The Emergent Ghana (cont’d)

The Emergent Ghana seeks to solve the social evils in our country. The ultimate aim is to enable every Ghanaian live comfortably and acceptably within the confines of our economy. We are not promulgating socialism but a fair capitalist country. It is heart breaking to find certain class of Ghanaians faithfully contributing their quota to national building and development but permanently sidelined and impoverished. Have you ever asked yourself why young energetic Ghanaian graduates and non-graduates travel outside to do menial jobs and are still able to acquire property? It's because in those economies every workers contribution to production is appreciated and appropriately remunerated. Now I think you will be boiling up on solving the issues boggling us than my continual writing on the evils.

The first step towards solving our present difficulties will be putting in offices selfless Ghanaians. They only need to be able to read and write and not necessarily have chains of degrees or decades of experience. If Dr. Richard Anane (medical practioner) has performed in the Ministry of Roads and Transport, then suffice me to say the leaders must not have chains of degrees for election. All that is required is the ability to read and write and to communicate ideas rightly. We need their track record of performance up to the present, their practical commitment to human development and goals for the imminent position. We need the matured and experienced but daring. Permit me to say, our present leadership or management class in Ghana is plagued with many old guards, too cautious to take a daring initiative or to tamper with the existing status quo. I hope we shall here avoid the classes that are inhibitive (in the local parlance-“abroo”) and talkative. The inhibitive class of Ghanaians has done more evil than it can be quantified. Some while they will not progress themselves and selfish have hindered many. Then also many in the talkative class have deceived us with their fair speeches. It is rather unfortunate we normally seek for leaders that are seemingly eloquent; many are only good at talking and bad at delivering. The searches for the leaders for the offices of government and institutions have to have a commission similar to the people who constituted the National Reconciliation Commission. Integrity must be the requirement.

Also the code of conduct for all offices would have to be spelt out and even taught in schools. We do not have to put people in offices before we try to ask them to perform. Job descriptions will have to be properly spelt out, and flexible. The era of management and administrative practices being secrecy has to be done away with. We have to open up management and also enact laws that will shun secrecy. Thus a law for the publication of quarterly income and expenditure in institutions must be put in place. So managers do not only report to the Auditor-General in Accra but also those in the immediate environ. This law will also grant members' access to financial statement of the set-up if 25% signatories can be canvassed. These are practical steps toward avoiding corruption. Prevention is better than cure. As much as lies in our power as a people we have to make it possibly impossible for our leaders to be corrupt. Leadership or management positions should be given out on contract basis. Thus one shall continue in an office as long as he/she delivers. Never again should we appoint leaders and managers based on academic laurels or years of service, but on performance and delivery. Let those who will fancy degrees and years of service or experience contend themselves with their present status. We us a people are ready to take our destiny into our own hands. No one truly cares for Ghanaians and can make our people better off than ourselves. Our wealth lies in we setting up the framework for every Ghanaian to live comfortably within Ghana and elsewhere if he or she so desires. There is no place like home.

The Emergent Ghana is ready to pay real wages as it abolishes the exploitative schemes of the present. It is possible for people to be paid on hourly basis and also on performance. The skill involved, the output and time utilized may be considered simultaneously. . They will have to be decided fairly, that none might feel cheated. Let's remember it's within our resources as a people. As production goes up or down, all shall receive changes commensurate with their contribution to production. Further, a percentage of amount paid or allowances (if need be) to workforce should be conditioned on output. In this way, we shall be maximizing their potential and also creating the needed wealth to enjoy as a people. Let not us look elsewhere, we are able to.

Those, whose schedules will require transport, may be guaranteed to buy on hire-purchase terms or rent. The government and institutions will have nothing to do with the transport of its workforce aside the above arrangement irrespective of one's position or rank. We will have to set rates for out of stations work schedules. In such cases one will forfeit the regular rate and take the rates for out of station and not both. However, the gross will still have to be taxed, possibly at source. Can you find the absurdity for someone to travel to another place to do the work he/she might be employed to do and receive allowances and the same one's salary also intact at the end of the month? What work did the one do at post to receive the salary? And further these allowances which many times exceed the salary are never taxed. What form of management practice is this? We cannot continue to pay people doubly for one work executed or for no work.

On accommodation, individuals will have to find their own suitable means. On the issue with setups with accommodation, they will be open to all and balloting will be the fairest means upon vacancy. These will have established rates as set by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission. Further on accommodation, the present ill-managed SSNIT can be put into capable hands to build more flats at institutions with lands, and lease them out to the workforce at appropriate rates. Legislation and laws have to be enacted to tax landlords who rent their premises out. Particularly, the present exorbitant advances will have to be discouraged. We are talking about a government with power to bite but with its people at heart in every policy it pursues. There is much money in Ghana to do so. We must be more than eager as a people, to pay rightly and collect tax than allow ourselves to be exploited. When these rates are fixed, all will be better off. Then also people who never belonged to a class of society can have the hope that at least their children will enjoy the privilege of improved lot. Also people who create wealth in Ghana will enjoy it. The money formerly spent on the vehicles, fuel and maintenance of the management class will be shared fairly. If we pay our people fairly, all hardworking Ghanaians may afford to pay for education, utilities and services. None shall enjoy at the expense of the other in the name of benefits. Ghanaians will enjoy the rich wealth of Ghana. Our rich natural and human resource base is too much for our about 25million people to be despaired. Then also many young Ghanaians will stay and invest in the country. Are we not bothered about the way foreign embassies milk our nationals lawfully and unlawfully in their quest for visa in pursuit of greener pastures?

To be continued.