AWUDOME CEMETERY ORDEALS, JOBS ONLY ASSOCIATES OF OSAFO MAAFO, OFORI ATTAH CAN GET; SOKOO AS ESOKO

I switched on my data Saturday night to check what was trending on social media and the first news that hit me on Facebook was from a friend.

“I have just been robbed at Awudome cemetery, opposite State Housing Company,” Ruth Abla Adjorlolo bluntly posted.

The road in-front of the cemetery leading to Awudome roundabout first meets an intercession which almost always creates a go-slow and so as her cab driver tries to overcome the go-slow, a criminal, pretending to be a genuine pedestrian in a split second dashed, lifted from the back seat her hand bag containing valuables and vanished into the darkness towards the cemetery, she recounted.

Baboon attempting a break in to a moving car 

Amidst the sympathies pouring out on her page, others shared similar experiences at the same area.

“Yes oo. I was also robbed at that same spot 6 months ago. It was a sad experience. It Wasnt the first time. The first time was unsuccessful but they succeeded the second time,” a victim, Naa Davies also shared.

Months ago, TV hostess, Annie Ampofo also posted on her Facebook wall about a similar ordeal but lost not too much of a valuable; a make –up kit which was lying on the front passenger’s seat of her car.

Today in Madina, the modus operandi for criminals is to target carriers of backpacks. As one finds himself in a crowded area and tries to nudge through, the bag is quickly opened, targeting any valuable. If nothing worthy is found, the owner’s attention is drawn to the opened of the bag.

One other shared experience; a criminal approach your car pretending to be drawing your attention to something on your vehicle, while at it his counterpart quietly break- into your car.  

These harrowing experiences reflect Ghana’s 2017 Crimes and Safety Report issued by the US State Department indicating street crime; examples of which are theft from vehicles, pickpocketing, car-jacking etc is a serious problem and is especially acute in Accra and other large cities.

Some of the criminals nabbed

As if by design, the bushy and dark nature of the Awudome cemetery and its surrounding for instance presents the Police a herculean task to effect arrests since criminals are more conversant with the terrain and pelt the police when attempts are made to arrest them. To effectively deal with this and other issues, the AMA and security agencies have to reconsider their strategy including clearing the bushes, illuminate the area and deploying joint Police-Military teams.

Until such a time that the security agencies act to rid that spot and the rest of our societies of criminals and reduce crime to the barest minimum, we have to be extremely conscious plying areas of this nature. Preceding the security provided by the state, it behooves us to ensure our safety.

Kindly stay safe and share this with loved ones.

The New Patriotic Party [NPP] every means necessary made jobs a key part of its 2016 campaign.   "Change, Agenda for jobs; Creating opportunities for all,” the theme for the 2016 manifesto was. The reality however, as being witnessed today; the job opportunities being created is only for a few.

 Is it surprising therefore that the transmogrified theme of job opportunities for only a few, informed Senior Minister, Osafo Maafo’s recent utterances to the effect that the public sector is full to the extent of even requiring lay-offs?

Hon Osafo Maafo would sound as such. Why? As you are aware, he had been able to secure in the supposedly full public sector, juicy positions for two sons of his; Kofi Bosompim Osafo Maafo as Deputy Director General at SSNIT.

Kwadwo Osafo Maafo also had for him created a Deputy Director position at NCA in charge of Cyber security, a creation that the Regulator, NCA and International Telecommunication [ITU] have indicated as not a core function and which NITA already has a unit responsible for.

One other Deputy Director General position at SSNIT is reportedly occupied by a sister of Nana Asante Bediatuo, Executive Secretary to President Akufo Addo.

Ghana Export Promotion Centre [GEPC], National Students Loan Trust and others have positions such as Deputy Directors created and filled with family, friends, partners and such other titles.

Alice Ofori Attah, a sister to the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Attah is now the MD of Tema Development Corporation [TDC], Eno Ofori Attah is appointed as the Acting CEO of SIC, Duke Ofori Attah and Richard Ofori also at the Flagstaff House, Daniel Ogbarmey, Yoofi Grant and Sampson Akligoh all of Data Bank now DG of Securities and Exchange Commission [SEC], CEO of GIPC and Director of Financial Sector Division of Ministry of Finance respectively.

Seven other staff of Databank have been freighted to the Finance Ministry as staff, aside the Mckinsey team managing the economy.

Others are Keli Gadzekpo of Enterprise group and a friend to Ken Ofori Attah is the Board Chair of ECG as he doubles as a Board member of Bank of Ghana [BoG], Keli Gadzekpo's wife also a Board member of NIB bank, Mrs Comfort Ocran who is friend with Ken Ofori Attah is also on BoG Board. These are the Finance Minister's line alone.

President Akufo Addo’s daughter, Gyankroma Akufo Addo was appointed onto the Creative Arts Council and brother inlaw, Ken Amankwah as Ghana@60 committee chairman. Virginia Hesse as you can guess also as an ambassador, other positions as Executive and Special Assistants are being created for the few.

Any wonder that members of the NPP’s incorrigible vigilante groups – Kandahar, Delta, Invisible forces would keep resorting to hounding out of offices of state officials, storming national events among other things issuing threats, all in demand for jobs?

NPP's Delta Forces leader speaking to the media

Deputy Minister for Defense, Hon Derrick Oduro claimed NPP leadership beyond measure raised the hopes of party followers. Is he now realizing it? That it is not only party followers but the generality of the electorate that had been hoodwinked by the phantom promises?

Candidate Akufo Addo made definite promises; one is to restore trainee allowance, train more nurses and teachers and to establish hospitals for employment of the nurses. After winning power and assumption of office, the story has changed; the certainty about the allowance payment, amount to be paid each trainee per month hangs in a balance.

The allowance restoration promise story since January, 2017 as carried by the paper 

Atop that is the clandestine re-introduction of a quota system which had had admissions severely cut by 1,600 applicants per year. In four years, 6,400 opportunities are denied potential nurses. How can this approach help bridge the 38,000 nurses’ deficit and reduce the ratio of 1 nurse: 500 patients we are currently faced with to a UN standard ratio of 1 nurse: 250? 

YEA workers protesting actions of the Akufo Addo Govt

This un-ambitious approach is akin to the Danquah – Busia group’s attitude towards Ghana’s quest for independence. No?

The entire trainee enrolment cut at the health sector, we are told is 40%; that I have no qualms with but the justifications of Messrs. Asante Krobea, President of GRNA and Robert Cudjoe, Public Relation Officer [PRO] of MoH both of whom as hard as they try to sound convincing only succeeded in reminding me of a character, Squealer in George Orwell’s book, “Animal Farm.”

This decision of admission cut as sad as it is among other things for our country’s health and development drive came on the back of MoH Health Summit held at Golden Tulip in Kumasi which H.E. Akufo Addo graced, where the indication was explicit that government’s budget would not be able to bear with the number of nurses being churned out annually. Political will and commitment!

Unemployed Nurses on a protest March

The resolve underpins the alacrity with which government sought to discontinue the practice of bonding nurses.  Two other decisions at the summit as I learnt have to do with the directive that casuals should no longer be recruited and more males instead of females must be trained as midwives.

In my unsolicited view, one thing the Summit failed to do, obviously abdicated for the appointing authority was to urge the Health Minister, his unprecedented two deputies and the Public Relation Officer [PRO] to endeavor to appropriately engage with those in whose interest they seek to serve.

Respectfully, ever listened to the PRO, Robert Cudjoe? He sounds antagonizing speaking to issues of his Ministry much more than seeking to relate with the public. But the Minister, many including the unemployed nurses will tell you.

“Infact it is a problem, how can a whole father of health tell us that even if we put a knife to his throat there is nothing he could do for us?” A protesting nurse, Doreen Boateng lamented to media house.

The good books in Colossians 4:6 exhorts: “let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer each person.”

“Let no unwholesome words come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those  who listen.” Ephesians 4:29 also implores.

Deputy Minister, Madam Tina Mensah rather aggravates the situation. Getting military men to the MoH premises to discipline the concerned nurses was all she considered. Such heartlessness was reportedly displayed on OTEC FM whilst speaking on the actions of unemployed nurses. Until this utterance, I have doubt about claims she is a land-guard.

Amidst widespread reports that over one hundred thousand hectares of farms have been affected by fall army worms, Government in the face of the invasion struggles at its own level in an effort to tout the success of the “Planting for foods and jobs” program. As the Minister for Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie says the invasion is totally defeated, his deputy, Dr Sagre Bambangi on Onua FM says the invasion is under control. 

Fall army worm devastation of a farm

Also, when President Akufo Addo at the Presidential Encounter said no job has been created in his six months in office, assuring the measure of success of his government would be based on jobs creation, his Minister in-charge of Employment and Labor Relations, Hon Ignatius Bawuah on the sidelines of same program told TV3 about 200,000 jobs have been created by the program.

Esoko, a private entity and the fresh hands recently engaged are in-charge of provision of “Planting for food and jobs” related Extension services; assessment of the acreage of the farm lands and allocation of inputs which is by a note handed the farmers to be taken to the location of the inputs for collection. Existing and experienced Agricultural Extension Agents [AEAs] are hardly involved in the program.

An invasion of a Cocoa farm by the army worms

The fresh hands recently engaged to oversee this program are neither experienced nor have the means to access some of the farm locations. That is the work we are being told is on course for which the country’s huge resources are committed. 

Clap for this team! Truly Competent!