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Opinion: A prosperous Ghana must be built on hope
Any serious national conversation on an efficient governance system and its fruits of development should never exclude the active and productive populations, including youth and women.
Thus, a country whose active population happens to outnumber all other sects of population, and are of sound and good health, has a duty to put such populations at the centre of its policies and programmes.
And we believe that is exactly what the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is doing.
That is also why such segments of the population should appreciate such opportunities and buy into them for their own well-being as they contribute their quota towards national development.
But that also means digging deep into our innate abilities and taking advantage of the appropriate opportunities available in optimally benefiting from the several schemes available, including skills training, ICT, revenue mobilization, entrepreneurship, agriculture, afforestation, among others.
Models
There are, indeed, innumerable instances of such countries who have proven that such ideas are the way to go in rapidly transforming society and positively impacting development and growth that touch every social layer and household, including the disabled and vulnerable.
We may cite China, almighty US, Malaysia, India and Pakistan as well as Cuba, whose expertise in basic health delivery services is about the most effective in the world. Accordingly, we may agree that what is good for another country may be good for us, and that is why it is imperative that we follow the example of such nations.
This being said, it becomes crucially pertinent for the Ghanaian youth to note that without their active contribution and effort, all government initiatives targeting them would fail in the long run.
That is why such programmes should be responded to with a sense of commitment and the collective benefit of the larger citizenry. Nonetheless, the Ghanaian youth cannot assume that they can solely drive the propellers which power a country to become successful.
Empty ‘tchooboi’, sloganeering
Yes, we have certain countries where military coup d’état was orchestrated by young and vibrant youth with an ambition to revolutionise society.
We may, however, admit that such hollow ambitions, without concrete structures and processes, can hardly be sustained. In the history of Ghana, some exuberance ignited positive political result like the riots and looting in Accra Central in 1948 and the February 28 peace march by World War Two veterans.
But the absence of versatile and constitutional structures resulted in political instability that later divided the country into polarised groups, instead of a unified state with a clear, unambiguous programme.
Civic duties
That, of course, calls into question our commitment and willingness to accept and adhere to democratic processes, exhibiting the positive attitudes which we are willing to portray when we travel to the outside world while denouncing all practices considered blood-sucking habits (usurping governments, corruption, tribalism, et al).
These are but a few of the virtues which Ghana, particularly its youth, needs to imbibe and live out as they take advantage of the thousand and one opportunities existing under government initiatives to contribute their quota.
The description ‘backbone of a country’ given to the active population, thus, calls for the youth to better position themselves in making impact in all of these important areas mapped out by our technocrats in the strategic sectors.
This is a basic step in preparing to take on the mantle of leadership, as we march on doggedly in learning and allowing ourselves to be mentored responsibly, so that we do not become a liability to ourselves when that mantle falls on us in due time.
The task, which is being handed over to us by the older, experienced, accomplished generation, encompasses governmental policies set out specifically for the youth to master in systematically and graduallymoving up into positions in public and private life.
We may also similarly find ourselves in business and academia as well as politics and other governance environments like local government or religious and charity platforms – all of which support human uplifting and welfare and help improve lives and livelihoods.
History
Undeniably, successive governments in Ghana have been engaged in various efforts to mobilise and uplift youth to a better and worthy status than they came to meet us.These are evident in the creation of several organisations such as ‘The Young Pioneers’, which was formed to instill discipline and patriotism in the youth.
Support systems offered such youth include scholarships to train them as professionals, the Free Compulsory Basic Education and many other programmes put in place during Nkrumah’s era.
Similarly, Dr. K. A Busia’s government followed suit with the establishment of Ministry of Youth and Rural Development, the National Service Corps and others, which ensured that the increasing population of youth in the country were not left aloof in the process of development.
Again, Col Kutu Acheampong’s National Redemption Council saw to it that the ‘Operation Feed Yourself Campaign’in which the youth were highly motivated as partners ensured that food security challenges were tackled and agriculture raised to an acceptable level.
Then, we had the J.J Rawlings era of both military and democratic governments which guaranteed that in all that it did, the youth played a central role, as WDCs and PDCs or market and lorry park unions, in partnering government’s development agenda.
Significantly, we had Ghana around this time making global gains in sports, particularly boxing and football, as we put in place desk at the relevant sectors to support music, boxing and football, resulting in us winning African and world class laurels.
NPP youth initiatives
The J.A Kufuor administration, similarly, never relented in incorporating the youth into its various policies. Basically, due to the significant rise in the population of youth during his tenure of office, and the threat of increased unemployment rate it had on Ghana`s economy, the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) under the Ministry of Manpower, Youth and Employment was established to curtail this peril.
Also, the Distance Education Programme for Youth Development, now School of Continuing and Distance Education, was introduced in the University of Ghana to serve the working youth who wanted to obtain a higher tertiary education.
The urge to provide a platform for the youth by successive government within the Ghanaian spectrum showed no sign of retrogress as the late Atta Mills and Mahama’s tenures saw that the policies regarding the presence of the youth in the country were made explicit.
These included the decoupling of Youth from the Ministry of Manpower and Employment and aligning it with Sports. Also, in doing so, the Ministry was tasked to identify the existing challenges facing the youth whilst suggesting resolutions.
The introduction of the Progressive Free Education was also one of the various measures implemented to curb illiteracy due to financial constraints. With all these and more as a tool to provide solutions by policymakers and government to the able youth of the country, it must be noted that the youth can only be gingered to aid in bettering the country when there is a holistic acceptance to engage in practices which affects the country positively and not otherwise.
Current efforts
Efforts made by successive governments to uplift the youth of Ghana cannot be mentioned without citing the commendable achievements of H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo.
Evident among the numerous policies of this current government to guarantee the betterment of the youth include NABCO, which is employing 100,000 youths, Planting for Food and Jobs, Free SHS, One District One Factory, revamping of the Forestry Commission, which has created 83,000 jobs, the restoration of teacher and nurse-trainees’ allowances, among others.
These are but a few initiatives put in place by the current government to ease the burden on youth, thus creating platforms for exploration and exhibition of talents, skills and knowledge acquired.
It is indeed also true that not all the existing problems facing the Ghanaian youth have been resolved by government and policymakers.
Nonetheless, it is of utmost importance that we as the backbone of this country rally around the policymakers and government with a high sense of optimism in the knowledge that “Rome was not built in a day”.
United and resolved to work hard as patriotic citizens, our nation will sooner than later gain its momentum as the gateway of Africa.
The writer is the TESCON President, University of Ghana Distance Education.
By Abdul Razak Nasiru
THE state of feeling rejected, could be a terrifying experience especially for those who have become used to fame. If not properly addressed, it could lead to depression and the consequences, could be disastrous.
When you are on top of your game in whatever profession you find yourself such that you become famous, a lot of people try to associate with you. The phone never ceases to ring and one is tempted to feel loved and very important.
When a disaster strikes and the fame or the money which was the source of the attraction fades away, the circle of friends and fans begin to shrink and the phone will start to stop ringing until the call stops voting completely.
You will be shocked at how people you considered friends, will no longer be calling you or pay casual visits as they used to. You will begin to notice that messages you leave after calling them and not getting a response are not replied to and that is when you begin to know who your true friends are.
One of the most popular movie stars was an actress called Sharon Stone. In an interview with one of the media houses that was published, she spoke about how people who should have come around to encourage her in her moment of depression, shunned her. The calls stopped coming.
This is what the Bible admonishes that the arm of flesh will fail you and therefore we should put our trust in God. It could be a very frightening experience and can easily lead to depression.
Human nature being what it is, people will want to get close if things are okay. Everybody wants to associate themselves with interesting things, famous people, rich people etc for mainly selfish reasons.
We need to develop the habit of putting our trust in God and relying less on human beings. The lesson we have to take along in life is that, no one marries his or her enemy so how come people who took vows that they will love each other become so hostile to each other that they want to go their separate ways in life? Such is the reality of life.
It is therefore prudent for people to recognise that, life is full of uncertainties and so there is the need to prepare your mind for uncertainties so that when they occur, they do not disorganise your mental sanity.
A lot of people have experienced situations where people who they could have sworn will never betray their trust have disappointed them when they were through challenging moments.
If there is one thing famous people should desire, it should be the ability to identify who are true friends are. Countless stories abound regarding incidence of celebrities who have lost their shine and their wives divorcing them soon after.
It is sometimes useful as a famous or rich person to sign a prenuptial agreement before marriage to safeguard or protect yourself from any future unpleasant surprises.
People can be very pretentious these days, it goes both ways. There is this real life story where a man married a divorced wealthy woman and convinced her to sell her house so they could build a new one together, with the excuse that people are gossiping that he is being housed by a woman.
The woman agreed and they put up a new building. After a few years the man asked for a divorce, only for the woman to realise that the land on which the building was situated, was bought in the man’s name.
This can drive a person insane, if you are not mentally tough and this happens to you. When people hear that you are homeless, a lot of your so-called friends will stop calling, so that you do not become a burden on them.
By Laud Kissi-Mensah
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‘But, er …. I don’t even know your name’.
‘Paul. Paul Allotey. I’m Sarah, by the way. Paul, why don’t you leave me here, since this is the last important thing I’m doing today’.
‘Okay. Now Sarah. I was just thinking. You will be here at the cafe for about an hour. By then it will be about twelve thirty. Then, you would be thinking of buying yourself some lunch, to eat here or to take home. So if you would please allow me, I will take you to one of the nicest eating places in town, and after you have sorted that one out, then I can drop you home. Just that one errand, then I won’t bother you again’.
‘You are not bothering me at all. You are being very kind to me. And I just realised you are a mind reader too. The last item on my agenda was lunch’.
‘I’m so glad I appeared at your doorstep, just in time’.
‘Okay. Now Paul, since you say the cafe is a comfortable place, let’s go in together, and you can do your work while I get my application done’.
‘Okay, Sarah. Thanks. Let’s go’.
We got back in the car at eleven forty-five.
‘So where are we going, Paul?’
‘To Royalty restaurant. It’s a twenty minute drive away’.
‘So, do you enjoy your job?’
‘Most certainly. I won’t change it, not even to be President. And am I right to say that you are preparing to enter the university?’
‘That’s my plan. I hope it works’.
‘It will, if you are determined, and disciplined. You look very much like a disciplined person’.
‘Thank you very much’.
We arrived at Royalty in twenty-five minutes, ‘You are joining me for lunch, Paul’.
‘Thanks for the honour, Sarah. But the bill is on me’.
‘Aren’t you taking on too much for one day?’
‘I never do anything that is bigger than me, Sarah’.
Over the next hour and a half, we discussed fashion, local and international politics, and sports, as we ate and relaxed. Finally, he drove me to the shop.
‘I will never forget you, Paul’.
‘I’m glad to have been helpful. But if you don’t mind, I’ll say it again, your husband is extremely lucky. You are really beautiful’.
‘Thanks again. But do you mind if I call you sometime in the future?’
‘Certainly not. Let me write it here. I will not ask for your number, for obvious reasons. But I will be looking forward to hearing from you. And hopefully, I will see you next month, when I call to drop your bill’.
‘Okay Paul. See you then’. What a lovely day, I said to myself as I opened the front door. I closed the shop and got home by seven. I went straight to the bedroom, stood in the mirror and took a good look at myself. ‘You are a very beautiful woman, Sarah. Never forget that’. I will not forget that, again.
Over the next several weeks, Martin and I had very little to do with each other. In the morning he ate his breakfast and after a shabby ‘I’m going’, he left. He came home around eight at the earliest, ate his dinner and, already soaked in beer, went off to sleep.
He spent the greater part of the weekends at the club house with his friends, playing tennis and partying. My mind was focused on furthering my education, so I didn’t complain to him, and didn’t bother to inform my parents about what was happening. I had decided that I would only take action if he lifted his hand against me again. I spent my free time reading all manner of interesting stuff on the internet, and chatting with my sister on WhatsApp.
One evening, he came home at about eight, rushed to the bedroom and rushed out. An envelope, obviously containing money, dropped out of his pocket, and I picked it up and followed him. I was going to call him and give it to him, but I noticed that there was a young woman in the car, so I went back in, counted it and put it in a drawer in the hall. He came back after some ten minutes.
‘Excuse me, I dropped an envelope containing money. You must have seen it’.
‘Yes, I saw it. Actually, I followed you, and was about to call you and hand it over to you when I realised that there was a woman in the car, so I came back in. I counted it. One thousand cedis.
‘Well let me have it. I have to be going’.
‘I will let you have it if you will tell me who the woman in the car is, and why you are going to give her that amount of money’.
‘Listen, if you waste my time, I will teach you a lesson you will never forget. Give me the money now!’
‘Here’s what we will do, Martin. I know you will give money to her anyway, so I will give it to you, if you will withdraw the threat you just issued. But I want you to know that I will be taking some steps from tomorrow. Things are getting out of hand’.
‘Okay, I’m sorry I threatened you. Can you please give me the money’. I handed it over to him, and he ran out’.
The following morning, I waited for him to finish having breakfast, and told him I wanted to have a word with him urgently.
‘You better be quick. You know I’m going to work’.
‘Well, I want to inform you that I will inform my parents, and your parents, about the situation in this house. As I said yesterday, things are getting out of hand. You spend most of your time drinking. You get drunk every evening, and through the weekend. And you are also spending your time and money on a prostitute’.
‘How dare you? One more stupid word from you …’
‘Am I lying, Martin? You have just started life, yet you are behaving like a rich, elderly man who has already seen his children through university, and can afford a life of fun. As I said, I’m going to inform our parents. Maybe your parents can straighten you out before it is too late’.
‘Look, we can talk this evening. It’s nothing like what you are saying’. He walked away, shocked.
That evening, I was expecting to have a meaningful discussion with him, but his mother called early in the evening to offer me some ‘advice’. Her son had called to say that certain developments at home were disturbing him so much that they were beginning to affect his work.
And, ‘as a loving mother to her daughter’, she was advising me to submit to my husband, and support him in prayer, and not ‘drive him from home’. Men would always be men, and she was telling me ‘from experience’ that no matter how much time Martin stayed away from home, he would always come home to me.
She had been a young wife before, so she understood the challenges I was facing. So I could be assured that if I followed her advice, all would be well. And, of course, she didn’t allow me to tell my side of the story.
Martin came home very late, and very drunk. And from the next morning, he carried on as before. With some hesitation, I called my dad and told him all that had gone on.
‘Well, my daughter. I’m not going to say “I told you so”. I was only trying to protect you. So here’s what we’ll do. Continue doing the best you can, and try not to give him any excuse to harm you, but if things continue to deteriorate, I will take you back.
A couple of days later, my cousin Dinah arrived in Accra from Brussels, having completed her medical course. With Martin’s agreement, I went to Koforidua and spent a couple of days. I spent most of the time chatting about her experiences in the US, but we also discussed my relationship with Martin, and she endorsed Dad’s decision to take action if Martin’s behaviour did not change after two weeks Elaine informed Mom and Dad. We endorsed Dad’s decision to take action if there was no change in two weeks.
Dinah returned with me to Takoradi. Her plan was to spend a couple of weeks, and return to Accra to be posted. I called Paul Allotey, and asked if he would meet her for lunch and, if possible, show her some interesting spots. Delighted, he suggested that we meet at Royalty the next day.
I told Martin about it, to remove any possibility of future disagreement over ‘going out with men’.
‘It’s fine with me’, he said, ‘if, of all the people who could show your sister round this town, you chose a borla man. Doesn’t that indicate the kind of person you are?’
‘ First of all, Martin’, I’ve spoken to him a few times, and he comes across as a decent guy, so I think it is rather unfortunate that you are writing him off when you don’t know him’.
By Ekow de Heer
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