I thought I had heard all about the Obama speech (I have said on several occasions that he did not say anything I did not know) until recently when I heard two well educated and learned professionals discussing some of the ills in our society. They spoke specifically about:
• Corruption in the public sector
• The slow economy since the change of government in Ghana ( which took place in January)
• The sudden fall of the cedi against the dollar and
• President Obama’s recent statement calling on Africans to take responsibility for themselves – which in turn will garner further support from America.
This statement by President Obama was hailed as the solution to the numerous issues confronting us as a nation.
I have heard several people allude to Obama’s speech, making reference to this one statement and made it seem as if “Prophet Obama” has spoken and this is it. I was most impressed with the choice of Ghana for the visit and happy that President Obama came to Ghana but the truth is he did not say anything I did not know and I did not expect him to. Did Africans not know they have to take responsibility for themselves? In each and every ethnic African tribe there is a saying or proverb that alludes to this. So why are we applauding Obama for repeating what we know? Or for some it is the wisest saying in their time? I find so many people including my two learned friends hail this as “the speech” of our time. I have also seen so many think we were insulted on our own land and yet applauded the insults.
For most of us President Obama did not say anything we did not know. He only echoed and emphasized what we know, what we have said amongst ourselves and in our own small ways are implementing in a bid to enable us achieve greater heights. Several individuals and tons of Ghanaians are daily engaged in taking responsibility for themselves in a bid to create a better place and an enabling environment for themselves and for others to thrive. These are genuine hard working people with no political leverage. However as a nation the state and government hardly offers an enabling environment to buffer the efforts of individuals. We are daily confronted with painful bureaucratic and slow institutions which includes negative attitudes and poor ethics displayed in the workplace – this we encounter both at the public and private levels.
Perhaps one major statement which I think Obama should have demanded as a condition for USA support is the statement that “Africa does not need strong men but strong institutions”. Yes we need strong institutions to enforce law and order. We need strong institutions to implement policies, to check corruption and to enforce good practices in order to move our country forward. As for the issue of strong men we are all witnesses of how they have failed us and have led us to our present predicament as a nation. Maybe having strong women would make a difference. Let us consider this and work towards bringing on board strong women as we build strong institutions. I am certain we will see a difference.
Showing posts with label ghana. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ghana. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Friday, July 31, 2009
Sub-Standard University Education in Ghana: The New Challenge
Currently, one of my favourite ways of enjoying Wednesday evenings is to watch the “Zain Africa Challenge”. It’s a quiz organised by Zain and it’s for selected Universities in Africa. The quiz master of the show is great and leaves an “indelible mark” on his audience – a good enough reason to make a date with him every week on the show.
This quiz is based on general knowledge with topics ranging from history, science, African culture, geography, literature, music and current affairs.I don’t think any syllabus is given so the student’s performance depends on their understanding of what’s happening around them and how knowledgeable and versatile they are when it comes to issues covered on the show.
The quiz started with 5 Ghanaian Universities and before long, four were evicted during the 1st round leaving only one that made it to the 2nd stage. As to how they got there it was a miracle. At the 2nd stage, the final Ghanaian university was evicted.
Looking at Ghanaian universities today, it is hardly a surprise that they were eliminated so early? I for one think that our Universities are now places encouraging rote learning, rather than places where ingenuity is rewarded.
The issue here is whose fault is this? Is it the faults of students, lecturers or government? A lecturer who takes over 600 students for one course has no option than to let the class answer “fill in questions”, true or false and mostly objective questions that merely require you to reproduce what the lecturer has taught you. Even these responses can be found in handouts that the lecturers themselves have produced. There is no room for a student to research on any topic unless the student is in a class of less than 100 students and the lecturer is prepared to take the time to mark, or the student loves studying and has a hobby of reading, but for the average student…When even an assignment or a term paper is given that requires students to research, how many students get the papers back?
In my days at the University of Cape Coast in Ghana, it was rare to see the “Junior Common Room” full with diligent students. In face, whenever you saw the Common Room full then you will knew there was a football match on. On “normal” days, the common room was a place for playing pool. Students prefer reading novels (that is if they read) to reading newspapers and prefer watching movies to watching the news.
In my opinion the subject of quality university education in Ghana is a challenge to the nation as a whole and it behoves on each and every individual contribute to making our educational system better.
Where do we start from and how do we do it?
Mavis Gardiner
Finance Assistant
This quiz is based on general knowledge with topics ranging from history, science, African culture, geography, literature, music and current affairs.I don’t think any syllabus is given so the student’s performance depends on their understanding of what’s happening around them and how knowledgeable and versatile they are when it comes to issues covered on the show.
The quiz started with 5 Ghanaian Universities and before long, four were evicted during the 1st round leaving only one that made it to the 2nd stage. As to how they got there it was a miracle. At the 2nd stage, the final Ghanaian university was evicted.
Looking at Ghanaian universities today, it is hardly a surprise that they were eliminated so early? I for one think that our Universities are now places encouraging rote learning, rather than places where ingenuity is rewarded.
The issue here is whose fault is this? Is it the faults of students, lecturers or government? A lecturer who takes over 600 students for one course has no option than to let the class answer “fill in questions”, true or false and mostly objective questions that merely require you to reproduce what the lecturer has taught you. Even these responses can be found in handouts that the lecturers themselves have produced. There is no room for a student to research on any topic unless the student is in a class of less than 100 students and the lecturer is prepared to take the time to mark, or the student loves studying and has a hobby of reading, but for the average student…When even an assignment or a term paper is given that requires students to research, how many students get the papers back?
In my days at the University of Cape Coast in Ghana, it was rare to see the “Junior Common Room” full with diligent students. In face, whenever you saw the Common Room full then you will knew there was a football match on. On “normal” days, the common room was a place for playing pool. Students prefer reading novels (that is if they read) to reading newspapers and prefer watching movies to watching the news.
In my opinion the subject of quality university education in Ghana is a challenge to the nation as a whole and it behoves on each and every individual contribute to making our educational system better.
Where do we start from and how do we do it?
Mavis Gardiner
Finance Assistant
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Grantee Focus: Mbaasem announces the "Ghana Women Writers Forum"
Are you a female novelist, poet or playwright? Have you attempted writing any short stories, novels, poems or plays? Do you need guidance in writing and publishing your own work? Are you a member of the Mbaasem Writers’ Club? Then Mbaasem Foundation is inviting you to join the Ghana Women Writers’ Forum for a wonderful evening of interaction.
Venue: The Pan African Writers Association (PAWA) House, Roman Ridge , Accra
Date: Thursday 23rd July 2009
Time: 5.30 pm
This interaction will be the first of a series of meetings that will be aimed towards helping established and aspiring writers to write and publish their works. The meetings will also offer women writers the opportunity to collaborate and network with each other. All interested women are cordially invited.
Contact: 024 345-1003, mbaasem33@yahoo.com
Venue: The Pan African Writers Association (PAWA) House, Roman Ridge , Accra
Date: Thursday 23rd July 2009
Time: 5.30 pm
This interaction will be the first of a series of meetings that will be aimed towards helping established and aspiring writers to write and publish their works. The meetings will also offer women writers the opportunity to collaborate and network with each other. All interested women are cordially invited.
Contact: 024 345-1003, mbaasem33@yahoo.com
Friday, July 10, 2009
Obama’s Visit: Is He Promoting Good Governance In Ghana?
It is well known that President Obama chose to visit Ghana because of its track record in governance and democracy. Not all of us who live here are convinced that we are such a good model for governance and democracy but that is a subject for another blog.
This morning Joy FM (Ghanaian local radio station) interviewed a journalist who had been assaulted by some staff of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) as he tried to report a demolition exercise that was being carried out by the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange in Accra (Ghana’s capital). The AMA officials were destroying the shacks and tables used by street hawkers. The AMA officials did not want this journalist to report the story. According to the journalist in question (Cyrus De-Graft Johnson, a Joy FM journalist) he was physically assaulted and robbed of his belongings including his mobile phone, recorder and a wallet. A fellow journalist who tried to come to his aid was also severely beaten up. All this was done whilst armed and unarmed policemen who were there to protect the task force watched on.
I initially heard this report at about 8.3oam, by midday Joy FM reported that President Mills had ordered an immediate investigation into the assault of the journalists and had personally spoken to the journalists. The head of the AMA, Mr Vanderpuye also said he had retrieved the personal effects taken from the journalists.
Is it a coincidence that President Mills rang the two journalists on the same day that President Obama is arriving in Accra or am I merely being a skeptic when I suspect a linkage? After all it will not do for there to be media reports about assaulted journalists on the same day that the 44th President of the United States of America visits Ghana, to hold the country up as “a model of good governance and democracy” in Africa.
Nana Sekyiamah
Programme Officer
Fundraising & Communication
P.S: I am a member of Ghana Blogging.com and this post is my contribution for our universal blogging day
This morning Joy FM (Ghanaian local radio station) interviewed a journalist who had been assaulted by some staff of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) as he tried to report a demolition exercise that was being carried out by the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange in Accra (Ghana’s capital). The AMA officials were destroying the shacks and tables used by street hawkers. The AMA officials did not want this journalist to report the story. According to the journalist in question (Cyrus De-Graft Johnson, a Joy FM journalist) he was physically assaulted and robbed of his belongings including his mobile phone, recorder and a wallet. A fellow journalist who tried to come to his aid was also severely beaten up. All this was done whilst armed and unarmed policemen who were there to protect the task force watched on.
I initially heard this report at about 8.3oam, by midday Joy FM reported that President Mills had ordered an immediate investigation into the assault of the journalists and had personally spoken to the journalists. The head of the AMA, Mr Vanderpuye also said he had retrieved the personal effects taken from the journalists.
Is it a coincidence that President Mills rang the two journalists on the same day that President Obama is arriving in Accra or am I merely being a skeptic when I suspect a linkage? After all it will not do for there to be media reports about assaulted journalists on the same day that the 44th President of the United States of America visits Ghana, to hold the country up as “a model of good governance and democracy” in Africa.
Nana Sekyiamah
Programme Officer
Fundraising & Communication
P.S: I am a member of Ghana Blogging.com and this post is my contribution for our universal blogging day
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
An Open Letter to President Obama
8th July, 2009.
Dear President Obama,
You are expected in our beloved country this Friday and already Obama-mania has taken over Ghana. To be fair Obama-mania is not solely because of your impending visit. Obama-mania began when you became the Democratic Party’s Presidential nominee. On that fateful day in November when you were voted into office many Ghanaians did not sleep. I was one of the unfaithful who went to bed but I instinctively woke up during the night and checked CNN to find that you were going to become the 44th President of the United States of America. I guess it is only fit that we as Ghanaians felt so involved with the American electoral process. After all, your country is the “World’s Policeman”. At least that is how it feels some of the time…
I know you are travelling with your wife, Michelle but the whole country appears to be excited about YOU and not the First Lady. Hmm, I wonder if the levels of excitement would have been the same if she was President.
You can’t imagine the fuss your impending visit has caused. Let me tell you some:
Listening to Ghana’s Joy FM yesterday, it was reported that the chiefs of the Ogua Traditional Area in the Central Region had declared that no funerals are to take place on Saturday the 11th of July. The Chiefs in their wisdom and foresight anticipate that the Obama motorcade will drive through their municipality and they want no hindrance in the President’s way. Instead the Chiefs plan to hold a durbar which Obama may view as his motorcade speeds by. I am wondering if they have not heard that Obama’s helicopter will be transporting him to Cape Coast direct from Accra. I also feel sorry for all those who have been planning funerals for months (in some cases even years) and scheduled the funeral for Saturday. In Ghana, funerals are a big deal. We definitely do not subscribe to the notion, “let the dead bury the dead”.
A new organisation called “Friends of Obama” seems to have sprung up overnight. Seriously you will be impressed with the efficiency of this organisation, no one seems to know where they sprung up from but they have erected posters, bill boards and banners all over the country welcoming you “home”. Please make sure you take time to look out of your speeding motorcade and you are sure to catch some of their handiwork. This group has easily spent several hundred thousand dollars to celebrate you. I caught the tail end of an interview with the coordinator of “Friends of Obama” and she says all the money spent on the billboards, etc was raised from friends and individuals. How I wish some of these individuals would donate some of their dollars to my organisation (The African Women’s Development Fund)
If I am to continue listing all that is being done in your name – songs have been produced, special flags featuring your face, there are even some who think that the fuel shortage is because your advance party has emptied our stock – this will become “So Long a Letter” so let me get straight to the point of this letter.
A few weeks ago an enterprising journalist visited the offices of the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF). His mission? To find out what the impact of Michelle Obama’s visit to Ghana will be for women’s rights organisations. Our first reaction (a colleague and I) was amusement. What? He was expecting impact after a flying visit by the First Lady of the USA? Impact on the women’s movement in Ghana? After I had ceased to be amused I began to see the possibilities. Imagine if Michelle Obama paid a visit to AWDF? The world’s eyes would be on us. We could invite our grantees and she could dialogue with them about the work they do, more people would become aware of AWDF and our grantees…her visit needn’t be long. Even 5 minutes would suffice. But alas it is not to be.
Trust me, AWDF has tried to get on the Obama’s schedule, we have sent letters to all those that we need to contact, lobbied those we can lobby and called those we can call but so far it has been to no avail.
I haven’t given up yet which is why I am writing this open letter to you President Obama. I know that your priorities (according to the rumour mill) are seeing the Slave Castles in Cape Coast/Elmina (and I do understand why) but if you or Michelle want to make an impact to women in Africa during your visit to Ghana, please take 5 minutes to visit AWDF. This is my official invitation to you.
Yours Sincerely,
Nana Sekyiamah
Programme Officer for Fundraising & Communications
P.S: I am relying on the viral powers of the Internet to get this message across so if you know anyone who knows anyone who may have a connection to the 44th President of the USA please forward this letter.
Dear President Obama,
You are expected in our beloved country this Friday and already Obama-mania has taken over Ghana. To be fair Obama-mania is not solely because of your impending visit. Obama-mania began when you became the Democratic Party’s Presidential nominee. On that fateful day in November when you were voted into office many Ghanaians did not sleep. I was one of the unfaithful who went to bed but I instinctively woke up during the night and checked CNN to find that you were going to become the 44th President of the United States of America. I guess it is only fit that we as Ghanaians felt so involved with the American electoral process. After all, your country is the “World’s Policeman”. At least that is how it feels some of the time…
I know you are travelling with your wife, Michelle but the whole country appears to be excited about YOU and not the First Lady. Hmm, I wonder if the levels of excitement would have been the same if she was President.
You can’t imagine the fuss your impending visit has caused. Let me tell you some:
Listening to Ghana’s Joy FM yesterday, it was reported that the chiefs of the Ogua Traditional Area in the Central Region had declared that no funerals are to take place on Saturday the 11th of July. The Chiefs in their wisdom and foresight anticipate that the Obama motorcade will drive through their municipality and they want no hindrance in the President’s way. Instead the Chiefs plan to hold a durbar which Obama may view as his motorcade speeds by. I am wondering if they have not heard that Obama’s helicopter will be transporting him to Cape Coast direct from Accra. I also feel sorry for all those who have been planning funerals for months (in some cases even years) and scheduled the funeral for Saturday. In Ghana, funerals are a big deal. We definitely do not subscribe to the notion, “let the dead bury the dead”.
A new organisation called “Friends of Obama” seems to have sprung up overnight. Seriously you will be impressed with the efficiency of this organisation, no one seems to know where they sprung up from but they have erected posters, bill boards and banners all over the country welcoming you “home”. Please make sure you take time to look out of your speeding motorcade and you are sure to catch some of their handiwork. This group has easily spent several hundred thousand dollars to celebrate you. I caught the tail end of an interview with the coordinator of “Friends of Obama” and she says all the money spent on the billboards, etc was raised from friends and individuals. How I wish some of these individuals would donate some of their dollars to my organisation (The African Women’s Development Fund)
If I am to continue listing all that is being done in your name – songs have been produced, special flags featuring your face, there are even some who think that the fuel shortage is because your advance party has emptied our stock – this will become “So Long a Letter” so let me get straight to the point of this letter.
A few weeks ago an enterprising journalist visited the offices of the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF). His mission? To find out what the impact of Michelle Obama’s visit to Ghana will be for women’s rights organisations. Our first reaction (a colleague and I) was amusement. What? He was expecting impact after a flying visit by the First Lady of the USA? Impact on the women’s movement in Ghana? After I had ceased to be amused I began to see the possibilities. Imagine if Michelle Obama paid a visit to AWDF? The world’s eyes would be on us. We could invite our grantees and she could dialogue with them about the work they do, more people would become aware of AWDF and our grantees…her visit needn’t be long. Even 5 minutes would suffice. But alas it is not to be.
Trust me, AWDF has tried to get on the Obama’s schedule, we have sent letters to all those that we need to contact, lobbied those we can lobby and called those we can call but so far it has been to no avail.
I haven’t given up yet which is why I am writing this open letter to you President Obama. I know that your priorities (according to the rumour mill) are seeing the Slave Castles in Cape Coast/Elmina (and I do understand why) but if you or Michelle want to make an impact to women in Africa during your visit to Ghana, please take 5 minutes to visit AWDF. This is my official invitation to you.
Yours Sincerely,
Nana Sekyiamah
Programme Officer for Fundraising & Communications
P.S: I am relying on the viral powers of the Internet to get this message across so if you know anyone who knows anyone who may have a connection to the 44th President of the USA please forward this letter.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Monitoring & Evaluation Visits in Ghana: Pictures from Ancilla Women's Centre
Currently AWDF is carrying out an extensive monitoring & evaluation visit with grantees in Ghana and last Friday I joined the Grants Manager on one of these visits. Here are some pictures from the Ancilla Women's Group which was founded by Catholic Sisters and recieved a grant of US$2,000 in 2006 for Economic Empowerment activities:
(Participants making tie & dye)
(handiwork of participants)
(A selection of clothing made by beneficiaries of the centre)
(Beneficiaries learning catering)
Nana Sekyiamah
Programme Officer
(Participants making tie & dye)
(handiwork of participants)
(A selection of clothing made by beneficiaries of the centre)
(Beneficiaries learning catering)
Nana Sekyiamah
Programme Officer
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Gender: The State of the Nation in Ghana
I have just been listening to the State of the Nation address by President John Ataa Mills of Ghana and there are three things he mentioned which are of interest to me.
1. The Ministry for Women and Children will be provided with extra financial resources
2. Gender centres will be established in each district assembly
3. The Women's Manifesto of 2004 will be adapted
I am especially excited about the last point because the Women's Manifesto of Ghana was compiled by our grantees Abantu for Development and funding from AWDF enabled translation of the manifesto into four local languages, Akan, Dagbani, Ga and Ewe. This (at least in my opinion) indicated that the advocacy work carried out by women has an impact over a period of time. This impact may not be easily captured by the time a donor report is due, but the impact occurs over time.
I also believe that advocacy by women's rights activists and women's right's organisations for political parties to choose a woman vice president is what led the current goverment whilst in opposition to declare that if successful during the elections they will ensure that 40% of their cabinet are women. Again, some fantastic work was done here by another AWDF grantee, Women in Law and Development (WILDAF). In a recent visit to congratulate President Mills on winning the highest seat in the land, WILDAF presented the President with a list of 500 competent women who can occupy positions in cabinet. No excuses allowed then.
My hope is that this will set a precedent for all political parties who will take even more progressive steps to ensure gender equality in Ghana.
Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah
Programme Officer (Fundraising & Communications)
1. The Ministry for Women and Children will be provided with extra financial resources
2. Gender centres will be established in each district assembly
3. The Women's Manifesto of 2004 will be adapted
I am especially excited about the last point because the Women's Manifesto of Ghana was compiled by our grantees Abantu for Development and funding from AWDF enabled translation of the manifesto into four local languages, Akan, Dagbani, Ga and Ewe. This (at least in my opinion) indicated that the advocacy work carried out by women has an impact over a period of time. This impact may not be easily captured by the time a donor report is due, but the impact occurs over time.
I also believe that advocacy by women's rights activists and women's right's organisations for political parties to choose a woman vice president is what led the current goverment whilst in opposition to declare that if successful during the elections they will ensure that 40% of their cabinet are women. Again, some fantastic work was done here by another AWDF grantee, Women in Law and Development (WILDAF). In a recent visit to congratulate President Mills on winning the highest seat in the land, WILDAF presented the President with a list of 500 competent women who can occupy positions in cabinet. No excuses allowed then.
My hope is that this will set a precedent for all political parties who will take even more progressive steps to ensure gender equality in Ghana.
Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah
Programme Officer (Fundraising & Communications)
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Audacious hope for 2009
I have only just started reading Barack Obama's 'The Audacity of Hope'. I am literally only a few pages into the book, Barack describes a restlessness that characterises him and other politicians he knows. For himself he describes as a weakness 'an inability to appreciate no matter how well things were going, those blessings that were right there in front of me.' That's a sentiment I can echo and got me thinking about my blessings in 2008:
* I found a job in my native Ghana and moved home from London.
* I started writing a monthly column for a parenting magazine.
* Through my job I had the opportunity to travel to countries I had never visited including South Africa, Mexico and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
* I met some amazing inspirational women - Ama Ata Aidoo and Pregs Govender spring to mind.
* I had the opportunity to start my life from scratch and create new dreams, opportunities and ambitions.
For 2009 I look forward to:
* Starting a bead making course
* Taking a weekend break every 3 months (as I resolved to do in a previous blog post after reading 'What's the point of the Revolution if we cannot dance'
* Making time to collate and transcribe my grand aunt's oral herstory
* Becoming a card carrying member of my chosen political party, and being more politically active.
What are you looking forward to doing in 2009?
Nana Sekyiamah
Programme Officer
Fundraising & Communication
* I found a job in my native Ghana and moved home from London.
* I started writing a monthly column for a parenting magazine.
* Through my job I had the opportunity to travel to countries I had never visited including South Africa, Mexico and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
* I met some amazing inspirational women - Ama Ata Aidoo and Pregs Govender spring to mind.
* I had the opportunity to start my life from scratch and create new dreams, opportunities and ambitions.
For 2009 I look forward to:
* Starting a bead making course
* Taking a weekend break every 3 months (as I resolved to do in a previous blog post after reading 'What's the point of the Revolution if we cannot dance'
* Making time to collate and transcribe my grand aunt's oral herstory
* Becoming a card carrying member of my chosen political party, and being more politically active.
What are you looking forward to doing in 2009?
Nana Sekyiamah
Programme Officer
Fundraising & Communication
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Ghana votes 2008: All roads lead to Tain
Hmmm, the current political situation in Ghana is very tricky at the moment. If you read this blog regularly you will know that we (the AWDF staff) held a 'blog off' on our last day at work. As moderator of this blog, I can tell you that I have never had so many postings submitted in one day. Politics is obviously a subject that arouses all our passions.
At the moment we in Ghana are in a 'wait and see' mode. The EC held a press conference about an hour ago and at the moment we still do not have a winner. The NDC has a tiny lead but that can change depending on the results of the Tain constituency. Apparently the Tain Consitituency were not able to vote on the 28th and so will be voting this coming Friday. I can just see all the political parties getting in their 4 x 4s and heading straight to Tain. There have also been allegations of 'irregularities' by both parties and the EC is asking both parties to provide evidence so they can investigate. I am wondering how long this process is going to drag on. I am tired already, I have been dreaming of the elections and feeling so stressed wondering what is going to happen. The sad thing is no party is going to be satisfied whatever the outcomes are. The country is clearly polarised between the two parties and for whoever emerges victorious close to 50% of the population will be unhappy. I have been totally 'against' the power sharing deals that have taken place on the African continent this year but have found myself wondering whether in this particular context there are genuine grounds for power sharing. What are your thoughts?
Nana Sekyiamah
Programme Officer
Fundraising & Communications
At the moment we in Ghana are in a 'wait and see' mode. The EC held a press conference about an hour ago and at the moment we still do not have a winner. The NDC has a tiny lead but that can change depending on the results of the Tain constituency. Apparently the Tain Consitituency were not able to vote on the 28th and so will be voting this coming Friday. I can just see all the political parties getting in their 4 x 4s and heading straight to Tain. There have also been allegations of 'irregularities' by both parties and the EC is asking both parties to provide evidence so they can investigate. I am wondering how long this process is going to drag on. I am tired already, I have been dreaming of the elections and feeling so stressed wondering what is going to happen. The sad thing is no party is going to be satisfied whatever the outcomes are. The country is clearly polarised between the two parties and for whoever emerges victorious close to 50% of the population will be unhappy. I have been totally 'against' the power sharing deals that have taken place on the African continent this year but have found myself wondering whether in this particular context there are genuine grounds for power sharing. What are your thoughts?
Nana Sekyiamah
Programme Officer
Fundraising & Communications
Saturday, December 20, 2008
We are indeed Moving Forward!
Allow me as a non Ghanaian who is living in Accra to throw my 2 cents worth into the fray of the discussions that are at present heating up the entire country. The elections are on most people’s minds here. There is debate, argument and counter argument between and amongst Ghanaians (and even non Ghanaians).
When I announced to my family and friends that I would be in Accra during the recently held elections, I was immediately beset with looks and sighs of panic and concern. By way of explanation, my family like most African families these days is scattered all over the globe. Having migrated for employment purposes, I am the only member of my family here in Ghana.
Armed to the teeth as they were with all the well known stories of elections in much of Africa (most recently illustrated in countries such as Nigeria, Kenya and Zimbabwe), the concern for my safety and well being at election time became the focus of my family’s attention. What would happen when, rather than, if chaos broke out? Calls and SMS messages came in a plenty, asking what my evacuation plans were. What is the strategy? Where will you stay? You simply cannot stay in that house alone at this time; What if something happens? The panic reached fever pitch. All the while, I (with some moderate trepidation it must be said) tried to assure them that all would be well. But just in case, I’d camp at Bisi’s house across the street.
And so come election day on 7th December. I am woken up at 5.30am. Vero, my house keeper lets me know very excitedly that she is off to cast her vote. I wish her well as I close the gate behind her and fortress myself inside. Soon after that, the phone starts to ring. Mum, sister, brothers, uncles, aunts, cousins, friends, former school friends, boyfriends and so on. It occurs to me that I do not realise how much I am loved until now. The calls come through out the day. I assure them I am fine and all is well. I even tell then about the drive I have taken to do some shopping. But they seem strangely unable to believe it. It is the calm before the storm, they say; Don’t let your guard down, you never know what can happen. On and on it went.
Who can blame them for worrying like this? Given the general pessimism dolled out regularly in the international media with the same underlying message - Africa is a Basket Case! – beamed frequently into our homes and into our consciousness? And yes, one cannot ignore the ugly conduct of many in political leadership on the continent today. The contempt with which they treat their office, their countries, their continent and their fellow citizens is quite simply, staggering. It does little to broker confidence in any undertaking that in which they are a part (unless of course it involves theft and other such acts of gross misconduct).
Well, the storm that my family and friends whipped up a fever about never actually materialised. On that day, 7th December 2008, Ghanaians all over the country went to the polling stations, waited patiently, some for very long hours, in the sweltering heat to cast their votes. And cast their votes, they did. I spent the evening with Bisi and her family and some of her friends from ECOWAS who were here to monitor the elections. They informed us that everywhere they went, the situation was the same. Voting was conducted in an orderly, transparent and fair manner. Although there was no official announcement of the result until 10th December, the media was busy doing its own counting. It was a close race with no clear winner emerging. We marvelled at how in spite of there being no clear winner, so far there were no attempts to stuff the boxes or hold a gun to some poor vote counter’s head, or even a bribe which is far more effective! You mean they haven’t sent a few armed privately armed militia to remind them where to cast the vote? We laughed. Even more astonishing was that a senior military official felt the need to issue a press statement denying reports that he had held meetings with leaders of the political parties in the run up to the election.. In our countries ,there would be no cause for denial, since the military is the government, we joked.
The country and the electorate waited, patiently for the official results from the Electoral Commission. On 10th December the results were announced. There would be a second round of voting as there was no clear winner for the presidency.
The political parties and candidates accepted the result, the people accepted the result and the country moved on with its life. Not a single gun shot anywhere. No skirmishes. No loss of life. Nothing but peace and acceptance. This really is the stuff of elections.
The Head of the Electoral Commission, Dr Afari Djan and his entire team did an exemplary job of counting the votes. The media also played its part in reporting even the slightest whiff of skulduggery. The military kept out of view and kept silent. The polling stations and all the volunteers, party agents, voters, candidates, everyone made the decision that they are Ghanaians first, and conducted themselves in a manner that is befitting such an occasion.
For many in Africa today, free and fair elections are nothing but a fanciful dream. Casting one’s vote is simply a matter of life and death. Yet in the midst of all this turmoil, there are also reasons to believe that change will come. Ghana has given us a reason to believe. And we will hold on to it for all that it is worth.
In the words of yet another reason to believe, Barack Obama, Yes we can.
And we did on 7th December 2008.
Congratulations Ghana. You did Africa proud. We are indeed Moving Forward! May it continue on 28th December 2008.
You will be pleased to know that my family is not worried at all now.
Sarah Mukasa
Director of Programmes
When I announced to my family and friends that I would be in Accra during the recently held elections, I was immediately beset with looks and sighs of panic and concern. By way of explanation, my family like most African families these days is scattered all over the globe. Having migrated for employment purposes, I am the only member of my family here in Ghana.
Armed to the teeth as they were with all the well known stories of elections in much of Africa (most recently illustrated in countries such as Nigeria, Kenya and Zimbabwe), the concern for my safety and well being at election time became the focus of my family’s attention. What would happen when, rather than, if chaos broke out? Calls and SMS messages came in a plenty, asking what my evacuation plans were. What is the strategy? Where will you stay? You simply cannot stay in that house alone at this time; What if something happens? The panic reached fever pitch. All the while, I (with some moderate trepidation it must be said) tried to assure them that all would be well. But just in case, I’d camp at Bisi’s house across the street.
And so come election day on 7th December. I am woken up at 5.30am. Vero, my house keeper lets me know very excitedly that she is off to cast her vote. I wish her well as I close the gate behind her and fortress myself inside. Soon after that, the phone starts to ring. Mum, sister, brothers, uncles, aunts, cousins, friends, former school friends, boyfriends and so on. It occurs to me that I do not realise how much I am loved until now. The calls come through out the day. I assure them I am fine and all is well. I even tell then about the drive I have taken to do some shopping. But they seem strangely unable to believe it. It is the calm before the storm, they say; Don’t let your guard down, you never know what can happen. On and on it went.
Who can blame them for worrying like this? Given the general pessimism dolled out regularly in the international media with the same underlying message - Africa is a Basket Case! – beamed frequently into our homes and into our consciousness? And yes, one cannot ignore the ugly conduct of many in political leadership on the continent today. The contempt with which they treat their office, their countries, their continent and their fellow citizens is quite simply, staggering. It does little to broker confidence in any undertaking that in which they are a part (unless of course it involves theft and other such acts of gross misconduct).
Well, the storm that my family and friends whipped up a fever about never actually materialised. On that day, 7th December 2008, Ghanaians all over the country went to the polling stations, waited patiently, some for very long hours, in the sweltering heat to cast their votes. And cast their votes, they did. I spent the evening with Bisi and her family and some of her friends from ECOWAS who were here to monitor the elections. They informed us that everywhere they went, the situation was the same. Voting was conducted in an orderly, transparent and fair manner. Although there was no official announcement of the result until 10th December, the media was busy doing its own counting. It was a close race with no clear winner emerging. We marvelled at how in spite of there being no clear winner, so far there were no attempts to stuff the boxes or hold a gun to some poor vote counter’s head, or even a bribe which is far more effective! You mean they haven’t sent a few armed privately armed militia to remind them where to cast the vote? We laughed. Even more astonishing was that a senior military official felt the need to issue a press statement denying reports that he had held meetings with leaders of the political parties in the run up to the election.. In our countries ,there would be no cause for denial, since the military is the government, we joked.
The country and the electorate waited, patiently for the official results from the Electoral Commission. On 10th December the results were announced. There would be a second round of voting as there was no clear winner for the presidency.
The political parties and candidates accepted the result, the people accepted the result and the country moved on with its life. Not a single gun shot anywhere. No skirmishes. No loss of life. Nothing but peace and acceptance. This really is the stuff of elections.
The Head of the Electoral Commission, Dr Afari Djan and his entire team did an exemplary job of counting the votes. The media also played its part in reporting even the slightest whiff of skulduggery. The military kept out of view and kept silent. The polling stations and all the volunteers, party agents, voters, candidates, everyone made the decision that they are Ghanaians first, and conducted themselves in a manner that is befitting such an occasion.
For many in Africa today, free and fair elections are nothing but a fanciful dream. Casting one’s vote is simply a matter of life and death. Yet in the midst of all this turmoil, there are also reasons to believe that change will come. Ghana has given us a reason to believe. And we will hold on to it for all that it is worth.
In the words of yet another reason to believe, Barack Obama, Yes we can.
And we did on 7th December 2008.
Congratulations Ghana. You did Africa proud. We are indeed Moving Forward! May it continue on 28th December 2008.
You will be pleased to know that my family is not worried at all now.
Sarah Mukasa
Director of Programmes
Thursday, December 18, 2008
YERESESAM AS WE MOVE FORWARD
Ghana’s political atmosphere is charged with a lot of slogans in the bid to choose the president of the nation. How exciting!
Ghanaians are very sharp and wide awake to the democratic dispensation prevailing in the country and elsewhere on the African continent now. Surely, we must continue to move our country forward, but we NEED TO CHANGE as we do that. WHY?
BECAUSE, we need to learn lessons from our sister nations. Keeping one party in government for more than two terms is a recipe for complacency, arrogance, perpetuation of selfishness, greed, corruption and what have you. We all can rightly guess the consequences of such behaviours all over Africa. It’s not wise to experience all situations before advising oneself. Sometimes, one needs to LEARN from other people’s experiences. We know of the Idi Amins, the Mobutu Seseseko’s of old and we are not mindless of the Mugabe’s of today. Ghanaians do not need to get there at all!
We are blessed with many great women and men in Ghana. The two contestants for the presidency, Professor Atta Mills and Nana Akuffo Addo Danquah are all great and illustrious sons of Ghana. They all merit the presidential position. But the thing is the National Patriotic Party (NPP) has reigned for two terms so that‘s ok for now. The CPP has proved to Ghanaians that they are not ready yet. May be they would by the year 2016 when we would change again (one term is reasonably too short). Otherwise we bring NPP back into governance. My people, lets CHANGE while we move forward.
To this end, I urge you all, VOTEZ Professor Mills!!!
Grace Amenyogbeli
Administration Manager
Ghanaians are very sharp and wide awake to the democratic dispensation prevailing in the country and elsewhere on the African continent now. Surely, we must continue to move our country forward, but we NEED TO CHANGE as we do that. WHY?
BECAUSE, we need to learn lessons from our sister nations. Keeping one party in government for more than two terms is a recipe for complacency, arrogance, perpetuation of selfishness, greed, corruption and what have you. We all can rightly guess the consequences of such behaviours all over Africa. It’s not wise to experience all situations before advising oneself. Sometimes, one needs to LEARN from other people’s experiences. We know of the Idi Amins, the Mobutu Seseseko’s of old and we are not mindless of the Mugabe’s of today. Ghanaians do not need to get there at all!
We are blessed with many great women and men in Ghana. The two contestants for the presidency, Professor Atta Mills and Nana Akuffo Addo Danquah are all great and illustrious sons of Ghana. They all merit the presidential position. But the thing is the National Patriotic Party (NPP) has reigned for two terms so that‘s ok for now. The CPP has proved to Ghanaians that they are not ready yet. May be they would by the year 2016 when we would change again (one term is reasonably too short). Otherwise we bring NPP back into governance. My people, lets CHANGE while we move forward.
To this end, I urge you all, VOTEZ Professor Mills!!!
Grace Amenyogbeli
Administration Manager
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
2008, the year of politics?
Is 2008 the year of politics? I think I have had politics on the 'membrane' the whole year...Ken Livingstone losing the ‘Mayorship’ of London (whilst I was still resident there), the difficult decision of should I support Hillary Clinton because she is female or Barack Obama because he is black (even though I have no vote in America), I observed the shambles of the Kenyan and Zimbabwean elections and looked forward to the Ghanaian elections. Earlier this year I queued for 5 hours to register to vote and on the 7th of December queued for 6 hours to cast my vote. Now that a run off has been declared between the incumbent and the opposition parties I guess I am going to have to queue all over again.
I have a strong belief in representational politics and standpoint theory – the belief that if you are from a particular standpoint you are more likely to be able to emphatise with someone from a similar standpoint. At least that’s my laywoman’s understanding of standpoint theory, so women politicians for example are more likely to vote in a Domestic Relations Bill and Oil investors in the US are more likely to vote Republican. I am aware of the limits of representational politics so I do not need a dreadlocked, middle class Ghanaian woman, aged 30 to speak up for women’s rights in Ghana but I do need a significant number of women parliamentarians in Ghana. Alas, it appears that I am to have less women parliamentarians in the next Ghanaian parliament than the previous one.
According to the Daily Graphic of December 11, 2008, 103 women contested the parliamentary elections (In 2004, 104 contested) but so far only 5 new women parliamentary candidates have emerged victorious. 4 of them on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party and 1 on the ticket of the Convention People’s Party, the issue this raises for me is do political parties select female candidates to run in their ‘strongholds’. It is well known that some areas of Ghana are strongholds of particular parties so in my local constituency of Tema West the NPP is almost guaranteed victory no matter who they select to represent the party hence Ms Irene Naa Torshie Addo winning on the NPP’s ticket. Personally, I doubt very much if ‘Naa’ won on the basis of her vision for the area.
If Ghana is to have more women MPs then political parties need to take the issue of gender parity seriously. What has worked in other parts of the world (the Nordic countries come to mind) has been a quota system for women. I would suggest that Ghanaian political parties adopt a similar strategy and have ‘women only lists’ for a proportion of their ‘strongholds’. This will indicate that political parties are taking the issue of gender parity seriously and will be one sure way of getting more women MPs. The next Ghanaian parliament is going to have 18 women MPs out of 230. I think that’s abhorrent. What are your thoughts?
Nana Sekyiamah
Programme Officer
Fundraising & Communications
I have a strong belief in representational politics and standpoint theory – the belief that if you are from a particular standpoint you are more likely to be able to emphatise with someone from a similar standpoint. At least that’s my laywoman’s understanding of standpoint theory, so women politicians for example are more likely to vote in a Domestic Relations Bill and Oil investors in the US are more likely to vote Republican. I am aware of the limits of representational politics so I do not need a dreadlocked, middle class Ghanaian woman, aged 30 to speak up for women’s rights in Ghana but I do need a significant number of women parliamentarians in Ghana. Alas, it appears that I am to have less women parliamentarians in the next Ghanaian parliament than the previous one.
According to the Daily Graphic of December 11, 2008, 103 women contested the parliamentary elections (In 2004, 104 contested) but so far only 5 new women parliamentary candidates have emerged victorious. 4 of them on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party and 1 on the ticket of the Convention People’s Party, the issue this raises for me is do political parties select female candidates to run in their ‘strongholds’. It is well known that some areas of Ghana are strongholds of particular parties so in my local constituency of Tema West the NPP is almost guaranteed victory no matter who they select to represent the party hence Ms Irene Naa Torshie Addo winning on the NPP’s ticket. Personally, I doubt very much if ‘Naa’ won on the basis of her vision for the area.
If Ghana is to have more women MPs then political parties need to take the issue of gender parity seriously. What has worked in other parts of the world (the Nordic countries come to mind) has been a quota system for women. I would suggest that Ghanaian political parties adopt a similar strategy and have ‘women only lists’ for a proportion of their ‘strongholds’. This will indicate that political parties are taking the issue of gender parity seriously and will be one sure way of getting more women MPs. The next Ghanaian parliament is going to have 18 women MPs out of 230. I think that’s abhorrent. What are your thoughts?
Nana Sekyiamah
Programme Officer
Fundraising & Communications
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