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The Up-dated version of the Nkrumahs Development Plans is Found- not in India But in Ghana

So you are a Ghanaian? Then Akwaaba, for you must be traveller. Though your country is not and had never ever been poor. Our "repeated history" also reveals that our nation had never ever been in want of leadership. Why then believe that Imam, the Pastor and that soothsayer that our fortune is at abroad but not at home?

Consider the numerous castles and forts planted along our coasts. And how great empires of all times, still struggle among themselves to have trade links with us? What about the sparkling reward of “do it yourself” beaming on the focusing face of the Osagyefo?

Geographically, we are well located. Yes, our homeland is not land-locked. We have the sea, rivers- big and small, gold, diamond, millet, forest and many, many more. We are intelligent and courageous Remember, among others the Sarbahs, Hayfords, Dankwas, Adjeteys and the Amus. And of course, we must never forget courageous Nana Asameni, "the first Ghanaian Governor?" and Obenefo Albert Oboahene Adu- the alter of Culture of Silence? And what about the Akatakyiemma, the Rawlings and the Osahene too?

Are we then not poor because we care seriously about that billions of beautiful birds in that bush that we could hardly lay hands on than that lone bird in hand?

True, you are suggesting nothing novel, for this sort of observation has often been made. The Holy Scriptures has it that, for the Kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. Unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several abilities; and straightaway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with same, and made them other five talents. Likewise he that received two talents. Faithful servants, Mathew Gospel accounts. So they were rewarded.

Thus notwithstanding the master's perceived shortcomings, they pitched on the foundation laid down for them and ultimately, benefited. Could this not be consistent with our own saying that had the "short-sighted" known that s/he would be the beneficiary of that adowati no a, s/he would have better smoked it well? So, to the abro man, who "despised", him and mercilessly mixed up the gold-nugget with sand, in that he was shrewd, and probably, a dictator, he said: " Thou wicked and " royal servant" , thou knowest that I reap where I sowed not .. Thou oughtest therefore to have put my [dwetee] talent to the exchangers... I should have received mine own nsihoo ." (Matt 25: 14-30)

This is why we may not disagree with Dr Charles Wereko Brobbey, the 2000 United Ghana Movement [UGM] presidential candidate. In a press conference, launching his party's manifestoes- A Fresh Start- Agenda For Ghana In The Third Millennium, the fine energy wizard said: ".. After (43) years of self rule... Ghanaians had perfected in the art of begging their colonial masters and fellow beginners to come and do everything for them. Almost the whole of our economic development programmes, says the former Volta River Authority boss, come from the generosity of the very people we fought to free ourselves." (Free Press, 25. -31 Oct. 2000, p.12) This may not be extremely bad. But you may also add, how could this be our balance sheet? There may be some odds, yes.

As for example, what Dr Nkrumah says in his Book- I Speak of Freedom: "Although most Africans are poor, our continent is [still] potentially extremely rich. Our mineral resources range from gold and diamonds to uranium and petroleum. Our forests contain some of the finest woods to be grown anywhere including our cash crops- cocoa, coffee, rubber, tobacco and cotton. As for power, which is an important factor in any economic development, Africa, says Osagyefo, contains over 40% of the potential waterpower of the world, as compared with about 10% in Europe and 13% in North America. Yet so far, less than 1% has been developed. This is why [sadly] we have in [Ghana?] Africa the paradox of poverty in the midst of plenty, and scarcity in the midst of abundance." (William Heinemann Ltd., (1961), pp. xi-xiv) This is of course, a valid stale cheque.

But because a prophet is hardly honoured in his home country, as until recently that some of us "confessed" to the Voice of America Direct Talk interview, that as a young folks, we did not understand Osagyefo pretty well (?), consider this one too. Dr Claire Melamed, of Christian Aid, United Kingdom, had said that rules allow countries to get a better rate for turning cocoa beans into chocolate. But many developing countries [like ours] do not have the infrastructure, factories and resources to do so. And countries that sell just textiles, such as Bangladesh, will not get as good a rate as India, for instance, which produces its own cotton. This might not be news to you. But with the same welling of loss and sorrow pouring on our farmers less able to compete with producers from richer nations, flooding the market with the aid of their governments, which way forward?

Honestly, Christian Aid calculates that, without free trade, Ghana's national wealth in 2000, for example, would have been £466 million higher than the £2.7billion actually produced. In the same year, according to the report, our country lost the equivalent of £24 per person in potential income but [sadly,] received only £17 per person in aid. So we began importing rice in mid 1980s despite it being a major crop for our own farmers? (Metro Newspaper, London, Monday, 20 June 2005, p.5). Implying that our small-scale farmers and herders too, need qualitative technical agricultural support services, access to a range of input and an improved crop varieties, better storage and distribution facilities and livestock improvement, but which has for so long proved to be more problematic?

As odd as these seem to be the woes of a country that lacks these and easily abandons its infrastructures to rust and rot and import yellow corn, creating additional 30 parliamentary seats, is all but now, economically impossible? Yes, there is a limit to what can be deduced from text, or treated as consistent. So, we might arguably not pore over the text of Macbeth to determine the number of Lady Macbeth's children. But would it be a waste to attempt to discover from it whether Macbeth suffered from athlete's foot?

It is on records that on 5 March 1952, when [Francis] Kwame Nkrumah became Prime Minister of Gold Coast, our homeland's Five Year Development Plan was launched. And through its implementation which you may also agree as an indication of the Osagyefo's loyal stewardship, wishing only the best from the word go, here, Nzema Kotokoniba invested in the masses: So, 9 Teacher Training Colleges, 18 Secondary Schools and 31 Primary and Middle schools were built. In the Northern Territories, 10 new hospitals were built. And major roads linking Accra and Cape Coast and Kumasi and from Tamale to Bolgatanga, constructed (http://www.greatepicbooks.com/epics/november97.html).

The British, we are told, left no debts rather, bequeathed on us, a huge savings. So much so that our principal interest in this venture is not to question how many of such infrastructures were erected in the then five regions of Ghana after their113 years [1884-1957] of trusteeship? But in his effort to develop an equitable society, the 'Show Boy', launched a nationwide self-help schemes of continental importance. Consider, the proliferation of both traditional and foreign industries- the Volta Project, the Atomic Energy, the Akasanoma Plant [Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research?] and the "rushed" Job 600 Project that was heavily criticized for its initial fatalities and costs?

Had these state policies been strengthened and Farmers Brigade, for example, adopted in those decades, would they not have given us the exact economic shade that we are all now searching for? And perhaps not have spent decades of years in wasted endeavours?

To understand why these matter so much for our discussion, let us screw out what economists regarded as the main engines of growth. Scottish economist Adam Smith has written that productivity gains achieved through specialization are the secret to the wealth of nations. But for these gains to materialize, producers must have access to markets where they can sell their specialized output and buy other goods. Could this mean larger market, and greater scope for specialization? Today, new economic theories coupled with advertisement, transportation and patronage have brought local direct investment back to the forefront of Ghana development debate. Nkrumah made Ghana a destination of many.

But like the fate of our struggling state transport venture and peasant farming, we saw our future piercing in the skies like smoke. We shall travel no farther than to the early 1970s. It is unclear whether it was Lt. Col. I. K. Acheampong's regime where Sethra buses were herded on our roads only to be lost someday to the Kings of Kings Transport, in Odorkor, Accra. It was speculated [so handle this with care] that the Kings of Kings and its dedicated conductors were able to manage engineering problems even far more accurate than top- flight state engineers who sometimes, suffered simple bolt- and -nut tightening?

Probably not measuring up to that business icon- Nseribe, our business-concious Gyima & Co. proprietary skills, arguably, could have transformed Ghana's barren deserts into marshlands? And what about Mark Kwofie Transport, the royal from Tsito or so, in the Volta Region? True, there could be many, including Henry- I shall Return, we guess.

But, depite all these sole-trading, even Akatakyie Farms, at Okatakyiekrom could not withstand the test of time. Could this not be answered, say, in the context of the law of diminishing returns, that states that whenever a variable factor of production is applied on a fix factor- land, output increases and later decreases? Here, we are attempting to advance that economies of scale with growth and development, hardly attract easily, with one another in Ghana? Thus, nicknames such as Alonte tie, Adjoa Nyanki, Kotoko annya ammo and won ntackle Polo, appear to us like that farmer in the Synoptic Gospel, whose seed fell on a good soil but bore no fruits and alas perished because of failed rains?

Today, how comfortable it is to travel on Dr Agyekum Kufuor's new buses. Arguably, this might not be different from that of Dr Limann, who also flocked our feeder roads with Tata buses. The only difference being the nation wide consumer co-operative union-the mechanism of distributing the then so called essential commodities, that sometimes, never reached their destinations? And also, unlike in Gentle Giant's case- a stress-free journeys, buses break down sometimes mid-way or just after taking off? And part refund of our transport fares to continue one's journey, as we all know, had hardly ever been part of our contract law? So, we are not surprised that some traders and commuters are still complaining of lost fortunes and appointments due to these sporadic but rampant stoppages which neither management nor paid marshals devoted time and attention? Continued    Source: Asante Fordjour

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