The German Ambassador in Ghana may have stepped out of line in his tirade against the country’s economic management: diplomacy frowns on his approach. But let’s face it: wasn’t he speaking the mind of the community on whose largesse (loans and grants) we subsist?
Who needs a Chieftaincy Minister in a time of war, our economic war! It’s sheer prodigality,
No, Asamoah Boateng’s credentials are not in question: he is one helluva no-nonsense politician. Chieftaincy is not under attack here. Indeed, I lower my cloth in the august presence of Essikadohene Nana Kobina Nketsia, Agbogbomefia Togbe Afede, Otumfuo Osei Tutu, Agogohene Nana Akuoko Sarpong and the Wulugu Naaba, Professor Nabila. Great chiefs.
But we are not talking personalities here. Ghana is not in normal times and our wallet cannot afford champagne: palm wine is available. The Ewes say that “when sea dry we go by land”
Truth is, we are broke.. Our hearts are in our mouths as we await the IMF Board verdict for a US$3 billion bail-out without which, according to our Finance Minister himself, the country’s economy might crash.
Chieftaincy affairs, therefore, important as the institution is, could be added to the portfolio of the Minister responsible for Culture. Fortunately for Akufo Addo, one of the best decisions he made in 2021 was appointing Mohammed Awal as Culture Minister. As the Akans would say, Awal is a “child” you can send on errand anywhere; he will bring results. Awal can take Chieftaincy on board.
And why do we need a replacement for the dismissed Minister of State at the Finance Ministry? What cataclysmic changes have taken place in Ghana since Rawlings, Kufuor, Atta Mills and Mahama handed over power to warrant overloading that Ministry? The overloading started long before Covid 19 or Ukraine War. In 2017, we were presented with 110 ministers! We have nothing to show for so many Ministers – taking out Ursula, Botwe, Amewu, Okoe Boye and Oppong Nkrumah.
Why does our President not listen to us? How can one person be right and the whole country – including 80 NPP MPs – wrong? More on this later.
Meanwhile, have you been following developments at the Kumasi Central Market since it went ablaze? Something intrigues me no end. The market’s management company, in consultation with Fire Service, decided that the market should remain closed for some days. It had been discovered that the concrete and iron rods had taken too much heat to the point where the integrity of the physical structure might suffer. But the traders rebelled.
When Vice President Bawumia flew to Kumasi, I thought he was going to reason with the traders. But no, he goes to reverse the technical decision. That is mob rule.
Well, now to Parliament and the quake that has just shaken the NDC caucus. I’m convinced the rebel NDC MPs were not bribed. The Minister nominees had friends who were also friends with other NDC MPs. Sympathy is like sorrow; it spreads and is contagious, if not telepathic.
Meanwhile, too many NDC MPs are lamenting. I re-checked the meaning of ‘Fifth Columnists’ and my fears intensified. Are we sure these 5th columnists are not among the lamenters! Are we not sure we have crocodiles in Parliament?
The tears are hiding something. The rebel MPs may not have taken a bribe, but we forget that there are NDC MPs who are bosom friends of former Minority Leader, Haruna and Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka. Possibly, these two received sympathy votes which, without intending to, inured to the benefit of the Minister-nominees.
A fall-out has been Sam George’s decision that with immediate effect, he would not leave his food and water uncovered in the presence of MPs he had hitherto considered “good friends”. If someone sprinkles juju on his food and water, he wants to be sure they are known enemies, not those who pretend to be. He is putting a store by Shakespeare’s warning: “There’s daggers in men’s smiles”
Another fall-out. Asiedu Nketia has just proved to himself that his presence in Parliament does not intimidate anybody; that while the NDC MPs respect him, they don’t fear him.
And now comes the Mother of all Bizarre Suggestions: that since some MPs took shots of their ballot paper to prove how they voted, therefore, voting ceased to secret; therefore, the exercise should be reconducted. If we do this, we stand a future where any time one side loses a vote, it will call for a repeat because someone took a shot and infringed the secrecy principle.
The Fantes say the man who thinks he is the wisest will soon be greeting goats in the community!
FACT: If you want to order a beer in Germany, there is a rule for that. To order a single beer, raise up your thumb. To order two beers, raise your first finger.