General News of Friday, 9 December 2011

Source: GNA

By: Kwaku Wirekoh-Boateng

The Youth Journal, The Ghanaian News November 2011

In our community, the topic of abortion is barely discussed within the family, or church organization, but the reality is, abortion is prevalent among the young women. Within the community, abortion is usually simplified as either “God does not like it,” or “you are going to hell,” but the issue is much more in depth than that. In today’s society, young women are taught to view abortion with a different lens. It involves the woman’s right to her body, her mental and emotional ability to prepare and raise a child, her financial circumstance or support, her relationship with God, and etc.

The subject of abortion needs to be discussed in the homes of every parent. It is important especially for families who have girls, and even if they don not, it is still imperative. If parents fail to discuss such issues with their youth, they will get the wrong information from else where. Sometimes, in the Ghanaian homes, parents feel or think because they are the authorative figure their children will most likely fear them and do as they say but modern society has taken a different route in shaping the growing youth.

Life has changed and society is no longer the same. Many young children have access to the internet and advice from friends that have little or no experience in life. It is the responsibility of parents to educate their children on these topics.

Sometimes, parents feel that when they discuss such topics with their children, they are giving them the right to indulge in it. However, it is important to provide your child with your perspective on this issue and why you may or may not agree with their point of view. It is usually preached that the children are the future but if the children are the future then the values of their parents should be passed on to build a better society. Today’s society is a very different society, children are taught to be free by doing as they please but without guidance and direction many children will inevitably make mistakes that will haunt them. It is important for us, as Ghanaians, both parents and youth to open up to each other and discuss issues that are central to raising our children and providing them with the tools to succeed in life.

By: Abena Kwatemaa Offeh-Gyimah

The Youth Journal, The Ghanaian News November 2011

Written by: Nicole Bortsi (Psychology Student at York University)

Passion: Humanitarian and Advocacy Issues

Approximately Wednesday morning after a night of torrential rainstorms, President Atta Mills tours some flood affected areas; promising of relief and government support to affected victims. So, what do we do about this…donate funds, reconstruct houses, re-allocate victims of struck down homes….that’s all great and dandy but how do we prevent this extent of damage hitting our home every year and more violently at that? Garbage control. Proper Disposal. Waste Management. Some might be dumbfounded at the answer to the mediation of our problems; however in the same way the Western side of Africa is doing well to imitate the Western side of the world in the aspect of business, it would be very efficient and commendable if Africa’s citizens could imitate the Western world’s aspect of environment. Now, it’s not to say that every country is clean and free of litter; however deterrence and amends should be made in regards to cleanliness and maintenance of litter; for example, fines and/or designated areas of litter.

So, how does this make such a big impact in regards to relief of floods? One would say a better drainage system. “Drainage is the disposal of excess water on land- either used or in form of storm water”, (Okwudili Onuchukwu).  Drainage, being the disposal of excess water must be facilitated through developed, elaborate, construction of drainage, sewers, and roads is imperative in Ghana and should be looked well looked into. Irrigation and as well as infrastructure of the drainage system are also very important. One would also suggest the funding or enlargement of the waste management sector; i.e. Zoomlion. There is way too much waste being incorrectly deposed of, if deposed of at all. There is a strong need for public trash cans and dumpsters in the city of Accra; trash cans should be just as important as traffic lights…there should be one at every junction and as well as staff to maintain such disposals. Lastly, one would suggest the education of young children would be a good start.  How much emphasis are they putting on Environmental studies, Geological studies, and even the simplest principle “Reduce, Reuse, and RECYCLE”??? Anyways talk never did much for anyone without action….just food for thought.

One would say the ample amount of waste littered around the city streets have some input in the clogged drainage causing the flood outbreak. It would be beneficial to educate the public on how to properly throw away rubbish and to purge the gutters to prevent getting choked up.  It would be much more beneficial to do something about the cause of our annual flood destruction, than to rant excessively about the aftermath it produces. In an attempt to strengthen or proliferate the betterment of the country in every aspect, it would be creditable attempt to keep their environment as clean as the world’s “trendsetters”.

I recently met with a group of young Ghanaian men and women in the GTA to discuss
ways we can make a positive impact in the Ghanaian-Canadian community. Coming out of the
meeting, I realized the vast potential that, as a community, we possess. Many of our young
people are in top academic institutions across the country, and others are in positions of power
and influence. What I also realized, however, is that much of that potential is not being tapped
into for our collective improvement. What I mean is that the individual successes have yet to
translate fully into communal success. Even so, I am heartened by the belief that if our young
men and women come together in an effort to tackle some of the problems confronting our
community – especially those facing our younger youth – we will see incredible results.

Be it mentoring, educating, or acting as positive role models for the younger generation
of Ghanaian youth, our young men and men have to play a central role if our community is to
progress. This group is uniquely positioned to spearhead our upward mobility and to bridge the
apparent disconnect between our elders and younger siblings. Just as surely, we are uniquely
positioned to be of most influence to the younger youth. Many of us have had the privilege of
spending part of our early years in Ghana, and so we tend to relate easier to the older
generation than do the younger youth. Equally important, we are better able to relate to the
younger youth than can the older generation.

In my experience, I have learned that a large number of our youth who fall through the
cracks of the system lack the resources they need in order to succeed and become productive
members of society. Some lack positive role models to whom they can consult for advice and
direction. Others do not have access to programs and services that they need. Whatever the
case may be, unless these issues are addressed, the inevitable outcome is that our youth will
continue to follow this same negative path.

With the problems facing our youth today, and the unique capability of the older youth
to make a positive impact, it is time that we come together to confront this challenge. Because
we occupy a uniquely significant position in the community, the responsibility lies with us to
help tackle these issues. Every challenge is a call to empowerment, an opportunity to build
relationships, and an occasion to realize our better selves. This is a pressing challenge for our
generation. It is our moment to step up, embrace this responsibility, and assume the mantle as
vanguards of the evolving Ghanaian-Canadian community.

By: Kwaku Boateng (York University)

From: Stephen A.Quaye, Toronto-Canada.

A lady reported on duty one fine morning smiling as she greeted her working colleagues before settling down for business of the day. All of a sudden, the smiles on her face vanished as she capped her chin in her palm and started to think deep.

So frustrated and looking deeply worried, one of her male working partners drew closer and asked her what was going wrong in her life at that moment. She was seriously cash strapped that even what she could use to board a bus back to the house after closing from work that evening was a problem.

Not knowing, due to lack of proper financial management, this lady has enjoyed a lot of sympathy from almost all her working partners to the extent that no one was ever ready to support her financially anymore. That worsened her woes at that time.

When the news got to other working partners, one of them photocopied dollar notes and shaped them to look like counterfeit dollar notes and stashed them in an envelope, sealed it and presented it to this cash strapped woman.

She received it with all the joy that it demands only to open it at a corner to realize that they were full of photocopied counterfeit dollar notes. Pain run through this woman’s heart and shed tears the whole day.

So many people dream to become rich, multimillionaires. But what is the point…..really….. all your problems in life will simply go away? The most annoying thing is that so many people these days choose a job based on salary and I am no exception as I have done before in the past. It was a high paying job but I did not want to suffer from chronic diseases in future.

Money is a means to get what you want, not the end goal itself. Sure it is accepted as a globally “scorecard”. In our local Ghanaian parlance we say “SIKA KASA” to wit, money talks, bullshit walks” as we hear often from others or “put your money where your mouth is”

Financial currency has become a way for us to show off or to show to others that “hey man I am awesome; I have so much money now”. Is true there are so many ways to make money but certain people makes me worried about this part where they work too hard to make money but could not get that back as money can not buy wealth, intelligence, wisdom and reputation.

Again, it is true there are so many ways or things one can do in life to make a lot of money, but would that also make us happy? That is the main question. Would you do illegal things, immoral things, and disgusting things to make a lot of money?

Young boys and girls in urban areas, would you sell drugs to other poor kids to make a million dollars? Pretty girls, would you be a porn star, stripper or prostitute if you could make a million dollars?

Business men and women, would you sell fake products, if it could make you a millionaire or sell your customers products to someone else without his promises? Internet operators, would you sell sex toys, Viagra, or spam email if it could make you a millions.

Government official, would you take bribes from contractors who want you to cheat their bid for a new economical zone? Police officer, Soldier, civil servant would you spend all your duty hours working lotto numbers with the hope that you will become a super rich millionaire by winning those numbers?

Sorry if these are the things that you are considering doing to become rich then I might say that you might make money your God only for you to regret later after having gotten rich.

Yes no one can live without having some amount of money on him. The same way it is burdensome for on to have plenty money on him and sometimes regret to have plenty money as those problems the money would solve rather becomes worse.

It is time for people to try and live an average life style not poor or too rich to enjoy peace. In the next article I will present to you more sad stories of lottery winners who ended their life poorer than they were before they won millions of lottery.

THE AUTHOR STEPHEN ARMAH QUAYE, IS THE FORMER EASTERN REGIONAL REPORTER OF THE GHANAIAN CHRONICLE NOW A FREELANCE WRITER IN TORONTO-CANADA.HIS EMAIL ADDRESS IS teemagi2003@yahoo.com

We believe that the hardship being faced by most Ghanaians is forcing individuals to live beyond their means and causing the kind of corruption going on at our market places, offices, ports, schools and in government departments.

We believe it is time the President and Ministers work to

1. Address serious gas and electricity shortages plaguing the capital, Accra and several towns in the outlying areas.

2. Reduce high taxes and tariffs which are weakening small businesses.

3.Stop the excessive harassment of our traders and market women by our metropolitan council authorities and exempt them from paying the basic rate of tax to boost business.

4. The price of food is also rising steadily on essential commodities such as rice, sugar, flour, yams, meat and fish. The President must reduce tariffs on inputs to make it easy for importers to support farmers and traders in these commodities.

450 billon Ghana cedis has been lost through our main ports, Tema and Takoradi and our inland ports in 2 years through the collusion of some government ministers ,officials at the office of the presidency and some corrupt customs officers. These corrupt acts are destabilising to the nation’s security and prosperity and heads must roll for this poor state of affairs.

We also call on the President to support the work The Commission of Human rights and Administrative justice to pursue corrupt public officials and address wrongdoing in our society to promote accountability.

Professor Mills must be careful in underestimating the intelligence of the Ghanaian people in not confronting these challenges and dealing with them. There is also a perception that he has yet to show any willingness to condemn or crack down on indiscipline within his government, He must stamp his authority and get them to refocus on rebuilding trust with the public and delivering the government agenda.

Mr President please its time to act now.

Dennis Doe- Vormavor Interim Chairman Ghanaians Abroad Against Corruption. Glasgow, Scotland

Among its schedule of activities in Toronto is a Town Hall meeting to receive submissions from “stakeholders”, and rounding up their “consultations” with a Dinner to which a select few from the community is invited. We hasten to dismiss this overseas “consultation” by the Constitutional Review Committee as a hollow exercise that means absolutely nothing, and will infact have no impact on the lives and fortunes of Ghanaians in the diaspora in the affairs of the Land of Our Birth, Ghana. We know that the Commission has finished its work in Ghana and is in the process of writing its final report. We therefore regard the overseas tour and “consultations” with Ghanaians in the diaspora as at best a last-minute thinking and attempt to placate Ghanaians in the diaspora with a semblance of being taken seriously in the affairs of Ghana. At worse, we believe that the Committee is undertaking the tour as a well-deserved holiday after their grueling schedule of activities in Ghana over the past year or so.

Before anyone dismisses our concerns, we need to pose this question to Ghanaians in the diaspora and the Constitutional Review Committee: Since when did governments and people in Ghana take the views and opinions of Ghanaians in the diaspora seriously? From Rawlings’ (P)NDC through Kufour’s NPP to Mills/Rawlings current NDC governments, no government in Ghana over the past thirty years has paid any serious attention to the opinions of Ghanaians in the diaspora. We have a Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, written by the members of the current ruling party and government, promulgated in 1992, which strips most Ghanaians in the diaspora of their Ghanaian citizenship because of their “crime” of taking the citizenship of their host countries. In fact it is the acquisition of other citizenship by Ghanaians in the diaspora that has helped develop and strengthen the economy of Ghana.

Over the past thirty years, governments and people that live in the homeland seem to have declared war on Ghanaians abroad. At best they tolerate us and want us to bring in money, goods, services and build houses at home. When it comes to contributing opinions to the affairs of the state, we are either ignored or told to shut up. Apart of stripping us of our Ghanaian citizenship, the same Constitution written by Rawlings and his cronies offers us an “opportunity” to re-apply for a “Dual” citizenship status but that citizenship effectively and constitutionally confers second-class citizenship on Ghanaians in the diaspora who take dual-citizenship. The Constitution lists a number of positions, including the Director of Prisons, which dual citizens are not allowed to hold in Ghana. In 2005 and 2006, Ghanaians abroad lobbied hard to get Parliament to pass the Rights of Persons Abroad Act (ROPAA) to vote in elections in Ghana. The Act passed but nothing has come out of it.

We welcome members of the Constitutional Review Committee to Toronto, but we wish to be placed on record that we are not enthusiastic about their mission here. What they need to do to right the wrong the nation Ghana has done to its citizens abroad is right there in the Constitution that they are reviewing. It does not take a rocket scientist to understand those sections that are insulting and unjust to us. The Committee did not need to buy air tickets to come abroad to hear these concerns: they are right there in Black and White in the Constitution. They should go back and review them and recommend their immediate repeals and get them scrapped. That way, we will take their next visits seriously.

From: Stephen A.Quaye, Toronto-Canada.

During my eighteen days vacation in Ghana recently, I had the opportunity to visit certain places in Accra and one thing I observed among the numerous observations was the reader apathy a lot of Ghanaians are having now a days.

Talking about reader apathy means, lack of interest or concern shown by many people to pick a news paper of their choice is it a state news paper or a private news paper to read and know as well as understand issues pertaining in the country.

Right from the roadsides of Teshie through to Accra General Post Office, from Thirty Seven Military Base to Ayi Mensah barrier, one could see tens of young boys and girls with newspapers folded on their arms chasing cars in an attempt to sell to drivers or passengers who either speed off or roll up their car louvers. SAD.

The story was even worse at various lorry stations and other vantage points where these news vendors have erected their news stands and selling news papers.

Suppose teachers, nurses, students, doctors, engineers and ordinary civil servants walk past these newsstands without bothering to turn their head and look at even the headlines to attract them to pick a copy for their own reading and understanding of the issues raised in the papers.

Here I asked myself, is it because the newspapers are too many in the system that the reading public does not know which one to pick and read or they are just not interested in picking a copy to find out what is happening in the country.

Have they lost confidence in these newspapers that the news they present does not serve their interest as first and foremost every newspaper is suppose to feed its community of events unfolding.

As I stood still at one of the newsstands at  Kwame Nkrumah Circle, looking at the numerous newspapers with drying pegs hanging on thin thread I wondered how all those stories were going to, garbage? Leaving the people uninformed?

Whiles trying to find a clue to the abandoned newspapers a guy told me brother, before the papers hit the stand the radio stations have already read them on their airwaves so no one feel like picking a copy and read it himself.

That may be true but aside that, what I discovered which might be the main cause of reader apathy was” HE SAID, SHE SAID” style of reporting news which the people no more want to read from the newspapers.

Then came into my mind what my magic mentor Mr. A.C.Ohene, told me as a budding journalist some yeas ago. Right from day one when I started working under him at the Eastern Region office of the Ghanaian Chronicle,” My friend if you want to succeed as a good journalist, avoid he said, she said reporting”.

Having submitted my report from an assignment, he will go through and ruled out,” the minister has said, he has observed, noted, warned, and called” and what have you as opening or lead paragraph.

“Tell me what happened there”, he will query me and by telling him exactly what happened from the time of arrival to the closing of the event, he will lead me to file a different story which is worth reading, educating and informing different from “he said, she said” style.

But now you pick a newspaper to read and every news item begins with,” the president has stated that, the minister for….has observed that, the chief and people of….have, the security commander has noted that” which the people are no more interested in those stories therefore the reader apathy.

The Daily Graphic did a wonderful job by burying claims by the information ministers that less than four years the government has created jobs for 1.6million people in the country. Instead of using that claim from a press conference as a front page story, the editor of the paper used a terrible accident which claimed many lives as such.

Another case of study was the president claim in his state of the nation address that Adenta water problem was gone forever where the residents interviewed by Joy F.M. denied that claim by the president, good job Joy F.M.

It is so disturbing currently to realize that almost all the stories publish in the newspapers are assignment stories where if it is not a press conference, it is a statement signed and issued where everything must be according to the informer.

It is time journalists have to prepare questioners for daily investigations, interviews and cross checking of facts. Journalists have to be very observant and divergent in their views as well as having it at the back of their mind that serving a community have to always be on a look out for insightful stories that will inform, educate and entertain the public by so doing the reader apathy sickness will go away.

Here in Toronto, one does not feel okay if he misses picking a copy of newspaper Metro news or the 24Hour news because you do not have time to sit down and watch Television or listen to radio. With the news paper even at your spare time during break or lunch at work can glance through and know what is happening in the world over.

Let us encourage people especially the school going age to develop special interest in reading at least one newspaper a day at least it will sharpen their reading skills, improve their understanding of societies they live in and add colour to their wisdom.

Whiles we encourage the youth to read the newspapers, publishers, editors and reporters must also be made aware that;” he said, she said” is no more news.

From: Stephen A.Quaye, Toronto-Canada.

Perhaps you have heard about the way people who decide to seek greener pastures in Europe, America and other parts of the world far from their native lands are finding it tough to make ends meet but you do not want to accept it.

You had the opportunity to watch the documentary aired by CNN about how some people were  recruited from some west African countries and transported to United States of America only for them to be treated like slaves or captives but still thinks the story was untrue.

You are still not believing that life is getting more hard to live in overseas these days because when eating your fufu and Billy goat head soap in Ghana, all that you think about is landing on the white man’s land and starting to spend dollars.

Or you are disputing the fact that the economic recession that hit the developed countries from 2007 which seriously affected their economy making living condition hard has gone away therefore all that you dream about these days is seeing yourself walking on flurries, wearing winter hut and thick jacket going to work to also collect dollars so by all means you have to travel to overseas.

If this is your dream, then is better you start changing your mind and instead strife to develop your own life in Ghana because, “Abrokyereno Asa” to wit,” no greener pastures in overseas countries.

There is nothing wrong for one to study the economic situation of his country of origin and take a decision of changing destination moving from that country to live in another country of his choice where he thinks life could be better lived.

But in plain and simple, these countries are stunned by the way immigrants are filling their country every minute and struggling to find work to do where there are no jobs therefore the need to tighten up their security system to prevent immigrants from entering.

As they are happy of changing destination to where life is expected to be better lived, they do not expect to meet the negatives but hey, that is the reality on the ground. Too much stress, employment layoffs, closure of companies that offer job opportunities to people and marginalization of newcomers will tear your heart apart and die or pick a chronic disease only for you to return to Ghana and struggle to cure it or succumb to it to eternal life.

A case in point is the story of a 22 year old Dilshod Marupov from Uzbekistan who dreamt of coming over to Canada to struggle to work hard and establish a decent life for his family but had his dream shuttered.

Last year, on December 24, he and his friends were pouring concrete to rehabilitate a fourteen floor apartment building when a scaffold that was supporting them caved in as they collapsed to the ground killing four of his colleague workers instantly.

He is now disabled and struggling to legalize his stay in Canada.

A research conducted has indicated that for hundreds of years, immigrant dream has always been: come to Canada work hard and eventually establish a decent life for your family.

But over the years, newcomers have found it more difficult to make ends meet as immigrant poverty is rising with precarious employment. More recently, numbers of undocumented and underground workers seem to be growing.

The fact is newcomers are taking longer to catch up to Canadian-born workers which has become a course for worry as many analysts says the low quality of jobs is keeping newcomers down, along with the fact that underground guest workers are probably competing for jobs against the immigrants of five years ago, pulling down wages for newcomers generally.

So with this is it not clear that there are no greener pastures anywhere for one to go and seek? One goes to seek greener pastures in a foreign land and return to his homeland to invest. Looking at job specifications if the government and for that matter the good people of Ghana will rise up and embark on industrialization less people will show interest in traveling to overseas.

Let us start doing something from now.

End.