Features
NDC: Swallowing Atubiga’s ‘grenades’?
Stephen Atubiga seems to be stirring the bile of the leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) into a boiling point.
He describes the national chairman of the NDC, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, as ” the lousiest and most incompetent leader ever to lead the NDC.”
Stephen Atubiga also describes the Functional Executive Committee of the NDC as ” highly irresponsible.”
Readers may ask: Who is Stephen Atubiga? He is a staunch and vocal member of the NDC, who has resigned from the party, a few days ago.
During the 2012 election petition hearing, Stephen Atubiga was jailed for few weeks by the Supreme Court, in his unsolicited defence of the NDC in the court of public opinion.
Indeed, his utterances were deemed to have crossed “the red line” , and that irked the Supreme Court to crack the whip on the back of Atubiga.
Lousy, incompetent and irresponsible, as used by Atubiga, must be properly understood by readers.
According to Wikipedia, lousy means, very poor or bad. The synonyms for lousy include; awful, terrible, appalling, abysmal, very bad, atrocious, desperate, unspeakable, miserable, inferior, rotten, useless, hopeless, pathetic and rubbish.
The definition of incompetent also means; not having or showing the necessary skills to do something successfully.
The synonyms for incompetent include; inept, clumsy, sub-standard , ineffective, deficient, incapable, unfit, unsuitable, unqualified and lacking ability.
Irresponsible; relates to a person’s attitude or action ; not showing a proper sense of responsibility.
The synonyms for irresponsible include ; reckless, rash, careless, ill-advised, foolhardy, wild, unwise, thoughtless, erratic, negligent, uncaring, hasty and unrealistic.
So, readers; I think the import of Atubiga’s description of the leadership of the NDC has now been grasped.
Apart from what is contained in his resignation letter to the NDC, Atubiga has spoken on a number of radio stations, castigating the leadership of his “beloved” former party.
But the bottom line in respect of his resignation is in sink with the views of other NDC members who are very critical of the current leadership of the party.
Some of Atubiga’s reasons culminating in his resignation had already been articulated by other party members like Dr Benjamin Kumbuor, Dela Coffie, Boateng Gyan, Anita de Souza and Kokou Anyidaho.
This is besides the well-organized demonstration that hit Accra on March 23rd, 2021. That mass demonstration was populated by an almagamated umbrella body of cadres, foot soldiers, activists, party loyalists and progressives of the erstwhile Provisional National Defence Council.
The group called itself Cadres for Accountable Leadership (CAL). Particularly, CAL was asking the leadership of the NDC to produce its collated figures and pink sheets in the December 7, 2020 general elections.
And in a recent interview with JoyNews, Dr Kumbuor also challenged the leadership of the NDC to validate its claim of having collated the figures of the 2020 elections, by publishing them.
Indeed, responses to the CAL demonstrators and Dr Kumbuor’s lucid statements indicated that the NDC was highly intolerant to internal criticisms.
Kojo Adu-Asare, a former NDC Member of Parliament for the Adentan constituency in the Greater Accra Region , even questioned the reasoning abilities of Dr Kumbuor, wondering how a PhD holder could make such utterances on NDC’S collated results.
Speaking on Okay FM’s Morning Show, however, Atubiga said: “It is hypocritical for the likes of Ofosu Ampofo to counsel footsoldiers of the NDC against using politics to amass wealth, when national executives of the party are living in mansions and driving luxurious and expensive cars.
“We are in Opposition but they are driving V8 cars ; if you are driving a brand new V8 – 2021 model; what right do you have to say that the NDC is not for the rich but for the poor?”
He asked: “How much are their salaries to be driving V8 cars in Opposition?”
Atubiga said: “NDC footsoldiers must know that they don’t have any future in the party because the party’s leaders claim that the party is for the poor , and yet the leaders are living like Arabian princes and driving V8 vehicles.”
Atubiga says, he is forming a political party to be called National Liberation Congress. He contends that his new party will be integration of agrieved groups in the NDC, including cadres, footsoldiers “and those who have been neglected by the NDC.”
Atubiga may have thrown verbal grenades at the leadership of the NDC. And a grenade is a small bomb thrown by hand or launched mechanically.
But can the NDC leadership swallow Atubiga’s verbal grenades? And how will they respond to his explosive utterances?
By applying unprintable insults on his “wounds”, or by physically beating him up as prescribed by some autocrats in that “beautiful” party?
Indeed, Atubiga’s verbal grenades, like similar ones in the party, must rather agitate the minds of the leadership of the party, to rethink and strategize to extinquish the “fire-bombs” engulfing the party.
By G.Frank Asmah
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
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