising insults at him and the government. There are many instances of some of these loose and reckless statements and utterances from senior public officials including ministers of state, parliamentarians and people in positions of trust in the country, which space will not allow me to focus on.
GHANAIANS AGGITATED BY THESE LOOSE AND RECKLESS TALKS
Ghanaians are in fact tired and being agitated by some of these loose and reckless talks and utterances by high profile personalities at the helms of affairs in this country and they better watch out. These people should not feel and think that the people are ignorant and naïve and, therefore, they can pour all kinds of venom through their unguarded, irresponsible and reckless statements on them and run away. The people are wide awake and alert and whatever loose talks or negative things they say will be duly interrogated and used against them in future. They should not forget that first and foremost, they are politicians and, therefore, must know how to talk and communicate well with the people in whose hands power lies. If they don’t know, printed materials are difficult to erase once they are noted and can be easily revisited at the least opportunity and at any given time.
POLITICIANS MUST RESPECT THE PEOPLE
For goodness sake, people placed in positions of trust must learn to exhibit high level of professionalism and to respect the offices they occupy as well as Ghanaians whose mandates have placed them where they are at the moment. First and foremost, they must learn to control their impulses, think before they speak and above all work on their self-esteem. They have been chosen out of the lot to serve the interest of this country and the people in general but not for any selfish motives. They should not think that once they have been given the power to lead us, then we become stooges to them and, therefore, they can insult and pour all kinds of negativities on us and go scot free. When the need arises for Ghanaians to speak out, they will use the same power of the thumb to express their anger and throw them out of office.
This is the time for our politicians to demonstrate human feeling and show high level of respect to the electorate but not to turn their backs on them through some of these loose and reckless utterances that serve no useful purpose, otherwise they will regret their negative actions. They must accord the media the necessary respect at all times and watch their tongues when they mount platforms to talk. In the same vein, the media must also show professionalism in their work and do their work factually and diligently without fear or favour from any quarters in order to earn that crucial respect from the public.
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By Charles Neequaye
Attention-Deficit or Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is often mistaken for laziness or indiscipline. In consulting rooms across Accra and in reports from school teachers, the pattern repeats: children who are bright but forgetful, parents who feel helpless, teachers who see incompleteness.
Research is clear-Barkley (2015) and others describe ADHD as a difference in the brain’s regulation of alertness, impulse and working memory, not a lack of effort.
The family’s role begins with structure. Regular sleep, predictable meal and homework times, and a simple visual list (uniform → books → water → corridor) provide the external scaffolding of these children need. Praise what is completed—“You opened the book and wrote the first sentence”-instead of rebuking what is missing.
Schools can help by seating the child front-row and centre, giving short written plus verbal instructions, allowing brief movement breaks, using quiet nonverbal cues and, where possible, grading effort and method as well as neatness. These adjustments reduce conflict and raise submission rates without lowering standards.
Couples and caregivers should share roles: one grounds, one pivots, and both protect rest. Shame-“bad parenting, bad child”-needs replacing with fact: different wiring, needs scaffolding.
Outcomes improve not by promises of perfection but by daily routines, clear limits and warmed connection. One homework slot kept, one instruction chunked, one calm repair after blurting-these small wins shift the family climate and let the child be seen beyond the label.
Resource
• CPAC (award-winning Mental Health and Counselling Facility): 0559850604 / 0551428486
Source: REV. COUNSELLOR PRINCE OFFEI’s insights on special needs support, relationships, and mental health in Ghana. He is a leading mental health professional, lecturer, ADR Expert/Arbitrator, renowned author, and marriage counsellor at COUNSELLOR PRINCE & ASSOCIATES CONSULT (CPAC COUNSELLOR TRAINING INSTITUTE) – 0551428486 /0559850604.
WEBSITES:
https://princeoffei22.wixsite.com/author
https://princeoffei22.wixsite.com/website
After two weeks of hectic activity up north, I drove to the Tamale airport, parked the car at the Civil Aviation car park as usual, paid the usual parking fee and boarded the plane for Accra.
Over the last two weeks, I had shuffled between three sites where work was close to completion.
One was a seed warehouse, where farmers would come and pick up good quality maize, sorghum and other planting material.
The other was a health facility for new mothers, where they were given basic training on good nutrition and small scale business.
And the third was a set of big boreholes for three farming communities.
The projects usually ran on schedule, but a good deal of time was spent building rapport with the local people, to ensure that they would be well patronised and maintained.
It was great to be working in a situation where one’s work was well appreciated. But it certainly involved a lot of work, and proactivity. And I made sure that I recorded updates online before going to bed in the evening.
When the plane took off, my mind shifted to issues in Accra, the big city. The young guys at my office had done some good work. They had secured five or six houses on a row in a good part of the city, and were close to securing the last.
When we got this property, unusually, Abena greeted them casually, and appeared to be comfortable in the guy’s company.
I was quite disappointed to hear that, because until the last few weeks, it seemed as if Abena and I were heading in a good direction. Apart from the affection I had for her, I liked her family. I decided to take it easy, and allow things to fall in whatever direction.
Normally I would take a taxi to her house from the airport, and pick her up to my place. This time I went to my sisters’ joint, where they sat by me while I enjoyed a drink and a good meal.
“So Little Brother,” Sister Beesiwa said, “what is it we are hearing about our wife-to-be?”
“When did you conclude that she was your wife-to-be? And what have you heard? I’ve only heard a couple of whispers. Ebo and Nana Kwame called to say that they have seen her in the company of—”
“Well said Little Brother,” Sister Baaba said. “By the way, Nana Kwame called an hour ago to ask if you had arrived because he could not reach you. Someone had told him that Jennifer had boasted to someone that she had connected Abena to a wealthy guy who would take care of her.”
I was beginning to understand. For some time, Abena had been asking me what work I was doing up north, and after I had explained it to her, she kept asking. So I think Jennifer fed her with false stories about me in order to get her to move to the Ampadu guy. Jennifer must have been well compensated for her efforts.
“In that case,” Sister Beesiwa said, “you should be glad that Abena is out of your way. She is easily swayed. Anyone who would make a relationship decision based on a friend’s instigation lacks good sense. I hope the guy is as wealthy as they say?”
“Who gets wealthy running a supermarket chain in Ghana?” Sister Baaba said. “Our supermarkets sell mostly imported products. Look at the foreign exchange rate. And remember that Ghanaians buy second-hand shoes and clothes. Supermarkets are not good business here. Perhaps they are showing off that they are wealthy, but in reality they are not doing so well.”
“Amen to that,” I said. “I’m beginning to understand. For some time, Abena had been asking me what work I was doing up north, and after I had explained it to her, she kept asking. So I think Jennifer fed her with false stories about me in order to get her to move to the Ampadu guy. Jennifer must have been well compensated for her efforts.”
She said that David Forson was only an agricultural extension worker in the north who did not have the resources to take care of a beautiful girl like her. And apart from being wealthy, the guy comes from an influential family, so Abena had done much better leaving a miserable civil servant like you for him.
“Amen to that,” I said. “I’m beginning to understand. For some time, Abena had been asking me what work I was doing up north, and after I had explained it to her, she kept asking. We would be able to sell all five houses to one big corporate customer, and we had already spoken to a property dealer who was trying to find a buyer in order to get a good commission.
That was going to be my biggest break. I had asked the boys to look for a large tract of land on the outskirts of the city where we could develop our own set of buildings, blocks of storey houses and upscale apartments. Things were going according to plan, and I was quietly excited. However, things were not going so well regarding my relationship with Abena.
My buddies Ebo and Nana Kwame had called to say that they met Abena and her friend Jennifer enjoying lunch with a guy, and Ebo believed that Jennifer was ‘promoting’ an affair between Jennifer and the guy. They were of the view that the promotion seemed to be going in the guy’s favour, because only an agricultural extension worker in the north who did not have the resources to take care of a beautiful girl like her.
And apart from being wealthy, the guy comes from an influential family, so Abena had done much better leaving a miserable civil servant like you for him.
“As I’ve already said, I will stop by her place, but I will mind my own business from now. Hey, let’s talk family. How are our parents? And my brothers-in-law? And my nephews and nieces? Why don’t we meet on Sunday? I’m going to drop my bags at my place, and go to see Mama and Dad.”
