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*

WOYRAM

 I can't stop obsessing over American series. Especially those ones that have to do with crime or mythology. And yes it has everything to do with their special effects. Sometimes I literally pinch myself as a reminder that it is just make believe blood or just some scary costume put together by a bunch of nerds, yep nothing to be scared or disgusted about (nevers works out, still scare myself silly). But I totally raise my hands in awe at the quality of acting, plots, srt designs and costumes (primarily because of Fashion Police> Joan Rivers and co). Joan Rivers is a mad lady. Totally hilarious.
That said, I always seem to find a new series to go insane over and it gets a bit annoying because I am never completely done with a one. Always jumping from one to the other. A bit whorish really. I absolutely blame the creators of "Game of Thrones"making me search all over for series to fill my gaping hole.Ought to sue them really, they should hurry and release the new season.... it is March already. Urgh and that reminds me the director of the movie "The Hobbit" says via his facebook page that the next and final installment in that series will be released next year December. 2014. Hmmm. Face in palm....I can never win the battle. Help!!! Sigh
.Welcome my new love Elementary. 

Let me give you a brief analysis >> Elementary stars Jonny Lee Miller as detective Sherlock Holmes and Lucy Liu as Dr. Joan Watson in a modern-day drama about a crime-solving duo that cracks the NYPD's most impossible cases. Following his fall from grace in London and a stint in rehab, eccentric Sherlock escapes to Manhattan where his wealthy father forces him to live with his worst nightmare - a sober companion, Dr. Watson. A successful surgeon until she lost a patient and her license three years ago, Watson views her current job as another opportunity to help people, as well as paying a penance. However, the restless Sherlock is nothing like her previous clients. He informs her that none of her expertise as an addiction specialist applies to him and he's devised his own post-rehab regimen - resuming his work as a police consultant in New York City. Watson has no choice but to accompany her irascible new charge on his jobs. But Sherlock finds her medical background helpful, and Watson realizes she has a knack for playing investigator. Sherlock's police contact, Capt. Tobias "Toby" Gregson (Aidan Quinn), knows from previous experience working with Scotland Yard that Sherlock is brilliant at closing cases, and welcomes him as part of the team. With the mischievous Sherlock Holmes now running free in New York solving crimes, it's simple deduction that he's going to need someone to keep him grounded, and it's elementary that it's a job for Watson.....whew!!
Umm hope I made the synopsis delicious enough to get you interested. (whispering) if it keeps you up at night and late for work every morning, I am innocent of all charges. You are on your own

Anyways, how are you this Sunday? The weather is okay for starters and ohhh surprise surprise I have both light and water at home today. Maybe I shouldn't be talking about that too much I should be grateful, you never know the powers that be might just read this post and decide to withdraw their services. Cough. Lets talk about something else. Umm what is interesting? Ok. Snap. Yes let's talk about Mother's day. It is Mother's day in the UK not in Ghana. Though I must admit I was a bit puzzled when I saw all the Happy Mothers' day messages flowing on Twitter and Facebook. Willing to bet that more than half of the people (cough cough) didn't know that the Mother's day was in abrokyire and not in Ghana, but in an attempt to look current decided to post away. Hahaa. Dont mind me all Mother's day is Mother's day. We cannot celebrate them enough. And the title of the post is my mother's name. Her name is Woyram. It means in I have been blesssed in Ewe. We are twins my mother and I. We look alike save the hair styles, talk alike, very conservative, big fans of Nana Akufo Addo (yes she is full blooded Ewe hahaha) with fiery legendary tempers. Well I decided to write this post about her because of an article I read by China Okasi. She is the founder of Daily Mocha and executive director of Women of Media. The title of the article is African Moms: Be patient with your married daughters. No I am not going to give you a synopsis on this one, I will encourage you to read it by posting the link to the article. Kindly find it posted below.

http://www.cp-africa.com/2013/02/16/african-moms-be-patient-with-your-unmarried-daughters-3/

I read the article and knew that China must have had my mother and I in mind though in the reverse. How?
I remember when I was with child in final year of school (Uni), my mother looked at me squarely in the eye and told me "You are not going to get married because of a child, over my dead body". Ohmyheavens I thought, what she talking about..marriage was my salvation, my last resort to whatever "shame" I thought I was going through. My only way to redemption. But as I roll the years back and forth in my mind, and I realise that was the best gift she ever gave to me. Over her dead body. Because I grew, my mind, my attitude, my convictions just grew. Everything. I became aware of my environment, when I was unsure of my thought processes I just read, everything and anything....now that I think of it I am sure that is where my love for politics and current affairs grew. I simply woke up from the bubble I was in and faced the world head on and this is where I am. I am sure that answers many a question especially my tough as nails attitude. This is who I am. I have been through my personal breaking point, what else can one do to me.
 I love the man I am with, I love the fact that I have his son but I am a better woman now and that will reflect in my choices as his wife and mother to his child. I am in no way saying those who get married because of similar circumstances are doomed, all I am saying is my mother saved me. Marriage is two people for the rest of their lifes, marriage is beyond the counselling, the wedding, the parties, the decor, it is when you close the door and you are left with you and your partner. So yes marriage would have been my escape route to whatever ridicule I thought I was facing, but it would have been my doom route at that time. My mom blessed me with a second chance to rediscover myself. I am sure if any of you knew her and directed her to read this post, she will just roll her eyes and look over her glasses and gently say "Don't mind NaaBia, she wants money for something...tell her she should forget it".  Hahaha....

Interesting world we live in. The journeys we go through. That is another reason I really detest people who act holier than thou. They have no idea that journey God has put us on. Hmmpph.
It is five already. Monday. Ironing for work. I protest absolutely protest that we still have not got any nerd in this century who will make clothes that wash and iron themselves. Who even invented the iron. I ought to go back in time and pinch him. Why didnt he create an iron that we could command to work on its on. Better still iron and give us chocolates at the end of it. Ah. Maybe when rLGs Hope City comes on board.....hahahahahahaaa.(this my mouth)

Time to go.

Bye.

Not amused that I am going to iron.

Hellllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllppppppppppppp.

The curious case of the E-Cigarette

 Good evening my lovely people. Once again let me apologise for all the mistakes in my previous posts. I am soo impatient sometimes in my bid to get my thoughts out, I forgot to proof read. Forget all the trauma I put you people through. Yes you deserve better. For nothing at all, you deserve to read a proper post without mistakes.
Nuerki Ata-Bedu thank you once again, for taking the time to point it out to me. As I said, you will proof read everything from now on. Might as well make you my manager. So umm please direct all queries to my new manager Nuerki. Please I want only dollars o, the rate at which people are spending dollars, it must not pass me by....(singing the hymn...do not pass me by)

How was your day, mine has been very fabulous. I just got in from Tema. Hectic day with a prospective client. It went well. But in the midst of the heat and traffic I happened to see a name that was trending on my news feed both on Twitter and on Facebook. Christopher Maurice aka Chris Brown. Hmm. I laughed, I laughed so hard because these LA, Hollywood, New Yorker "celebrities" will kill us. Haha. We are now even with Nigeria though you and I might have to analyse which "dupe" was more. Kim Kardashian went to Nigeria appeared on the stage for 5 minutes and was paid $500k, Chris Brown came sang three songs and then was paid $1mil. When you decide who tops the list let me know. But I think the Nigerians have beat us to this one. hahahaaha. Africans over learn everything. Eating, Dressing, Bleaching, Speaking, Showing off and now paying non-fa artistes to come and entertain us. That is why I laughed soo hard. We deserve every rip off, we are refusing to grow.

I even wonder what country we live in now. When absurdity stares us in the face, we brush it aside then when it becomes beyond us we resort to blind fury....then the fury becomes silent then we are back to business as usual. I took interest in Chris Brown coming to Ghana because of one major thing. His price tag. $1 million. I was besides myself in mirth that as a broke country (yes we are broke) a company can bring in an artiste and pay him that much. Yes you can say it is the right of the management of that company to decide what they want to do with their money. Cough...I doubt very much all that is their money. Cough! Cough! This my mouth! Ok lets interrogate that theory as it run through my mind. If it makes sense let me know, if it does not buy me cake...Umm wait before I even start with that. My little words of advice, Public Relations/Corporate Relations is an art. Some people are born with it whilst others learn it through school and become pros. You are managing the flow of information between an individual or an organisation and the public. Any lousy statement can make or break the company. When hiring PR executives, it is not all about dressing and it is not because the person is a lawyer. There should be lots of finesse because you are dealing with humans not idiots. If you have nothing to say, just keep quiet. Silence doesn't always mean consent, you know.

Well...over past week, rLG and its affiliates launched a project named Hope City. OK. I thought and still think it is a fabulous idea because it has audacity. It is the kind of project you hear Donald Trump raging about. A state of the art facility which will be a hub for technology. BUT the price tag. $10 billion dollars. Divided by 5 because it will be up within 5 years so we are looking at give or take $2 million a year. Yes it can be done BUT when something is too good to be true sometimes, that is exactly what it is. Anyways I am still wondering why this hub was not designed for somewhere in the North. What is the fear that people will not patronise the facility? Who said? Will that not be more reason for government to build at least an additional airport, recreational sites, more tourist sites there?*Face in palm* These things, these developmental things should be rolling off our finger tips by now. Or this one too, a commission or committee must sit on this. Ebei!!!!
I looked around me and wondered how much people use  rLG equipment. I only see rLG on my TV and even that the television presenters do not use it. It is like a white elephant infront of them. Then I thought hard and I realised that rLG is virtually in charge of the free laptops that were disbursed during the recent elections. The ones that had the picture of my President then candidate embossed on it. Hmmm. I thought hard again then I remembered that rLG was in charge of training the youth women and men who fall under the NYEP module for ICT (now GYEP or something like that). That is where my questions started, at least to myself.

1. What was the cost of each laptop?
2. How many have been disbursed?
3. At whose cost, the state or the campaign machinery of the then candidate, or the famous known phenomenon "friends of the candidate"?
4. The NYEP ICT Module what was the cost involved if any?
5. How much has been paid, if any?
6. When will we hear of it, at the Public Account Committee?

Yes 6 questions doing the electric slide in my head....so yes the $10 mil project how did he say he was going to raise funds for it again? Think I have to look for the articles that highlighted the launch again though I really do not remember seeing anything of that sort at least that could answer raising $2mil a year.So with all this mess in my head, hearing that Mr. Brown was coming into town, the official jam for the launch of the project, official jam for the 56th Independence day celebration, all I could do was sleep in my bed and ask when? When will we wake up from all this. We are even looking for what just $3 mil from the Chinese when we can easily ask that from...........(fill in the dots) So when will we wake up? Not now apparently.

Now rLG and CharterHouse just deal with it, the dude smoked weed! He did  and there is nothing that can be done about it. This is someone who beat up his girlfriend went to trial and got sentenced for that (though she has forgiven him), nothing can be more simpler than rolling a blunt. Spare us the e-cigarette excuse, spare us the slim cigar excuse, spare us the drama. Whilst you are at it, we have the right to be mad because we do not have light and water, our taxes will be increased (urgh) and we do not need these insult to injury kind of things. And to those radio entertainment journalists who are acting and fake accenting like we should stop complaining and get a life ummm (how do I put this nicely)....Ey3 krom ha p3 na sebe o, wobe nya saa tumi no akasa by heart, nas3 motra borders no na moko serious democracies eho na wobe hu aduma pa a entertainment journalists ey3. Enye di33 ehia ni, monko so endi agor) wai.

Forgive me if you do not understand the TWI language but there is no way I will write that in english. The dialect makes the point perfectly. Do find a translator and you will understand why?Ah the Fanti dialect would have been more apt.

Time check....6.16.

Lets call it a day!

Smiles.....