A Corruption of Perchers

My story of the week.  The IGP was looking for one Richard Frimpong Dardo for an alleged deal he made to host money.  Apparently they had been looking the man for a while but never suspected that he could be the man behind Vicky Hammah.

Then luckily for them, Frimpong did the unthinkable and one morning refused a mounting request from Vicky.  It precipitated a fight of sorts and Vicky sashayed to the police station to report domestic abuse.

Now I don't believe the details of the story by a stretch of the imagination, because both Vicky and Frimpong said out of the ordinary things, but it is such a creative piece of work I can't but admire the backlash for Frimpong.  Vicky was on the path to the one million she so desires, and Frimpong's perching on her back provided close to a quarter of the solution.

Oh Vicky, Frimpong, why did you fight about 'sᴐri kᴐ pra'?  Something all humans look forward to?  Many a child has been brought to the world when the morning breeze is cool, birds are chirping and the air is fresh with newly released oxygen from trees and shrubs; when the earthy smell rises to meet every hiss and moan.  Why?

I don't know what the IGP's other interests are in the case, but me I would just love to hear in detail, the backend of this case.  Vicky, let's me and you have a chat.  Just holla!

Asamoah Gyan has come under a lot of pressure, because his friend Castro was careless and ignored advice to avoid turbulent waters in Ada.  The superstition crap we push in the local space must stop.  It comes from the fringe Christian charlatans who prey on ignorant poor persons, crafting fear about in-laws and close friends, collecting cedis on the back of terror.

So bad that our mega star Asamoah Gyan has to be tainted with sacrificing one of his closest friends to enhance an already most successful professional career.  Asamoah Gyan's fortunes are not flagging.  Why would he even think he needs some mammy water to pull him through?  He probably made the best decision among his peers when he agreed to move from the EPL.

The fact that many Ghanaians actually attach Antoa and Kankan Nyame to their list of deities to worship and go about fingering friends as potential perchers, corrupts the ideals of the religion.

It is the same with the Bishop Duncan Williams, whose constant delivery is to lambaste the devil on every corner of the precipice of his church halls.  Now he claims he has reached God with his cedi reversal chants and we will soon see the effect.

I am wondering why Dr. Kwesi Botchway and his team did not invite him to the IMF negotiations?  Or was he in the rear guard with Lady Rosa?

I heard the rumor that the reason why JDM is still not living in Flagstaff House is because there was a rumor when it was being built, that former President Kufuor and his team, soaked the concrete mix in a combination of chants and medicines to ensure perpetual succession in future government.

But if the rumor was true, how come the NPP lost?  Supposedly, lost the 2012 election or is the ability to manipulate pink sheets beyond Antoa?

Why can't we craft a law that will make it an offence that if one of these con artists comes to say the economy has been strangled by a team of dwarfs and events, we will prosecute and ban them from preaching the gospel for life.

Didn't many of these quacks predict we would get to the finals of the World Cup?  And didn't many of them come forward to 'Daniel Kenu' some pesewas from the Gyan brothers that Castro would be found?

Shouldn't it be possible for the Ombudsperson to handle a complaints center so that reports on all such predictions and curses and restoration of fortunes if predicted incorrectly can be made a felony of sorts and we will progressively weed out these types?

That will be home grown, no? And might eventually avoid a 'boko haram' type unit in Ghana because it all starts with religious fanaticism.

Where will it end? Ghana's superstitious lining is as dangerous as the Islamist terrorists who are roaming the deserts of the Middle East and Northern Nigeria, maiming, looting, raping and kidnapping children, all in the name of Allah.

The IMF fact-finding team has left to cozy up in Washington DC, where the lights shine all the time.  Perching in Ghana, even though they have a grand edifice on Independence Avenue, is no guarantee that dumsor will not come knocking.

So for now, we wait till mid-November to see if we get another bite at the 'bofrot'.  They clearly are not happy about a few things, asking for a more aggressive macro and fiscal evolution and insisting that payroll be better controlled and tax exemptions curtailed.

It will boil down to the political will of the Government to implement the homegrown measures it has proposed.  There is a lot of opportunity if this Mahama government can follow through and do what is necessary, but I need a lot of convincing.

Not that my voice counts for much, but that is my little bit.

Government is already claiming the cedi has appreciated in value, has dropped from 3.8 to 3.2 against the dollar, all due to the wonderful measures put in place by the TWQ trio (Terkper, Wampah, Quartey) and it took them only three weeks to achieve this.

Let us see how long it can stay buoyant.  We all want a stable currency and if there is an answer other than $1.7billion cocoa funding, a $1billion foreign bond, reversal of unnecessary currency rules and more freedom to access personal dollar denominated accounts, and an IMF programme in the offing, I would like to hear.

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly shut down Dynasty Restaurant in Osu and went back to their office to congratulate themselves.  While they were there, Dynasty said '⻤⻤⻤⻤' guys and just carried on.  Agbogbloshie boys did not have the 'ying yang' to do same.

I have had occasion to eat at Dynasty. Not for a while though, because the 'ecomini' is playing havoc with my discretionary spending.  Me and Government we share the same garden.  When they water their side, I get some dribbling to mine, but these days their pipe is not flowing.

And the NPP and NDC are competing to see who can stop each other from moving ahead.  Both parties are in court, injunctions stopping many NDC constituencies from electing their officers and Alan Kyeremanten wanting the inevitable date of defeat postponed.

Litigants in our midst, waiting, perching, counting the days down to December 2016 when they will suddenly find money and come asking us to stay them in government until they refill their coffers with promises they never have any intention of fulfilling.

Parochial interests focused on maintaining a status quo, keeping us all in a state of perpetual poverty, like Black Stars' bonuses that still have not been paid.

So while Elvis Afriyie Ankrah and his NDC foot-soldier supporters were perching on Sulley Muntari, Kevin Boateng, Asamoah Gyan and the rest of the Black Stars, the President was perching in his Vice's home, who was perching in the Central Bank Governor's home, who was perching in his deputy's home, confusing him enough to lose sight of the real reason why he is the governor.

All the while CHRAJ Commissioner Lorretta Lamptey was building a Taj Mahal in Ridge.

And all for why?  At that level of executive, the PWD and State protocol pack your home.  When it is all done, you wake up one morning, go to work and head back to your new home.  All paid for.  No need to perch elsewhere and cause willful financial loss to the state.

This Thursday 2 nd October, #OccupyGhana is tackling the issues of education.  We will offer solutions to Government across the full divide with Prof. Djangmah and Annis Haffer leading the charge.  Elizabeth Ohene will talk and Mr. Tsegah will be there on the Ghana Education Service side.  Alisa Hotel, 9am.  Don't miss it if you want to get a grasp of the foolishness we have created for tomorrow's children.

And wear something RED!
Ghana, Aha a ye de papa.   A lius valde week advenio . Another great week to come!

Sydney Casely-Hayford, [email protected]