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16.12.2018 Feature Article

GMA Has No Legal Authority To Warn Govt To Suspend Decision On Drones

GMA Has No Legal Authority To Warn Govt To Suspend Decision On Drones
16.12.2018 LISTEN

Please, what is GMA, and what legal authority do they have in Ghana, that the 'Ghana Medical Association' is warning Ghana govt to suspend the introduction of a national policy, just because they were not consulted?

I read again that, the Association maintains its position that, it is warning the government of the Republic of Ghana to suspend its policy on drones introduction, which is meant to assist the healthcare delivery in Ghana, simply because they were not consulted? Woow!

I respectfully ask, what would the GMA do if the govt goes ahead to introduce the policy without taking heed to their unequivocal warning? Would they demonstrate against the govt or deliberately sabotage the drone idea or they will all resign from their positions or what would actually happen?

In fact, I am wondering, what authority the GMA have to stop the govt from introducing a national policy. What is GMA? Are they Advisors to the govt on healthcare policies or what? Honestly, I don't get it. "We feel we are not consulted about the drone, so suspend it". Wooow! On what grounds?

Wouldn't it just be by courtesy and simple good practice that the govt would have to consult the Medical Association for their input, if necessary, on introduction of a national policy, but can that association dictate to the govt to consult them for their approcal first? I am seriously struggling to understand the position of GMA and some organisations in Ghana on this issue.

I think we are entertaining this impunity in Ghana for too long. But you see, I wouldn't blame them much, these associations and some so-called Think-Tanks in Ghana have grown wings because the same politicians use them to fight the sitting govt, so sooner than later, they become authoritatively untouchable, because they are used as hand tools by politicians for Hatchet jobs in opposition. That is why an Association can warn the govt to suspend an introduction of a national policy for them to be consulted before, not even the political parties doing warning the govt but an Association. All for the sake of votes, we sell our moral principles and institutional authority, to destroy the fabrics of governance system.

The same thing happened when the govt introduced the Double Tracking System, the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) told the govt to stop the introduction and consult them first. The same, complained that the govt didn't consult them enough about Free SHS introduction. Can you imagine?

Let me ask, where was Ghana Medical Association when the Ebola Treatment Centre was built in

Ghana? Did the then govt constlult GMA before accepting to build an Ebola Treatment Camp in Ghana, whereby Ghana at that time had not recorded a single person infected with the epidemic? Did GMA say anything about it, and what happened?

The same way that the Clearing agents at Tema Harbour demonstrated against the paperless policy implementation at the harbours, but today's report says, the Shippers and "Freight Forwarders have described the Paperless Port System as an ongoing success story that needs to be fully implemented for the benefit of all stakeholders in the maritime industry and the country as a whole".

What I have seen is that, some Ghanaian Workers Associations and some so-called Think-Tanks, like the IMANI's and others, often ignorantly jump into joining the bandwagon of complaining voices about anything and everything, even with extremely little knowledge they have about the policy idea.

This is very unfortunate, but it's all part of democracy anyway!! Lol.

Peter Antwi Boasiako.

London.

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