AM Newspaper || Ghana @100, What would the country look like?
Newspaper headlines review and other matters arising in Ghana.
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Transcript
00:00 Welcome back on the AM show and I'm joined by a master architect when it comes to politics
00:06 in this country.
00:07 He's a wonderful gentleman.
00:08 I'll be showing his face to you shortly, but the segment, the news review segment on the
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01:51 But just the start of the news review, and I'm joined by another one of my brothers
01:55 from another mother.
01:56 He goes by the name Samuel Mbura.
01:59 Sam.
02:00 Ben.
02:01 Babu.
02:02 Good morning.
02:03 How would you say good morning, it's good to be here in your language?
02:11 We can say bulika.
02:14 Bulika.
02:15 Bulika.
02:16 Bulika.
02:17 Bembe.
02:18 Bembe.
02:19 Yeah.
02:20 What does the bembe mean?
02:21 Bembe means good morning.
02:22 Bulika means good morning.
02:24 It's like the Fanti and Chi.
02:27 So you see that someone says something different.
02:29 I mean, once you greet in Chi in the morning, the same as what their council say, but the
02:36 accent or the dynamics in the language.
02:39 So that is it basically.
02:40 So if you go to the upper East Region, for instance, those who are in Bongo, they bembe,
02:45 bembe means good morning.
02:46 If you go to Mboga, they speak the Greenya as well, but they will say bulika.
02:52 So you go to Thalassie, for instance, then they will say biego, biego.
02:58 You realize that the B sound passes through in the greeting.
03:02 So that's how my language is, it's dynamic, but I am from Bongo, so I will greet bembe,
03:09 then you respond naba.
03:11 Naba.
03:12 Naba.
03:13 Naba.
03:14 Yeah.
03:15 Okay.
03:16 I see.
03:17 So let's do this.
03:18 Yeah.
03:19 Bulika.
03:20 Would I have to adjust the naba straight up?
03:21 Yeah, straight up.
03:22 Okay.
03:23 Bulika or bembe.
03:24 I've learned something this morning.
03:29 At least for those of you who would say, indeed, the wezo and the yamamwache and all of that,
03:35 akwaba, in and out, yawumubi.
03:41 Would they say sanazwa?
03:42 Sanazwa, that's how I appreciate it.
03:43 Sanazwa.
03:44 Yeah, sanazwa.
03:45 I think you say sanukadi.
03:46 Sanukadi.
03:47 I'm not actually good at how that's pronounced.
03:48 I speak a little.
03:49 I see.
03:50 You know, the other day I was in traffic, interesting situation, and this rider, motor
03:56 rider, just viciously crossed me at the Afrikiko traffic light, heading where you're around
04:04 and head towards the Jubilee House.
04:06 Exactly, yeah.
04:08 And I lowered the screen to my side, and I was like, "Oh, my God, I'm going to be
04:15 hit."
04:16 I lowered the screen to my side, and then he went like, "What did he even say?"
04:23 He's a pokin' hausa.
04:24 Yeah, he's a pokin' hausa.
04:26 And then I interjected.
04:27 Honestly, I was a bit, you know, I interjected, I went back at him, and I asked him, "Kachibi?"
04:38 And I nearly added something.
04:39 Then I could tell the shock on his face.
04:41 He just looked at me like, "This guy."
04:47 That's actually...
04:48 Some of the places we've lived and the things we've experienced, sometimes people see you
04:51 and they think, "Oh, unimne ekosibia abadesi."
04:54 That's one of the languages that I would like to learn.
04:56 I've tried several years, but not picking up.
05:00 I don't know hausa, ewe, and then ga.
05:04 These are the three languages I would want to learn more.
05:08 Okay.
05:09 We'll be looking at the online portals, as today we do not have any newspapers.
05:19 But I'd like...
05:20 You know, there's this document that...
05:22 It's been a while since I looked at it.
05:23 Today, I want to go back to it and take a look at some of what it says.
05:29 Many people are not privy to this, but it is the Ghana at 100 document.
05:34 And it's not something that is shared.
05:36 It's not something that is out there.
05:39 But some of us, thankfully, have got that document.
05:42 And I'll be reflecting with you and the rest of Ghanaians on some of what we aspire to
05:49 and the reality on the ground.
05:51 Of course, later when I share my blunt thoughts, I'll also get into some of those matters.
05:55 But for you, Samuel Mbura, throughout this week, what have been some of the most topical
06:00 issues that have come up?
06:01 Of course, there's the accusation you covered that, "We decide, district assemblies come
06:06 and go."
06:07 That was actually yesterday.
06:08 Being used on behalf of the vice president to induce...
06:11 Yeah, that was the allegation coming from the Alan Camp.
06:15 Yesterday, the party elections committee called for a meeting with the aspirants, 10 of them.
06:22 So before then, we know that the president met the party communicators and made it clear
06:28 that he was not going to support or he wasn't supporting any aspirant ahead of the August
06:33 26th superdelegates congress, which aims at trimming down the aspirants that are 10 to
06:38 five, do not go to the main congress in November to select the flag bearer for the party.
06:45 So on the back of that, I saw Boabeng Asamoah, who is with the campaign team of the former
06:51 trace and industry minister, Alan Chamanteng, and I polled that question to him.
06:55 That what do you make of the president's comment?
06:58 Do you think that it now brings finality to the perception that the establishment is behind
07:04 one candidate?
07:05 And he made a point that the president's decision to announce this is to him, it is a compelled
07:15 one because of the concerns that are coming from the rank and file of the party and from
07:19 the public and all that.
07:21 But he thinks that it came at a time that his establishment is using the state resources
07:27 to support the establishment candidate, which is the vice president, Dr. Mahmoud Bawamia.
07:33 So he cited an example that they were at the Oti region in one of the rounds, and then
07:40 they noticed that the district assembly common fund was being used to procure weedicides
07:46 and fertilizer to be distributed to farmers.
07:50 And these were surprisingly delegates of the party.
07:54 So they tried knowing what the motivation was behind this particular move by some of
08:02 the district assemblies.
08:03 And what they discovered was that it was part of the machination from the establishment
08:08 within government to support the vice president's campaign.
08:12 Asking for evidence, he said they went and met the distribution ongoing, and they think
08:18 that it's not in the right direction.
08:20 So the Bawamia camp also responded, said that these are wild allegations.
08:25 If you think that you have the facts, why don't you go to court or maybe bring it out
08:31 for or raise the issues for them to be investigated because the issues are raising, you are raising
08:36 a really critical one.
08:38 So that's the accusation and the response from the Bawamia team.
08:42 And on top news night, we spoke to the Oti regional chairman, Juan Evans-Dapa, and then
08:48 he said that he's not aware of such activities ongoing on in his region, but they have interest
08:54 in it.
08:55 They'll look into it.
08:56 But for now, we should disregard them as a targeted propaganda from the Alan camp against
09:02 its opponent.
09:03 But before then, I spoke with our Oti regional correspondent, that's Peter Sennon, and then
09:09 he said that he, by his checks, is unable to authenticate such claims and all that.
09:16 So this is the back and forth about the alleged use of state funds to procure fertilizer and
09:24 weedicides for delegates in the Oti region.
09:29 Interesting developments there.
09:30 We've also had some interesting developments on the back of Cecilia Dapa and everything
09:36 that is happening, the AG's intervention, and one of the lawyers for the accused saying
09:40 that his clients stole absolutely nothing and that the intervention by the attorney
09:45 general is a misuse or an abuse of his powers and all of that.
09:52 I want us, right before we get to the online portals, and we have time, we can get there
09:59 shortly, I want to run this by you.
10:01 I don't know whether you've seen the Ghana at 100 document, and this is something that,
10:06 look, Nananana Nkufu-Addo, John Dramani-Mahama, Evans, Arthur Mills, may he so rest in peace,
10:11 John Aja Kumku for Flight Lieutenant Rawlings, all in a way have contributed too.
10:19 But this is the plan, and I wanted to read it for all of you, Ghana, to hearken to this
10:25 and tell me what you think.
10:29 It says, "Our resilient past and ongoing transformation agenda gives us cause for hope for a better
10:36 Ghana beyond aid.
10:38 The participatory democracy and sustained democratic governance in the country present
10:42 a huge opportunity for a brighter future."
10:44 And then it talks about the portrait of Ghana at 100.
10:48 Mind you, this is 2023.
10:50 In 2057, we'll be 100 years old.
10:55 But what will Ghana look like at 100?
10:59 That's the question.
11:00 So today, as we celebrate Founders Day, I felt we should walk through some of our aspirations,
11:06 our goals, and find out whether in 2023, how many years away?
11:11 2023, 27, that would be 31.
11:15 Yeah, you're looking at the next century.
11:17 No, no, no.
11:18 So 31 years.
11:19 When is Ghana?
11:20 In 31 years time.
11:21 Okay, 31 years, yeah.
11:22 Is it 31?
11:23 Let me just read this.
11:24 So Ghana, at the moment, we know that's...
11:27 23, 27, that will give you 50.
11:33 So yeah, some 30, 31 years time.
11:38 This is what we aspire to be.
11:41 I just want to read it, Samuel.
11:44 And tell me what you think, and whether you think we're even on course.
11:47 By 2057, it is envisioned that Ghana will be a high-income country with the following
11:54 minimum characteristics.
11:56 One, self-confident citizens with high standards of patriotism anchored on discipline, good
12:04 work ethic, who put the welfare of the country above self-interest.
12:09 Our politicians themselves are not living up to this.
12:12 Two, nominal GDP.
12:15 Interesting.
12:17 Nominal GDP of approximately $3.4 trillion, and per capita GDP of not less than $50,000
12:25 equivalent, per capita.
12:27 If you're an individual, you should be able to earn that per year in Ghana here.
12:35 Resilient, service-oriented, industrialized, and globally competitive economy.
12:40 Basically moving beyond taxation to production, like we've said.
12:44 A business and financial hub in the West African sub-region.
12:47 Modernized agriculture for sufficient food to ensure food security, and raw materials
12:51 for agro-based industries and exports, minimum income disparities, robust pension scheme,
12:57 affordable and diversified energy supply, effective, efficient, dynamic, and inclusive
13:02 institutions that ensure accountability, integrity, and transparency with negligible levels of
13:09 corruption.
13:10 Let me end it here.
13:11 It goes as far as, I mean, there are so many of them, this particular list ends at 18,
13:16 but let me end it there.
13:17 On that score of effective, efficient, dynamic, and inclusive institutions that ensure accountability,
13:23 integrity, and transparency with negligible levels of corruption.
13:27 Look at where our GDP is now.
13:29 We have just about three decades to go.
13:35 2023.
13:37 We have just about three decades to go.
13:42 I don't know what you think.
13:43 Is this realistic, looking at the path we're on?
13:48 It's possible, but it depends on the mindset.
13:51 The problem in Ghana is not about leadership.
13:54 That's the view I've always held, that the problem we face now as a country is not about
13:58 the leaders, but the mindset of the people are there.
14:01 Because the leaders leading the country are the reflection of the people.
14:06 Look, we have been talking about elections upon elections.
14:11 You go to certain constituencies, they know that they are so impoverished, they need development,
14:16 yet they know that the person they are presenting may not be competent, but because of the fact
14:20 that the person brought goodies or money, resources to come and share to them individually,
14:25 they prefer such people to people who are, I mean, development-minded, people who have
14:30 that social connection, social capital.
14:33 I have always believed that.
14:34 Or maybe even the intellectual capital.
14:37 I've always believed that it is not about what you have in your pocket or the resources
14:42 that you have in terms of the cash as a person, but it depends on the social capital, the
14:47 number of people that you have around you that can help you.
14:50 We have MPs who are in opposition.
14:52 However, they are able to develop their communities.
14:55 The fact is that it is not that they are relying on government subventions to be able to do
14:59 that, but because of the connections they have built, it's because of their social
15:03 capital.
15:04 So, for example, one day I become an MP for Bongo.
15:06 This is just an example.
15:07 I know Benjamin.
15:08 Benjamin has this expertise.
15:09 Hopefully, it is an example that is a reality.
15:12 It's an example I'm just making.
15:15 So I know Benjamin.
15:16 I place a call to Benjamin, "Ben, I want you to help my constituency with this."
15:20 They are able to mobilize resources.
15:23 Maybe you also have other contacts that will say, "I have a very good friend who is very
15:26 good, want to help him out with this."
15:28 Then they come in.
15:29 But if you look at the decisions that we take at the citizenry level, it goes on to haunt
15:36 us for years because of the simple mistakes that we make.
15:41 So for us to achieve some of these things, the objectives that have been captured in
15:46 this 100-year developmental plan or whatsoever, we have to start changing our mind.
15:51 We cannot put the people that we have given the power to out of our own actions, then
15:56 tend to blame them.
15:58 If you think that they are not right, elections are there.
16:00 Take them out.
16:01 Bring in the right people.
16:02 We will complain on several occasions that things...
16:03 But we've not been able to do that.
16:04 That's the problem.
16:05 The right caliber of people to steer the affairs of the country.
16:10 After Nkrumah, we've been in a shambles, basically.
16:16 And we had Agenda 2020.
16:18 And now some people, Osafo Mafu and the rest, were telling us, "You can't even plan beyond
16:23 10 years.
16:24 You shouldn't plan for 40 years."
16:26 But even the Chinese are doing it.
16:28 They have done that consistently.
16:29 Even they who are where they are, they are doing it.
16:33 It's because of the mindset revolution.
16:35 You're just making an example of how this motor rider rode carelessly before, by you.
16:42 In other countries, advanced countries, you don't need a policeman to stand and direct
16:46 you that this is traffic, slow down.
16:48 This is zebra crossing, you have to slow down.
16:50 Go at a speed of 30 kilometers per hour on the stretch of the road.
16:54 So the people from the onset have been conscientized.
16:56 So if they become leaders, it reflects.
17:00 I was told a story about how, if you go to some of the Francophone countries, a friend
17:03 was telling me about Burkina Faso, how they take measurements.
17:07 Everything that they do is accurate.
17:09 They make sure that, "Okay, if I'm going to build a house, I need like 10 bags of cement."
17:13 They measure it accurately in that regard.
17:16 And it has shaped their mindset.
17:17 - The Bible says that it's only a fool who starts building without having calculated
17:21 and made an assessment of how much it will cost and all of that.
17:26 Because in the end, then people will laugh at you and say, "Oh, he started something
17:29 and couldn't finish."
17:30 - So you do certain things haphazardly.
17:32 You look at the universities, for instance, where the student politics mostly begins and
17:37 transcends into mainstream elections.
17:39 Look at the number of reported cases of corruption, even with management at the level of student
17:45 politics or SRC management.
17:48 You have such people coming into mainstream politics.
17:50 They eventually come to leave their country, take decisions for us and all that.
17:55 So if we don't start from the bottom, start conscientizing and then telling the younger
18:00 generation that, "Look, the destiny of the country is in your own hands.
18:04 It depends on your mindset.
18:06 Let's embark on a mindset revolution for us to be able to achieve it.
18:11 If not, this one will continue to be the grammar that our children, our great-grandchildren
18:15 will come and be reviewing every year that this was a document that was put together
18:22 about 100 years ago or 30 years ago."
18:24 It was still a struggle.
18:26 If you don't change your mindset, corruption, bad governance will continue to fester in
18:31 the system.
18:32 - And we have 34 years, to be specific.
18:34 Off the top of my head, it was, "We have 34 years to go."
18:39 And I just did the calculation on this.
18:42 You see, when we talk about the fact that by 2057, we want to have a nominal GDP of
18:48 $3.4 trillion, that is the GDP now of some advanced countries in the world.
18:57 You want a nominal GDP of $3.4 trillion.
19:00 The last time I checked, I could be wrong, our current GDP hovers around $70-something
19:04 billion.
19:09 What that means, if you do the division, is that our current GDP is around 2.9%, less
19:18 than 3% of what we are projecting that in some 34 years' time we will be doing.
19:28 This is a drop in the bucket.
19:31 Less than 3%.
19:32 Yet, in 30 years or 34 years, you think you can wave some magic wand and all of a sudden
19:38 you have an economy, and mind you, other economies are also speeding up.
19:41 By that time, where will those economies be?
19:44 Are we on any trajectory towards achieving some of these goals?
19:48 We talk about strong institutions.
19:50 Obama came and said, "We don't need strong men, we need strong institutions."
19:53 A lot of institutions are not working.
19:56 Because our executive is so top-heavy, everything is.
20:01 - Look at the case of Cecilia Dapa.
20:03 We have the police on one side, the Attorney General now taking charge of the criminal
20:08 prosecution of all cases.
20:09 - Almost appearing to take sides.
20:10 - Fine.
20:11 So, OSP is also doing this work.
20:13 Is Shraj supposed to go or someone is supposed to petition?
20:15 Is there a Roe v. Iyoko complaint?
20:16 So, you see that the roles are somehow intertwined.
20:19 So, you don't have a clear-cut point that this--
20:21 - Something comes, "Should we let Shraj do it?"
20:23 - Do it, or this is--
20:24 - The special prosecutor--
20:25 - It's conflicted.
20:26 - Why is the AG--
20:27 I mean, and that goes back to some of what was raised, the concerns about setting up
20:31 this whole Office of the Special Prosecutor, and the duplication or replication--
20:35 - Of roles.
20:36 - Of roles.
20:37 And it only goes to make systems worse off.
20:41 - That's it.
20:42 That's it.
20:43 - Worse off.
20:44 But anyway, those were just some reflections I wanted to share with you, Ghana, for just
20:48 to get us thinking on a day like this.
20:50 3.4 trillion, look at where we are.
20:52 It's not about the big talk.
20:53 As for the big talk, dear, everyone can talk.
20:55 - Yeah, exactly.
20:56 - How to get to the end.
20:57 - Yeah, beyond the mere talk.
20:59 - You know, you've given me an idea.
21:02 Ghana, beyond the talk.
21:05 I'll note that down.
21:06 Maybe that'll be a theme for Blunt's thoughts.
21:08 - Exactly, for next week.
21:09 - Some day.
21:10 But let's get into myjoyonline.com.
21:13 Let's start from there.
21:15 "NDC lashes out at Ekufu Ado's administration over claims it has stabilized the economy.
21:22 Parliament orders finance minister to present DDEP for consideration."
21:25 Maybe let's look at that story about the NDC lashing out at Ekufu Ado's administration
21:30 over those claims.
21:31 Sam, would you like to take that story?
21:33 - Right, so the leadership of the NDC came to Malt Media here as part of their familiarization
21:40 visit, and that's where this comment was made.
21:43 That was the general secretary of the party, Fifi Kuiti, there.
21:47 So they think that the economy, and let me just quote him, he said, "The kind of collapse
21:52 we have seen in terms of the economy is one that requires a certain amount of humility.
21:57 To rush quickly and want to start beating your chest and applauding, it indicates that
22:02 somehow they have not learned as quickly as they should."
22:06 So the concern here has to do with the government thoughts in itself, in achievements in the
22:12 financial sector, they talk about--
22:14 - The finance minister says, "We've turned the corner."
22:17 And honestly--
22:18 - Turning the corner.
22:19 - Honestly, I don't know which corner we've turned.
22:22 I don't know.
22:23 If you say we are gradually turning the corner, it makes sense.
22:28 But to say we've turned the corner, I mean, suggests we're out of the woods.
22:32 And you don't have to be an economist or a finance person to know that this corner is
22:38 not being--
22:39 - If you are turning the corner, what is our debt now as a country?
22:41 We are over around 600 billion.
22:43 - In fact, recently, on the back of what has happened with the central bank, we've added
22:46 over 20% to our debt.
22:47 - So we are running to 600 billion.
22:48 - We are approaching 600 billion Ghana cities.
22:51 So if you are really turning around the corner or turning the corner in the economy, why
22:56 are we still having all these challenges?
23:00 We know that they do attribute to the, what do you call it, the war in Ukraine and Russia.
23:06 They're talking about COVID still having an impact on the economy.
23:10 But it's a whole lot.
23:12 Look at the lack of legality in the system, how we spend money, the reports coming in.
23:17 I don't know where you've read fully the Auditor General's report.
23:20 You've read what the BOG has captured in this audited report, losing over 60 billion.
23:27 They are attributing it to the government DDEP program ahead of the IMF bailouts and
23:31 all.
23:32 And I'm not sure our wars will end here.
23:35 It will continue.
23:36 - But at least--
23:37 - Because we are getting to another election year.
23:40 - And that is the problem because we know about indiscipline, recklessness when it comes
23:45 to financial recklessness, when it comes to electoral years, even the years preceding.
23:51 We're already seeing that.
23:53 Some candidates from the ruling party going around and how money is sprayed, fuses and
24:00 you know, all of that.
24:01 And sometimes the very silly rationalization that is given to it, almost as though, "Oh,
24:07 you people can't think.
24:08 We can tell you anything and you'll swallow it."
24:11 But at least, at least this government has been able to do something because you know,
24:18 the IMF money, you must meet certain requirements, milestones.
24:22 And on some different fronts, they've been able to meet those requirements, guaranteeing
24:27 that by close of year, we'll get the second tranche of what's $300 million from the IMF,
24:34 making $900 million we would have secured from the IMF.
24:37 But then again, even as you look at that positive, then you look at the negative of the fact
24:42 that you see what the Auditor General recently put out, over 15 billion.
24:47 - Exactly.
24:48 - Losses, wastage.
24:49 The good thing there, over 99, I think 99.6% is recoverable.
24:54 - You can recover it.
24:55 - The question, Samuel Mbura, will it be recovered?
24:57 - That's the question.
24:58 - Do you remember there was a time when even the finance ministry, there were ghost names,
25:02 people drawing 21,000.
25:03 - On in salaries.
25:05 People take scholarship, go to study in the US or South Africa, they don't come back,
25:09 they are still paid two years and all that.
25:11 Yesterday we spoke to Professor Samuel Mbura, he's the Dean of Students at the UPSS School
25:17 and University.
25:19 And then he is also an auditing expert on the SMS.
25:22 And his point was that, look, this annual ritual of publishing the Auditor General's
25:27 report without punishing those culpable is what is giving them the motivation to continue.
25:33 You have the principal spending officers who don't do due diligence and causes financial
25:39 losses to their institutions.
25:42 Why are you not going after them?
25:43 So charge them.
25:44 Let them pay.
25:46 Next time it will serve as a deterrent to others.
25:48 Not to do that.
25:49 - Do you remember the Kroland Associates story?
25:51 Do you remember?
25:52 - Yeah, I do.
25:53 I do.
25:54 - So it's quite interesting that every year we talk about the leakages in the system,
25:59 yet pragmatic measures are not thickened.
26:02 - They're fetching water with a basket.
26:05 - Quite interesting.
26:06 - And that also brings me to the lack of will.
26:09 I will say it here.
26:11 The president likes the will.
26:12 The vice president likes the will.
26:14 The ministers like the will.
26:15 Our parliamentarians lack the will to do what is required.
26:20 Look, you can tell me whatever you like.
26:22 - No, no, no, no, no.
26:23 I just want to chip this in.
26:24 But as citizens, are we playing that watchdog role aside what the media is doing?
26:30 Are we getting the backing from the citizens to push them to do the right thing?
26:34 - Because some citizens, a few people, are benefiting from the system.
26:38 And those people will push everything to ensure the system remains the same.
26:43 Because when it does, who are the beneficiaries?
26:46 - Exactly.
26:47 - They are.
26:48 So it brings me to that next story that we can see.
26:50 Ghana Integrity Initiative, GACC, call for urgent passage of conduct of public officers'
26:56 bill.
26:57 Cecilia Abnada part, no one will hang her.
27:00 She has, in this dispensation, in this jurisdiction, you are innocent until proven guilty.
27:07 - Yeah.
27:08 - In my hands, that's what we accept.
27:10 But all these Anansi stories about Nsawa's funeral and they gave money, and maybe it
27:21 belongs to her husband.
27:22 He's been an architect for five.
27:24 I don't have a problem with that.
27:26 Or it belongs to her brother.
27:28 The point is, funding should have a source.
27:31 The source should be what?
27:34 Be able to be proven, right?
27:38 You come to equity, come with clean hands.
27:39 Where is your evidence?
27:41 So give us the evidence.
27:43 And that is where the conduct of public officers' bill comes in.
27:48 Because it will address some of these matters.
27:51 You are a politically exposed person.
27:53 Wait, you've put up this building.
27:56 Okay, this building, per our assessment, is worth, let's say, 750,000 Ghana cities.
28:03 Your salary is X, official salary.
28:06 We do not know any other means of sustenance of yours.
28:09 Can you, madam, can you, sir, prove how we got this?
28:14 We've seen politicians acquire buildings in the AU village.
28:17 Do you know what it takes to get a building in AU village?
28:20 You know how much they go for.
28:22 - Very expensive.
28:23 - With swimming pools and all of that.
28:24 People who, before politics, had not done any work.
28:27 On both sides, we have seen young people that, back then, we were practically in university
28:32 with, did no work, NDC, NPP.
28:35 They came to power and all of a sudden, I mean, they have tons of cash to squander.
28:39 - So that is what--
28:40 - And you ask yourself, how is it possible?
28:42 So we are working, we are not seeing that kind of money.
28:44 What do you do?
28:45 - So your annual salary, how much is it?
28:47 Your allowances that you take during your committee meetings, how much is it?
28:50 Do you have other side business?
28:51 - Let's add all of them together.
28:52 - Let's add all of them.
28:53 - Let's even add your ex-relationship.
28:54 - Let's add all of them together.
28:55 - How did you get this?
28:56 But we lack the will as citizens, not only the government or the institutions responsible,
29:00 but as citizens to question them because we are always expectant of them to bring us goodies.
29:07 When MPs go home, I know a couple of friends and brothers who hardly go home because they
29:13 tell you that, "Look, every visit that I make, I spend on less than $800,000 cities."
29:19 So let's say in a month, I visit my constituency thrice or even twice.
29:25 - 300K.
29:26 - 300K.
29:27 Because the demands are so overwhelming.
29:29 - But--
29:30 - Let me tell you this, it will shock you that some people even go to their MPs to ask
29:36 them to support them to marry their wives.
29:39 - Yeah.
29:40 - Yes, they ask money from MPs to marry their wives.
29:41 - The other day, when they drop an MP, or was it some other MP, the person was asking
29:45 for, he says he's starting a ride-hailing business, Uber, and he wants a phone.
29:51 I've had some of them tell me here that, "Look, people reach out to them, 'Oh, me see me dying.
29:56 Foundation, I need money for the foundation.'"
29:58 - So all these pressures on them will push them to do what they can do to survive and
30:04 also--
30:05 - But the other side of the coin is because our leaders, look, in political science back
30:09 then, undergrad studies, they would tell you, "People elected these parties to come into
30:14 power to deliver the bacon," so to speak, to deliver certain things, the boons.
30:19 Now when people see that you are not delivering that, they find alternative means of getting
30:24 what they feel belongs to them.
30:25 So then, especially in this very political system we've created, where members of parliament
30:32 are not agents of development, but we forced them into that position, when they see you,
30:37 they think you have sacks of money over there.
30:41 So when we see you, we voted for you, honorable.
30:44 Charlie, it is time to--
30:45 - Sort us out.
30:46 - Sort us out.
30:48 That is the convoluted situation we've created in Ghana.
30:51 Because we are not giving the people, because if you give the people what they need, the
30:55 good roads, the hospitals, a proper economy that can absorb--
30:59 - Some of them will not see that.
31:00 - Enhance their economic rights.
31:01 - They will not see that, yeah.
31:02 - Masa, if you are earning a very, very, very good salary, and you are all of that, would
31:08 you go begging anybody, or accept inducement and stuff like that?
31:12 - That is a challenge.
31:13 - What is the situation?
31:14 - So beyond the political class, we also have the other people who are not politically exposed.
31:18 They are technocrats, but their livelihood, you go to their hometown, the money that they
31:23 are making, how are you able to do that?
31:26 Mostly the politician is on the spotlight for accusation, for slaughtering, when it
31:30 comes to public funds and all that.
31:32 But we have technocrats who are equally having questionable assets.
31:39 How did you acquire it?
31:40 You work as a director for a particular ministry, or a particular institution.
31:45 How are you able to gather this amount of money to afford you the luxury that you have?
31:49 To the extent that it will be able to fund you to go into active partisan politics.
31:56 So it's more or less a multifaceted issue that we need to approach.
32:00 One, from the political class, two, the citizens, and then the technocrats as well.
32:06 I think that with this particular view, it will help us to an extent, if only that will,
32:11 and commitment is there, to enforce it to the latter.
32:16 - And we only pray.
32:18 Some of you are asking me to share the Ghana at 100 document.
32:22 I do not have that permission yet, because of where we sourced that information from.
32:27 But we'll be sharing bits and pieces of that.
32:29 I just have to acknowledge, so I let you know.
32:32 Ordinarily, I would have shared with you, but it's not information I can just put out
32:36 there for now.
32:38 Hopefully when it becomes that accessible, then I can do that.
32:43 The title of my Blunt Thoughts today, and I've told you, if you've missed any of my
32:47 Blunt Thoughts today, you don't want to miss this one.
32:50 Trust me.
32:51 I've titled it, "A Forced Haircut, A New Pipe Dream," and pipe dream there, I'm talking
32:56 about affordable housing and Pukwasi, and the cycle of wastage, Ghana on the ropes.
33:03 Are you-- - That's quite interesting.
33:08 - I'll take you all the way back to Nkrumah and some of the things we've never contemplated,
33:12 and some of the things in housing that he did that has not been mentioned.
33:16 - I think last two weeks, I was on my way to Adda.
33:19 You know there's a housing project, just on, I'm not much familiar with it.
33:24 - We have to go though, but quickly on that.
33:26 - But it's, I saw the houses, I was told that it's part of the housing projects, and they
33:31 have been, they've not been occupied for a couple of years.
33:33 So we'll spend money, build these houses, later strike that one out, come get more money,
33:38 go to start new projects.
33:40 It's unthinkable.
33:41 - An unsensical leadership.
33:42 - It's unthinkable.
33:43 - Or misleadership in Ghana.
33:45 Right before we go, happy 84th birthday to Mr. Daniel Ejei of Daniadz Insurance Brokers.
33:52 Wishing you God's blessings, strength, and vitality, Kingsley Otu sent in that one.
33:59 Happy 84th birthday to Mr. Daniel Ejei of Daniadz Insurance Brokers.
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34:33 You have a request, I see.
34:35 - I wanted to find out from your motivation for today.
34:37 You know last week you shared a message, some people were motivated.
34:40 So today, what's your message?
34:44 - Let's maintain hope.
34:45 It's something I actually put at the tail end of my...
34:48 You know, you can lose everything, but when you lose hope.
34:54 Regardless of the situation, times are hard, times are difficult, the times are barren,
34:59 economically speaking.
35:00 I went somewhere yesterday, the sort of things I heard nearly broke me.
35:04 But let's keep hope alive.
35:06 - I have one of the smallest of these thoughts that, look, the greatness that you are witnessing
35:10 today, don't think that that's all.
35:13 More is still on your way.
35:15 The challenges that you are facing, don't think that the challenges will end.
35:18 There's a bigger challenge ahead.
35:19 Prepare your mind, prepare yourself ahead of it, so that you'll not be shocked by any
35:23 eventuality.
35:24 And that's my message.
35:26 But today is the birthday of our brother, our brother, Eko Sam.
35:30 You know today is the mother's birthday.
35:31 - Yeah.
35:32 - You know, Eko has been a very good brother, like yourself, since I came to multimedia.
35:37 And I must say happy birthday to his mother, Mother Margaret, Amma Sam.
35:43 You are such a wonderful mother.
35:45 We thank you for giving us such a troublesome brother.
35:47 - Yeah.
35:48 - God bless you.
35:49 - Speaking of trouble, trouble is like his middle name.
35:52 Anyway, that's the note on which we wrap the news review.
35:55 Up next, we serve you prime take with Mufti Awan Abdullahi.
36:00 It's another part, the second part, if you like, of his interaction with Joe Latty.
36:06 Do stay.
36:08 [MUSIC PLAYING]
36:11 you