Draft Or Not...

Yaaay I have the report. Do you have it.... (side whisper) It is not on myjoyonline.com. (giggles).

I know people are wondering why I am fussing over GYEEDA, the truth is that it excites me. Not that kind of  excitement that would make one jump for joy, but the excitement that finally Ghanaians okay some  Ghanaians are beginning to question what our money otherwise known as taxes is used for. 

Ghana has its own version of Watergate. Greater than or less than....GYEEDA is so intriguing. Does any of you wonder what will be done to the people who are found guilty? Provided Govt.. grows a pair and decides to act on the report? Um-mm bearing in mind that there are two categories of people who are cited in the report, what do you think will happen?. Two categories? Yes two categories!! Category one, people like the module coordinators and finance directors who got business promotion are small fishes that will definitely be fried. But category two, category two are the big companies who have chewed the meat off of the bone. Smirk...they will be left off the hook. Who wants to bet.

Allow me use this opportunity to say that, I find it very hurtful when some Ghanaians abroad say enough with tales of  GYEEDA. You need to live in Ghana, go through the horrible lights off and no water flowing through your taps syndrome, erratic supply of gas, fuel hikes, strikes, the slow but sure demise of social intervention programmes like school feeding,  then you would understand how and why we cant stop talking about this. You just need to drive outside Accra for a few minutes and see how people live. Sometimes it is even within Accra. You just need to look at your pay-check every month with its deductions, then you would realise that we must talk about this more. Yes you pay taxes in your abrokyire, but the taxes are used ans you can see what it is used for; no?! As for us  in the motherland (not peculiar to Ghana I must confess), we are allergic to taxes been used for developmental projects. 

People cuss at the IMF and World Bank all the time, but I really wonder where we would have been without World Bank, IMF value for money funded projects. Look at the Tetteh-Quarshie, N1, Adenta, Aburi, Achimota-Ofankor roads. Imagine if all they did was to give us was the money and said "monko ye adwuma no"...by now we would have been screwed. We will have more contractors telling us how they do not money to finish the work. All because they have used half of the money to pay business promotion. (side whisper) Yes I am current.... it is not longer called bribe. If you go and say bribe anywhere they will laugh at you, me I have told you. yooo. It is called business promo.

Back to the subject , to the people who say that it feels like a witch-hunt and that if you genuinely make money bla bla bla... people might perceive it to be ill gotten wealth, I say true success has a track-record. That track record is soo visible whether people know personally or not. It is that track record that makes you a role model. As a young woman growing up, I have always wanted the fine things this life on earth has to offer and why not...Silver XJ Jaguar, that 8 bedroom mansion with my two walk in closets(one for shoes and clothes), that four quarterly holiday trip to a destination of my choice, retire at 40(giggles), I am chilling in my dreams trust me...... But I am realistic. The painful reality is some of it is possible and some is simply not. That is why I will not steal money to achieve things. And that is what is leading people into trouble. And so for my simply not possibles, I can afford it through the lives of other people. Bill Gates, Steve Jobs(RIP), Sean Parker, Oprah Winfrey, Alinko Dangote, The Oppenheimer's, Micheal Pieper, Lei Jun, Tory Burch, Theresa Oppong Berko, Prince Kofi Amoabeng, Patrick Awuah. And these people progress daily and you do not hear these horrible scandalous stories. Chose the right role models. 

I didn't know about GYEEDA and the first review committee until April 2013. I actually found out through Manasseh Azure's Facebook page. GYEEDA(Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Agency) is supposed to be the updated version of NYEP (National Youth Employment Programme). So lets do a little background, in 2006 the National Security Council recommended that the NYEP be established to reduce increasing unemployment and under employment among the youth. Good idea no? Then came the allegations, then came the huge scandal, then came the famous draft report. I downloaded it yesterday and I cannot put it down. 163 page document. It has eight chapters. I immediately was interested in the amount of money that had been expended on the NYEP and surprise surprise almost nine hundred and fifty million Ghana cedis (Ghc 950,000,000.00). Then my next question was much it was the agency in debt.....Ghc 259,000,000.00 and about 47% of that debt belongs to one company. So with my pillow in my mouth I started to read.I wondered who the financial director was...flipped open the next page....I gave up and swooned gently.

The heading on pg 15 of the report is bold loud and clear "Inadequate capacity of CFO".   Ei. 

The current CFO the most senior finance person has no track record of finance, I really hope he is not at post and in any serious democracy his assets would have been frozen by now. But who am I kidding. He admits that he lacked the training and experience to operate in such a position.I must pause here. I just fainted again. Even if you want to give such a position to a party faithful, why not look for one who didn't get Z in maths. But what is the meaning of this. Because he wasn't up to scratch, he and his entire department were not able to 

1. supervise the operations of their bankers and relevant rural banks and this alone led to the unauthorised withdrawal of unclaimed beneficiary allowances.

2. Ensure there was value for money of contracts case in point contracts for Better Ghana Management Services and Zoom-lion Ghana Limited.( I didn't mention their names ooo before suing starts. It is in the report)

3. There were no budgets and monitoring of actual performance.

4. There were no financial statements.

5. There was no recording system.

6. There is evidence of payments made without the knowledge of head of finance. 

7. There was no audit either internal or external.

*dramatic sob* 

All this while, I had wrapped myself in my blanket. I couldn't believe it. The way I am broke paaaa and hmm...ok ok back to GYEEDA. My next focus was Procurement and Contracting. I took a deep breath and continued. So from 2009 to 2012 GYEEDA had paid approximately Ghc 786,000,000 to service providers but we owe them two hundred and fifty nine million Ghana cedis. This means that Government  would have incurred at least one billion and forty five thousand Ghana cedis (GHS 1,000,000,045.00) as costs to service providers alone from 2009 up to 30th June 2013. I opened eyes wide when I read that several of the contracts lacked standard elements of contracts such as critical dates including commencement and termination dates. Ei ase agr)bi. Tenure and clearly defined deliverables were missing. Who wrote the contracts? All the contracts were single sourced. The MOUs contain provisions in breach of the 1992 constitution and legislation such as the Financial Administration act. For instance, several MOU's (especially in connection with AGAMS Group of companies including RLG, Craftpro and Asongtaba) contain interest free loans granted and disbursed to the service providers without recourse to Parliament. As of June 30th 2013, total loans advanced to the companies owned by Mr. Agambire stood at approximately fifty million Ghana cedis (Ghc 50,000,000.00). The Committee observes concern that these companies assert that GYEEDA owes them about fifty six million Ghana cedis (Ghc 56,000,000.00). Ei. So that is how Chris Brown came eh. Ok assuming without admitting. Oh but why? eh!

So this is where I paused and jumped on my bed. I had to stop reading. I went back on-line and looked for any response. If any ministry especially the Information ministry had come out to say the draft report is wrong and its fake. i waited then I gave up So I continued....pg 17

a.  Asongtaba is yet to equip beneficiaries trained under the dressmaking module two years ago in the Western Region. Master trainers have also not been paid even though Asongtaba has been fully paid forty three million three hundred and ninety Ghana cedis (Ghc 43,390,000.00) for the service. In spite of all these evidence  of non delivery on the first contract, GYEEDA went ahead and expanded the dress making module.

b. At the end of 2012, instead of 30,000 people only 4,222 had been trained, meanwhile RLG had been paid the full sum of twenty five million and five hundred thousand Ghana cedis (Ghc 25,500,000.00)

c. At the end of 2010 only 17,824 out of 24,000 had been trained  but the full payment of seventeen million three hundred and fifty Ghana cedis had been paid. (Ghc 17,350,000.00)

d. Goodwill International Group was engaged as a service provider for a training module on Oil and Gas as well as a financial engineering service. Yes ohh another financial engineer. The company was supposed to secure funds to the tune of USD 65, 000,000. Though the funding from the World Bank was never secured and indications that the World Bank may never release the funds, Goodwill has been paid about two million and thirty thousand United State dollars (USD 2,030,000.00) for this service. 

I nearly pulled my hair when I read that the committee found the CEO not to be credible. The company itself had extremely limited capacity to execute on the terms of the contract. And can you imagine that Goodwill International had no previous experience in facilitating and/or engineering financing of lesser amounts. Oh my god.

I stopped reading. I couldn't continue. I couldn't read any-more. Because honestly if this is the same draft that was presented to the President then why is he constituting another group to review it. Or they will work pro-bono. Or it was a way to control leakage. It has leaked so what again? All the single sourced service providers have to refund the monies immediately. Someone make me president for a day. The rip off modules should be stopped. We are looking for money meanwhile we have dashed all the monies away. We have awarded such people as giants of industry meanwhile they are just and and clay. It is not fair. 

So why wont the President do something... draft or not. Even if they are his friends and he wants to protect them, this is not the way. What hurt in particular  is that the committee found that Ministers from 2006 right up to 2012 did not show commitment, circumspection and leadership. So please, both leading parties who have been in government and are currently in govt. simply shut up and find a way to retrieve the money from those companies. The monies are simply too huge for us to indulge in he did it or she did it. Mongye y3 sika no enbr3 yen. All these monies, are reasons why we are broke.

Finally someone should tell Ghana Club 100 to take notes and seriously revise the guidelines on companies that they allow into that list. They should learn from Forbes...not all money is money. CIMG should revise their notes on who they make marketing men and women of the year. Not all money is money. . And what are they marketing when we cannot see people using the products. Unless on billboards and people should be careful what billboards they decide to pose on. hmm. And as for the PR trip that the legal teams of such companies are embarking on hopping from radio to radio, they better look for some-place to hide....

Maybe they do not know so I will tell them. You see the Ghanaian is very snobbish. We know our Govt. will not do the kind of things we want so we have our own way of dealing with exuberants amongst them or those who ride on their connections in power...we simply ignore you. 

We might entertain you for a while but when the cup runneth over, we will leave you hung and dry.

 Just ask my uncle Koku.

But it is all making sense now, isn't it.

What a shame.

A Year On.

I count myself very lucky to have friends across the political divide. It is a feat many who love politics have not being able to achieve and I really do not know why. People wake up with soo much loathing for each other, sometimes I am tempted to ask if that loathing makes them richer by the close of the day.
This luck of mine enables me to hear what both sides are really thinking, the kind of thoughts found deep within their hearts but refuse to let out because publicly it must always "idey k3k3 or eshi kukruduu" (and no I do not have CPP, PNC friends) I also get to hear the latest run down and trust me I enjoy it immensely though it is not everything that one can say. But a year ago today, I cursed the person who called me to tell me the President was gone. An hour before it was released to the public, released on social media, released to the entire world I knew the President of the Republic of Ghana was gone (goose-bump moments)and I couldn't tell anyone. I stared at my phone...scrolled to Baby (Patrick's name), Mama (My mother), Papa (My Dad) but I couldn't call. (ummm please that is not the order of importance don't go telling my father if you know him )
I couldn't tell my colleagues so I walked outside and sat in the car. I sat there till I heard the screams from the office.....Everybody run out of my office that day, weeping. I work at close to the 37 Military Hospital so you can imagine the traffic and the sirens. I could bring myself to cry. All I kept saying was "OH professor Mills how".

I never cried. Even today,a year on... I cannot cry because my soul is discontent. I look at his pictures and saw the man he once was and the man he became, I look at the dailies and I see the stories/headlines screaming out loud of people who took advantage of him /his governance and I am hurt beyond measure. For me, the hurt is even more when you listen to his sisters story. Before she left for Cape-coast, she rubbed his neck because he complained of neck pains, and she bought him a neck brace as well. I wondered then and now,where was everyone? Where were his handlers? So if his sister had not come that day, what would have been done to lessen his neck pain? I know all about neck braces because my mother wears one. Two actually...for the the day and one at night. And during her massages at the 37 Military Hospital she was told that neck braces are not bought just like that. Your neck has to be measured and the brace is fitted especially to suit the condition/illness. It is a process....so I am wondering where did she get that brace for him.

A year on what do we have...people falling over themselves in the praise singing, people renaming hockey pitches just to prove some point and what else? Does anyone know how much it cost for the funeral? How much was used and where the balance is or where invoices and receipts are? Does anyone know how much has been got by the one year committee, who sponsored? How much in taxes we contributed? But all must be shelved away along with all the other details. Because nobody will talk, we are just living in the moments. But I have learnt my lesson from the public life of the late prez....when you realise you  have fake friends..don't bother picking up your bag...just run for your life.True or false?

But a year on, we have a royal baby. We cant be too sad, Life must go on. Kate Middleton has given birth to Prince Kwadwo Teletubby Cambridge. Sorry abrokyire celebrities..The Duke and Duchess made complete nonsense of the situation of selling baby pictures. They just walked out of the hospital and gave the world a glimpse of their bundle of joy. Shout-outs to Kim and Kanye, Penelope Cruz and Javier Boudeaux...we still want to see the pictures. Moakye koraa dodo. Better late than never.
But let me address the people who think that some of us are disturbing with our fascination with the monarchs. We have royals in this country don't we and what do they do to keep us in awe? Fight! Fight!Fight! All they do is to fight! About some stool land, who is next in line, some ancient tree here, some gold there or who should throw some food over some stone during a festival. And the calm royals we have who do not fight, they are either poking their nose in politics, collecting cars for votes, publicly supporting a candidate or fighting with some pastor who has says he has seen some vision.
You know that Kwesi Broni hasn't got time for all of that.

Wait there is more...We don't see the wives of the royals when they are pregnant. Customs and tradition you say but what about when the kids are grown. We do not see anything, we do not hear anything, unless the Mirror(on of the national newspapers) on Saturday decides to do a feature. Our royals have money,lands all that it takes to make them admirable because really when the political leaders are doing their awam things...we must have some institution to cheer us on. Otumfuo (the Ashanti King) tries...he plays golf, his wife is fabulous, once in a while you hear of her charity works, Togbe Afede (One of the paramount chiefs in the Volta Region also tries...he is active, he is out there, I do not know his wife and he likes commissioning projects too much. Ah. So yes, the royals in Britain, Qatar, Monaco (another fav of mine), Japan, Morocco, New Zealand, Spain will continue to make our day. Their history is soo fabulous...they are all interwined. But come to think of it, we have the same here...Ashanti royal blood mixed with Volta, Dagbon mixed with Fanti or Akyem but we can still sit and say I do not like this tribe. How silly.

So there...I and a few others will fuss over them, we will never meet them but who cares? we don't. WE HAVE A ROYAL BABY...WHOOOO HOOOO ( you should see my silly smile, I am showing all my teeth). My lunch break is done. As usual I am waiting for the comments from my friend/critique Drogba's Hair Gel. That is her name...no please don't ask.

Haha-ha.

P.S. The weather is cloudy. I am sure that is supposed to mean some showers of blessings, but isn't this the typical July rainy weather....shrugs! But I will take it, as long as no one mentions seeing a piteousness of doves around. This weather is darn fine to be called whatever. 

Peace sign. 

Evil State Of Mind.

Hello everybody...."howya doin" (in my best Wendy Williams voice). I love that women though most people think she is a tranny. She is funny and boy can she gossip! The way she leans forward sips on her tea before the "big revelation" is soo comical. No this is not a discussion about Wendy Williams. Whooo hoooo.....Friiiiiidayyyyyyy!!!!!
I hope you are doing great, looking forward to the weekend because.....(sigh) I am not. These days, weekend means either work on a Saturday or attend an event eg. a friend's wedding. Poof! Saturday is done and snap Sunday is passing you by.
So I have decided, that I must trace my roots and go back to Gambia. Dont laugh, I really must go to Gambia. President Yaya Jammeh understands me otherwise why would he make Friday part of the weekend in the Gambia. No I am not lazy but time is running so fast. The year is half way through. Soo much to do, with soo little time. Or it my calender and clock that is upside down. But anyways it is still a Friday...and we will take it like that. "howya doin" (with her lips and hands imitation)"

Before I start with my things, I will like to say a thank you to Mr. Egbert Faibille and Mrs. Gizella Tetteh Agbotui (long overdue in her case). I am very active on social media as some of you might already know and sometimes, without meaning to I tend to get carried away.  Yesterday was such a day. I got home and there was a blackout. Yes pitch, black, horrible, darkness. All that run through my mind was "when will we stop this nonsense". What even annoyed me further was the blame game that had started. Every organisation that might be remotely responsible for this situation was blaming everyone but themselves. ECG (Electricity Company of Ghana) says blame VRA (Volta River Authority), VRA says blame GRIDCO (Ghana Grid Company Limited), GRIDCO says blame ECG and GRIDCO and all this while, we are (well at least us non generator folk) are in the dark....wondering why on earth we didn't buy mosquito spray. So simple story, I got angry and I went off in a poop direction.

I was wondering why  someone wouldn't  pick up chicken poo and smear it all over those offices. I was wondering why we as a people would get up, walk up to the various "technocrat" offices, lock up so that if the lights eventually go off we know that there was no one sitting there and "working" in the first place. Oo I was soo mad, I posted my comments on Twitter. I immediately had a response from Egbert Faibille and he said (paraphrasing) you can be arrested for putting your frustration that way. I paused like...... ummm what is he talking about. Lawyers are too known....(sheepish look now). Then it hit me. As someone, who talks daily about people being responsible and manning up for their actions, this is not cool. I am mad yes but there must a sense of decorum to this madness. So I pulled the post down, and honestly I am glad I did. Besides nobody needs to poop smear the place...their lousiness stinks all over. Truth.com.

Mrs. Gizella's goes way back...say some 2 years ago, I think H.E. Prof. Mills(RIP) was commissioning one of those projects and I was venting about all the showmanship that went into one simple cut-a-ribbon commissioning. I said something that was utterly disrespectful (not going to repeat) and boy did she put me in my place... I took that off immediately but updated another one. Yep it still had to be said, but it didn't rub anyone in the wrong way. So yes I appreciate such people who tell me as it is. Sometimes it gets into your head when people comment all over your wall...you think you can do and say anything. Naaaa....it sure doesn't work that way. I will not become evil.

What is this evil state of mind is all about. It is everything to do with the recent  pronouncements of Dr. Mensa Otabil. These days I am wondering what makes Dr. Otabil popular? Is it his ICGC (International Central Gospel Church), is it his school Central University (side whisper....why is it that most people who go to central always say they have a degree in marketing or human resource sheesh) or is it the 2013 December elections. I raise both hands in favor of 2013 December elections. Those tapes. Eei the evil people do. It lives after them doesnt it. Hahaha. But because of those tapes, all his actions and in-actions have been linked to mean "enemy" so when he says something that has common sense, he is tagged and insulted. But I dare say that he is lucky, he did not suffer the fate of Rev. Owusu Bempah. The big wig pastors that danced on the head on the Owusu Bempah have not "dared" to do same (unless you count serial callers on certain radio stations) After all Rev. Otabil ensoso gyina ne nanso....to wit Rev. Otabil is also a big man. So what is Dr. Otabil supposed to have said? He says that he has a deep foreboding that this lovely dumsor country of ours is heading towards some kind of evil. So what is evil.

Evil according to Wikipedia (bless the creator of Google's heart) simply means Profound Immorality. What is Profound Immorality. Something become immoral when violates some moral laws, norms or standards. And profound is an adjective used to describe something that is very great or intense. So slapping it all together....Evil is an intense violation of moral laws, norms and standards. Clap for me. Ah I have done well.*giggles* 
My simple question is there evil in this dumsor country of ours? Yes. I am sorry to disappoint you but there is!! The dumsor alone is very very very evil, the stealing of taxes under the pretext of financial engineering is very very very very evil, the fact that the culprits are not in jail is beyond the understanding and definition of evil. The inability of government to pay its workers is the height of evil, the suspension of road contracts because there is no money makes evil look like a saint, the fact that people have to queue to buy gas is the crescendo of evil. Ah how can i forget the fact that evilness is within when government decides to tax luxurious condoms(condoms with flavors) and leaves the bleaching/hydro-quinine gurus. Isn't that evil? Or what evil where you people thinking about? 

Wars, Famine, Coup d'etats? Hoh! That is not evil, those things are undefined realms. How come people take bribe before doing work, they were hired to do? Is that not heavy evil? How come a whole country can be lied to that Bui Dam will make every dumsor leave? If that is not evil, tell me what is. Evil is when election time, people sell their conscience because of Ghc 50, chamber-pots  student mattresses, loaves of bread, and empty gas cylinders.....or that is not evil.Evil abides when as a nation our young charming President tells us that we have chewed the meat to the bone. Ei what meat? As if you and I were there when all government agencies were spending their budgets over and above. Students studying abroad under the GETFund scheme are asked to leave their rented apartments because monies have not been sent to cover the rent? What is that....Plain bad ass evil. Evil is when you get robbed in this country and you have a set of footprints all over the house and our police service can do nothing with it because they do not have a database for criminals...plenty evil dey! Shine your eyes and leave Rev. Otabil alone.... besides it is even evil turned sinister when a bunch young know-nothings sit on radio, call themselves serial callers and insult (and later get paid with our taxes). See all evil. 

I hear Parliament is broke....isn't that evil.
Well I am not going to pray. Because we like that. We like to bury our heads in the sand and pretend, we know what we ought to do. And before you quote any scripture, we all know God helps those who decide to be courageous and help themselves. I know what I ought to do, at for now. Simply pack and leave...not to Gambia but home.It is Friday. Fried yam and domedo (fried pork) should do the trick.

PS. Ummm can someone close to the planning committee of H.E. Prof Mills(RIP) one year anniversary, prompt them to use pictures that show the man in good health. Already I see pictures springing up on traffic lights and those pictures are not not. Those are the pictures that tell his declining health. There are beautiful pictures of him, that can be used. That is more proper and respectful. I hope his memory is honored properly, no dove nonsense this time. Dont be evil.

Be safe.

Do Not Tax Me By

It has been a while hasn't it. Lots has happened in this beautiful country of mine.  From the Ayew brothers (our male versions of the William sisters) and their meeting with H.E. the President, the baptism of fire that has engulfed Accra and its environs with its invisible arsonists and arson experts, drama over Asamoah Gyan buying a customised Porsche, the smoothness level of Sammi Awuku of the NPP courtesy of the Supreme Court of Ghana and the imprisonment of the "Latrician" and the Editor of the Daily Searchlight also courtesy of the Supreme Court of Ghana. 

 *Quick chip in* People are skimming the surface of freedom of speech because of the 10 day imprisonment of the editor of the daily searchlight. All I have to say on that subject is a quote from Prince Metterinch (Foreign Minister of the Austrian Empire from 1809 until the liberal revolutions of 1848 forced his resignation) 

"The word 'freedom' means for me not a point of departure but a genuine point of arrival. The point of departure is defined by the word 'order'. Freedom cannot exist without the concept of order".

So I ask whilst we go on and on about freedom of speech, is it in any form of order? I will love to hear your thoughts on that.

Any-ways, I have decided to be a judge in my next life.I will quickly discuss one of the current events...yep you guessed right "Latrician". But I will shy away from discussing his comments, his American slangs that landed him in jail and rather focus on his release.
His release, his release....What about his release?! If you ever did literature in school or you are just a book worm and love to read, you would have done a couple of late night sessions with George Orwell's book  Animal Farm. By now, you sure are part of the list of people exclaiming what a genius George Orwell is. For me I have long decided that it is not a novel but reality dished out so honestly. At first, you begin to think the characters are far fetched but it is us. It is us humans. A vivid description of how man at his lowest would seek to undermine everyone and everything around him but do much worse at his heights. And what has that got to do with his release you ask? I am wondering why my Minister of Information would use our time (public service) to go to the prisons the day of release and pose for pictures. Pictures that have found their way on social media networks. Very sad if you ask me, even if you will not listen to us common floor members and still feel strongly you need to show solidarity why not send a deputy? Or you do not get my point?

First of all, there is nothing in our constitution named as "government communication team". Nothing. Correct me if I am wrong, we have a minister designate with two deputies (grin my Felix) and unless we have not been told something, they are capable of handling and discussing official government communiques. This "government communication team" is a coined something from the party. I cough at this point.... knowing it is job for the boys and they get resourced by the Information Ministry. Sad truth. But there must be a fine thick line between government and party. We cannot have party boys and girls going around feeling like they have a legal instrument/appointment letter signed by the President. Why do you think for quite some time now, information is all over the place and we do not have proper information channels.

 If something happens, before government officially releases a response then you have already heard it on radio, read it on twitter and Facebook before long someone will send it to you via whatsapp. *shrugs* It is very embarrassing and come to think to it, most people do not understand why the presiding Judge asked him what his profession was. Government business, government policy, government decisions on finance, foreign affairs, security, interior, health and you actually let a "Latrician" sit on air, live radio and talk on your behalf? as what? Aint you embarrassed? When you are honest to yourself, the ratio of being disgraced is a bit on the low-key. I know I hate maths so I will not pretend to like and love so that I get a lucrative position. There is nothing wrong with accepting who you are. But this is Ghana, you will expect people to understand a simple point as this, but no. It will dance in an ear and dance out and all they will see is a five letter word called elite and tag you as such.

Any-ways I have this friend called Eboue Beecham, and he made me realise that I have neglected my blogging duties. Thumbs up for the gentle reminder. But he did it unknowingly, through a picture he posted on his Facebook page. It is a picture of a building that can be found in the Airport City opposite the Silver Star Building. For those of you my readers, who are not in Ghana....Airport City is a prime location quite close to Kotoka Airport (I have left International out for good reason) where we have high-rise buildings though a couple have come to a stand still ( money talks eh). But kudos to the Villagio Hotel contractors. Once they started, they were on till they finished. I haven't seen the privilege to see architectural drawings or overview of Airport city but um mm it is not wrong to deduce that it is designed primarily to be a business hub ( hotels, apartments, offices, malls etc...) That kind of one stop shop for the business man or woman (investors) who are used to a certain kind of lifestyle. Flying in and out for meetings, New York- Accra- London- Paris. Holiday in Milan, one week in Ghana or better still Africa.
That is proper elite......... not the I own 2 land-cruisers kind of thing we do here. hahahaa. Do not mind me.

Back to Eboue. Well, he put the picture up with the title "Who say money no dey Ghana" to wit Who says there is no money in Ghana. I will answer  his question with this "Money dey Ghana but idey for investor in pocket".  (Let me clear this out of the way....Eboue and I are good friends. I am sure he will read this and respond in a bit. So if you know him and looking forward to gossip about this, sorry in advance).
I am not a mind reader, but I think it is safe to say that Eboue belongs to the majority who think that because we have a couple of high rise buildings in Airport City and some parts of Accra, we have reached. What adds to this painful fallacy is the fact that, they see local companies e.g. BROLL advertising the space or acting as brokers for lease or rent;so yes we have arrived. In this day and age, all you have to do because is to search on-line and you will find that local companies acting as brokers are just icebergs that have broken off a glacier. The glaciers are all non Ghanaian. All the money is made abundantly here and sent right back to where ever it came from. All the big buildings with 50% space gone doesn't mean a thing. You should find out who are renting? What percentage is for foreigners, what percentage is for Ghanaians?

But of course they must have Ghanaian partners, it makes it easier to navigate through business registration and knock open a couple of doors, get connections especially if you are looking for government contracts.
It is easier to have Ghanaian partners, so you can build your portfolio as a big foreign investor and then apply for tax exemptions et all.  And is that not what we see around? Big buildings, big tax exemption companies, all non Ghanaians all over the place, unless of course you have a PPP ( Private Public Partnership) with government . And we know how the PPPs are thriving. But seriously we must be careful not to live this fallacy. Who am I kidding? We are living this fallacy that is why we think we are thriving and our government wants to tax us more. Well they need the money, we do not have the money and those who have the money are not taxed properly. Life is war.
But they must tax nonetheless. If only the money was going to be used for the purposes for which it is taken. It sure is painful looking at my pay slip after deductions. Very painful. What annoys me most is the NHIL. ah!

So Eboue and anyone who thinks like him, it is time you accepted the truth about who we are as a nation and where we have reached. It doesn't mean you love your country less. And umm unless of  your "who say money no dey Ghana" means something else, I am waiting for your rebuttal. Bye. Not for long though.


PS. "Latrician" means Electrician.

*ignore typos as always....looking for a proof reader. No I will not pay. Laughs.*

Keeping Up With The Music Awards

Even now as I write this, I still remember how frantic I was, fingers crossed and all hoping that GH One would show the Music Award live. I simply didn't want to tune into GTV because they can be very disappointing. Patrick gave me his famous "I cannot believe you still enjoy these things look". Shh don't tell him but of us two, I am the fun one. I am the one who gives him current affairs especially in the entertainment world. Dang! You should see me coaching him on "Keeping up with the Kardashians" .
I have tried (the heavens are even aware that I have tried) to explain to him why Housewives of Atlanta is a necessary show to watch on TV apart from Champions League and yes supporting that dead team called Liverpool. Bemused smile. Please I did not just write that. I am innocent. Yes, I put it to you in a very unpampered manner ala Philip Addison style. But for real, these shows are not that boring, it is so fun to see how people decide to be absurd and fight over the darnest things. Just imagine, Kim Kardashian landing on the worst dressed look and getting broken hearted because she feels she has disappointed Kanye. In this our middle income country then you will be stressing your man over these things, he will simply pour water on you....no light, no water, tough cash times.... edi3ben worst dressed list? Not annoying at all.

Back to subject, event houses have seen that lots of people( like me )have decided to take the cheap side (I call it the better side with better front row seats) and watch the events from home. And why not? Forgive me but the amount we pay for the tickets is so so ridiculous, besides I can always dance to the music at home. Dance and sweat like no man's business. Yeah men!! I know the next question that would pass through your lips is so when will you pay for a ticket and attend? Simple! When the branding and coordination is top notch. An event slated for 8 pm starts around 10.30 pm and ends around 2.50 something am? Aden? Ghana Music Awards has been done for over 14 years but it hasn't managed to ooze that exclusive" one night only feel" That one night where you come out in your best tailored designer or non designer dresses, see celebrities decked out properly who nicely sign autographs, pose with fans in an orderly manner (key word orderly) bla bla bla.

I sat down around 8 pm to watch the red carpet and that I must say was my first disappointment. Confidence Haugen. Absolutely not working. What ever issues you might have with Confidence, you cannot simply do away with her vavavoom. As a woman, trust me you need it. Vavavoom is not trashy dressing but a little spunk in your attitude and she has it. So simply put I was expecting a dress like what she wore last year or even better. The white dress did not look good on her no matter how expensive it was. Same as her hair,it  was all over her face, little wonder she was sweating. Profusely. Lets us even assume that Charter House did not provide hair and makeup artistes, common Ms Haugen you are that fab to have your glam team on hand.  It is not your fault that the place is hot but you shouldn't let us see your sweat. That was very uncool. Adi3 no wo yea na woaye no pr3ko. As for the LAFA (Locally Acquired Foreign Accent) It has become very normal like dumsor. Only that these days, my people have slanged soo much you wonder if there is another place apart from the United States with a new language. Identifying the LAFA is soo painful now.
First"I got you" in LAFA was "agotchu" now in the unidentified LAFA it is "aguoasho". I have raised my hands....hahahahaha. Why do people do that to themselves.
My major problem with her interview session was she simply would not let you finish before asking another questions and her questions were too loaded. Ask them light hearted questions not questions that would make them think. And one more thing Mz Haugen. be a diva(since you say you are) don't fight on Twitter. You dont see Mariah Carey on Twitter like that unless of course you are a Miley Cyrus. Stay above it. I don't know why people fuss on "haterism". Stick with the program. Besides not everybody is a hater.

Moving along, roll in Benny Blanco. Umm tsk tsk tsk. I have always wanted to ask him where he is from. Blanco...hmm sounds Fanti.  Anyways, he also went on the tangent "what are you wearing" and he had very very funny answers but it was like either he didnt realise the answers are ridiculous or he was laughing inside because his facial expression never broke. From I am wearing NEXT, to I am wearing a white shirt, to I am wearing Khaki. I will not start discussing that critically because I will not know how to stop. All I can say is why don't we wear our local designer clothes? Then what is the essence of having events like Ghana Fashion week. Is it that the clothes are expensive? But the designers cannot simply expect everybody to buy their designs...You have to find a muse. Find a popular muse and style the person just make sure that the muse shows up in-front of the camera displaying the awesome creation. Do men and women fall under the word muse?. Shrugs. Muses are plenty about town, Jocelyn Dumas, Efya, Ohemaa Mercy, Ms. Buari, Jackie Appiah (where is she) and umm Mandy Jay. I reserve all comments on what she was wearing. Got to admire her courage tho. Not everybody can pull of that look with such panache. Enough with the red carpet.

Why on earth did they start as late as 10 pm. You have been doing this for the past 14 years and still starting as late as 10 pm and ending as late as 3:00 am? Why?But Surprise surprise....I absolutely loved everything Eazzy (co host) wore and her presentation as a co host.. Considering this is her first gig, she was definitely on point. Ophelia Crossland (her designer) was so on point with the gown and the dresses. See she has found the perfect muse and worked with it. Who wants to bet that Madam Crossland has landed a costumer or two? Shuuu...I am an invisible customer, I am just waiting till I get money then I will really Crossland myself. I did not know what KOD (co host) was doing so please excuse me if I do have anything to write about him. And speakinf of hosts what was the deal with some of the presenters of the awards. Some of them acted like they walked on stage alone, holding the card close to their chests so that the other person could not see and help present award. Others took it as a 5 minute introduction of themselves. Ei na wei nsonso y3 asem. What that the place to tell us that you are from Jamaica and this is your first time in Ghana. But why? Who cared?!

Performances, performances....I absolutely loved Kontihene, FUSE ODG and Akatakyie. Ah Kontihene was so good. I danced papa. He worked the stage and had almost everyone dancing, the posers even got up. Akatakyie have the midas touch in their wack rap. Once they start rapping everybody begins to dance and rap along. As for FUSE if he did not bring that girl who danced in his video, I simply do not think anyone would have forgiven him. She is simply flexible. Yes that kind of girl, you pray your man does not meet in the club.  But time does change Banky W, VIP, 4X4 and even Sarkodie were soo lost on me. Wiz Kid was aight such a bummer he couldn't perform Time Bomb with Samini. Somebody explained it was because of Samini being an MTN icon. *rolls eyes*. No I am not going to comment about EL, Keche and Herty Borngreat. Gospel Music has just gone down some ridiculous road for some and I do not want to begin to dissect that migrane. I love my OJ and his sensible down to earth music.(award or no award) R2Bees swept the awards....whoooooooooooooo hoooooooooooooooooooooo. And I love Mugeez more than Paydae. whoooooo hoooooooo......Expected! Expected! Just waiting for the BET awards then we are done. Look at me as if I am part of the award winners. But they deserve it. Their song entitled LIFE is so worth it. I call it wisdom from unexpected places.

I will end on Sarkodie. I am his biggest fan and I am disappointed. His performance was the dullest ever and I really do not get why he is rapping about himself and the money he makes or doesn't make. It is not fresh. Yes we know JayZ does that but it comes with the pinnacle he has reached. He really has the clout to brag. He has the money and the ultimate accessory Beyonce.  Dear Obidi, you just launched a fashion label, we are yet to see the success rate, I for one I am praying it doesn't end up like StepApp. Stephen Appiah tried and tried but things fell apart because the center could simply not hold. You are a big boy by now you should have heard the reviews and trends you made on Twitter. Your act was bad. Nobody wants to hear about Illuminati or whether or not you are....If in doubt take a look at VIP. And umm why on earth are you selling a belt for GHc 180. Come on. You should know that at that price, you are dead on arrival. Know thy market trends and study thy people. People dress expensive but seriously, it is the combination of pieces that give the look and if you really take the pain to investigate the whole outfit from head to toe costs that Ghc 180 you want to sell your belt for. Come on. Relax. I will hate to see you become less popular and begin to vent like Shata Wale. *straight face* Don't let it get into your head.

Have a good evening people. Traffic bound journey. Sigh!!

My words, my thoughts, if you work at Charter House.... don't diss much.

Forgive typos. As always.

Peace.

PS. Manifest went to my school. He is a Tsikata but I love him nonetheless....ummm more than his father....all pun intended.

 hahahaa

Back to Matter

Hey madamfo) moho tesen? Longest time eh? It is not me it that annoying collaboration of events called Life and its pressures. haha.

You know when I say something, I really wonder why people laugh out loud. Honestly I do. As they laugh out loud and give me compliments on my supposed sense of humor and wit I wonder if they understand the message I am trying to convey...Maybe I should start asking people "Please beyond the laughter, did you get the message I sought to convey". Because sometimes I have an annoyed look when I update statuses on Twitter or Facebook. An example is my ranting on Ghanaian doctors verses the Cubans. People were laughing so hard at what I wrote before long I started laughing. Hmm. Anyways Anyways it must be one of those things.
Yesterday was the 19th of May 2013, I was so amazed that I did not have water flowing through my taps, didn't have light/electricity for over 6 hours and I had such an inner calm.Going through my mind now, I think I had that same sense of calm when I heard via news that flights had been grounded because of lack of aviation fuel. Afei ay3 very normal.

 It was such a normal calm I was experiencing that, at some point that I complainer extraordinaire  was consoling Patrick (hubby mine) that he should get with the program, because sleeping in heat was now part of the Ghanaian orientation. It is now part of our middle income status. Because now people lie, cheat, steal and now kill in broad day light (thanks to Kumasi et all) but we have our officials brush it aside. Wait a minute, I forgot something, now we chase for holy water(how absurd). I really don't like talking about TB Joshua because seriously he is/was part of the problem surrounding RIP Late Prez Mills. I am not going to pretend that it is ok, because he is a leader of a church. We are all creatures of God and that touch not my anointed is not an exclusive preserve of men of cloth.  When something is not right, it is not.
And when will people realize that Life is simple...it is unfair, harsh, sometimes good, sometimes bad sometimes evil but hard work, honesty, faith and determination is the only way. What makes water holy? What makes it so holy that you will stampede and die? Then what? yes what? You see there are men of cloth who will talk and you will get it, so where from all these people that we have lousy fascination and why am I wasting my time talking about it?!! m@#$%^^%&&*. People must wake up and smell the coffee and stop being pathetic.

 But for real what happens to all these things that go on? All these horrible things that need immediate punishment (verified by law). I do not blame them. We have a new trick or is it rather a new trick phase "we have set up a committee" . Once that committee is set up, nothing is done, well apart from the monies paid to the committee members curtsy  our taxes then maybe maybe that 5 minutes of fame on prime time news on GTV when the committee finally presents its report/white paper to the President, even that our taxes play a part again yep....refreshments at Osu Gardens. hahahaaa
By the way how is the President? It is an honest question no malice, I do not remember the last time I saw him on TV but I have heard him on radio....Shuu!! who are his advisers again? %^^&&*#$$%
 Dang!!What on earth are they telling him because I was kind of lost when I heard him talk about setting up some task-force (hybrid form of committee) on galamsey. He lost me completely. Completely.
 So what are we sending money the District Assemblies for? What about the REGSEC for the regions? What about the District Police Commanders? What about the Regional Police Commanders? Ei?! Ah!! He might as well have said I am opening a new branch of bribe taking folks because that is what will happen. They will over grow their job description, begin to assume powers and start misbehaving. Besides we have so many people who are employed within the districts to do this. Come on. It is about giving them descriptions and ultimatums. simple. Or the Chinese Loan is in because for a government that cant pay salaries we sure know how to create unnecessary positions.

Speaking of unnecessary positions, who is following the work that Manesseh is doing with the National Youth Employment Scheme. It is incredible the monies people are spending. He has turned his eye to Zoomlion. I chanced upon some of his documents online and dang!! But it is a double edged sword, one side is you want to expose the people who are taking advantage of the public private partnerships and ripping us silly, the other side is you do not want to discourage people who have genuine ideas that deserve government support. But so far it sure looks like people are simply taking advantage of the system. Will they be punished? No. I am still waiting for the day when Manesseh will step on serious toes. He will be surely Ato Kwamina Dadzied. *cough* but tell him to CITY HOPE before the trouble begins. My gut tells me something is soo wrong there. You know that feeling that just will not go away and you cannot do anything about it. That how I feel anytime I see the signboards. I am yet to see anyone using the phones or tablets. Meanwhile corporate Ghana is busy awarding. Entrepreneur of the year Urgh! The hypocrisy is stifling! Well I always say we all dey here....Koks the Bull koraa has been tamed. I really miss him tho, all these markets burning, he would have been rolling heads by now aside his shades and brown jackets. I must confess, I miss him too much.

I know most of you want me to talk about pink sheets and Supreme Court. I wont. What can I say? It is so clear those who have something to hide. It is so clear those are over hyped, those who have been sweating and calling for early lunch breaks, those who want auditing and once it starts they start dodging. Ah is it not clear....it must be by now. Now we all see those who have fallen in love with the words duplicates, triplicates, quadruplication but are hopscotching around the real deal- the figures. Those who are busy attacking credibility meanwhile they still cant prove nothing as Lawyer Addison puts nicely.. It is very rich to be challenging someone's credibility meanwhile. We all see those turn and twist what happens in court forgetting we all see or hear what is happening live in court. What can I say. Nothing. It is Oga Prez I feel sorry for. But hey, it is his bed of roses he must lie in it. Fragrance, thorns and all. I always tell my brother this, what would have shut everybody up was if Oga displayed some spunk in his actions and in actions. The kind of spunk that makes you go like yes this is it, case closed. But ah well, how for do? Idey be k3rk3r. 5 months down the road and ummmmm........elef plenty!!!!

Before I end, Ghana Music Awards must be in my concluding paragraph. I apologise though because the event in itself deserves a whole blog post. Just to whet your appetite on the kind of post I will put up tomorrow....I must say that enye force to act out the red carpet style of Ryan Seacrest and Guliana Rancic. You can still do a red carpet, still wear Ghanaian designs, and still make a statement. There is nothing wrong with wearing a brand non Ghanaian but there is everything wrong when you call a mass production brand like NEXT a designer. That is absolutely horrendous. The stars that we watch and see on E red carpet in the USA, wear clothes straight from the runway or custom made. Tailor fit, Couture. Some if not most, take months just to fit and wear them. It is not a joke to them so why is it a joke to us. Why?
But ummm is Jim Iyke interested in our Nadia Buari. Dont laugh...I am doing kokonsa but please I am eager at the prospects. Our own Kim Kadarshian and Yeezy. Nadia already has the family to act Keeping up with the Buaris, Jim Iyke to is too known...fine.( lmao at the things in my head)

Ey3 tomorrow....I will continue.


Time check....9:19pm. Yep still in the office. Workaholic me. Peace sign.


*Forgive my typos...as always*

Monday Rant.

 I hate Mondays (I have been saying slowly in my head for the past hour). Nothing in this world can make a Monday look and feel better. Not even a surprise gift of chocolate cake can soften this annoying day. And the most annoying thing about a Monday is time. It runs ever soo slow. Sometimes, I can stare at the clock, close my eyes, count ti five and the hands of the clock is still be at the same spot. One day I will smash the clock in my office. Yep then I will just blame the light off. Yep if the lights can blow equipment then a simple clock on the wall can be blow up as well. heheheheeehe. I know how do I come up with these ideas. I surprise myself sometimes. 

But hey...mema wo dumso oooo? yaaaa mahama.....Na wo npom eh?.....thats right.....akonfem nkoa! But wait a minute...I hear the  answer for Na wo npom eh? is now ey3 certificate nkoa...hahahahaha. Always messing with my William. People just love him but cant admit it. *broad smile*

Well now that the New Oga is 100 days old, he has graduated to substantive Oga. His honeymoon is over. Now full blast...just that he began the blasting on himself. Who asked him to say the meat on the country is gone and it is left with bone? Who at all has been giving him those lotto dates for the end of the dumso. He is always staking. hahhaa. Pressure. Yep. He is gone gray. More gray than his twin Obama. We need yomo hair dye. haha

*Serious face on* It sure has been a while since I posted something here. I know, I know and I miss you too.  But it has been a good hiatus hasn't it. Good enough to unwind whilst the dons of dumso and akonfem operate. haha. Soo much is happening in Ghana, isn't it?!. Give us some elbow room Hollywood, we've got lights, camera and lotsa action up in here. We have potential movie scripts to make Spielberg jealous. Um-mm wait a minute before I get into my usual kokonsa, there is an erroneous impression that people have about little ol' me. Do not be deceived by my online life. I am not a talkative. Yes ma'am, I am not and whilst we are on this topic. I sleep. Alot. So when you wake up and see a gazillion posts from me, it doesnt mean I have tapped my eyelids to my forehead. I am the number one sleepy head in this country. Anyone who sleeps more than me really ought to be sued. *silly laugh*

I really love meeting people and I always get a kick out of the screams "That is Naabia, you are hilarious, omg you are small, omg, you are short,omg one-day you will get arrested" yep it makes me laugh but I pretty much would not turn into a classic chatter box. I just laugh and plead the 5th. But seriously I am very a quiet person (ok not soo quiet but quiet... ha-ha) who just  likes to observe and turn my observations into prose. So please do not get offended if I give you a blank stare. I am not rude. I am just not a chatterbox. That enough on the self explanatory intro of Naabia 101. Urgh! beginning to feel like Oprah.

Let us move to Hollywood Ghana. That's more my zone. Every week and its drama. Nothing is surprising anymore only that sometimes, some of us wish some of the things are not that predictable. You think about it, it is very easy to identify the public institutions that are goofing, very easy to predict the responses from their *cough* so called public relations experts and it is very easy to predict how issues of national interest e.g. inflation,prices,social amenities, corruption etc end up. Too predictable. Sometimes before a radio host calls an expert to discuss an issue, I can rattle his or her answer. I have even started imitating the voices. hehehehe. But seriously I believe the biggest issue on every bodies mind now is the simple six letter word... SALARY. I looked up various definitions of this word online and finally settled on one that made common sense to me. Before anyone accuses me of plagiarism I got this from BusinessDictionary.com. *cough* Hello Uncle Haruna umm I still am your number one fan. *innocent look*. Chop kiss.

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/salary.html

Agreed-upon and regular compensation for employment that may be paid in any frequency but  in common practice, is paid on monthly and not on hourly, daily, weekly, or piece-work basis.

We will come back to this definition in a bit. First of all, all those who are on the holier  than thou crusade about lives who will be lost, death, gore, blood, students failing.....yawn! This is the kind of hypocrisy that kills me right after I have laughed with disbelief. Usually when people start criticizing labor using all sorts of language especially the sack them approach.... I just yawn and switch off. One person said on radio, we should sack them because students learn hard in difficulty. This is a stinking lie. Yes, we have students who have sharp IQ's but majority need nurturing. I am someone who has experienced striking teachers both in senior high school and in the University and it was not easy. At all and I do not consider myself as daft. We must begin to take what is happening very serious. Labor is striking. It is embarrassing locally and internationally. As for me, I was looking for a place to hide my head when the news broke out that cooks, laborers  gardeners and what not were invigilating the students. Eish! That is very not not. But how.
And if you sack teachers and get new ones and don't pay them well....wont they also strike. 
Please the problem is not the teachers. The problem is the salary structure not forgetting leadership and conviction to deal with the issue. So we know the salary structure is the issue, do we have the leadership full of conviction to tackle this? *half smile*

Anytime, I listen to experts rant and rave about how labor should approach their actions and inaction's with a human face, I ask myself in twi (No I will not translate into English, the twi dialect makes my point perfectly)

" hwe di33 okyer3, wo na woy3 simple consultancy na y3n tua woa, anka by now woa fii wosi akyer3 heavens na wo quote plenty international labor laws. Monma yen dwen wai. Ewiase ay3 shi" 

Have you asked yourself what would happen if you have not been paid for your services for over a year?. Have you asked yourself how long you can keep borrowing from people telling them you will pay if you get paid? Have you asked yourself what you would do if you are the man of the house and you cannot afford to keep the home, wife, kids, extended family et all. Have you asked yourself if you were a single mother living on that non existent salary what you would do? Have you asked yourself what your work output would be like if you know that at the end of the month, there is no cheque and if there is it simply does not add up? Have you asked yourself what you would do?  For how long can you live like that? Or we forget that they have bills to pay and lives to lead. come on people, come on.

We should learn to detach ourselves from the popular stands and put ourselves in their shoes. Besides they did not go promising themselves single spine salaries, they did not mount campaign platforms and promise themselves that their lives would change if they voted for A or B. What about those who did not vote?Besides it is not as if they are asking for an increase? Or? I stand to be corrected. They are asking for their monies that have not been paid them. Yes that backpay that is the right of MPs. I do not even want to start on the MPs. They are just not worth it. They should have been championing this. They should come together and challenge the executive. *slaps self* Naabia wake up.! 
Besides it is these annoying payments to MPs , misappropriation of funds from MASLOC, Sports ministry, NYEP etc that is making them fume. Before I forget, dear MPs that hollow argument of yours that we should check the salaries of top management staff of public institutions smells like momoni. 
Granted that their salaries might be huge but they have not backdated themselves and paid jaw dropping salaries to themselves. That argument that Woyogate cost more smells like rotten egg. How can you compare yourself to wrong to justify a right that is if you think you are right? Is that what your sunday school teachers taught you? Or they were also on strike during your childhood stage? See you need teachers to nurture...hehhhehehehee.

As for that reward is in heaven thingy they are always told, it has gotten to  ridiculous heights. Life is war, living in the capital is difficult, rent, school fees, food, pocket money....everything is tough.(ignore those inflation, economic indicator people) reality is what we are working with here. OK  so you say they should up and leave for the rural areas if they feel living in the capital cities is tough?!...fine! 
Don't they need money to survive or when they move to the rural areas then their families and extended families vanish into thin air? *incredulous look*  That argument in itself is just wrong, we need to stop kidding and start paying people what is due them. Maybe just maybe they will start working as we expect them to. 

Back to the definition from BusinessDictionary.Com.... The Government of Ghana, not NPP not NDC but Government employed the teachers, doctors, judicial staff etc. Government decided to implement the single spine structure for whatsoever reasons they deemed fit at that time. Government decided through its actions and inaction's not to empower the private sector or decentralize power (to the district assemblies if they were able to generate revenue for themselves they could hire at the district levels and pay salaries and not overburden central government) and become the biggest employer. Government did this to itself. It has no excuse whatsoever to turn around and insult anyone. That is why government spokespersons should be careful how they talk. Nobody is ganging up against anyone. When you truly understand why you where voted into power, why you are sworn in as the leaders of the Republic of Ghana, you will become intelligent enough to understand the issues.
Not only government spokespersons but those fair wages and salaries people. Someone needs to put a nuzzle on them. They talk too much. Besides they get paid every month, they can afford to talk plenty. After all talk can be that cheap. Anyways it is not as if Government can pay its arrears. Our finance minister says we are in the red. Did you realize we took as very normal everyday info. Ghana is broke. Unless they borrow money they cannot pay. So what happened? What happened to all those fabulous indicators that we rattled to yes just four years ago? What happened that now, we cannot pay salaries? 

It is shameful and very disgraceful. 

Are we still calling ourselves a middle income country. Never believed that myth. Glad I never did. Common sense would not allow it.

*shrugs* 

6:42pm. My rant is done. I miss my bed.

Have a good evening.

Peace sign! As usual forgive my typos.

Black and White.

Butterflies are fascinating creatures, coming out ugly larva-ish things. Does a butterfly have anything to do with my post. Not really. It is just one of those things you think about once in a while. Shrugs! Today has been a hot day hasn't it? Nothing to do with politics or work just plain old heat emanating from the sun. Heavens bless the inventor of the aircondition. May your generators continue to be nerdy and invent awesome gagdets for future use. Amen. Lets start shall we.....

I know I joke around alot especially on Facebook and on Twitter and once a while  in those funny posts of mine, you may have seen a post saying that I want to meet with the President for 24 hours in which I hope to tell him the simple truth though I am not a fan of his party and especially his government. If I was joking then now I am serious. Sigh! I know to most of you I am one of the biggest people against the current President being in office but I do not want him to fail. Until the court proves otherwise, we are saddled with him, until the court proves otherwise his actions and inactions as President affects my livelihood. It affects my salary and what it can do for me. Maybe if I want to be more dramatic, I say that in addition these same actions and inactions affect the way the country is viewed internationally, so yes in as much I do not believe in the methods/ideologies of the President and his party, I hope he will does not  fail. For our sakes.

 This week and the next weeks to come, the president is in the news because he has dramatically reshuffled/reassigned his ministers and their regional portfolios. 

First of all, lets clear the myth and stop the awkward praise singing...He is not the first president or leader of Ghana to have done so. Prime Minister Nkrumah did same (speaking of Nkrumah he was an Nzema but stood and won the Odododiodo seat), General Acheampong did same, President Rawlings did same, President Kufuor did same. And secondly let us stop the falsetto that it shows  bold leadership, I really beg to differ. Why? In these past weeks, I am sure it has come across the President's radar how ghost names have festered nicely in the payroll of the National Youth Employment Scheme. This same National Youth Employment that has had people come on radio, print and tv talking about how their allowances have not been paid for months. Manasseh Azure did a beautiful report on that, ummm is the leadership of the Youth Employment Scheme still at post? Yes. Have they been investigated ? No. Another detailed report from the same Manasseh Azure showing  us how the some of the security bodies are attempting to shield some leaders. In plain black and white terms what would you have done? Won't it be ummm a bold decisive decision to send a clear signal to everyone that you have arrived. Or? But your guess is good as mine. Resounding silence from the Executive. Wait a minute, do not forget the National Health Insurance Scheme. I feel very embarrassed for the President, maybe he does not feel it but I certainly do. How many of you watched the IEA debates? How many of you remember how candidate Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo told the entire nation that night that the scheme was collapsing, How many of you remember the answers given by candidate John Dramani Mahama. The figures he gave out, telling us that the scheme covers 60% of Ghana. 

Well just over a week ago in Geneva, the same director of the scheme told the people at the conference that they have had to revise their figures and that the scheme covers only 18% of Ghana. Pause and think about it a minute, assuming the President was fed wrong information this is clearly information that he must work with and interrogate what has been happening as well as find out why they have not being able to pay  their vendors leading to most hospitals resorting to cash and carry or simply turning patients away. Are the directors of the scheme still at post? Yes.and I am still asking myself why? Why Mr. President? Why? Just when I am asking myself this you just had to reshuffle your ministers. This is not the first time he has done this  in his selection of ministers (remember the minister for creative arts, I stand to be corrected Hon. Rashid Pelpuo and some issue with Prof. Naana Opoku Agyemang) at first I thought he was being cautious now I seriously do not know what to think anymore.

 In a bid to praise sing, the excuse being given  to us (painful pill actually) is that this will stop tribalism. Cough.Why tribalism? Is it because of the fury exhibited by the footsoldiers in the North because someone is from tribe A or tribe B? This is every bit the ruling parties fault nothing to do with the rest of Ghana. Heavens only know the kind of promises, they gave out during campaigning. If you did not put that into their minds, why do they be thinking such nonsense. And it is not as if it is  a small group of misled people protesting, it is a calculated organised group who have something they are standing on to misbehave. I am willing to bet a simple what were you promised will get us some answers. Aside all that it is an open secret that the party executives especially in the NDC have turned themselves into kingbrokers. They will openly defy the President by making the work difficult for these appointees. Not forgetting they were selected because they were well acquinted in their regions, have they been trained for another terrain, I am not even talking about language barriers I am talking about knowing the people and their immediate needs. Really if this is what you were going to do? Why didn't you do it from day one. Please this might die down, do well and lets not go there when choosing Heads of Institutions and Boards. Let the political communication be clear and precise. We certainly deserve that after the past cantata from the Ministry of Information.

Mr. President, Mr. President find black and white people. Find people who will tell you what you need to hear. And you can start by sending press releases during the day. It comes at night as if you are afraid of daylight. Step into the daylight. It is brighter and livelier. 

We are finding our feet, we need to look up and not be cringing in shame.

Too much is at stake here.

Have a good evening.

The Love Letter

 So a friend of mine known as Paa Kwesi wrote a long letter that I should send to the Prez. Umm Please I do not know the President from Adam. All I know is he is currently the sworn in President of the republic of Ghana, He has plenty nkura aduro in his government, his living room has nice leather seats, His wife has hips to die for, his hair is very grey now and he has stopped smiling. Simples. But I decided to answer his love letter paragraph by paragraph. That is the least I can do on a hot Monday afternoon such as this. Enjoy


Dear President Mahama....(pls woati koraa. zero over ten. His name is Oga Prez)


A Ghanaian I have been very proud to be, I have been proud to be counted everywhere around the world as coming from Nkrumahs Ghana, the Gold Coast....(I think Nkrumah should have waited before sacking the Obodoyibo simply known as white man. )pri koraa dodo. See South Africa. Everyday Self Government now. Eni ye ne)

From the times of Nkrumah to now I still kept my hopes up, believing that one day things are going to change; that another breed of leadership and a new Ghanaian will emerge from somewhere among us.......(Ummm I think that one is too six and loss on your part. tweaa we dont like leadership, we like handsome, tall and idey bi k3k3. Not forgetting Ghc 50 and t-shirt)

I resign today because I am tired of hoping for the best when nothing is being done.... (You resign from where, massa woni bibiara ko...stay and dumsor with us. Woy3 wicked paa. Massa look for some bench and sit down)

I am tired of seeing children knocked down on the streets by irresponsible drivers because their desperate mother is somewhere struggling to make ends meet....(Its true emom but now I really do not have pity on all of them. They were given the option for education they chose Ghc 50 and t'shirt. They should work with their hands. NYEP is there only that they wont pay their allowances on time)

I am tired of going to the hospital and being told that there are no drugs or my health insurance is not working because government has not paid previous claims......(Hoh!! as for the National Insurance Scheme you should have known. Ah gidigidi they said one time premium. Meanwhile they never told us how? that alone should show you that... adi3 no )mo enim y3! Shishii kwa)

 I am tired of being stopped by the police every night to pay fifty pesewas for just passing their way; even if I were an armed robber...(Those police people do not mind them koraa. When they packed them like sardines to Parliament for Single Spine what did they say, didnt they go. Ene )mu ne. Blowing sirens left right center in town. Wharris that. Btw their rate has gone up...they like 2 cedis)
I refuse to talk about the witches camp and the trokosi camps still in operation, the increasing rape and defilement reports....(That is a national shame. Still wondering why it hasnt stopped. One tends to think these women groups plus government want it to thrive so they can keep collecting donor support to stop it. Because by now di333 ahba!! shimii ntur) nkoa)

After 56 years, there is nothing happening in Ghana to be proud or hopeful of but a lot to be ashamed of....(Well I feel you on that, but susu ka shame no. Etwi me too much. b3t why? You too shame!!)

More kids are homeless today than 50 years ago, people still die of malaria, hunger is everywhere and a growing state of hopelessness is pushing more and more people into crime.....(Please they will tell you crime is from Adam and the micro economic indicators plus GDP has affected the Gross Domestic Supply of something something. Nkura aduro nkoa)

The institutions of state have been hit by corruption and scandals, not to talk of the irresponsibility, waste and the erratic supply of water and electricity......(In all this paragraph, all i see is water. Eish where you here when Hon. Dr. Hannah Bissiw was touring water projects? Eish maame no p3 fans! Were you here when Hon. Bagbin said he will fix it in 100 days...yes yes where you here when we had Kufuor gallon.....idey be k3k3)

Bad policies have led to the formation of the Association of Unemployed Graduates....(Oh come off, it those people are a batch of nincompoops. I am sure they pay dues. Where do they get the money from? Close your mind. They just want popularity. I blame radio stations for entertaining them in the name of democracy. Hmph)

At 56 we can only boast of changing government through the ballot box which, to a large extent, is not an achievement considering the issues surrounding it and the fact that Ghanaians are genetically preachers of leave everything to God- even when injustices are being done to them.....(Say it again oo, we know God than God Himself. But this paragraph I dedicate to Dr. Djan. He will serve you with further and better particulars)

At 56, Ghana still has not found a way to utilise the energy of the youth whilst their dreams hang on political activism, party politics and computer fraud......(Oh the youth, youth is now 54 the Prez Oga himself has redefined it. Pls though who were formally in the youth bracket are now to be called toddlers. medaase. k3k3 remix)

Leadership in Ghana is nothing to write home about. The educated ones trapped in party idiocy would gladly do anything to satisfy their chosen groups....(We do not have leaders, the real leaders are in the private sector. Omu dwene )mo ho wai. waving at Prince Amoabeng and Sam Jonah!!!)

Parliament has become a shadow of its self and completely brainless; members will vote for everything on party lines whether good or bad and drag any tax payer who dares question such acts before the privileges committee to be bullied.....(true true this Parliament di33 suspect. very suspect. cough at the Ablaks)

The media, the fourth estate of the realm, has become a punch bag of politicians who determine what will be discussed by owning most media houses or manipulating the news trends behind the scenes. The media has let itself to be used to destroy a lot of careers and people who probably had good intentions for this country with its tomfoolery.....(Good point. Umm dont get me started on these our journalists. Abon paaa! you can see from the way majority of them ask questions and write news articles. And when they have "meant" you kai, you berra move to Togo)

Mr. President, my nightmares have doubled and my fear of dying still broke drives me to this decision with a heavy heart. In your three addresses of the nation you have failed to connect with me, you have allowed yourself be led by dubious speech writers who know what the people want to hear (but not what they want to see) even if it is not actionable....... (That i agree with you. I wonder if he listens to himself. He has had many chances to make us rally behind him. Look at what he said at the Independence day. Hmm. Well. hmmm.)

Maybe things might change, maybe there might be something to hope for in the pipeline; but Mr. President, I dont see it happening if people will not simply change and be accountable not to you, but to the poor people of Ghana whose strength is the only thing that keeps this country afloat – not you, not your politicians but us....(Woy3 dramatic o!)

Mr President I Resign....(Mesi gyae saa na wo resigni ako hefa! who should sit here with no light, gas or water. Look for some bench and sit down.)

*So Paa Kwesi I will send this via DHL wai...mensuro. hahahahahaha*