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Looking for economic assistance in the midst of bloated government?
The German Ambassador to Ghana, Daniel Krull, recently hit the nail right on the head when he told the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led administration of Ghana to cut down its budget if the government wanted help from Germany to revamp its ailing economy.
Ghana, we are told, has been begging Germany within the last month to convince China to commit to a creditors meeting to agree on a debt relief package for the country. But the German Ambassador thinks differently. He told the Ghana Government to cut down its expenditure and the huge size of government if sincerely, it needs Germany to help convince China and the international community to agree to a debt relief package.
GERMAN AMBASSADOR’S OBSERVATION
Addressing a press conference in Accra recently, Mr Krull said, it was strange for Ghana to be crying to the international community for help but continues to operate a government bigger than that of Germany. Hear the Ambassador, “I only can compare with other countries like my own and I can just come to the conclusion that the number is much higher than in my country. So, that might bring me to the conclusion that maybe there’s room for improvement.
“ Well, of course, it depends very much on what kind of expenditures you are looking at…I am convinced this is true for if I look at the budget of the German Foreign Ministry of the German Government, I am convinced there are important tasks that can be cut without hurting economic development. I am convinced without going into details this is true for Ghana. There are certain expenditures that can be lowered substantially and make an important impact and it has to be part of the package”.
CUTTING DOWN EXPENDITURES
He made it plain that, “I mean I cannot go out to the international community and say I need help, but I am not willing to cut my own budget expenditures. I have to be careful not to cut the social expenditures that are, destroying lives and families. I have to be very careful not to take measures that might negatively impact economic growth. But, I believe there are many expenditures that can be looked at very carefully and can be lowered substantially”.
He was, however, apprehensive that the $3 billion bailout being sought from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) would be in danger of not being approved, if China fails to agree to a debt relief package for Ghana.
DOWNSIZING OF MINISTERS
Ghana, as a matter of fact, finds itself in a dire situation at this juncture because the government has refused to heed to numerous calls and pieces of advice from the citizens, especially the economic think tanks to cut down expenditures and reduce the present large size of ministers and other political appointees to conserve the needed funds.
It is recalled that, President Akufo-Addo submitted to Parliament for approval, through the Speaker, Rt Hon. Alban Bagbin, a list of names for appointment as Ministers in his current administration in January 2021. The list included the names of 46 persons expected to fill the ministerial positions and support the president to fulfil his mandate in the next four years. Ahead of that official statement, the Head of Communications at the presidency, Mr Eugene Arhin, issued a communique indicating that the total number of ministers to be appointed by the President in his second term would not exceed 85. That was a sharp contrast with the 126 ministerial appointments that characterised his first term in office.
ADVICE TO THE PRESIDENT
A number of well-meaning and prominent personalities including the President of IMANI Africa, Mr Franklin Cudjoe, had said that the problem with the government was not only about performance of the ministers, but also included the size of government and the number of ministries operating in the country, hence merely changing ministers would not solve the problem. Some have alluded that taking into consideration the current poor state of the economy, a reduction in the size of government would save the country some GHc 6 billion expenditure. There are other schools of thought which say that there are too many ministries that could be collapsed to fit into other agencies under some of the ministries. Some were suggesting the reduction of the present size of 86 to at least 40 Ministers and the country will save cost and move forward in the right direction.
TECHNOCRATS AT VARIOUS MINISTRIES
It is interesting to note that even some of the ministries apart from the substantive ministers, also have Ministers of State with special responsibilities in addition, to more than one deputy ministers. What kind of arrangement is this and for what purpose is this arrangement serving? Besides all these appointments, there are technocrats in the persons of Chief Directors as well as Directors of Departments in these ministries. The presidency as well as the Vice President’s office is packed with some political appointees designated with strange titles one can think of and are being paid with the taxpayer’s money.
It is a fact that, we cannot hold on to this large size of government and expect the international community to support us in our quest to restore the micro economic challenges of the country. Some of these developed countries we are seeking assistance from do not have large size of government as ours even though they have sound economic variables. That is exactly what the German Ambassador alluded to when we approached his country for support to convince China and the other international community to reschedule our debt payments.
TACKLING OUR PROBLEMS FROM WITHIN
The numerous challenges we are confronted with as a country can be addressed starting from our doorstep by doing what is expected of us before looking outside for assistance, otherwise we will be a mockery and a laughing stock of the international community and be subjected to general mockery or ridicule.
Ghana has been a beacon of hope for Africa, representing the African continent at the highest level. Many African countries continue to look up to Ghana for their source of inspiration, even though we are confronted with major economic challenges and we should not do things that will erode the confidence bestowed on us by our colonial masters that had attracted international recognition and trust.
It was unfortunate that the President in his recent State of the Nation Address to Parliament, used the platform to launch an attack on the diplomatic community in Ghana for meddling in the affairs of the state, knowing very well that it was his government that called the shot. If we have remained silent over the economic problems and had not asked the diplomatic community to come to our aid by writing off some of our debts payment and also asking Germany to convince China to bail us out of our current predicament, how on earth would the German Ambassador have poked his nose or interfered in Ghana’s internal affairs? Indeed, our current economic downturn, is making us to open up to the international community at the least opportunity and, therefore, we should blame ourselves and nobody else.
WE NEED THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS
Let us remember that we cannot stay in isolation as far as our economic progress is concerned. We will need the services of other countries, especially the developed and more advanced ones to help us out of our economic difficulties. That is why we have to listen to tangible advice and counselling from diplomats appointed to represent their countries’ interests in Ghana.
The present precarious state of the economy today which the President himself has admitted in his State of the Nation Address to Parliament recently, presupposes that, the Akufo-Addo-led administration, should as a matter of principle, listen to the voice of the people and do what is right and just irrespective of political inclinations to resolve the present micro and macro-economic challenges of the country within the shortest possible time.
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By Charles Neequaye
THE typical itinerant salesman in Sikaman is a herbalist. He is normally a slim macho with the capacity to perambulate the expanse of area covering the triangle of Accra-Tema-Ashiaman. In short, he can walk a total of 60 miles a day, marketing a product that cures every disease, including poverty. 
The door-to-door herbal pharmacist advertises his product by word of mouth. He has nothing to do with the Food and Drugs Board (FDB). After all, his concoctions do not feature on FM stations.
Those herbalists who cannot walk to propagate the herbal gospel, liaise with drivers of mass transportation and their mates. They are, therefore, given the chance to sell their products on Benz buses that ply the routes.
Normally, the herbalist starts his sales message with a prayer and Bible study. He asks the passengers to bow down their heads in supplication to God the father, the son, the Holy Spirit.
When a herbalist asks the passengers to close their eyes and bow their heads, Moslems on board naturally feel offended. They feel that the herbalist has no right to assume that every passenger is a Christian. They think such an assumption is an affront to Islam.
So a Moslem on board will raise the hand for a point of order. He’ll remind the herbalist that it would be in his own interest to mind his language.
“Be careful the way you address people in a public place. Not every person here is a Christian,” he’d state assertively.
Of course, the herbalist will promptly ignore him, but would all the same “watch” his tongue. Who knows whether or not the Moslem brother is inspired by Quoranic zeal to defend the tenets of Islam to the hilt?
When he starts saying, “Wallahi!” and “Inshallah!” it could be the beginning of proclaiming Islam as supreme, a point which must be driven home with talibanic precision.
So the herbalist must tread carefully lest he steps on fire.
The herbalist could even add a measure of mirth to it all, by announcing that Christians on board today have very interesting company on the journey, but that should not detract from the business of the day.
The Moslem brother will weigh the words carefully and offer a wry smile.
He must be careful the occasion does not degenerate into the use of semantics and proverbial oration to deride his conviction that public utterances must be mindful of religious sensibilities. He has made his point very clear and expects that it is taken in good faith in the interest of a peaceful journey.
The herbalist will now open the New Testament and preach salvation, stating clearly that salvation can come only through Jesus Christ and NOBODY else.
The Moslem brother will now start twitching his moustache. The visible and almost revolutionary reflexes of his upper lip can be an indication that sentiments have begun superseding reason, and the outcome could well be tragic now shift uneasily in his seat.
The time has come for him to also express his right to the religion of his fore-bears. He’ll put his hand into his pocket and rise to his feet. The time has indeed come!
This article was first published on Saturday, September 9, 2006
When the cause of a particular problem like sickness, disease, sudden illness, a social issue etc. are not known, it stands to reason that resolving it becomes a huge challenge.
Citizens would understand the government when public announcements are made to the effect that government is trying to find a solution to the issue, even though it is taking a while for it to be resolved because citizens are rational beings.
On the other hand, if the solution to a particular issue is known to everybody but the government for whatever reason, is dragging its feet in resolving it, citizens become frustrated and begin to lose trust in their leaders.
One such issue is the heavy traffic along a section of the Kasoa – Odokor road. A short stretch of bad road between the traffic light at the Weija Government Hospital and the entrance to the entrance of the overhead that leads to the N1, is the cause of the problem but nothing is being done about it, day after day, week after week, month after month. Thus is clearly unacceptable.
Another issue that requires urgent attention is the lack of pavements along a lot of streets in parts of the various Municipal Assemblies. Exercise is a prerequisite for long life and healthy living and for those of us who it has become a way of life, this issue of people putting up structures right to the edge of the drains beside the roads, are making life difficult for us.
We are compelled to walk along the roads, putting our lives at serious risk. Pedestrians should never be compelled to compete with vehicles on our streets and roads. Roads and streets are made for vehicles and pavements are made for pedestrians. That is the norm. Any attempt to normalise a situation where pedestrians are mingling with vehicles is insanity.
It is the road regulations that makes it so and therefore district or municipal assemblies are to take responsibility and ensure that spaces for pavements are not encroached upon. Citizens have rights that must be protected by their leaders and making pavements available to pedestrians, is one of them.
When we hear of teachers having sex with students, it appears it is something recent. It is not a new phenomenon. It has been there since Adam. Perhaps this issue is getting much attention due to the proliferation of social media. It was an open secret in times past when Teachers were in relationships with female students and some married them immediately after completion of school.
Some teachers were also known to be having unholy interactions with female pupils but due to the times that these acts occurred, human rights issues and the awareness around it, allowed such unscrupulous teachers to get away with their crimes.
Now we are in a different era and so a Headmaster is now in hot waters. He is alleged to have raped about 19 female students and as usual, some officials tried to cover it up and are also in hot waters and their actions or inactions in the matter are under investigation.
Why the man has been allowed to roam freely without being arrested is simply mind boggling. It appears that the law applies differently, depending on who you are. This issue came to public attention sometime in August this year, yet the police had not arrested or invited this man for question regarding the rape allegation.
It has come out that he is a Constituency Secretary of the ruling party and the question in the public domain is that, is it because he is a political figure that is why he is still walking around without questioning? I believe in the rule of law so let us hold our breadth and let the proper thing be done.
The police must however be seen to be active in this matter. God bless.
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