Protect State Asset

In order to avoid a state of anarchy, every society tries to get leaders to ensure that people are given both political power and authority to act on their behalf. These leaders enjoy privileges and are equally duty bound to act in the interest of the state by implementing policies that would improve the welfare of their subjects or citizenry. In light of this, one can equate Ghana to any business entity that has a CEO, Cleaners; HR among others hence, requires assets to run smoothly.

So what are assets? These are simply, resources that have monetary value whether tangible or intangible. In the case of Ghana, assets include our lands, mineral resources, Sea and deposits thereof, forest, buildings, water bodies within our territory, machines acquired in the name of the state either by diplomacy or coercion, state companies, as well as the human capital.

As much as possible, every organization tries to make their employees comfortable to ensure that they deliver on the organization’s vision and mission. And Ghanaians have done this for their leaders; under both civilian and military governments over the years. Per the citizenship act 591 (2002) and the constitution of Ghana 1992, a citizen is a person born before or on 7th January 1993 or born after that date in or outside Ghana and at the date of his birth either of his parents or one whose grandparent was or is a citizen of Ghana. One could be a Ghanaian through foundlings, adoption, registration and naturalization. As we seek to understand why our media neglect the daunting challenges of the vulnerable for trivialities, I could only come to one conclusion, thus, bad news sell indeed.

Not long ago, Ghanaians changed their leaders through the ballot and the usual rituals of who is patriotic came up as vigilantism became the mantra of the incoming government supporters whilst the outgoing gnashes their teeth. As much as this write up does not seek to justify the seizure of state properties as reported in the media, it is imperative to state that, worst things happened in the past which we believe the victims then never had justice.

WHY ARE WE CHARTING THIS PATH AND FOR HOW LONG CAN WE CHART THIS PATH AS A STATE?

We are here because the pledge of Ghana has not been the guide to our leaders in civil, public and private portfolios. For this, we reproduce the pledge in full.

I promise on my honor
To be faithful and loyal to Ghana my motherland
I pledge myself to the service of Ghana
With all my strength and with all my heart
I promise to hold in high esteem our heritage,
Won for us through the blood and toil of our fathers;

And I pledge myself in all things
To uphold and defend the good name of Ghana
So help me God
Well, I think the words of the pledge are prophetic and the composers were mindful of the natural behavior of human beings. To aid national development and growth and safe tenure of officials working for and on behalf of the State, the State entrusts its properties including vehicles to be used by these officials and return them after the exercise of such duties. It’s very unfortunate that people exit office thinking the whole nation should come to a halt. It is however, unfortunate, to imagine that, some group of people think the nation is theirs and perhaps the need to loot from what is left at the tax payer’s expense, quite unfortunate. We can’t sit for international media houses like the BBC, Aljazeera, CNN, FOX news etc. to report of such institutional weakness and disgrace before we realize we are taking things for granted. It is rumored that some officials purchases state assets when exiting office. Must leadership be about the desire to be wealthy and impoverish the ordinary citizen? Then those who elect leaders to impoverish them have a greater problem then.

Are we serious as a people, if all we can do as our contribution to promote and enhance national growth and development is to create loot and share state assets? We must be responsible if we want Ghana to be the country we all desire. This would come with sacrifice, obedience and great desire to enforce our laws.

The portion of the law that states the declaration of assets must be enforced and extended to all persons on government portfolios. And this must be made compulsory to ensure that in the absence of asset declaration, no government portfolio is given. My other worry is that, should it be compulsory to only government portfolios? How about the CIVIL SERVANTS who occupy the junk of portfolios?

Prescribed punishment should be given to culprits by law who steal, mismanage and responsible for the State losing its assets and anything less than that would be injustice and a motivation for vigilantism and future impunity.

The high level justices as applied by Hon. Nana Akuffo Addo under the administration of good and accountable governance by H.E John Agyeikum Kufour, informed the decision of Ghanaians entrusting the mantle as the first gentleman of the Land and we strongly believe justice would be applied diligently to redeem the nation’s image. Ghana hopes to see a day when our records keeping would be accurate and superior.

Now, we recommend strongly a department like that of the Administrator General be resourced to account for all irregularities with regards to state assets. The Administrator General should be tasked to account and publish all state assets (Tangible and Intangible), their locations and current conditions. This would ensure smooth transition and accountability.

The provision in the law that enables Ministers and Government appointees to acquire and or buy state assets at a virtually no cost after been valued by State and private valuation agencies every four years usage must be amended and sale of such properties must be done genuinely through a value for money auctioning.

Ghana is who she is by virtue of its assets and how best the assets are managed and maintained to serve in the interest of the state.

BE A RESPONSIBLE GHANAIAN AND PROTECT STATE ASSETS

EAGLE EYE INTERNATIONAL
CREDIT: WRITERS FORUM OF EAGLE EYE INTERNATIONAL