Features
Why return of the allowances by the First and Second Ladies was right
Even though society is governed by laws, rules, and regulations as well as moral values, it is recognised from time to time that in certain cases certain individuals and groups of people do not apply the laws, rules and regulations together with the moral values making right-thinking people in society wonder whether we are all upright in terms of laws and moral values with which we measure ourselves.
A few days ago, the First Lady, Mrs. Rebecca Okaikour Akufo-Addo, had cause to return some allowances paid to her by the state, following the recommendations of the Prof. Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu Committee, as First Lady of the Republic in line with similar payments made to other members in the country. This gesture was followed by the Second Lady, Mrs Samira Bawumia, who has also been treated in an unfair manner in the same way.
Irritating and atrocious comments
What made the issue irritating and annoying was the atrocious way some members of the opposition exploited it to score political points and to create the impression that President Akufo-Addo and the First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, cared less about Ghanaians. This unfortunate incident attracted adverse comments from certain individuals and groups of people including the NDC and the CPP which took advantage of the situation to mount unprintable attacks on the First and Second families of the Republic of Ghana.
Some CPP women for instance organised a press conference to say that they did not know what the Second Lady, Samira Bawumia, was doing in the country except to portray herself as a beauty contestant. This awful comment came from women who were older than the youthful Second Lady. Their comments came out of mischief, jealousy and probably sheer envy though, it was unwise to unleash this attack on the Second Lady in this way.
Regarding the First Lady, these women pretended not to have seen the good works this woman is carrying out in this country but to rain unprintable insults upon her as if she did not know what to do in this noble country of ours. It is very unfortunate that such misguided women misfits had to put up behaviour like uncultured people whose only aim in life was to insult decent and hardworking people who were far pleasant in behaviour and comportment when compared with them.
Uncouth behaviour
The CPP is the party that helped Dr. Kwame Nkrumah to emerge the first political leader in independent Ghana so for some of its followers to have gone that ugly way to attack real ladies of the state compared with their own rusty and uncouth behaviour leaves much to be desired.
As for the NDC and the former President Mr. John Mahama, the least said about them the better. The NDC falsified the facts and presented them to Ghanaians as if decent President Akufo-Addo was only in to satisfy the current First and Second Ladies even though this was not the case of my own friend, Mr. John Mahama, knowing very well that his agenda was false, dirty and mischievous deliberately issued a statement emphasising the fact that President Akufo-Addo and the First Lady were rather being greedy and mischievous even though this was far from the truth compared with their lifestyle which was nothing good to write home about.
Sheep in wolves’ clothing
Ghanaians can distinguish between genuine sheep, the NPP, and wolves in sheep clothing, the NDC, and its cohorts. Since this is the case, the NDC should never think that such dirty tricks can win them political power in Ghana today. They may succeed in deceiving a few people in society, but majority of well- meaning Ghanaians cannot be deceived in the same way. If this is the case then the NDC should sit up and forget about such usual dirty tricks which they embark upon, without success though, from time to time.
What crime was committed by President Akufo-Addo in this matter?
Indeed, the payment of allowances to the spouses of the current president and vice-president, former heads of state, presidents and vice-presidents respectively formed part of the privileges due the president and the vice-president under Article 71 of the Constitution. Thus, instead of keeping it in darkness and not backed by any law, President Akufo-Addo thought it wise to regularise the practice by asking parliament to approve and back it with the appropriate law in line with rule of law, transparent practice, openness, democratic principles, and good governance.
Filthy and distasteful comments
In the light of the distasteful and filthy comments from destructive sections of the population “…..the First Lady in consultation with the President of the Republic, has decided to refund all monies paid to her as allowances from the date of the President’s assumption of office i.e., from January 2017 to date, amounting to GHS 899,097.84.”
Justification for rejection
Against this background, the First Lady, is very right in returning the allowances due her to government chest to the embarrassment of shameless members of society. This marks the first reason the return of the allowances was good. In other words, both the First and Second Ladies by the return of their allowances wish to let the world know that they cannot beheld to shameless behaviour as exhibited by some Ghanaians whose corrupt acts are beyond description.
The second reason justifying the return of the allowances is the fact that they are not only beautiful ladies in character and deed, but decent in what they do. Their decent behaviour is incomparable when aligned with those who organised press conferences to attack and insult them without any good reason.
The third good reason for the return of the money is that by the grace of God, the two ladies operate various businesses which give them more than enough money to cater for their ‘own selves’ and spare a little on others who may need to be assisted in one way or the other. What this means is that they have fought hard, with the blessings of God to become what they are today, compared with others who came into politics to steal the little wealth available for the development of people in the country.
Fourthly, they are not envious of others who were paid similar allowances and are keeping them whether they want to return them or not, seeing that it is not everyone who is not in very good health or wealthy enough to decently return the amount already paid to them in the past. This explains why according to the First Lady “she is doing this as a purely personal decision, without prejudices to the rights of others, and not to undermine the propriety of the process undertaken by Parliament.”
Support for the President
They will, therefore, continue to play their pleasant roles to support the President and his administration as has always been the case in the implementation of the mandate given him by the good people of Ghana who deserve to be treated better in line with the image of God the Creator of the universe and all the people who dwell in it.
Ghanaians should be proud of the current First and Second Ladies, seeing that having made it on their own by the grace of God, are in no way joining their husbands to dissipate public funds instead of protecting them in the interest of all Ghanaians to ensure progress and rapid socio-economic development for the nation.
By Dr Kofi Amponsah-Bediako
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.”
