The Ghana Of Palaver: Here, Disasters Breed Ingenuity!

In a lobbying class, you will learn early enough that disaster is one of the key drivers in policy making that has the strength to get an agenda on the seat. Of course, common sense and uncommon thinking will let you know that this is reactionary especially when there have been several precedents.

That's why for me, if Ghana was to be Thomas Edison's lab, the world would still have been in darkness or relying on ‘bobo’. Our ingenuity emerges out of disasters. The core of it is the numerous time-bound tantrums. Currently, it's the Atomic Junction explosion and there is so much noise but I know it will surely fade like a Sudan dye shoe only to return when another strikes.

The policy window is also flooded with alternatives. The most ingenious for me being from the Energy Minister, Mr. Boakye Agyarko is that government has given the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) the clearance to hire 200 auditors to make sure that safety standards are complied with at all gas stations across the country. Genius, isn’t it?

Obviously, another job avenue for the boys to increase our public sector wage bill when there is already an institution that can perfectly execute this job but unfortunately, the major institution to handle such a task has been placed on standby.

It is, however, not surprising to visit a fire service station and see the officers engaged in playing cards, draught, or chit chatting. This goes hand in hand with their lackadaisical response to disasters and their excuse of the inadequacy or otherwise non-availability or malfunctioning of equipment.

This is the time we must make them work. This is the time we must use them and make them proactive. Why waste additional national resources to recruit and increase the public wage bill when there is a system that can be equipped to play that role more effectively and efficiently?

I have for long maintained that our fire officers will serve this country better in three ways;

- Education and sensitization
- Evaluation, monitoring and permitting
- And being stationed at offices as Fire Safety Officers still on government wage to provide first aid response to emergencies.

At this stage in the nation's history, it will be in mother Ghana's interest if the Energy Minister stops playing his trump card and inbox thinking and rather, stick to making good use of the system and strengthening the appropriate institution to deliver and get the same value without creating another loot system. More so when there is a fire service module under the YEA with some beneficiaries becoming victims to their superiors and landing in omnivorous acts of chewing, tearing and ripping of genitals.