What Does June Bring To Ghana’s Dining Table?

From #12 to Patrick Marcelino to GVG to UGMC.. all in Ghana’s melting pot.

Zzzzzzzz When marula tree is in full fruit the giants get boozed and fall. The irony is, even those who have never set foot at the shores of the gold-rich West African nation get their fare share of the Enchilada. My dear readers, need I tell you that June is here?

How can I be [Anas] I’m not affiliated to no political party. I don’t like politics..” wondered Patrick Marcelino a Brazilian Footballer.

The dread-locked Brazilian’s photo is alleged to have been displayed on the social media and TV screens by lawmaker Kennedy Ohene Agyapong. But how true is this allegation? Was it really Ken who plastered Patrick’s photos on the internet?

And if you think that’s the end of the gimmicks please read this: There’s a woman who claims to be Anas’ sister. She’s threatened to kill the Tamale chief who alleged that the investigative journalist had taken $50,000 bribe from him. Isn’t that another ploy to muddy the waters? Why would Anas’ sister issue death threat on someone or a whistle-blower? Remember the season and the month. This is June!

I pity those that draw swords at the banks of Odaw River and Korle Lagoon. The deadliest toxic waste in the Korle has deepened the woes of the innocent toddler. Paradoxically, the tantrum throwers have pitched a tent at the shores of the foul-smelling waters to settle scores. And the piss-poor pot has no dignity, not in the eyes of the sacrosanct or the noble. In our midst, be mindful, the saints are few.

So where’s nobility? Didst thou find him—the nobler?

I’ve read the screaming headlines and I’ve heard the blaring soundbites. All in the course of the week and the days gone by. The cackles and the wails from these soundbites and headlines appear to have challenged the cacophony sounds produced by city traffic at noonday. But lo and behold, this is not doomsday. I know for sure, Ghana will put this in her rear view mirror. However, her marriage or romance with corruption would persist until all and sundry say no to the canker.

What does June offer Ghana?
The nation has been caught up at the crossroads, supposedly. And my purblind eye cannot see afar. I’ve no idea who would win this battle. But I know how it would end. I don’t know when the die would be cast, but I’ve an idea where it’s going. Already it’s left most if not many people, more confused than ever. The public is my judge.

I can’t see the innards of Korle and Odaw. I just can’t see their contents. The sages are right, the human mind is an impermeable perimeter. Deep down their bellies they both carry contraband goods. Like a Mountain that envelops the rock-ribbed roots of the giant Sequoia.

Over the last few days, I’ve been anxious to gauge how things would pan out. But I also feel so noxious, not because of the anxiety triggered by the 12 mile journey. It’s a journey that seems endless. It’s like a race on a treadmill.

There will surely be casualties. Some will fall to the left and some will fall to the right side. And who dares to bathe in the Korle Lake?

The odor in Odaw and Korle has become so infectious and so noxious. Korle in particular is just like the Thames River in London. She takes the deadliest, she takes the stinkiest and she takes the nastiest stuff. Sometimes we cough, sometimes we bark and sometimes we ought to remain silent and allow Odaw and Korle swing their armory.

Therefore, touch me not Krotwamansa, don’t touch me with your sword. I’m a Nazarene no blade touches my hair. Lest your hands get bloodied. Lest Delilah shows up with her pretty face on agile frame. Where are the saints.? Is there one amongst thee?

The Global Voice Group (GVG) saga
You may have noticed, the way May exited the stage. It was quite riveting. Of course when the price is right and when everything seems to be right, you dance in front of your adversaries. Did Ursula dance? No she didn’t dance, she hymned. Like a monk before a congregation she serenaded her audience at Ghana’s Parliament House with a hymn from the Book of Exodus chapter 32.. She also humanised her story last Thursday May 31 2018.

Value for money has always denied us as a nation because our negotiators think from their pockets they don’t think of/about the national treasury or the public purse. ‘Country broke or no broke’ they seem to careless about it. This is the slogan they chant: ‘Seek ye first your pockets and everything else must be at the back burner’. I hold the view that Ghana’s continued romance with corruption could cost her a fortune, if we the people and our leaders don’t start to do things right.

And I’m glad to learn that ‘we are not paying for no work done’, regarding the GVG deal. Many thanks to my good friend Franklin Cudjoe IMANI Africa president for initiating this discourse. At times we need to shake things up. It’s relevant to the proverbial ‘Nunum’ tree. You’ll only know of its potency when you test-rub it in your palm.

I understand Ghana’s stake in this NCA transaction is far better than the previous one. “Mr. Speaker the fee for this transaction, $1.49 million per month, (as against the $2.49 million paid monthly to both Subah and Afriware) is within the average for Platform as a Service (PaaS) contracts of this nature,” says Ursula Owusu Ekufu. Communications Minister

She said it’s only in Ghana that Telcos or network operators feel they can dictate how the Regulator (National Communication Authority) regulates them. Apart from this cost saving the Common Platform contract provides a clear pathway to Government of Ghana (GoG) is owning the entire setup after five (5) or 10 years. This wasn’t the case of the previous Subah and Afriware deal.

The Common Platform will also conduct Mobile Money Monitoring in addition to traffic Monitoring and Fraud Management. All the previous platforms did not have the capability of monitoring Mobile Money transactions, the minister announced.

This will enable government to have more visibility on the actual volumes and values of mobile money transactions not just for revenue assurance but also for anti-money laundering and anti-crime and terrorist financing.

It’s understood government paid this huge sums to Subah Infosolutions Limited and Afriware yet the two still retained ownership and control of all equipment permanently. With the current deal the equipment will be fully upgraded after each five year period.

“At that point, the full operators of the platform and the monthly payments would then cease,” according to Mrs. Ursula Owusu.

BUT why must government react to issues instead of initiating public discourse?

Be reminded the ruled no longer trust the ruler because of the rot in our system. In fact corruption has become so endemic that no one knows whom to trust anymore. Maybe government still believes in this old axiom---’Good wine needs no bush’ meaning there’s no need to advertise something that’s good.

Well that maxim worked for the Cro-Magnon Man—the Prehistoric Age. It doesn’t work for this Technological Age, where the social media is literally at the forefront of information dissemination and dictating the pace. So I think government’s communication team should set the agenda first rather than lead from behind ….that isn’t the best strategy.

A leading Ghana Advocacy Group (GAG) member said it best. “..Government should not wait for opponents to throw wild punches before throwing counter punches. An effective strategy is to carry the fight to your opponent by releasing information on time.,” Awura Adwoa Asantewaa Kwakye.

According to her the FM stations had a field day setting national agenda as they put pressure on the credibility of the government. “The government communication team has a lot of work to do,” she pointed out.

The UGMC
We saw the same thing played out in the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) saga. After muddying itself in the cesspit the Ministry of Health finally issued a press statement on the 31^st of May assuring the public that the facility is set to commence operation.

‘Maame wh3’ look at all that. ‘There’s no backup generator’ the local media was told. It turned out there was more than one generator on site. They said there’s no MRI machine.’ There was. And the feet dragging continued until there was no space for the minister to maneuver. Pinned down literally Evidently, the ministry had shot herself in the foot so badly that it’d to succumb to pressure or eat the humble pie.

“Following the completion of work by the committee set up to operationalise the University of Ghana Medical Centre, the Government has set up an interim Board, chaired by DR. Anarfi Asamoa-Baah to liaise with the Turnkey Contractor, to test run the equipment and operationalise the facility with immediate effect,” the release stated.