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.*