Learning from China's Experience

By Mawutodzi K. Abissath
The wisdom of our African ancestors is reflected in this proverb which says: “A child who has never travelled before says only his mother knows how to cook delicious soup.”

Do you know that after over 50 years of independence, it is now that some Ghanaians are waking up to the realization that, besides America and Britain, there are other countries in the Eastern world where mankind can progress and advance scientifically and technologically?

It is no other country than China that brought this realization to some 30 Ghanaian contractors who visited that country recently. To be precise, on May 1, 2009, a 30-member delegation of the Association of Road Contractors of Ghana (ASROC) embarked upon a two-week Trade and Investment Mission to Shanghai and Beijing, China.

The investment mission, the first of its kind in the history of the Association was under the patronage of the Ministry of Roads and Highways and the Ministry of Trade and Industry and was co-sponsored by the Business Development Services Fund.

Without exaggerating, almost every member of the delegation, described trip to China as “life time experience.” Others say it was an eye-opener for them.
One of the wonders of China is the Great Wall. There is no way one can vividly describe the Great Wall which is said to have been built over 2000 years now. And the mountains on top which the large thick walls were constructed defile imagination.

Construction Equipment

One principal reason the Ghanaian contractors embarked on the trade and investment mission to China was to see at first hand, the kind of construction equipment available in China and how they could obtain some credit facility from the Ex-Embank of China to enable them to purchase such equipment for their members to do efficient job to contribute their quota to the economic development of mother Ghana.

The first manufacturing company visited was the Shanglin Company Limited at Shangzhou, Jianggsu, China. Mr Spencer Bao, Deputy General Manager of the company led the team to inspect a large stock of machinery being manufactured by the company. These include wheel loader, motor grader, road roller, backhoe loader, Crane Truck, Paver, Concrete Mixer, Vibratory Roller and many more.

During business meeting session with the delegation, Mr Bao expressed the desire to do business with Ghanaian contractors so that they can elevate the standard of road construction industry in their country.

Mr J.Twumasi-Mensah, the National Chairman of ASROC spoke for the delegation when he said that they were overwhelmed by the various types of construction equipment they saw. He said the Ghanaian contractors were highly impressed by the quality of the company’s products and the cost of such quality equipment which he described as “very, very moderate” as compared with what pertains in Ghana.
“We road contractors in Ghana will like to do business with Chinese construction firms, he stressed.

Another factory the contractors visited while in China before the Minister for Roads and Highways, Hon Joe Gidisu came later was the Xuzhou Construction Machinery Group Co. Imp. & Exp. Ltd. (XCMG). That is the Zoomlion China.

This company was founded in 1989 and is now one f the leading construction companies in China with 26 factories to its credit. It employs over 20,000 workers ranging from ordinary cleaners to the best engineers, scientists and technologists in China.
Ghanaian contractors made history when for the first time, the Chairman of the XCMG, Mr Wang Min, who is also the Party Secretary of the ruling Party, spared a few minutes of his heavy schedules to propose a toast at a memorable lunch he personally held in honour of the Ghanaian delegation.

Again, the Ghanaian contractors were interested in seeing the types of equipment being manufactured by XCMG. Mr Xin Yu Min, Vice General Manager who later conducted the contractors round said some of the machinery produced include crawler crane, truck crane, hydraulic component, roller rand paver, excavator, wheel loader, grader, just to mentioned few. Once again the Ghanaian contractors could not believe their eyes that such quality construction equipment were being manufactured in China. They held spell-bound.

Talks with Chinese Transport Minister

Ghana’s Minister for Roads and Highways, Hon Joe Gidisu, on Monday, May 11, 2009, held bilateral talks with the Chinese Vice Minister of the Ministry of Transport, Mr Weng Mengyong in Beijing, China.

The Ghanaian Minister conveyed the appreciation of the President and people of Ghana to the President of the People’s Republic of China for various supports Ghana has enjoyed over the years, especially in the development of road and bridge infrastructure.

The Minister mentioned specifically the Achimota-Ofankor-Nsawam road and the Bui Hydroelectric dam as some of the current projects still ongoing. He said at least 10 Chinese contractors are working in Ghana on projects in the road sector funded by the Government of Ghana and others from other international financial institutions, including China.

Hon Gidisu informed the Chinese Minster that the purpose of the visit was twofold: firstly to support the private sector initiative of the Association of Road contractors in their deliberation with the Ex-Im Bank of China and to seek further areas of collaboration and support from the Chinese Government in the development of the Transport sector of Ghana, with focus on roads and bridges.

The Minister stated Ghana is seeking support for five prioritized areas for development, namely the Trunk road network to accelerate economic development; the interchange development programme in the major urban areas to reduce the consequential cost of urban congestion; technology transfer in the area of bridge designs; the bridge development programmes of the feeder road network to reduce the cost of transportation of farm produce to marketing centres and the human capacity development to upgrade the skills of engineers, planners and allied professionals.

Furthermore, the Minister pointed out that in the transport sector, opportunities for collaboration exist in areas of Development of the rail industry as well as Development of regional airports in the Aviation industry.

In the area of human capacity development the Minister mentioned the establishment of a Technical Training Centre in Ghana for the training of Ghanaian artisans including contractors.

The Ghanaian Minister stated that China has become a global role model for socio-economic and technological development for developing nations and beyond. He said Ghana has prepared a development programme in areas mentioned above and invites the Minister to study the said programme and create a platform for further discussions leading the two countries to identify areas of interest to the Chinese Government and subsequent investments.

Responding, the Chinese Vice Minister of Transport said within the last 30 years, China’s road infrastructure development improved from 1million km to 3.45million km with Motorway moving from 0 km to 56,000km.

He commended Ghana for her efforts to develop rural roads to link cities. He said when China started its development strategy; it had to collaborate with foreign investors for technology transfer. For this reason, he said the Chinese Government will collaborate with the Government of Ghana for development.

Mr Weng Mengyong observed that the large number of delegation Ghana brought to China is an indication that the Ministry of Roads and Highways attaches great importance to the road sector of the economy. “When you have roads, then you have riches,” said the Vice Minister.

He therefore suggested that a copy of the programme for priority areas for cooperation (road and bridges) should be submitted to his Ministry for study without delay. He said the China Road and Bridge Corporation and other institutions of technical training will be contacted to deal with specific areas of collaboration with Ghana.

Consequently the Minister called for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the two Governments for further discussions leading to concrete action.
Ghana’s Minister’s team at the meeting was made of 20 members including four members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Road Transport, headed by its Chairman, Hon Michael C. Boampong, MP, Bia Constituency, four executives of ASROC led its National Chairman, Mr J.Twumasi-Mensah, two other officials of the Ministry of Roads and Highways, two officers of Ghana Embassy in China as well as some Regional Chairmen of ASROC.

On the Chinese Minister’s side were seven other officials including two Deputy General Managers of the China Roads and Bridge Corporation. Later Hon Joe Gidisu met with the entire members of the ASROC delegation on the trade mission and shared some fruitful thoughts with them at their hotel in Beijing.

Meeting with Ex-Imbank President

One most important objective of ASROC mission to China which was achieved was the meeting with the President of Chin Export –Import Bank of China.

The Ghanaian Minister for Roads and Highways, Hon Joe Gidisu, Tuesday, May 12, 2009 led the executives of the Association and leading members of Parliamentary select committee on Road Transport as well as officials of Ghana Embassy in Beijing, China to hold preliminary talks with the President of the Export –Import Bank of China, Mr Li Ruogu, in Beijing, China.

Discussions centered on financial support for economic development in Ghana in general with particular focus on road transport sector.

Hon Joe Gidisu said the Ministry of Roads and Highways has planned to invest approximately US$800million for the maintenance and rehabilitation of its 67,189km of roads and bridges over the next four years. He said the annual investment required for the maintenance of roads and bridges in Ghana is about US$200 million. However, the development budget is about US$400m a year.

The Minister pointed out that his Ministry recognises also the need to provide work to contractors to enable them to have adequate turnover to cover the payment of their capital investment in equipment and other resources.

He said Government agenda in the road sector is to support the local road contractors in terms of capacity building as well as help them to acquire needed equipment to do their work for national development.

The Ex-ImBank President, Mr Li Ruogu, said his Bank has been working with Ghana Government over the years and would be prepared to support the Ministry and for that matter the new government.

He said development of roads and bridges is a viable area the Bank will consider credit facility, some of which are already in operation. He advised Ghanaian contractors to learn from Chinese contractors who work 24 hours a day through shift system.

He said China now builds some of the best roads and bridges in the world. That the Bank will be happy to support the road sector of Ghana. That for the procurement of equipment from China with credit facility from the Bank is feasible. He suggested that a feasibility study must be done for specific projects and submitted to the Bank for consideration.

He also recommended the World Bank and Ex-ImBank for support. He said some concessionary loan facility, too is available, adding that Ghana’s Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning must be contacted to take the necessary procedures and processes for consideration.

Seminars

As part of the strategy to build the capacity of local contractors, members of the Association of Road Contractors also participated in special seminars and workshops while in China. The special seminars were organised by their Chinese counterpart contractors for the Equipment manufacturing companies to present papers and demonstrate the performance of their equipment for the Ghanaian contractors.

Thus, through the demonstrations and interactions during open forum sessions, the Ghanaian delegation were exposed and educated on various aspects of the construction industry of China which hitherto was unknown to them.

Little wonder when just half way in the programme, most Ghanaian contractors gapped their moths in wonderment about what the people of China can do. In fact many of them openly confessed that their perceptions which were largely based on prejudice were unfounded.

One contractor stated: “We have been brainwashed for a very long time about China that everything from a communist country is inferior.” Another said, “I don’t understand why China is referred to as a developing nation and not a developed country.”

Again another Ghanaian contractor postulated: “From now onward, we will turn our face towards China rather than say we are going to the West. Even the quality of the machines and the work that they are capable of doing with prices not cheap but very, very moderate is a proof that we should better do business with China rather than with the West,” the contractors unanimously concluded.

In all six different manufacturing companies did presentations and demonstrated the operation of their machinery. They included Balama Prima Equipment, Shandong Road Construction Machinery Factory, Xi’an Dangang Road Machinery Co., Ltd and Zoom Lion Environmental Sanitary Machine Series

The National Chairman of the Association of Road Contractors Ghana, Mr. J. Twumasi-Mensah, was full of praise to Chinese Manufacturing companies, especially those of the construction industry and promised that efforts would be made for more Ghanaian contractors to go to China to see things for themselves.

In terms of the actual construction of roads and bridges, he said Ghanaian engineers, architects and artisans in the road construction industry have a lot to learn from China. He was grateful to the Business Development Services Fund for co-sponsoring the trip to China.

Combating Road Accidents in Ghana

By Mawutodzi K.Abissath
There is this serious Akan proverb which can literally be interpreted to mean: “When the eyes are red, they do not explode into conflagration or inferno.”
The Government and people of Ghana’s eyes are red! Yet, there is no fire in their faces. The entire nation is on war path.

On Thursday, 19th March, 2009, the President of the Republic and Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, H.E. Professor J.E.A. Mills, declared a war and called on all Ghanaians to stand by and fight. But who is the enemy? RAOD ACCIDENTS is the answer! Road accidents have no respect for socio-economic or political status. When they occur, the kill or maim everybody involves. So, they must be as national danger and enemy and be treated as such.

Ghanaians have the knack to claim and proclaim that Ghana is always the first in everything and anything in the West Africa sub-region if not on the entire Africa Continent. But if the United Nations were to institute a Global Award for the best Manslaughter Nation of Road Accidents, will Ghana be proud to be the first to receive such an award?

The National Roads Safety Commission recently released road fatalities recorded within the first quarter of this year alone and it was horrifying. That on the average, six precious lives of this peaceful nation are lost just like through road accidents daily. (See Daily Graphic of Saturday, March 28, 2009 Page 22) The figure six may at first sight seem insignificant. But if you multiply that by 30 days in a month, times 165 days in the year, is the nation gaining or losing? This is besides those who are maimed and rendered hopeless and helpless for life.

The object of this piece is not to churn out statistics of deaths through manslaughter on roads in Ghana. Rather, to bring to attention of the general public highlights of some concrete measures the Ministry of Roads and Highways has adopted to combat the menace once and for all.

On Thursday, March 26, 2009, the Minister for Roads and Highways, Hon. Joe Gidisu, acting upon the directives of the President, held a Press Briefing at the Ministry’s Conference room here in Accra and officially placed in the public domain the outcome of Stakeholders Forum on Road Accidents held on Tuesday, March, 24, 2009 also in Accra.

The Forum itself was a brainstorming session attended by over 60 participants representing over 17 stakeholders in the transport industry as well as the general public. The sector Minister set the tone the deliberations when he cautioned that the session should be turned into an arena of blame game where individuals or organisations would be pointing accusing fingers at one another. Rather, the road accident menace confronting the country must be seen as a national crisis and be tackled as such, the Minister advised.

Contributory factors

First, participants identified the following, as key factors that actually contribute to fatal accidents on the nation’s roads: They include High Speeds; Fatigue or driving tired; Wrongful Overtaking; Tyre burst; Driving under the influence of Alcohol; Injury Control; Unsafe Vehicles; Unsafe ; Unsafe Drivers; Disabled Vehicles left unattended, Legislation and Accident Spots, among others.

Another important factor that was identified had to do with the transportation of what was termed “hazardous goods” which are increasingly contributing to untimely deaths on the county’s roads. Think of petroleum products including gaz.

Consequently, an unwritten resolution was unanimously adopted whereby the Ministry of Roads and Highways, the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) and all the agencies of the Ministry and other stakeholder institutions have resolved to tackle and arrest the situation in phases thus, Immediate Actions, Short Term and Medium to Long Term Measures or strategies.

Immediate Interventions

That there is urgent need for NRSC to intensify their publicity efforts reaching out to various target groups with road user education across the country, especially on the use of seat belts. They must reach out to various target groups with road user education across the country and intensify education on use of seat belts. This simple rule of use of seat belts which many drivers in Ghana take for granted is a major factor in fatality in road accidents. Experts are of the view that if this simple rule can be respected, a lot of lives can be saved during accidents.

Again as immediate action, the Forum recommended that the Ghana Highway Authority must conduct an audit of the Winneba-Kasoa stretch and other hazardous locations and make necessary engineering measures which will help to reduce if not stop completely frequent accidents on that portion of the road.

The Authority has also been requested to consider erection of visible threatening signs at crash prone locations on the road. To address the fatigue and high speed problem of which most drivers are guilty, one strategy recommended was to ensure that all long distance vehicles are to introduce vehicle log books.

This is a practical strategy which will compel drivers to stop and rest in between journeys. The MTTU and the transport unions have been empowered to enforce this strategy to the letter. And if they adopt this basic measure, it will go a long way to drastically reduce accidents on the roads.

Another concrete action that has been adopted is that the National Road Safety Commission and MTTU have given authorization to Rutchen Trucks Ghana, a towing Service provider, to clear all roads in the country of any broken down vehicles which are left on the roads with impunity.

This dramatic action is starting immediately with Accra- Kumasi Highway to Accra-Takoradi and will soon be extended to cover the entire country. Experience has proved that this bad habit of drivers abandoning their disabled or broken down vehicles in the middle of the road without any proper warning sign has been one of the major causes of road accidents in this country.

That Transport Operators, Unions and Organisations must conduct basic checks on drivers and their vehicles at various Lorry Stations to ascertain the alertness of drivers and conditions of their vehicles before departure, and so on.

Short Term Interventions

With regard to short term interventions up to the end of this year, for instance, it was noted that Driving Standards and driver-quality must not be taken for granted the national target was to be achieved. In this respect the NRSC has put together a framework for the establishment of National Drivers Academy with the view to assuming leadership status in driver training and upgrading of all commercial drivers. The review of archaic road transport laws in the country cannot be overstressed.

The simple logic is that if driving is a profession like any profession in the county, a National Drivers Academy to train and certify people who want to be professional drivers. The current situation where any underage driver’s mate or apprentice can take his master vehicle on Sundays and pretend to be professional for life is an acceptable. Such Sunday drivers are part of people who are killing innocent passengers by heart.

Again, the NRSC will ensure that by the end of this year, all commercial vehicles will have speed limiters installed in their cars to enable drivers adhere to instructions and not what they desire to do with vehicles on the roads. Besides, other measures such as speed cameras on some selected corridors to manage the incidence of speeding and abuse of traffic regulations will be provided by the NRSC.

The NRSC and DVLA will also explore the possibility of using what is known as Tachographs to monitor driver fatigue and speeding as well as the establishment of Trauma Centers along some of the major highways throughout out the country.

It was cleared at the Stakeholders Forum that no one individual or institution can implement the strategies that have been adopted. There is therefore the urgent need for collaboration among all concerned such as Commercial Vehicle owners, Transport Operators, Unions and Organisations, the National Ambulance Service, NADMO, Fire Service, Ghana Army, Ghana Police Service, the Red Cross Society, all road users including pedestrians and passengers alike, must join hands with the Ministry of Roads and Highways to fight this national war against Road Accidents one and for all. As the President promised, financial support is assured.

GHANA: FIFTY-TWO YEARS OF HOPE

By Mawutodzi K. Abissath
There is this beautiful Ewe proverb which can literarily be interpreted to this effect: “A newly hatched chick that survives will not lack the opportunity to grow feathers.” The French version of this proverb may be “Tan que je vis jespere” or “when there is life, there is hope.”
Fifty-two years ago (6th March 1957 to be precised), Ghana made political history in tropical Africa. On that day, the Gold Coast became Ghana. How did it happen? At exactly midnight that night, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, flanked by some ambitious comrades of his, mounted a podium at the old Polo ground in the city of Accra and proclaimed:
“At long last, the battle has ended; and Ghana our beloved country is free for ever.”
The visionary Nkrumah then made a seemingly harmless statement which turned out to make him the African man of the 20th Century. He declared, “The Independence of Ghana is meaningless unless it is linked up with the total liberation of the African Continent.”
Yes, it is important to tell the true story of the Independence of Ghana so that our children, their children, and their children’s children will know exactly how Ghana became a nation of “Freedom and Justice.” At the time Dr Nkrumah made that legendary declaration, only about eight out of 53 countries in Africa knew what independence was. In West Africa, all the 16 countries were clamped in the jaws of Colonialism. As for South Africa, she was deep in the throat of a hateful and horrible creature called “Apartheid.”
Ghana’s independence was not granted to our forefathers on a silver platter. In other words, our forefathers did not eat to their fill, drink, booze and went to bed and started snoring then someone went and called them to get their independence. “Kpaooo!” “Daabida” “Waalaaii!” Not at all! As a matter of fact, the independence struggle did not start on the 6th March 1957 when that celebrated proclamation was made.
If Osagyfo Dr Nkrumah talked of the end of a battle, we must ask ourselves what kind of a battle he was alluding to. Again, it must be borne in mind that it was not only Dr Nkrumah who single-handedly fought for Ghana’s independence. But he was the locomotive or the vanguard indeed! It is therefore imperative that any time we celebrate the independence anniversary of this blessed land called Ghana, other equally important national heroes must be accorded the recognition they deserve.
For example, homage must be paid to war veterans like Sergeant Adjetey, Corporal Attipoe and Private Odartey Lamptey who were gunned down like common criminals on 28 February, 1948 at the Christiansburg, Accra. What crime did they commit? They were only going to present a petition to the Colonial Governor of the Gold Coast. They were only fighting for their ex gratia awards after they had been in war front for years.
It was their blood that galvanised the momentum and served as catalyst for the legendary BIG SIX to go for the gold –the INDEPENDENCE. The BIG SIX included Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Dr J.B.Danquah, Mr. Obetsebi-Lamptey, Mr. Ofori Atta, Mr. Akufo-Addo and Mr. Ako-Adjei. These were collected and dumped in jails across the country; were they armed robbers? These are among the greatest national heroes we must pay homage to whenever we celebrate the independence anniversary of Ghana. This is why our National Pledge reminds us in part: “…I promise to hold in high esteem, our heritage won for us through the blood and toil of our fathers; I pledge myself in all things to uphold and defend the good name of Ghana.”
Today, as we celebrate the 52nd Anniversary of Ghana on the theme: “Unity and Peace: Pillars for National Development,” the least that we can do is to renew the promise and the pledge to our father and mother Ghana.
Besides the historical and political significance of the independence, what can one say about the economic achievements of Ghana since independence? Even the political journey of the nation since independence has not been all rosy at all. For the uncountable military coup d’états of the 60s, 70s and early 80s had dealt some deadly blows to democratic governance of the nation.
Fortunately, however, since the coming into being of the fourth Republican Constitution of 1992, which was ushered in by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on January 7, 1993, Ghana has been enjoying change of government through democratic elections instead of military coup d’états. This trend of affairs is commendable.
Just last year, 2008, for the first time in her 52 years of nationhood, Ghana scored high democratic marks among nations in Africa when the New Patriotic Party (NPP) another democratically elected Government successfully completed its constitutionally mandated term of eight years and handed over to NDC again. The beauty of this culture of “moko aya ne moko aba”( let someone go for someone to come)is progressive for the advancement of Ghana.
It is against this backdrop that the theme for this year’s anniversary celebration “Unity and Peace: Pillars for National Development” is most appropriate. It is common knowledge that without peace and unity, no meaningful development can take place, not only at the national level but at the District and Regional levels as well. This explains why the people of Ghana must pat themselves on the back for the just-ended peaceful general elections. I say belated Ayekoooo to all Ghanaians! “Mbo - Muaye adie!”
Now that the elections are over, there is the need for the nation to put all political games behind it and focus on national development agenda in unity. First, the leadership of the nation itself must be seen to be interested in peace and unity for national development. Selfishness, partisanship, greed and corruption must be reduced to the barest minimum if not eradicated entirely.
There cannot be peace and unity if political leaders are seen to be interested in their own welfare to the neglect of the majority of the people who elected them into office. The current hullaballoo about proposed ex-gratia awards for ex-Presidents, Members of Parliament and other public holders is a typical example of how political leadership can create disunity and disharmony among the populace leading to agitation and unrest instead of unity and peace for national development. It is gratifying to note that H.E. President J.E.A.Mills is making efforts to use constitutional means to review the whole saga of ex-gratia awards. If this is not done there will be no peace and unity and there will be no national development.
Ghana is not a poor country by nature. It is common place that Ghana is such a blessed land endowed with all kinds of resources including gold, diamond, bauxite, cocoa, timber, arable land, rivers, good rain fall patterns and abundant sun shine all year round. And yet Ghana is endemic with poverty. After 52 years of independence, if the nation’s natural resources had been effectively and efficiently managed, should a Ghanaian child go to bed without a meal? After 52 years of independence, should any Ghanaian child be denied basic education? Something might have gone amiss!
Besides natural resources, Ghana is equally endowed with human resources. She is blessed with some of the best brains in Africa if not in the whole world. One can cite the immediate past UN Secretary-General Busumuru Kofi Annan and others in international bodies to symbolise the human resource base of the country. These are just a few reasons why Ghana could have done better than she has done so far after 52 years of nationhood in terms of socio-economic, political and cultural prosperity.
Now one can speculate that a solid foundation has been laid for the economic take-off of the nation across board. Various sectors of the economy including Agriculture, Education, Health, Transportation, Communications, Investment, Tourism, Foreign Policies, Sports and others seem to be in a better shape today than they were before independence. For instance, the Capitation Grant, National Health Insurance Scheme and the School Feeding Programme and have created opportunity for some school-going children to be in school and be given at least one meal a day free of charge. The new government can improve upon what is in place for national development.
The National Health Insurance Scheme has come to stay, but there is more room for improvement. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is gradually but steadily taking roots in society. Ghana is on the Information Super High Way through the Government of Ghana Portal (www.ghana.gov.gh). Ghana has a comprehensive ICT Policy already in place. The National Portal needs to be revamped to make it a real electronic gateway in the true sense E-Government.
The previous Government started establishing what is referred to as Community Information Centres (CICs) in all the 230 electoral constituencies throughout the country. This is a viable strategy that concretely ensures that ICTs are taken closer to rural people who are in majority in the country. It is hoped the new administration will continue with this project and make it better for national development. Again, the discovery of oil in commercial quantity during the 50th anniversary celebration of Ghana was very opportune for this blessed nation, just to mention but a few.
On Tuesday, February 17, 2009, a delegation of Norwegian oil experts, led by that country’s Minister for Environment and International Development, Mr Erik Solheim, called on the Ghanaian Vice President, H.E. John Mahama at the Castle Osu, Accra. Among other things, Vice President Mahama, disclosed that the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) was being restructured so as to reposition it to make it more responsive to meet government’s programme of making Ghana a wealthy nation in the not too distant future. Naturally Ghana can only become a wealthy nation in the near future only and if only the people of Ghana collectively make Unity and Peace as Pillars for National Development.

DEMOCRATIC MISSION ACCOMPLISHED IN GHANA

By Mawutodzi K. Abissath

“If you don’t know death, just take a glance at sleep,” so goes a popular Ghanaian proverb.

Without exaggeration, one can characterise the just-ended 2008 peaceful elections in Ghana as an event that sent the entire African Continent into coma and back. A simple analogy will best illustrate the scenario as it enfolded in Ghana. But it was more traumatic than dramatic!

A ninety-year-old-mother of 53 – Mama Africa, has lost all her other 52 daughters through a plague called democracy. The only surviving daughter – Ghana, became pregnant and was expecting a baby in sixteen days or so, according to the gynecologist in charge –the Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan.

Until the hour of delivery, the surviving expectant mother was not only energetic democratically, but was bubbling with vigour, vivacity and vitality. Having had four previous deliveries - elections through natural means the entire globe was expecting noting but another peaceful and natural display of political maturity.

Suddenly, this energetic expectant mother had a heart-attack and was rushed to a hospital and was admitted at the intensive care unit. Then she fell into deep, deep coma. All hell broke loose. Panics seized the entire nation throwing Africa in a state of helplessness and hopelessness.

‘Oh, Ghana, my only surviving daughter in whom I have faith, is this how you are going to end my life?” the desperate Mama Africa lamented. Into the empty air went the dejected arms of the poor woman, whirling and wailing in uncontrollable pain of a mother.

All the cardio specialists cum gyno gurus – international election observers, made up of all races on the face of the earth including, Africans, Europeans, Americans, Asians and Australians gathered at the hospital bedside of this moribund daughter to save her priceless life.

The surgeons were at their wits end. They were more confused than embarrassed. “Shall we undertake a cesarean operation to deliver the dying woman of her unborn baby first, or shall we tackle a heart surgery to correct her heart condition first?” they asked themselves in awe.

Whilst the medical scientists were racking their scientific brains in the theatre, global evangelical and theological specialists across religious boundaries rushed on their knees in shrines, cathedrals, mosques, synagogues and temples to invoke the presence of the Divine Intelligence, the Universal Mind and the Supreme Creator to descend and do something before He or She dies! The Lord spirituals concentrated, contemplated and meditated. They prayed without ceasing indeed! Did God hear their prayers?

Meanwhile, the two protagonists of this whole debacle entangled in tango over political supremacy were the Hon. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party NPP and H.E. Professor John Evans Atta Mills of the National Democratic Congress NDC. While they were doing their own things, the moribund expectant mother was still under the watchful eyes of the global surgeons.

Then the surgeons decided to perform a cesarean operation to remove the baby from the womb before the heart operation. Just as the leader of the team of surgeons was about to touch the dying woman’s skin with his sharp sterilised knife, she widely opened eyes and burst into cynical laughter.

The “resurrected” woman even had the audacity to query the doctors in the theatre as to why they tied her legs and arms for no apparent reason. In fact, the way she cast a cursing glance at the faces of the surgeons was enough warning for them to set her free unconditionally. Nobody dare utter a word but to take a deep breath and heed a sigh of relief.

That was how the historical and memorable general elections of the year 2008 took place in Ghana. Those who were not physically present in Ghana might have heard of the tribulations of that election but may not be able to imagine the excruciating trauma Ghanaians and all who were in the country to witness the event live went through.

At the end of the day, the presidential candidate of the NDC, Professor John Evans Atta Mills narrowly edged out the NPP presidential candidate, Hon. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, with 4,501, 466 (50.13%) as against 4,478.411 (49.87%) obtained out of the total valid votes of 9,001,478 in 230 constituencies including the now famous Tain constituency of the Brong Ahafo Region after the second presidential run-off.

On Saturday, January 3, 2009, the grey-haired Electoral Commissioner, Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, with a head pregnant with wisdom proclaimed in Accra: “…Ladies and Gentlemen: On the basis of the official results given, it is my duty to declare Professor John Evans Atta Mills the President-elect of Ghana.”

On Wednesday, January 7, 2009, the first ever woman Chief Justice of Ghana, Her Lordship Justice Theodora Wood swore the first Professor President of Ghana into office. He is President John Evans Atta Mills. The state sword, which is the insignia or emblem of presidential office, was handed-over to him by the Gentle Giant, Dr John Agyekum Kufuor. He previously took over from President Jerry John Rawlings on January 7, 2001.

Since journalism is said to be the first draft of history, it is imperative to put on record that when the then candidate Akufo-Addo and the then candidate Prof Mills were engaged in a fierce election tug-of-war pulling each other to the breaking point, thereby threatening to plunge the entire nation into a political tsunami, it took President Kufuor to just say a word and our souls were saved.

As Head of State, President of the Republic and the Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, President Kufuor issued a timely statement which read in part: “…I wish to appeal to all Ghanaians, especially the supporters of the NPP and the NDC, to remain calm and wait patiently for the declaration of the result by the Electoral Commission, which alone has the constitutional mandate to undertake that function.”

Those were the magic words of wisdom and reason which charmed the two combatants and saved the image of Ghana and Africa. Having gone through that excruciating democratic experience, described by some observers as an initiation or a baptism of fire and come out in peace and not in pieces as a nation, never shall Ghana disintegrate because of politics. And that was how a democratic mission was accomplished in Ghana in 2008. May Jesus bless President Kufuor and God bless Ghana!

The Value of Employee Motivation

By Mawutodzi K. Abissath

There is this popular Ghanaian proverb: “Wo nni sika a wo se aduro nnye,” which literally translates: “If you have no money then you will say that medicine is not good.”

A quick on-line research using Google search engine gives the following inspirational interpretations of the word motivation.

“Motivation is the inner power or energy that pushes one toward performing a certain action. Motivation has much to do with desire and ambition, and if they are absent, motivation is absent too.

“Actually, motivation is one of the most important keys to success. Lack of motivation either does not bring results or brings only mediocre results, whereas motivation brings faster, better and bigger results.

“Often, a person has the desire and ambition to get something done or achieve a certain goal, but lacks the push, the initiative and the willingness to take action. This shows a lack of motivation and inner drive

“There is no doubt that we live in a money-motivated world. Any amount of human relations cannot compensate for a lack of monetary reward. If the reward is right, good human relations will give that extra zest to a team, motivating them to give of their best efforts.

“The job of a manager in the workplace is to get things done through employees. To do this the manager should be able to motivate employees.”

On Tuesday, 21^st October, 2008, the Hon. Minister for Information and National Orientation (MINO), Mr Stephen Asamoah Boateng, made a motivational history in the life of the Information Services Department (ISD) in Accra.

On that day, for the first time in a long memory, the sector Minister put the above-quoted motivational theories or philosophical statements into practical application. This, he did by honouring 21 employees of ISD for outstanding performance at one sitting.

This special package has never happened before since the Department was established by the colonial British government during the 2^nd World War in 1939 to provide information on the progress of the war to the people of the Gold Coast at the time.

What is normally done is a kind of annual get-together whereby one best worker of the year is declared and presented with some gifts. Sometimes due to “some unforeseen circumstances beyond the control” of management the yearly party itself does not take place at all to the annoyance of most workers.

The contribution of employees of ISD to the socio-economic, political and cultural development of this country using the famous Cinema Vans in the remotest and deprived rural communities to inform, educate and entertain people focusing on issues of national interest cannot be overstressed.

Just recently when Burkina Faso was about to open its hydro-dam for spillover waters, the Volta River Authorities (VRA) had to rely on ISD employees , using the Cinema Vans cris-crossing the three Northern regions to embark on intensive public education, day and night to avert a national disaster.

Last year, without any warning, a similar exercise caused a deluge which washed away precious human and animal lives, properties and cultivated farms, which afflicted pain and suffering on our brothers and sisters, resulting in untold hardships to our northern compatriots.

It is against this backdrop that this symbolic Excellence Performance Award Scheme instituted by the Minister to motivate employees of ISD must be commended and appreciated. I say symbolic because, it is not the amount of money that went to the award winners that matters so much but the value of the scheme and the honour, recognition and appreciation given to such dedicated workers of the Department.

“The award is my own initiative to motivate the staff of ISD and demonstrate my confidence in them. Any good manager must appreciate the contribution of the staff to the success of the organisation and the need to reward excellence to attain higher productivity,” Hon Asamoah Boateng opined.

Another statement the Minister made during the award ceremony which was even more inspiring than motivating was that as a Minister, he alone cannot be every where to do the entire job. “I therefore, believe in team work and outstanding performance to make Ghana better,” he noted.

This author totally agrees with the Minister that team work is the best policy to adopt for the progress of any organisation or an institution. For our ancestors say: “One tree cannot make a forest.”

The value of employee motivation through award schemes is indispensable not only in institutions or organisations but also in the life of a nation. Otherwise, the Government would not have instituted national award to reward distinguished citizens across board. And that is why there is National Farmers Day in Ghana where fantastic awards including houses, vehicles, tractors, outboard motors, deepfreezers, television sets and many more are presented to farmers and fishermen on a declared national holiday annually.

And that is why professional bodies like the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) have all instituted magnificent National Award Schemes to recognise outstanding members of their respective associations.

The Ghana Journalists Association, for instance has been upgrading its award schemes year after year since it was instituted over 50 years ago or so. And this year’s award packages at stake are more mouth-watering than ever before. Kudos to the GJA leadership. More grease to their elbows.

As for the Ministry of Information and National Orientation’s Recognition of Excellence Award for Outstanding Performance, it is the prayer of all employees of the Ministry and the Department that the scheme will be maintained and sustained by Minister after Minister till thy Kingdom come! “Tswa, tswa, tswa Omanye aba –Yao!”

Sowing the Seed of ICT in Ghana: “Baah-Wiredu’s computer a child” is fantastic

By Mawutodzi K. Abissath

This popular adage that “Rome was not built in a day,” or the famous Chinese proverb which says that “A journey of a thousand kilometers begins with one step” is self-evident.

All Information and Communication Technology (ICT) minded countries such as China, Singapore, Malaysia, India and others, that are becoming super ICT nations on this planet of technology did not achieve their feat overnight. Singapore, for instance, embarked on her ICT revolutionary journey over 30 years ago.

On Tuesday, October 7, 2008, hardworking Ghanaian teachers were rewarded with mouth-watering prizes. The event took place at Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana and coincided with the 14th National Best Teacher Award/World Teachers’Day, celebrated globally. This writer wishes to join hands with the Government and people of Ghana to say a Big Ayeekoo to the Ghanaian Teacher. The days when a teacher’s reward was supposed be in heaven must be over forever. (Somebody say Aaamennn!)

As a matter of fact, Ghana Government must be commended for the magnificent prizes presented to the award winning teachers. The first prize of 60.000 Ghana Cedis which went to Mr Sadique Boateng of T.I. Ahmadiayya Senior High School in Kumasi to be used for the construction of a house of his choice must be motivating enough to lure any youth to want to embrace teaching as a profession. There is still room for improvement, though.

For instance, in the very near future when Ghana’s oil boom takes off, it should be possible for all ten best teachers from each region to be awarded houses at ago Then all 170 best district teachers must be given cars each, too. In view of the key role education plays in national development, and the fact that teachers constitute the foundation upon which all other professionals are educated, only the best should be good for the teacher. Therefore, teachers must be among the best paid professionals in the country.(True or false?)

But what actually motivated this author to write this piece was the revelation by the President of Ghana, H.E. John Agyekum Kufuor, on the day of the award ceremony that very soon all Ghanaian children between the ages of five and 12 in public schools will be provided with personal computers by the government.

The Daily Graphic of Wednesday, October 8, 2008, carried a front page banner headline: “COMPUTER PER CHILD – Govt’s initiative to boost ICT skills in public schools.” According to the story, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States of America (USA), had designed some computers that would enable Ghanaian children to acquire skills in Information and Communication Technology, “which is currently the most critical basic instrument of education world-wide,” the paper stressed.

President Kufuor used the occasion to disclose that the deal for the supply of the computers was negotiated on behalf of the Government by the late Finance Minister, Hon. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu about two years ago. That the very day the creators of these unique machines from the MIT, dubbed “Magic Computers for children” came to demonstrate the computers to him during his recent trip to the US, he received the agonising news of the transition of our beloved Finance Minister. So, in order to honour his memory, therefore, the President said the machines shall be christened as “Baah-Wiredu’s Computer for a child.” Another fantastic posthumous award for a worthy soul.

With this magnificent technological legacy bequeathed Ghana by the affable and humble late Minister, when it comes to write the history of ICT advancement in the country, Hon. Baah-Wiredu’s name shall not be written in water, but etched on the rock of technology. For he had sowed a seed of ICT that shall geminate, grow and produce fruits that shall feed Ghanaian children of today and those yet unborn.

It is most reassuring to learn from the President that the first batch of 10.000 units of the wonder machines are already on the way and will sooner than later arrive in our beloved country. Well, this writer is not in any position to know how these computers will be distributed equitably for the benefit of all public schools in the country. But the country’s educational authorities know best what to do.

Nevertheless, I shall take the liberty to make the following suggestions for consideration:

1. Even before the “magic computers” land on our soil, there must be “magic” ICT teachers who can use the machines to teach the children in the first place. So, if this is not yet done, then one or two experts who manufactured the computers must come down to provide some kind of “Train-the-trainers” programme for ICT teachers in Ghana without delay.

2. Where possible, all public schools in the 170 districts in the country must be supplied with these computers for children. One does not know whether the computers will use electricity power or solar energy or dry cell batteries; so that whether a school is located in a district connected to the national electricity grid or not, the children there must be given the opportunity at least to see and touch a computer in their life for the first time. The truth is that some Ghanaians are yet to see a computer in some parts of our country let alone use one.

3. Some of the Community Information Centres (CICs) that are currently in operation in some of the deprived rural areas in the country must serve as resource centres where some of the computers can be installed for the benefit of school children in those communities. It may be better that way rather than some school heads, suffering from “computer phobia” to dump the machines in some uncompleted buildings somewhere with the excuse that there are no computer laboratories in their schools.

For Ghana to make headway in the global market as far as employment opportunities are concerned the country must vigorously embark on mass production of ICT literates like India and unemployment and poverty shall gradually take care of themselves.

Ghana Must Not Joke With ICT At All

By Mawutodzi K. Abissath

An African proverb alerts us that: “A person who travels sees more things than a person who climbs up a tall tree.” Another one says: “What Cat saw and closed its eyes, Dog did not see it before barking at the top of its voice.”

It appears most of us Ghanaians take delight in talking, talking without actually focusing on what we are mandated or supposed to do for the advancement of our beloved country. If one were to do a sort of SWOT analysis of Ghana as a nation, this “Talk-talk No Action” would be one of her critical weaknesses.

On Friday, August 1, 2008, the Daily Graphic wrote a very pathetic editorial headed: “THAT ALL MAY ACCESS WWW.COM” The opening paragraph of that editorial comment even started with the word PATHETIC in capital letters. It reads:

“A PATHETIC picture was painted of the country’s poor Internet use and standing on the African continent, with Ghana placing only ahead of Sierra Leone and Liberia.”

Come to think of it! Ghana, a country that we Ghanaians always claim to be the first in everything and anything in Africa, is sharing a position with Sierra Leone and Liberia in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) on the African Continent. Did something go wrong somewhere, or have we just not moved from the talking point to the action point yet?

Graphic editorial continued: “This sordid state of affairs should be cause for concern to everybody in the 21^st century when Information and Communication Technology (ICT) rules the world”

The third paragraph opined: “Ghana’s hold on mobile phone patronage, undoubtedly, is high, as every nook and cranny of the country is somehow connected to some of the major mobile networks. Obviously, the high mobile phone patronage should translate into Internet use to make every hamlet of the country become part of the global village in order to share in its joy and benefits.”

The editorial quoted from 2007 World Bank report on the Internet use in the world, which said that, “only 401,300 Ghanaians, representing 1.8 percent of the country’s population of an estimated 22 million, have access to the Internet.”

“The report cited Ghana as one of the African countries with the lowest record of Internet patronage, coming behind South Africa, Nigeria, Morocco, Algeria, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Senegal.” The question is, how come Ghana, the most peaceful and stable country in Africa should be trailing behind these countries when Ghana has a comprehensive ICT Policy, known as ICT for Accelerated Development (ICT4AD) in place?

The editorial also quoted the President of the Ghana Association of Leasing Company (GALCO), Mr Ernest Mintah, to have made reference to the World Bank report and called for the government’s intervention to give more Ghanaians access to the Internet.

“According to him, the government should waive taxes and duties on computers and their accessories to allow for more importation of computers into the country in order to promote the use of computers and the Internet in schools and at workplaces.

“That Internet facilities and access to the personal computers enhance teaching and learning and increase the productivity of business can no longer be relegated to the background. But it is one thing having access to the personal computers and another having access to the Internet.”

This writer finds this point made by Graphic editorial very, very relevant. In countries like Singapore and others where ICT is leading them to become world superpower, they ensure that all pupils and students at various stages of the educational ladder, ranking from kindergarten the tertiary levels, computer and Internet facilities are made available for their studies. In fact, in Singapore, most students do no longer go to school with load of bags hanging on their necks. Students do their home works online and email them to their teachers for marking online.

In Ghana, the situation is diametrically the opposite. The evidence is that on the letters page of the Daily Graphic of the same Friday, August 1, 2008 when this pathetic editorial was written, there was a letter to the editor (page9), complaining about lack of computers in schools in Ghana. That letter, written by one Emmanuel Toklo of Gbawe Cluster of Schools, was captioned: “ICT with no computer?”

The opening paragraph of that letter read: “The academic year that ushers in the new educational system would come to an end on July 31, 2008. The introduction of the new system comes with ICT as a subject of study with a comprehensive syllabus.”

Then the second paragraph lamented: “But after three clear terms have passed, the teaching of ICT remains a theoretical subject such as history and social studies. What is more worrying is that there are no textbooks for the students to use to acquire basic computer literacy and they do not have the opportunity for acquiring practical experience.”

One unfortunate observation this writer has made about Ghana is that some times, if not most times, Government’s good intentions or laudable programmes and plans to help the citizenry is almost always frustrated and torpedoed by some individuals for their selfish end. If Government waives taxes and duties on computers and their accessories as recommended in the Graphic editorial under review, would importers of ICT equipment respond positively and reduce the prices of their goods for the benefit of the ordinary people, especially school pupils and students in this particular case?

Just take the recent fantastic gesture by government in abolishing or suspending taxes and duties on certain food items including rice, sugar, poultry, cooking oil, as well as petroleum products to alleviate economic hardships on the people of Ghana, being experienced globally. Some importers and retailers are taking undue advantage and have the pleasure to indulge in profiteering thereby making nonsense of Government’s magnanimity. Is it fair?

Right now Government has embarked upon the establishment of Community Information Centres (CICs) in all the 230 constituencies to take ICT closer to the door steps of rural communities and deprived zones in the country. There is the urgent need to expedite action on extension and expansion of telecommunications infrastructure to all parts of the country for computer and Internet facilities to reach everybody whether rich or poor.

This explains why this writer wishes to humbly appeal to politicians to minimise talking and politicking and as stated in the Graphic editorial, “that Ghana Telecom should be supported to become viable so that it can extend its land line system to the rural areas.”

I further agree with the last but one paragraph of Graphic editorial which pointed out that: “While we support Mr Minta’s appeal to the government to waive taxes and duties on computers and their accessories to allow for more importation of computers into the country, we also believe that mobile phone service providers which go to the aid of rural areas should be considered for tax rebates.”

As far back as 1997, a South African Minister for Communication predicted that the way ICT was ruling the world, “If you don’t Dot Com, you would be Dot Dead!” And, as Graphic editorial headline puts it, for Ghana to advance in the 21^st century, we must ensure “THAT ALL MAY ACCESS WWW.COM!”