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13.04.2018 Feature Article

Impressive Gathering With Ghana’s VP Dr. Bawumia at Berkeley, California 

Vice President BawumiaVice President Bawumia
13.04.2018 LISTEN

I almost did not attend this meeting especially since the young men organizing it said it was by the NPP Bay area. I try to stay away from partisan affairs and lo and behold it was worth the time!

At my age and after meeting Ghanaian diplomats and dignitaries for almost half a century in America I have to give Ghanaian dignitaries the credit! They are good with speeches when they come overseas asking us in the Diapaora to come home!

My last year encounter last August 2017 with Housing Minister Atta Akyea had made me skeptical about the real core good intentions of many politicians; but we have to keep hope alive! So I drove the 26 or so miles, and luckily traffic was at within the 75-80mph,, so arriving exactly at 7pm at this luxurious high class Claremont Club and Spa Hotel in Berkeley, California. It was close to my old student home so what the heck! Most beautiful weather and drinkable water in America in assition to top ranked academic University of California.

As soon as one opened the front doors there was no need for asking direction. You were met with loud drumming and music coming from the auditorium. These young men know how to organize! I was impressed, especially to see white Americans playing Ghanaian drums!! Shoot we also have something to teach others!- Drumming and making noise!

Meeting old friends and assessing the level of gray hair was amazing and to see myself as one of them! One thing missing was the “yomo begga”, the hair dye the Gas made popular, that could be a major import from Ghana!

All jokes aside this is the first time I am meeting VP Bawumia. For some coincidence some of my esteemed well known friends were sitting in the front row and humble me was pulled there also sitting right down in front of the speakers podium.

I had thought of writing down a few questions but time did not allow and with 4x5 cards provided for everybody to write them down,, I felt like waiting to hear other questions from the members of the younger generation! I was amazed to find most of my questions had been thought of by others. In fact my major question was on Organizational and Financial Management of the nation.

Strangely enough Dr. Bawumia perhaps has some telepathy or has been reading some of my articles in the media! He answered almost every question I had in mind so smoothly! The man has been at this game for some time and I strongly suggest his competition should understudy him well.

I am one of those who love numbers and lo and behold Dr. Bawumia seems to have it also. With no written notes the man recited the accomplishments of the Nana Akufo Addo administration with hard core numbers from debt to GDP ratio improvement from 78 to 73%, inflation rate reduction down to 10.5 range, and admitted lending interest rates are still high but have also come down.

It is very hard to fool this writer with numbers but I found myself giving the black power salute of the 1970s, comfortable that most of the people there perhaps do not remember those days save my gray hair colleagues.

The point is that it appears there is an effort to organize the nation of Ghana, including not just the Ports and Harbours fiasco and disgrace, but also the most devilish and chaotic mismanaged of all Ghana: Lands Department.

I did not know if Dr. Bawumia was intentionally trying to please me or not since I had never met him before but one thing struck me as genuine. The VP told us the last effort at lands management was done in 1974! I almost jumped because that government effort was prompted by my letter to Col.I.K Acheampong as a student at University of California after I had learned one of America’s secrets of managing their society through property identification.

Perhaps my only regret? The VP was too smooth and quelled any doubts I had. I felt insulted that these men can come to Silicon Valley and did not know and call on the first Ghanaian or African to work as Engineer in Silicon Valley some 42 years ago right from Berkeley! I will not mention his name but there are some who know how technology changed mankind and what we enjoy today in comminication!

It was thanks to the goodwill of Kwame Nkrumah with Americans offering the ASPAU Scholarship to about 14 kids per year from Ghana from 1960-69 bases on the SAT exam scores. Well,, we may be retired but some of us are still not tired of active participation to ensure that the NADAA governmwnt and any others after him tackle the following not mentioned:

- The ugly Open Gutter and mosquito problems and
- Learn to manage our national resources and put the crooks and bad boys in prison! Period!!

Dr. Kwaku A. Danso Apr.12, 2018

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