Food for thought

Has Ghana really attained independence? To put it differently, Is Ghana an independent state? Does the transfer of political power from the British to Ghanaians connote independence? Does decolonisation make a country an independent one? I am convinced “No!” is the appropriate answer for all the four questions.

Undoubtedly, what Ghana achieved on March 6, 1957 was Self Rule or Government. Indeed, no country is independent but rather inter-dependent. We live in a global village, so called, and are members of the United Nations Organisation (UNO) as well as other regional Politico-Economic groupings like the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and are bound by International Legal Instruments or Conventions and economic pacts.

Thus, the word independence as is applied to Ghana’s political governance is wrong, I think. Just imagine adopting same sex marriages and homosexuality as a conditionality for foreign financial aid.

No wonder, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah called or referred to Ghana’s independence as meaningless. So, therefore, all inscriptions on important national landmarks carrying the word “Independence” should be replaced with the word “Sovereignty”. Hence, Independence Day should become “National Sovereignty Day” while inscriptions like “Independence Avenue and Independence Square” should be replaced with “National Sovereignty Avenue and National Sovereignty Square”, respectively. Ghana is a sovereign, but not an independent, country, I dare say.

Fellow citizens, it is now time to rename some of our political offices. The name “President”, for example, has become so overused while others sound like Civil Service designations. To that effect, the use of the word “President” for the Head of State should be discontinued. Fellow citizens, let us call our Head of State “Governor” while our Regional Ministers should be called Regional Overseers and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives be called Metropolitan, Municipal and District Prefects. Consequently, the name “Exchequer” should replace the designation “Governor” for the Head of the Bank of Ghana. The changes have constitutional implications, though.

Shall we proceed to the land of the Asantes. I cannot understand why the Asantehene allows himself to be flattered with accolades like “King” and “His Majesty”. Ghana’s 1992 Constitution and the Chieftaincy Act of Ghana refer to our revered traditional rulers as Chiefs.

What we have in present day Ghana is a circular state with a Republican Constitution and government, mapped out into regions of which the Asante Region is one .The Asante Region, just as the fifteen (15) other Regions of Ghana, is made up of several Traditional Areas with paramount and divisional stools occupied by chiefs, with the Asantehene as the Overlord.

Furthermore, the Kingdom of Asante belongs to history. Besides, Kings sit on thrones and not on Stools, and the Asantehene occupies a Stool, the Golden Stool. The titles “Asantehene” and “Otumfuo” are too prestigious to be substituted for or embellished with foreign, if not alien titles like “King” and “His Majesty”.

Let us be proud of the African personality or the made in Ghana brand ; hence, the Asantehene should be satisfied and proud to be addressed The Asantehene, Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II.

I believe I am not alone in thinking that the title or designation “Inspector General of Police” is a misnomer. The word “Inspector” is inappropriate, considering the level and place of an Inspector in the command chain of the Ghana Police Service, the ranks of senior Police officers and various Police Command structures such as the District, Divisional and Regional Police Commands. The Head of the Police Service cannot be an inspector. He is a Commander and, therefore, I think “Commander-General” will be more suitable or befitting a title for the head of the Police Service. The Police Council may have to take a cue from the Ghana Armed Forces which modified the rank of Brigadier to become Brigadier-General.

Fellow Ghanaians, please assist me to chase out the expression “Second Lady” from the Ghanaian political vocabulary, otherwise, we will have to identify all the Ladies from the First to the 20^th Lady and even beyond. Indeed, I have never heard the expression “Second Lady” being used in advanced or developed countries, which we so much imitate.

Let us , therefore, refrain from using the ugly expression and use “Wife of the Vice President”.

May I, then, venture to offer a piece of advise to the leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWASS). Recognising that the organisation has expanded its focus and direction beyond the economy of the community, and has become a political structure, it will be proper to change the name to “The Community or Union of West African States(COWAS)/(UWAS)”.

The writer is a Journalist and a Lawyer.