Ghana's Politics, Politicking, 'Politricking' For Our Education

Characteristic of Ghanaians, the donations to the victims of the June 3rd flood/fire disaster has been overwhelming and continues to pour in. I am sure I speak for the victims and Ghanaians in general if I say a big thank you to these donors which includes even non-Ghanaians. My disappointment here however is in waiting to allow the disasters to happen before we "show we care" to both the dead and the living relatives.

My bitterness in this twin filling-station disaster is the fact that two previously disagreeable products (water and petrol) could join hands to cause this magnitude of disaster in so short a time.

Please let us understand that PREVENTION IS (ALWAYS) BETTER THAN CURE (IN GHANA TOO) and KNOWLEDGE IS POWER did not exclude Ghana. Much as it is obvious that no matter the quantum of donation and level of sympathy, any lost live cannot be restored; furthermore it would take just a fraction of the resources that go into the post-disaster compassion we show, to empower Ghanaians to be more cautious and prevent the disasters.

It must be noted that much as such national disasters could be the conglomeration of the acts of individuals it would better be prevented or solved by our collective efforts too where everybody contributed their small resource, knowledge, money, time, space, moral support etc. So that when things go well it would be to the benefit of all of us Ghanaians and the Global Village at large,

That is if politicians and their "purchased" press would give some respite for any awareness creation/education in living and essential knowledge.

I recall an attempt in 2007 to increase public awareness in the safe use of liquid petroleum gas (LPG) in homes as replacement for firewood, so that the forest depletion would be reduced. Even though the needed support could not be accessed for that, at least I learnt something about gas from the Energy Commission. For example it was because of the anticipated disasters in serving it in the congested and unpredictable environments of uninformed gas-users that the house-to-house sale initiated in the NPP government, was stopped. Government however did not initiate any public educational program for it. Every product has their appropriate way of use, usually presented in its manual, but manual or no manual, it is just common sense that the product is properly understood for its proper use.

The next time I heard discussion on LP gas on radio it was the the NPP propagandists claiming credit for a program which the NDC government could not continue due to mismanagement! Telling the truth about this situation could have informed the general public better about gas for safer use; unfortunately something like this would not happen because of the over-concentration of politics by Ghana's politicians because that is where the chunk of Ghana's money allocated.

The latest national disaster has happened this Republic holiday in the Eastern Region at the Bunso Arboretum on its canopy walkway injuring twenty tourists. Even if its construction has defects, eye-witness accounts that is blaming it on overloading shows an example of the disregard of instructions manufacturers set with regards to maximum weight, speed, etc. If we knew disregarding these would end lives and destroy property, would we really do them?