In many parts of Africa, when people are voted into power, the only job description they assign to themselves, has always been as follows:
? Enrich themselves by milking the nation ? Amass wealth for their immediate and distant family members ? Make millionaires of their cronies and sometimes their tribesmen ? Save millions/billions in foreign banks
Many African leaders have always made sure that they follow this job description to the letter and they pass with distinction.
We Have To Change The Job Description.
When we vote politicians into office, they become our employees and the people become their employers. They are employed/voted to serve us, to be servant leaders and to be accountable to us. Governments come and empty the coffers of the nation as has just happened in Nigeria, causing the current president to travel around searching for the monies. Africans are suffering because of wicked, selfish and greedy leaders who only think of themselves.
If Americans and citizens of other nations have made their countries prosperous by being accountable, we can do the same. We need a new type of African leader in this world; a selfless leader whose main objective is to carry out the job description outlined by the constitution. It is we the people who must ensure that our elected leaders follow that job description through. The unfaithfulness of many African leaders has brought poverty and misery to millions of people on the continent. Recently, there was an article on ghanaweb which reported that a Cassava thief has been sentenced to a ten year jail term. Meanwhile politicians are manipulating contract figures, writing budgets, siphoning our money into their bank accounts, this time, not in thousands like our leaders of old, but in millions and billions of dollars without any accountability. This cassava thief might have been genuinely hungry, but received a ten year jail sentence, whilst politicians are the ones doing the real stealing. If Africa had selfless leaders, I believe not one soul on the continent should ever go broke or live in poverty. We have a continent where one does not need to dig the ground to sow. Just by throwing seeds on the ground, the seeds “feel satisfied” and they begin to germinate.
In the West, they have to endure a season of snow for about four months in the year. On top of that, they have to suffer periods of tornadoes and hurricanes, but they still have food in abundance. When politicians want power, they bribe villagers with salt. From now on, let us educate the “villagers” to understand that the money politicians use to buy the salt belongs to them. If our leaders governed well, they should have enough to live a decent life, not only buy salt, but to be able to buy maggi and other spices to spice chicken bought with their own money if they so desire. They should not be fooled another day. Those “villagers” who are bribed with bicycles should be made to understand that they should be able to buy motor bikes or cars for that matter when they want to if the leaders were doing the right things. Tribalism Unfortunately, some people have used the ghanaweb and other media outlets to hurl insults on other tribes. This antagonism and unnecessary hatred should be discontinued if we really sit down and reflect. This is the twenty first century, a new era where colonialism, neocolonialism, nepotism, tribalism, all the negative "isms" and dictatorship should be things of the past.
God has endowed us all with diverse gifts and talents. You either use yours or bury it. It does not matter which part of Ghana one hails from, if you use your talent, it will work for you. With the spread of education, and the availability of technology, not forgetting intermarriages, we all find ourselves in one big global village. Americans call it a “Melting Pot.” Holding on to these social vices is not healthy for national development. Distribution of the national wealth based on tribal lines and political affiliation should be a thing of the past. The bickering and tribal antagonisms should be put behind us. I personally would never trade in my tribe for any other tribe. I believe that all who are reading this piece feel the same way. If that is so, then it means you are happy with the tribe into which you were born, so then, what do you care if someone insults you because of your tribe? It is a waste of time on the part of the one who hurls the insults. Let the tribal conflicts be left behind us. One thing that some leaders in Africa occupy themselves with during their term of office, is the emancipation of their tribe. It is sad to say that if one does not feel inferior, why should one even think or dream of a form of emancipation for his/her tribe? If you believe that God created you in His image and likeness, why should you even worry about tribe and what someone says about your tribe? On the other hand, if one feels superior because of his/her tribe, then that individual lacks common sense, because we no longer live in the stone ages. That individual is living in a fool’s paradise because his/her tribe will not put food on his/her or anybody’s table, as a matter of fact, it will contribute nothing towards his/her personal progress. It behooves on every individual to have respect for yourself, be confident and happy with the tribe through which God decided to make you. Let us have dialogue, debates that will transform our nation and bring prosperity to all. Anyone who continues to be a tribalist is not wise and wants to live in the past. You will be left behind civilization and common sense. Let us work together to bring about change and make progress for our nation.
The Pearls
South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and some other nations had independence about the same time as Ghana. Can we compare our level of development with theirs? Don’t we have brains as these people? When God blesses an African nation with a resource such as Oil, we call it the Oil Curse, because we do not know how to handle it. We are not good custodians and for that reason, “The Oil Men” from other countries come in to take the oil money and add on to theirs. Unfortunately, we continue to fight one another, engage in civil wars as happened in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Congo, Rwanda, Central African Republic, Southern Sudan, Ivory Coast and other parts of Africa. We shall continue to wallow in poverty, disease and hunger because like the man who was given one talent in the Bible, we do not know what to do with our resources. Now the saying has come true that “THE PEARLS HAVE BEEN CAST BEFORE THE SWINE.” Very sad!
“If They Did”
As we prepare to go to the polls this year, the message I want to send to our people is, NO ONE should ever take up guns to fight for a politician. Call yourself stupid if you do. What has any politician done for an African nation? If they did, we would have a solid infrastructure like the U.S., Canada, Europe, Singapore or Dubai to name a few. If they ever did, Ghanaians would go to the hospital, receive good medical treatment, get up and leave without any medical bill like it is in Britain. If they did, one would not have to travel several miles to find a place to urinate. If they did, our people would not be defecating on our beautiful beaches. In some parts of Africa, children who are created in the image of God, are diseased, live in hunger and misery with flies hovering around them. Politicians have caused millions of Africans to live lives in abject poverty below that of “animals.” Children are still going to school under trees in some villages, competing with monkeys for their habitat. If they really did!
After staying outside of Ghana for over twenty years, I returned to Ghana to find Kotoka International Airport, to be the same old tiny structure with just one or two smelly, low class toilet facility “greeting” me. I almost wept. If they did! I found much of the Kumasi-Accra road still very narrow with heavy timber trucks plying the narrow roads. A timber truck had overturned with the logs blocking the road. We had to stay there for several hours for the road to be cleared. Only heaven knows what would have happened to all the travelers if we had to stay there till the night fell on us. If they really did! Kwame Nkrumah had his weaknesses, but in terms of infrastructure, he must be turning in his grave. Oh Ghana!
I am urging all past, present and future leaders not to take this personal because I have been a supporter of CPP, PNDC and NPP at some point and now an independent. I am neutral, just a concerned Ghanaian. This time, it must be about nation building for the betterment of the citizens of Ghana, not political party. Let us be patriotic for once. It’s been too long since we had independence, almost sixty years and not much has been accomplished. For Heaven’s Sake, Please Don’t Fight It’s been reported that people are hoarding weapons in various places in Ghana. Only God knows what they are hoarding the weapons for. Let us all begin to educate our people, starting from our immediate families never to take up arms to fight for anyone, not forgetting that no one wins a civil war. It is costly and all are losers. Remember the situation in Syria. Great loss. No one can be declared a winner even if president Asaad should entrench himself in power with the help of Russia.
Count the dead, destruction, displaced and separated families. DO WE WANT THAT FOR OUR BELOVED COUNTRY GHANA? If anyone knows someone planning to fight, or cause havoc, please do everything in your power to deter them from going that route. Let Christians rise up and cry to God for peace in our nation. We should be asking ourselves if it’s worth dying for a politician or political party. The most foolish act that any human being can ever commit is to fight or lose their precious lives for a politician. Your life is of more value than any political party. Please, for heaven’s sake, DON’T DO IT! It should not take any government more than a year or two to ensure that the gutters and all drainage systems in Accra are cleared of filth and stench. Fellow Ghanaians, do not put your life on the line for any politician or political party. It would be stupidity of the highest order. Ghana is a beautiful and blessed country with great natural endowments. Our climate is one good example. One has to live outside of Ghana to come to this realization. Let us not destroy it. Ghanaian politicians as well as African politicians should learn from the “DAVID CAMERON EXAMPLE”. He packed his files and briefcase and vacated his office when he realized that the Britons had a different persuasion. He did not fight, he just left. Why can’t our leaders do the same? For once, let us demonstrate civility, let us be a beacon of hope for other African nations to emulate. I will end by reminding politicians that they WILL ANSWER to God one day. One cannot cause millions (people created in the image and likeness of God) to live in poverty and think that they are free. They are not!
God bless you all beautiful and noble people of Ghana. Long Live Ghana!
Thank You.
Percy Welsing. ([email protected])