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Transcript
00:00:00 Happy Founders Day to you.
00:00:02 That is if we can be happy about the state of affairs.
00:00:05 This is the AM show coming your way this Friday, Founders Day.
00:00:10 My name is Benjamin Akako. I'm going to be keeping you company over these four hours.
00:00:14 Today, if you've ever missed any AM show today, you want to stay with me on the AM show.
00:00:20 Welcome aboard. Now, coming up shortly, we're going to be serving the news hot.
00:00:26 And right after that, member of our political desk, Samuel Mbura, will be joining us for the news review.
00:00:31 And then we get into prime take with Muftau Nabila Abdelahi.
00:00:36 And right after that, we get into our big stories. And today, well, even before that, I nearly skipped my own mind.
00:00:44 I have put together a piece for you today, a piece that even I can beat my chest and say will be a classic.
00:00:50 And people will go back to this. And I hope that our misleaders will actually pay attention to this.
00:00:56 Today, for my blunt thoughts, I have titled it a forced haircut, a new pipe dream and a cycle of wastage.
00:01:05 Ghana on the ropes. That's the title. Stay with me for that.
00:01:10 And then we get into our big stories. And, of course, today we're going to be talking to you about Founders Day.
00:01:15 We want to have a conversation and all encompassing. Of course, we can't cover every ground, but Ghana, where are we?
00:01:24 What are our ideals? What should our destination be? And how do we get there?
00:01:30 Join us with your thoughts on social media on that bit.
00:01:34 But also on the show, we'll be telling you about Joy Prime's Big Chef program.
00:01:38 Big Chef Tertiary is a culinary reality show that airs on Joy Prime TV every Sunday at 5 p.m.
00:01:45 And this is the first episode of the tertiary edition.
00:01:48 This season has 18 candidates from different schools who will actually be competing for that goal.
00:01:56 We'll bring you details of that. We've also got a conversation with Translight Solar Company.
00:02:03 They join us on the show as well. So you stick and stay with us on the AM show as we also host the Graduate Students Association of Ghana,
00:02:13 University of Education, among others. We'll be right back on the AM show with the news up next.
00:02:21 [Music]
00:02:24 [Music]
00:02:52 Good morning once again. Thank you for staying with us. It's time now for the AM news.
00:02:56 In our first story, for the past two months, residents of Princess Town in Ahanta West have been cut off from the other parts of the municipality
00:03:05 as the main bridge linking to the main Agona and Kwanta Eluba Road and the district's capital has collapsed.
00:03:12 Despite their pleas, there has been no government intervention to rectify the issue.
00:03:16 Here's what my colleague Samuel Kodjo-Brace captured.
00:03:20 The impact of the collapsed bridge on the community has been immense.
00:03:25 Farmers are seen struggling to transport their produce, carrying them across the bridge to be loaded onto waiting vehicles on the other side.
00:03:34 Traders travelling to the capital, Agona and Kwanta, also face significant challenges having to carry their wares across the damaged bridge before continuing their journey.
00:03:44 Auntie Issy is frustrated at government's seeming neglect.
00:03:49 [Speaking in Swahili]
00:04:04 This sentiment is shared by many in the community, including a driver who reveals he has been stranded in the area since the bridge caved in, making less than 100 cities in sales per day.
00:04:16 [Speaking in Swahili]
00:04:36 A community leader at Abasi, one of the affected communities says they almost lost a pregnant woman as a result of the situation.
00:04:46 I had a complaint from my community that a pregnancy woman was suffering.
00:04:54 And because of the situation of the bridge, the problem was so huge that she nearly died.
00:05:02 Because by the time the car came here and then they crossed the bridge, there were no cars here to pick her to the hospital.
00:05:12 So in fact, they waited and then called for a car. By the time the car came, the situation was getting worse.
00:05:18 The chief of Tumentu, an affected community, Nana Issya Ntwa III, is angry at the unresponsiveness of government to this urgent matter.
00:05:29 [Speaking in Swahili]
00:05:58 He warns his people will withhold their vote in the upcoming 2024 elections if the bridge is not repaired promptly.
00:06:10 [Speaking in Swahili]
00:06:30 [Speaking in Swahili]
00:06:47 The people here are calling on the government to intervene immediately and restore economic life to the area.
00:06:54 It is their hope that the authorities take swift action to address this critical issue and bring relief to the people of Princess Town and its environs.
00:07:05 From Mahantawest, for Joy News, I'm Samuel Kodjoe-Brace.
00:07:12 In our next story, management of the Kpando Senior High School is worried that the school cannot accommodate the increasing number of students.
00:07:20 Headmaster Charles Evans-Apreku says the school lacks enough classrooms, accommodation for teachers, dormitories for students and ICT logistics.
00:07:29 Speaking at the local launch of the school's 70th anniversary in Kpando, he called for stakeholder collaboration to resolve the infrastructural challenges.
00:07:40 The Kpando Senior High School in the Kpando municipality of the Volta region was established in 1953.
00:07:47 It now has a student population of 3,498.
00:07:52 Due to the rapid increments in student population within the last few years, there's an urgent need to increase infrastructure to accommodate students.
00:08:01 The management was compelled to introduce the shift system to make use of the inadequate classrooms, while some classes are conducted in the dining hall.
00:08:10 Some students who spoke to Joy News lamented that the development affects the smooth running of academic activities.
00:08:17 When we have dining hall section, we have to make it very fast and then make those having class should come.
00:08:25 And then even if class is going on well, and it's time for hall section, class section must be very quick.
00:08:33 So we pleaded with the authorities and the head of the state to help us get a new assembly hall for the school because of the population growth of the school.
00:08:42 We need a new boys hostel for the school because as we go the population keeps rising up.
00:08:49 Speaking to the media on the sideline of the local launch of the 70th anniversary of the school,
00:08:54 the headmaster Charles Evans-Apriku asserted that an 18-unit classroom block must be provided to ensure every class has a conducive environment to study.
00:09:04 We are running a shift, let me say shift.
00:09:09 And I hope that if we get another 18-unit classroom block, it will help us seize or ease the tension as far as classroom infrastructure is concerned.
00:09:23 We talk of school vehicle bus for excursion for students.
00:09:31 For now, we have only given the government buses that have been distributed.
00:09:38 And I want to use this opportunity to appeal for a bus for the school.
00:09:43 Less than half of the 235 teaching and non-teaching staff are housed on the campus due to the unavailability of enough staff bungalows.
00:09:51 Another worrying development is the lack of enough computers in the school, though it offers elective information communication technology courses.
00:10:00 Our laboratory, ICT, the student population and those who are doing ICT as a core is very large.
00:10:09 If we don't get computers, it means that WASI, for example, we have to travel, an old school of this nature has to travel to another school before it can write.
00:10:23 It's an urgent appeal I'm making to our old students, PTA and the government to come to our aid.
00:10:31 For the 70th anniversary, the Old Students Association has decided to invest in three projects that we refer to as 70th anniversary legacy projects.
00:10:46 And these projects are the Science Academy of the school, that is the base for the National Science and Maths Quiz, Robotics Center and the National Cyber Security Center.
00:11:01 The guest speaker for the anniversary lunch, Nyatapekosi Ayibo, entreated teachers, parents and the community to play their respective roles to ensure an effective education for the students.
00:11:12 Fred Kwame Asai, Joy News, Bandu.
00:11:22 Let's get into the politics now and campaign team of Alan Tremateng is alleging that Vice President Dr.
00:11:28 Mahmoud Bamiya is using government institutions to induce and threaten delegates, according to them, despite claims by President Akufo-Addo that he was not supporting any aspirant.
00:11:39 Their observations pointed to the contrary. Spokesperson for the Alan Tremateng team, Bwabenga Samwa, cites OT, the OT region,
00:11:48 where some district assemblies are reportedly using the district assembly common fund to purchase and distribute.
00:11:54 We decide to induce the delegates to support the vice president. He spoke to Samuel Mbura of our political desk.
00:12:02 The establishment is not working. The establishment, which includes the president and others, are demonstrating otherwise.
00:12:11 The finance minister chats and says that he's going to spend all the money he can to make sure that somebody wins.
00:12:21 Who is that somebody?
00:12:22 That somebody is the establishment candidate.
00:12:24 Who is the establishment candidate?
00:12:26 That somebody is the vice president. I mean, we are all aware that he is the establishment candidate.
00:12:33 But the establishment is behind him. And the president says he is not behind him.
00:12:38 So it's a signal that I think that the party must pick up.
00:12:43 If the president says that he is not behind anybody, then the party delegates must stand up.
00:12:49 The party delegates must resist any attempt from other people.
00:12:53 How do you want them to do this? How do you want the party or the delegates to do this?
00:12:55 By rejecting some of the inducements and the threats.
00:12:59 For example, that is the Assemblies Common Fund.
00:13:01 We were in Oti and this Assemblies Common Fund was sharing weedicides and fertilizers at this time to people.
00:13:09 Why would they be doing that?
00:13:10 Were they sharing to delegates?
00:13:11 They were sharing to delegates.
00:13:13 Those who were taking part in the superdelegates congress?
00:13:15 They were sharing to delegates.
00:13:17 And you have evidence?
00:13:18 We were there when it happened. We arrived immediately after the sharing.
00:13:23 So you had delegates with boxes, some of them carrying it home, some of them were writing in the room when we were having the meeting.
00:13:31 You understand? We saw it. It's obvious.
00:13:34 So who are those behind this? Or who is behind the sharing of these goodies to them?
00:13:39 The District Assemblies Common Fund.
00:13:41 So who has instructed them to do that?
00:13:43 I have no idea. I'm not in the meeting where instructions were given or otherwise.
00:13:47 Please, this is a broad situation.
00:13:49 I'm telling you that the President feels compelled to detach himself from this.
00:13:55 Because in public it's obvious.
00:13:57 It's obvious that there's an organized process behind one of the aspirants, who is the Vice President.
00:14:03 It's very obvious.
00:14:04 And if the President has felt the need to come out and detach himself from it, I'm saying that it's a good signal.
00:14:10 So to your camp, what does it mean to you?
00:14:13 It means that individual delegates must advise themselves.
00:14:21 But spokesperson for the campaign team of the Vice President, Samir Uku, has dismissed these allegations, describing them as "faceless".
00:14:36 I have stated that the Honorable John Peter Akame Ulu is a minister of the cabinet, in this cabinet, and supporting the Honorable Alain Cheybati.
00:14:44 The Honorable Abime Oseasa is a Deputy Minister for Finance, and the Ministry of Finance, supporting the Honorable Alain Cheybati.
00:14:53 You've had members of Parliament openly supporting the Honorable Alain Cheybati.
00:14:57 So when you say that others supporting Dr. Bormia is wrong, then that means you're only picking and choosing.
00:15:04 I will repeat, if the principle is wrong, then tell me that nobody should support anybody.
00:15:09 Let's all become quiet men and women in the party, and only work the process.
00:15:14 We are part of the decision-making process.
00:15:16 I vote. I'm a voter. I'm a delegate.
00:15:18 A super delegate because I'm a member of the National Council, representing the Eastern Region.
00:15:24 And I'm also a former national organizer.
00:15:26 So these two voting rights, I can only vote once, and in one category.
00:15:30 Either I choose to vote as a former national organizer, or I vote as a member representing the Eastern Region of the National Council.
00:15:37 Well, his specific accusation is that, or allegation is that, they were in the OT region,
00:15:43 and the district assembly was using the district common fund to purchase spray fertilizer for delegates.
00:15:53 And then he made an allegation that it is in support of your candidature, and they've shown it is an abuse of the district.
00:16:00 But then we've got to be super serious about these things.
00:16:03 Because I don't think I have any.
00:16:05 Else we'll be chasing things in circles.
00:16:07 If you can prove an allegation of wrongdoing, that's a very serious matter.
00:16:13 Remind you, the very things that we say to the Ghanaian people, these are the things that our opponents are going to compel and use against us.
00:16:20 Even an internal election, you are telling me that we are using the district assembly common fund to purchase fertilizer.
00:16:27 I mean, that is a very low point.
00:16:30 Now staying with the politics, the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress, NDC, Thifi Fiyavikwete,
00:16:42 has objected to the New Patriotic Party's claim of "turning the corner,"
00:16:47 citing it as a sign of their lack of remorse over their governance failures.
00:16:52 He criticized the 2023 media budget's assertion that the alien economy had been stabilized,
00:16:58 describing it as an attempt by the MPP to look good in the midst of the storm.
00:17:03 He spoke to my colleague Evans Mensa while leading a party's delegation,
00:17:07 a curtsy call on the leadership of the multimedia group Limited in Accra on Thursday.
00:17:12 We decided as a party to start a series of media visitations.
00:17:20 We actually should have done this right from the very beginning when I became General Secretary.
00:17:25 But of course, you know, we came in straight with quite a number of activities, administrative things that have really held us up,
00:17:31 all the way to the election of flag bearer.
00:17:33 Soon after that, we moved into the by-elections.
00:17:36 I would say we feel this is a nice moment to really do what we should have done right from the beginning.
00:17:41 Basically, to just establish a relationship, build bridges, define areas where we can work in partnership for the sake of Ghana,
00:17:52 not necessarily for the sake of NDC at all, but for the sake of Ghana.
00:17:55 We believe we all have the same vision for the country, to see a country that becomes great and strong.
00:18:00 And we believe the media plays a key role in making sure that happens.
00:18:03 And there are areas where we can improve each other, to become more tolerant,
00:18:09 to be able to hone down on issues that we think are very important for the country.
00:18:14 Generally, to create an atmosphere where the media will be allowed to do its job well, and we also in the political space.
00:18:21 You are also worse for Ghana, and I think 15 other constituencies are still outstanding in your parliamentary primary.
00:18:27 So what's the update on that?
00:18:28 I would say that they are the next ones we are looking at.
00:18:33 We have actually agreed already to do it in two separate phases.
00:18:39 We'll be doing what we call the central zone, and that central zone will have eastern region, Ashanti region, and Hafo region, those three.
00:18:47 And we're looking at making sure we close those ones by the end of August this month.
00:18:52 And then we'll be left with what I call the coastal, let's call it the southern zone.
00:18:58 That'll be greater Accra, central region, western region, and I think western north.
00:19:02 So that will be done latest by the end of September.
00:19:05 So effectively, with that, they would have completed all the outstanding ones.
00:19:09 So we are ready to roll with the first one, which is the central zone.
00:19:15 Let's talk sports now.
00:19:22 And Ghana Premier League champions, Mediama, have been given a financial boost ahead of their CAF Champions League campaign later this year.
00:19:30 Curtsy, a one million CD gift by President Akufo-Addo.
00:19:35 The president, who made the pledge to the team when they called on him at the Jubilee House, also charged them to make Ghana proud at the Continental Showpiece when it begins in September.
00:19:46 And I have to begin by, first of all, congratulating you, the captain and the members of the team for this historic achievement.
00:19:54 47 years since the cap was last won by a team from the western region.
00:20:00 This is great. You've done a great job. Congratulations.
00:20:03 Because people win the league, you have to have some people there.
00:20:10 But I want to congratulate you very much.
00:20:17 And you're getting the congratulations from somebody who's a fanatic of Asante Kosovo.
00:20:24 So you know that it's genuine. My congratulations. Well done.
00:20:30 And a team that was born in Duka's hometown, that's an excellent thing.
00:20:38 Thank you very much for coming.
00:20:40 I think that the deputy minister of sports is here to assure you that whatever we can do to help in the continental engagements that you are going to be involved in this year,
00:20:52 we'll do our best to assist to make sure that you have a successful tilt.
00:20:57 And then I understand that you are in fact being invited to be in Washington in the month of October for the Ghana week.
00:21:05 You've been invited to go and play Washington, D.C. football club.
00:21:09 Oh, wow. That's going to be a big thing.
00:21:12 So I wish you the best of luck for that.
00:21:18 But I'm sure that when the time gets near, the government people will also come in and make sure that things go well for you there.
00:21:27 But thank you very much for coming. I'm honored by you coming to present this cup to me.
00:21:32 And I want to congratulate the playing body once again for this historic achievement.
00:21:37 You've done well.
00:21:39 It's good for the Ghana football and for the league that there's diversity in the people who come through.
00:21:47 You shouldn't have this.
00:21:49 For years, it was a duopoly in Ghana, Kotoko Arts.
00:21:53 And then when Adriana broke through a bit, yeah, but it's good.
00:21:58 We have yet somebody else now.
00:22:00 We'll all remember the name, the Diama Football Club.
00:22:03 Miss Obe, go ahead.
00:22:07 I forgot.
00:22:09 I have to make a pledge.
00:22:11 A pledge?
00:22:12 Yes.
00:22:13 Yes. Yes.
00:22:17 Well, that will be it for the news, but do stay with us up next.
00:22:37 We get into the news review. We'll be right back.
00:22:40 We'll be right back.
00:22:41 [Music]
00:23:11 Welcome back on the AM show.
00:23:15 And I'm joined by a master architect when it comes to politics in this country.
00:23:21 He's a wonderful gentleman. I'll be showing his face to you shortly.
00:23:25 But the segment, the news review segment on the AM show is always brought to you by Endpoint Homeopathic Clinic.
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00:25:01 Endpoint Homeopathic Clinic, the end to chronic disease.
00:25:04 But just the start of the news review and I'm joined by another one of my brothers from another mother.
00:25:10 He goes by the name Samuel Mbura.
00:25:13 Sam. Ben. Faboum. Good morning.
00:25:16 How would you say good morning? It's good to be here in your language.
00:25:26 You can say bulika.
00:25:28 Bulika.
00:25:29 Bulika.
00:25:30 Bembe.
00:25:31 Bembe.
00:25:32 Yeah.
00:25:33 What does the Bembe mean?
00:25:34 Bembe means good morning. Bulika means good morning.
00:25:37 Just like the fancy and chi.
00:25:40 So you see that someone says something different. I mean, once you greet in the morning,
00:25:46 the same as what their council say, but the accent or the dynamics in the language.
00:25:53 So that is it basically. So if you go to the Upper East Region, for instance, those who are in Bongo,
00:25:57 they Bembe, Bembe means good morning. If you go to Mboga, they speak the Greenya as well, but they will say bulika.
00:26:05 So you go to Thalassie, for instance, then they will say biego, biego.
00:26:11 You realize that the B sound passes through in the greeting.
00:26:16 So that's how my language is. It's dynamic, but I'm from Bongo, so I will greet Bembe, then you respond naba.
00:26:25 Naba.
00:26:26 Naba.
00:26:27 Naba.
00:26:28 Okay. I see. So let's do this.
00:26:30 Bulika.
00:26:32 Would I have to, or just the naba?
00:26:35 Just the naba.
00:26:36 Straight up.
00:26:37 Yeah, straight up.
00:26:38 Okay.
00:26:39 Bulika or Bembe.
00:26:40 I've learned something this morning.
00:26:42 Yeah.
00:26:43 At least for those of you who would say, indeed, the wezo and the yamamwache and all of that, akwaba, enina, yawonubi.
00:26:55 Would they say sandazwa?
00:26:57 Sandazwa, that's how I would say it.
00:27:00 Sandazwa.
00:27:01 That's how I would say it.
00:27:02 Sanukade.
00:27:03 Sanukade. I'm not actually good at how, so I'm unable to.
00:27:07 I speak a little.
00:27:08 I see.
00:27:09 You know, the other day I was in traffic. Interesting situation.
00:27:13 And this rider, motor rider, just viciously crossed me at the Afrikiko traffic light.
00:27:21 Yeah.
00:27:22 You know, heading where you're around and head towards the Jubilee House.
00:27:25 Exactly, yeah.
00:27:26 And I lowered the screen to my side.
00:27:32 And then he went like, what did he even say?
00:27:36 He spoke in hausa.
00:27:38 Yeah, he spoke in hausa.
00:27:39 And then I interjected.
00:27:41 Honestly, I was a bit, you know, I interjected.
00:27:45 I went back at him and I asked him, kachimi.
00:27:51 And I nearly added something.
00:27:53 And then I could tell the shock on his face.
00:27:56 He just looked at me like, this guy.
00:28:01 Some of the places we've lived and the things we've experienced.
00:28:04 Sometimes people see you and they think, oh, unimleko sibiya.
00:28:08 That's one of the languages that I would like to learn.
00:28:11 I've tried several years, but not picking up.
00:28:14 I don't know.
00:28:15 Hausa, ewe, and then ga.
00:28:18 These are the three languages I would want to learn more.
00:28:22 Well, we'll be looking at the online portals as today.
00:28:28 We do not have any newspapers, but I'd like, you know, there's this document.
00:28:35 It's been a while since I looked at it today.
00:28:37 I want to go back to it and take a look at some of what it says.
00:28:42 Many people are not privy to this, but it is the Ghana at 100 documents.
00:28:48 And it's not something that is shared.
00:28:50 It's not something that is out there.
00:28:52 But some of us, thankfully, have got that document.
00:28:55 And I'll be reflecting with you and the rest of Ghanaians on some of what we aspire to and the reality on the ground.
00:29:05 Of course, later when I share my thoughts, I'll also get into some of those matters.
00:29:09 But for you, Samuel Mbura, throughout this week, what have been some of the most topical issues that have come up?
00:29:15 Of course, there's the accusation you covered that we decide district assemblies being used on behalf of the vice president to induce.
00:29:26 Yeah, that's the allegation coming from the Alan camp.
00:29:28 Yesterday, you know, the party elections committee called for a meeting with the aspirants, 10 of them.
00:29:35 So before then, we know that the president met the party communicators and made it clear that he was not going to support
00:29:43 or he wasn't supporting any aspirant ahead of the August 26th superdelegates congress,
00:29:49 which aims at trimming down the aspirants that are 10 to 5, do not go to the main congress in November to select the flag bearer for the party.
00:29:59 So on the back of that, I saw Boabeng Asamoah, who is with the campaign team of the former trace and industry minister, Alan Chiamante.
00:30:07 And I posed that question to him that what do you make of the president's comment?
00:30:12 Do you think that it now brings finality to the perception that the establishment is behind one candidate?
00:30:19 And he made a point that the president's decision to announce this is to him, it is a compelled one because of the concerns that are coming from the rank and file of the party and from the public and all that.
00:30:35 So he thinks that it came at a time that his establishment is using the state resources to support the establishment candidate, which is the vice president, Dr. Mahmoud Bawamia.
00:30:47 So he cited an example that they were at the Oti region in one of the rounds,
00:30:53 and then they noticed that the district assembly common fund was being used to procure weedicides and fertilizer to be distributed to farmers.
00:31:04 And these were surprisingly delegates of the party.
00:31:08 So they tried knowing what the motivation was behind this particular move by some of the district assemblies.
00:31:17 And what they discovered was that it was part of the machination from the establishment within government to support the vice president's campaign.
00:31:26 Acting for evidence, he said they went and met the distribution ongoing, and they think that it's not in the right direction.
00:31:34 So the Bawamia camp also responded, said that these are wild allegations.
00:31:39 If you think that you have the facts, why don't you go to court or maybe bring it out for or raise the issues for them to be investigated?
00:31:48 Because the issues are raising, you are raising a really critical one.
00:31:52 That's the accusation and the response from the Bawamia team.
00:31:56 And on top news night, we spoke to the Oti regional chairman, Juan Evans-Dapa,
00:32:01 and then he said that he's not aware of such activities ongoing on in his region, but they have interest in it.
00:32:08 They'll look into it. But for now, we should disregard them as a targeted propaganda from the Alan camp against his opponent.
00:32:17 But before then, I spoke with our Oti regional correspondent, Peter Sennon,
00:32:22 and then he said that he, by his checks, is unable to authenticate such claims and all that.
00:32:29 So this is the back and forth about the alleged use of state funds to procure fertilizer, and we decided for delegates in the Oti region.
00:32:42 Interesting developments there. We've also had some interesting developments on the back of Cecilia Dapa and everything that is happening, the AG's intervention.
00:32:52 And one of the lawyers for the accused saying that his clients stole absolutely nothing and that the intervention by the attorney general is a misuse or an abuse of his powers and all of that.
00:33:05 I want us, right before we get to the online portals, and we have time, we can get there shortly, I want to run this by you.
00:33:14 I don't know whether you've seen the Ghana at 100 document, and this is something that, look, Nananana Nkwekufu Addo, John Dramani Mahama, Evans, Atta Mills, Mayso, rest in peace,
00:33:25 John Adjakumkufo, Flight Lieutenant Rawlings, all in a way have contributed to.
00:33:32 But this is the plan. And I wanted to read it for all of you, Ghana, to hearken to this and tell me what you think.
00:33:43 It says. Our resilient past and ongoing transformation agenda gives us cause for hope for a better Ghana beyond aid.
00:33:52 The participatory democracy and sustained democratic governance in the country present a huge opportunity for a brighter future.
00:33:58 And then it talks about the portrait of Ghana at 100. Mind you, this is 2023. In 2057, we'll be 100 years old.
00:34:08 But what will Ghana look like? At 100? That's the question.
00:34:14 So today, as we celebrate Founders Day, I felt we should walk through some of our aspirations, our goals, and find out whether in 2023, how many years away?
00:34:24 2023, 27, that'll be 31.
00:34:29 Yeah. You're looking at the next century.
00:34:31 No, no, no. 31 years.
00:34:34 In 31 years.
00:34:36 Is it 31?
00:34:38 So Ghana at the moment, we know that.
00:34:40 23, 27, that'll give you 50. So yeah, some 30, 31 years time.
00:34:50 This is what we aspire to be. I just want to read it. All right, Samuel.
00:34:56 And tell me what you think and whether you think we are even on course.
00:34:59 By 2057, it is envisioned that Ghana will be a high income country with the following minimum characteristics.
00:35:08 One, self-confident citizens with high standards of patriotism anchored on discipline, good work ethic.
00:35:18 Who put the welfare of the country above self-interest? Our politicians themselves are not living up to this.
00:35:26 Two, nominal GDP. Interesting. Nominal GDP of approximately three point four trillion dollars and per capita GDP of not less than fifty thousand dollars equivalent per capita.
00:35:42 If you're an individual, you should be able to earn that per year in Ghana here.
00:35:48 Resilient, service oriented, industrialized and globally competitive economy.
00:35:53 Basically moving beyond taxation to production.
00:35:57 Like we've said, a business and financial hub in the West African subregion.
00:36:01 Modernized agriculture for sufficient food to ensure food security and raw materials for agro based industries and exports.
00:36:07 Minimum income disparities, robust pension scheme, affordable and diversified energy supply, effective, efficient, dynamic and inclusive institutions that ensure accountability, integrity and transparency with negligible levels of corruption.
00:36:24 Let me end it here. It goes as far as I mean, there are so many of them.
00:36:28 This particular list ends at 18. But let me end it there on that score of effective, efficient, dynamic and inclusive institutions that ensure accountability, integrity and transparency with negligible levels of corruption.
00:36:41 Look at where our GDP is now. We have just about. Three decades to go.
00:36:51 Twenty twenty three. Yeah. We have just about three decades to go.
00:36:55 I don't know what you think. Is this realistic? Looking at the pathway on.
00:37:01 It's possible, but it depends on the mindset. The problem in Ghana is not about leadership.
00:37:07 That's the view I've always held that the problem we face now as a country is not about the leaders, but the mindset of the people are there because the leaders leading the country are the reflection of the people.
00:37:20 Look, we have been talking about elections upon elections. You go to certain constituencies.
00:37:26 They know they are so impoverished. They need development. Yet they know that the person they are presenting may not be competent.
00:37:33 But because the fact that the person brought goodies or money, resources to come and share to them individually, they prefer such people to people who are, I mean, development minded people who have that social connection, social capital.
00:37:47 I have always believed even the intellectual capital. I've always believed that it is not about what you have in your pocket or the resources that you have in terms of the cash as a person.
00:37:59 But it depends on the social capital, the number of people that you have around you that can help you.
00:38:03 We have MPs who are in a position. However, they are able to develop their communities.
00:38:09 The fact is that it is not that they are relying on government subventions to be able to do that, but because of the connections they have built is because of their social capital.
00:38:17 OK, one day I become an MP for Bongo. This is just an example. I know Benjamin. Benjamin has this expertise.
00:38:23 Hopefully it is an example that is an example.
00:38:26 It's not an example I'm just making. So I know Benjamin. I place a call to Benjamin.
00:38:31 Ben, I want you to help my constituency with this. You are able to mobilize resources.
00:38:36 Maybe you also have other contacts that will say, I have a very good friend who is very good, want to help him out with this.
00:38:41 Then they come in. But if you look at the decisions that we take at the citizenry level, it goes on to haunt us for years because of the simple mistakes that we make.
00:38:55 So for us to achieve some of these things, the objectives that have been captured in this 100-year developmental plan or whatsoever, we have to start changing our mind.
00:39:05 We cannot put the people that we have given the power to out of our own actions, then tend to blame them.
00:39:11 If you think that they are not right, elections are there. Take them out. Bring in the right people.
00:39:16 We will complain on several occasions.
00:39:19 But we have not been able to do that.
00:39:20 That's the problem.
00:39:21 The right caliber of people to steer the affairs of the country. After Nkrumah, we have been in a shambles, basically.
00:39:29 We had Agenda 2020. And now some people, Osafu Mafu and the rest, were telling us, you can't even plan beyond 10 years.
00:39:37 You shouldn't plan for 40 years. But even the Chinese are doing it.
00:39:41 They have done that consistently. Even they who are where they are, they are doing it.
00:39:46 It's because of the mindset revolution. You are just making an example of how this motor rider rode carelessly by you.
00:39:56 In other countries, advanced countries, you don't need a policeman to stand and direct you that this is traffic, slow down.
00:40:02 This is zebra crossing, you have to slow down. Go at a speed of 30 kilometers per hour on the stretch of the road.
00:40:07 So the people from the onset have been conscientized.
00:40:10 So if they become leaders, it reflects. I was told a story about how if you go to some of the Francophone countries,
00:40:17 a friend was telling me about Burkina Faso, how they take measurements.
00:40:21 Everything that they do is accurate. They make sure that, OK, if I'm going to build a house, I need like 10 bags of cement.
00:40:27 They measure it accurately in that regard.
00:40:30 The Bible says that it's only a fool who starts building without having calculated and made an assessment of how much it will cost
00:40:39 and all of that, because in the end, then people will laugh at you. Exactly.
00:40:42 Oh, he started something and couldn't finish. So you do certain things are fascinating.
00:40:45 You look at the universities, for instance, where the student politics mostly begins and transcends into mainstream elections.
00:40:53 Look at a number of reported cases of corruption, even with management at the level of student politics or SRC management.
00:41:01 You have such people coming into mainstream politics. They eventually come to leave the country, take decisions for us and all that.
00:41:08 So if we don't start from the bottom, start conscientizing and then telling the younger generation that, look,
00:41:15 the destiny of the country is in your own hands. It depends on your mindset.
00:41:19 Let's embark on a mindset revolution for us to be able to achieve it.
00:41:25 If not, this one will continue to be the grammar that our children, our great grandchildren will come and be reviewing every year,
00:41:30 that this was a document that was put together about 100 years ago, 30 years ago.
00:41:38 It was a struggle. If you don't change your mindset, corruption, bad governance will continue to fester in the system.
00:41:45 And we have 34 years to be specific. I mean, off the top of my head, it was we have 34 years to go.
00:41:53 And I just did the calculation on this. You see, when we talk about the fact that by 2057,
00:41:59 we want to have a nominal GDP of three point four trillion dollars.
00:42:05 That is the GDP now of some advanced countries in the world.
00:42:09 OK, you want a nominal GDP of three point four trillion.
00:42:13 The last time I checked, I could be wrong. Our current GDP hovers around 70 something billion.
00:42:19 Dollars. OK. What that means, if you do the division, is that our current GDP is around two point nine percent.
00:42:32 Less than three percent of what we are projecting that in some 34 years time.
00:42:38 We will be doing. This is a drop in the bucket.
00:42:43 Exactly. Less than three percent. When we get in 30 years or 34 years, you think you can wave some magic wand and all of a sudden you have an economy.
00:42:53 And mind you, other economies are also speeding up. By that time, where will those economies be?
00:42:57 Are we on any trajectory towards, you know, achieving some of these goals?
00:43:01 We talk about strong institutions. Obama came and said, we don't need strong men.
00:43:05 We need strong institutions. A lot of institutions are not working.
00:43:09 Exactly. Because and even the roles are executive. Just look at the top.
00:43:13 Just look at the case of the everything is look at the case of Cecilia Dapa.
00:43:16 Yeah, we have the yeah, the police on one side.
00:43:19 The attorney general now taking charge of the criminal prosecution. Almost appearing to take sides. Fine.
00:43:24 So OSP is also doing this work. Is Shrey supposed to go or someone is supposed to petition?
00:43:29 Is there a role you could complete? So you see that the roles are somehow intertwined.
00:43:32 So you don't have a clear cut point that this something should be less.
00:43:36 Should we let Shrey do it? Do it? Or this was a special prosecutor?
00:43:39 Why is the AG? I mean, and that goes back to some of what was raised.
00:43:44 The concerns about setting up this whole office of the special prosecutor and the duplication or replication of roles of roles.
00:43:50 And it only goes to make systems worse off. That's it. That's it.
00:43:56 Worse off. But anyway, those were just some reflections I wanted to share with you, Ghana,
00:44:01 for just to get us thinking on a day like this. 3.4 trillion. Look at where we are.
00:44:05 It's not about the big talk. As for a big talk, everyone can talk.
00:44:09 Yeah, exactly. How to get to the end. Yeah. Beyond the mere talk.
00:44:13 You know, you've given me an idea. Ghana beyond the talk.
00:44:18 I'll note that down. Maybe that will be a theme for Blunt's thoughts. Exactly.
00:44:23 For next week. But let's get into myjoyonline.com. Let's start from there.
00:44:29 NDC lashes out at the Kufu Ado's administration over claims that have stabilized the economy.
00:44:35 Parliament orders finance minister to present DDP for consideration.
00:44:39 Maybe let's look at that story about the NDC lashing out at the Kufu Ado's administration over those claims.
00:44:45 Sam, would you like to take that story? Right. So, you know, the leadership of the NDC came to multimedia here as part of the familiarization visit.
00:44:55 And that's where this comment was made. That was the general secretary of the party, Fifi Kuiti, there.
00:45:00 So they think that the economy and let me just quote him.
00:45:04 He said the kind of collapse we have seen in terms of the economy is one that requires a certain amount of humility to rush quickly and want to start beating your chest and applauding.
00:45:15 It indicates that somehow they have not learned as quickly as they should.
00:45:20 So the concern here has to do with the government thought in itself and achievements in the financial sector.
00:45:27 They talk about the finance minister says we've turned the corner and honestly, turning the corner.
00:45:32 Honestly, I don't know which corner we've turned. Yeah. I don't know.
00:45:36 If you say we are gradually turning the corner, it makes sense.
00:45:41 But to say we've turned the corner, I mean, suggests we're out of the woods.
00:45:45 And you don't have to be an economist or a finance person to know that.
00:45:50 So if you are turning the corner, what is our debt now as a country?
00:45:55 We are over around 600 billion. In fact, recently, on the back of what has happened with the central bank, we've added over 20 percent to our debt.
00:46:01 So we are running approaching 600 billion Ghana cities.
00:46:04 So if you are really turning around the corner or turning the corner in the economy, why are we still having all these challenges?
00:46:13 We know that they do attribute to the what they call it, the war in Ukraine and Russia.
00:46:19 They're talking about Covid still having an impact on the economy.
00:46:23 But it's a whole lot. Look at the lack of legality in the system, how we spend money, the reports coming in.
00:46:30 I don't know where you've read fully the Auditor General's report.
00:46:33 You've read what the BOG has captured in this audited report, losing over 60 billion.
00:46:40 They are attributing it to the government DDEP program ahead of the IMF bailouts and all.
00:46:45 And I'm not sure our wars will end here. It will continue.
00:46:50 But at least we are getting to another election year.
00:46:53 And that is the problem, because we know about indiscipline, recklessness when it comes to financial recklessness, when it comes to electoral years, even the years preceding.
00:47:04 We're already seeing that some candidates from the ruling party going around and how money is sprayed, fuses and all of that.
00:47:14 And sometimes the very silly rationalization that is given to it, almost as though people can't think.
00:47:21 Yeah, we can tell you anything and you'll swallow it.
00:47:25 But at least at least. This government has been able to do something.
00:47:30 Because, you know, the IMF money, you must meet certain requirements, milestones.
00:47:36 And on some different fronts, they've been able to meet those requirements, guaranteeing that by close of year we'll get the second tranche of what's $300 million from the IMF, making $900 million would have secured from the IMF.
00:47:51 But then again, even as you look at that positive, then you look at the negative of the fact that you see what the Auditor General recently put out.
00:47:58 Over $15 billion.
00:48:00 Losses, wastage. The good thing there, over 99, I think 99.6% is recoverable.
00:48:08 The question Samuel Mbura, will it be recovered?
00:48:12 Do you remember there was a time when even the finance ministry, there were ghost names, people drawing $21,000.
00:48:17 On in salaries. People take scholarships, go to study in the US or South Africa, they don't come back, they are still paid two years and all that.
00:48:25 Yesterday we spoke to Professor Samuel Mbura, he's the Dean of Students at the UPSS School and University.
00:48:32 And then he is also an auditing expert on the SMS.
00:48:35 And his point was that, look, this annual ritual of publishing the Auditor General's report without punishing those culpable is what is giving them the motivation to continue.
00:48:47 Look, you have the principal spending officers who don't do due diligence and causes financial losses to their institutions.
00:48:55 Why are you not going after them? So charge them. Let them pay.
00:48:59 Next time it will serve as a deterrent to others not to do that.
00:49:03 Do you remember the Crowland Associates story? Do you remember?
00:49:06 Yeah, I do. I do.
00:49:08 So it's quite interesting that every year we talk about the leakages in the system.
00:49:13 Yet pragmatic measures are not thickened.
00:49:17 It's like fetching water with a basket.
00:49:18 Quite interesting.
00:49:20 And that also brings me to the lack of will.
00:49:23 I will say it here. The president likes the will. The vice president likes the will.
00:49:28 The ministers like the will. Our parliamentarians lack the will to do what is required.
00:49:34 Look, you can tell me whatever you like.
00:49:37 But I just want to chip this in. As citizens, are we playing that watchdog role aside what the media is doing?
00:49:44 Are we getting the backing from the citizens to push them to do the right thing?
00:49:48 Because some citizens, a few people, are benefiting from the system.
00:49:52 And those people will push everything to ensure the system remains the same.
00:49:57 Because when it does, who are the beneficiaries?
00:50:00 Exactly.
00:50:01 So it brings me to that next story that we can see.
00:50:04 Ghana Integrity Initiative, GACC, call for urgent passage of conduct of public officers' bill.
00:50:10 Look, Cecilia Abunadapa, no one will hang her.
00:50:14 She has in this dispensation, in this jurisdiction, you are innocent until proven guilty.
00:50:22 Yeah, my answer. So we accept.
00:50:24 But all these Anansi stories about Nsawa's funeral and they gave money and maybe it belongs to her husband.
00:50:36 He's been an architect for five. I don't have a problem with that.
00:50:40 Oh, it belongs to her brother. The point is funding should have a source.
00:50:44 Yeah. The source should be what?
00:50:47 Known.
00:50:48 Be able to be proven. Right.
00:50:50 Yeah.
00:50:51 You come to equity, come with clean hands. Where is your evidence?
00:50:54 So give us the evidence. And that is where the conduct of public officers' bill comes in.
00:51:02 Because it will address some of these matters. You are a politically exposed person.
00:51:07 Wait, you've put up this building. OK, this building, per our assessment, is worth, let's say, 750,000 Ghana cities.
00:51:16 Your salary is X official salary. We do not know any other means of sustenance of yours.
00:51:23 Can you, madam, can you, sir, prove how we got this?
00:51:28 We've seen politicians acquire buildings in the AU village.
00:51:31 Do you know what it takes to get a building in AU village? You know how much they go for?
00:51:35 Very expensive.
00:51:36 With swimming pools and all of that. People who before politics had not done any work.
00:51:41 On both sides, we have seen young people that back then we were practically in university with, did no work.
00:51:47 NDC, NPP. They came to power and all of a sudden, I mean, they have tons of cash to squander.
00:51:53 So that is what.
00:51:54 And you ask yourself, how is it possible? So we are working. We are not seeing that kind of money.
00:51:58 So how did you get that? So your annual salary, how much is it? Your allowances that you take during your committee meetings, how much is it?
00:52:04 Do you have other side business? Let's add all of them together. Let's even add your X official.
00:52:07 So how how did you get this? But we lack the will as citizens, not only the government or the institutions responsible,
00:52:14 but our citizens to question them, because we are always expectant of them to bring us goodies.
00:52:20 When MPs go home, I know a couple of friends and brothers who hardly go home because they tell you that, look, every visit that I make, I spend on less than a hundred thousand cities.
00:52:33 So let's say in a month I visit my constituency thrice or even twice.
00:52:39 300 K. 300 K. Because the demands are so overwhelming.
00:52:43 But let me tell you this. It will shock you that some people even go to their MPs to ask to support them to dire their wives.
00:52:53 Yeah. Yes. The other day when they drop an MP, was it or was it some other MP?
00:52:58 The person was asking for he says he's starting a ride hailing business, Uber, and he wants a phone.
00:53:04 I've had some of them tell me here that look, people reach out to them. Oh, me see me die.
00:53:09 Foundation. I need I need money for the foundation.
00:53:12 All these all sorts of ludicrous pressures on them will push them to do what they can do to survive.
00:53:17 But the other the other side of the coin is because our leaders look in political science back then and the grad studies,
00:53:24 they would tell you people elected these parties to come into power to deliver the bacon, so to speak, to deliver certain things, the boons.
00:53:32 Now, when people see that you are not delivering that, they find alternative means of getting what they feel belongs to them.
00:53:39 So then, especially in this very political system we've created where members of Parliament are not agents of development,
00:53:47 but we forced them into that position when they see you, they think you have sacks of money over there.
00:53:55 So when we see you, we voted for you on rebel. Charlie, it is time to sort us out.
00:54:00 Sort us out. That is the convoluted situation we've created in Ghana because we are not giving the people.
00:54:06 Because if you give the people what they need, the good roads, the hospitals,
00:54:11 a proper economy that can absorb, enhance their economic rights. If you are earning a very, very, very good salary and you are all of that,
00:54:22 would you go begging anybody or accept inducement and stuff like that?
00:54:26 That's a challenge. So beyond the political class, we also have the other people who are not politically exposed.
00:54:32 They are technocrats, but their livelihood, you go to their hometown, the money that they are making.
00:54:38 How are you able to do that? Mostly the politician is on the spotlight for accusation, for slaughtering,
00:54:44 when it comes to public funds and all that. But we have technocrats who are equally having questionable assets.
00:54:52 How did you acquire it? You work as a director for a particular ministry or a particular institution.
00:54:59 How are you able to gather this amount of money to afford you the luxury that you have?
00:55:04 To the extent that it will be able to fund you to go into active partisan politics.
00:55:10 So this is more or less a multifaceted issue that we need to approach, one, from the political class to the citizens and then the technocrats as well.
00:55:20 And I think that with this particular view, it will help us to an extent, if only that will and commitment is there to enforce it to the latter.
00:55:30 We only pray. Some of you are asking me to share the Ghana at 100 document.
00:55:35 I do not have that permission yet because of where we sourced that information from.
00:55:41 But we're sharing bits and pieces of that. I just have to acknowledge.
00:55:44 So I let you know. Ordinarily, I would have shared with you, but it's not information I can just put out there for now.
00:55:51 Hopefully when it becomes that accessible, then I can do that.
00:55:56 The title of my blunt thoughts today, and I've told you if you've missed any of my blunt thoughts today, you don't want to miss this one.
00:56:04 I've titled it a forced haircut, a new pipe dream and pipe dream that I'm talking about affordable housing and pocasi and the cycle of wastage.
00:56:14 Ghana on the ropes. Are you? That's quite interesting.
00:56:20 You know, I'll take you all the way back to Nkrumah and some of the things we've never contemplated and some of the things in housing that he did that has not been mentioned.
00:56:30 I think last two weeks I was on my way to Adah. You know, there's a housing project just on.
00:56:36 I don't I'm not much familiar with it. We have to go quickly on that.
00:56:40 But I saw the houses. I was told that it's part of the housing projects and they have been they've not been occupied for a couple of years.
00:56:47 So we'll spend money, build these houses later, strike that one out, come get more money, go to start new projects.
00:56:53 It's an unsent leadership or misleadership in Ghana.
00:56:58 Right before we go, happy 84th birthday to Mr. Daniel Ejei of Daniad's Insurance Brokers, wishing you God's blessings, strength and vitality.
00:57:09 Kingsley Otu sent in that one.
00:57:12 Happy 84th birthday to Mr. Daniel Ejei of Daniad's Insurance Brokers.
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00:57:47 You have a request?
00:57:49 I wanted to find out from your motivation for today.
00:57:51 You know last week you shared a message, some people were motivated.
00:57:53 So today what's your message?
00:57:55 Let's maintain hope.
00:57:59 It's something I actually put at the tail end of my...
00:58:01 You know, you can lose everything, but when you lose hope...
00:58:06 You know, my...
00:58:08 Regardless of the situation, times are hard, times are difficult, the times are barren, economically speaking.
00:58:14 I went somewhere yesterday, the sort of things I heard nearly broke me.
00:58:17 But let's keep hope alive.
00:58:19 But I have one of the smallest of thoughts that, look, the greatness that you are witnessing today,
00:58:25 don't think that that's all.
00:58:27 More is still on your way.
00:58:29 The challenges that you are facing, don't think that the challenges will end.
00:58:32 There's a bigger challenge ahead.
00:58:33 Prepare your mind, prepare yourself ahead of it, so that you will not be shocked by any eventuality.
00:58:38 And that's my message.
00:58:40 But today is the birthday of our brother, our brother Eko Sam.
00:58:44 You know today is the mother's birthday.
00:58:46 You know Eko has been a very good brother, like yourself, since I came to multimedia.
00:58:51 And I must say happy birthday to his mother, Mother Margaret, Amma Sam.
00:58:57 You are such a wonderful mother.
00:58:59 We thank you for giving us such a troublesome brother.
00:59:01 Yeah, speaking of trouble, trouble is like his middle name.
00:59:05 Anyway, that's the note on which we wrap the news review.
00:59:09 Up next we serve you prime take with Mufti Awanabila Abdullahi.
00:59:14 It's another part, the second part if you like, of his interaction with Joe Lati.
00:59:20 Do stay.
00:59:21 Give us a brief history of Ghana football.
00:59:24 Well Ghana football started quite a long time ago.
00:59:30 It was one great thing.
00:59:34 He was headmaster of a government school in Cape Coast.
00:59:38 He started the thing and he recruited a few local boys and they were practicing under moonlight and so on.
00:59:48 And bit by bit it developed until Akrak Hatshopu came in.
00:59:54 Then there was Stanford. Stanford died.
00:59:58 For a very long time we had Hatshopu and Stanford.
01:00:02 Stanford is gone. Stanford is now Olympics.
01:00:06 Oh, okay.
01:00:07 Yeah, and it went on like that.
01:00:10 We had problems with coaching.
01:00:13 So when Ohinijan became the sports director, as I told you Kwame Nkrumah was interested in sports.
01:00:22 And he knew Ohinijan was interested in sports and was doing everything.
01:00:27 He was around Richard Akwe and so on.
01:00:30 Oh, okay.
01:00:31 In Samoa. He was doing football from Samoa.
01:00:35 And he was there.
01:00:38 So when Richard Akwe gave way, there was this one, then we had problems with coaching.
01:00:47 So the director of sports...
01:00:49 So Richard Akwe gave way to Ohinijan.
01:00:51 Ohinijan. Let me say, Richard Akwe's period passed off.
01:00:58 And then a new period with Ohinijan in it.
01:01:01 Adakwa in Samoa.
01:01:05 No, Adakwa was in Ashanti.
01:01:07 Oh, okay.
01:01:08 And then they picked up the loose ends and started developing it.
01:01:14 And Ohinijan did a lot.
01:01:18 He was more or less acting at the instructions of Nkrumah.
01:01:26 He brought in Real Madrid.
01:01:30 Nkrumah personally organized that part of our history in football and brought Real Madrid to Ghana.
01:01:41 They played against the Black Sox.
01:01:43 It ended up in a 3-3 draw.
01:01:48 And it went on then.
01:01:50 Ohinijan developed... we were told at the instruction of Kwame Nkrumah, he developed the Republicans.
01:02:00 Real Madrid came, then we had the Republicans.
01:02:04 And the Republicans brought a lot of problems.
01:02:07 People were picking the best from each of the league clubs.
01:02:13 And people didn't like it.
01:02:15 And it was believed, whether right or not, whether true or not, I can't tell.
01:02:21 It was believed that because of the bad blood that this Republicans thing created,
01:02:31 it ended up with this outside right player, Baba Yara, getting involved in a road accident,
01:02:42 which ended up in his death.
01:02:45 So it was interesting.
01:02:48 And Ohinijan did well to develop football.
01:02:51 Coaches came from outside, from Germany, from Italy, from Brazil, all over.
01:03:00 They helped in the training of people.
01:03:02 Ohinijan at that stage wanted to develop other sports around football.
01:03:09 He did it. He launched it.
01:03:11 But it didn't last. And it faded out.
01:03:15 So we've had quite an interesting talk too.
01:03:19 A lot of it will go into my memories.
01:03:22 Okay. But let's talk about when Real Madrid came to Ghana.
01:03:27 Were you the commentator for that game?
01:03:29 Yes, I was. Who else?
01:03:31 I was with my boss. What was his name?
01:03:35 Festus.
01:03:36 Festus Haddai.
01:03:37 The match took place at the stadium on, I think, a Saturday or a Sunday.
01:03:44 Yeah.
01:03:45 You know, hey! And you should have been there to see it.
01:03:51 I was nowhere near being born.
01:03:55 You'll read it in my memo.
01:03:57 I was nowhere near being born.
01:03:59 Nowhere, nowhere, nowhere.
01:04:01 But people spoke about Ghana football then and Ghana football today.
01:04:07 What were the things that the '60s did right to get Ghana to win the African Cup of Nations '63, '65, '78, '82?
01:04:19 All that was under Ohiné Diagne. Ohiné Diagne's planning, he was a bit dictatorial.
01:04:29 So people didn't like him much.
01:04:31 You know, sometimes dictatorship can achieve things, you know.
01:04:35 And the players who were featuring, C.K. Janvith, I don't hear his name anywhere now.
01:04:45 He's very painful. C.K. Janvith, he was a wonderful footballer.
01:04:51 He did very well. He was a coach.
01:04:55 Went to train abroad, back in Ghana. Went to train back in Ghana.
01:05:00 Poum, you don't know about C.K. Janvith?
01:05:03 Oh, I've heard a lot about him.
01:05:04 Yes.
01:05:05 I even have a copy of his book.
01:05:06 C.K. Janvith and others, you know.
01:05:08 Kwame Adau, Kwa, outside right for Kotoko.
01:05:11 Mfoum, you know.
01:05:13 Yeah, Roura Kwonso.
01:05:14 Mfoum is still alive.
01:05:15 Dogomoro.
01:05:16 Dogomoro.
01:05:17 Unfortunately, he passed on some few days ago.
01:05:20 Oh, Dogomoro.
01:05:21 Oh, yeah.
01:05:22 And then Agrifin, the likes of Agrifin.
01:05:24 Agrifin passed off.
01:05:26 Oh, he left this planet too early.
01:05:30 You know, he and the Namatien chap.
01:05:35 Bayada.
01:05:38 No, no. He's a tall, big fellow.
01:05:40 You know, these two, he has passed off.
01:05:43 Whenever they were playing and Agrifin was in a good position, he would signal to the
01:05:53 neighborhood, he would signal the Namatien and say, "Daye, infante."
01:06:00 Yeah.
01:06:01 Means, "Position yourself well."
01:06:03 The path would go to him and off he goes.
01:06:06 And he had very strong, the Namatien, he had very strong foot.
01:06:13 His shots were terrible to see.
01:06:16 And they were going on like that.
01:06:19 Daye, Kwabla or something, I think it was called Kwabla.
01:06:23 Yeah, but you spoke about how most of the things Ohenejian did were under the instruction
01:06:29 of Kwame Nkrumah.
01:06:30 Yeah, that's right.
01:06:31 This appears to suggest that government had a deliberate plan on what they wanted to do
01:06:35 with football.
01:06:36 Yes, of course.
01:06:37 They had a deliberate plan at that time.
01:06:40 During the time of Kwame Nkrumah, Kwame Nkrumah saw the virtue in combining sport with unity.
01:06:52 And so he was using sport as an instrument to achieve political ends.
01:06:59 The Union of Africa.
01:07:04 So most of the time when we travelled with the Black Star from here to play football,
01:07:10 we had a contingent leadership in the group.
01:07:14 And when we got to our destination, they held meetings and so on behind closed doors, which
01:07:20 we didn't know about.
01:07:22 So it worked that way.
01:07:25 But it worked that way and also brought results to on the pitch.
01:07:28 Yes, indeed.
01:07:30 You know, and since we had the four successive AFCON titles, we've not been able to do it
01:07:37 in the game.
01:07:38 We are still struggling.
01:07:39 Yeah, we're still struggling to at least add to the four victories.
01:07:45 Is it about time - I'll come back to a different story - but is it about time that government
01:07:50 considers a deliberate plan on how they want to run football in their country?
01:07:57 You see, in football, we have amateur football.
01:08:01 Amateur.
01:08:02 Amateur football is playing football for the love of it.
01:08:06 And then we have professional football, which is a career.
01:08:13 The two.
01:08:14 FIFA doesn't smile much on amateur football.
01:08:21 It doesn't smile much on professional football.
01:08:29 Because FIFA is against the interference of governments in football affairs.
01:08:40 But governments manage somehow, because some governments fund football development.
01:08:48 But FIFA also encourages partnerships between member associations and governments, because
01:08:53 governments will always provide infrastructure for the government.
01:08:56 Yeah, but that relationship is difficult to understand.
01:09:00 Because they don't like it, but they don't like governments to interfere.
01:09:06 And some of the associations report government activities to FIFA.
01:09:15 Yeah, but I think one thing that we need to get clear, however, is that what FIFA do not
01:09:23 want is for politicians or government to dictate, to police the management of football when
01:09:32 it comes to its member associations.
01:09:34 The whole idea of...
01:09:35 Yes, but FIFA would always encourage that government should provide the infrastructure,
01:09:42 government should invest in the national teams.
01:09:45 And if many years ago we had a deliberate support from Kwame Nkrumah, always instructing
01:09:54 Ohindijan for things to be done, and that brought success, this kind of relationship
01:10:00 wouldn't have happened.
01:10:01 That is why I said the relationship between FIFA and governments is very difficult to
01:10:10 draw the line.
01:10:12 Very difficult.
01:10:13 Because one time they are against it, one time they are for it.
01:10:17 And somehow it's working.
01:10:20 Talk to me about Kotoko.
01:10:23 Kotoko, eh.
01:10:25 Are you a Kotoko fan?
01:10:26 Not exactly.
01:10:28 Hazardhook fan?
01:10:29 Not exactly.
01:10:30 As a commentator, I try not to get attached to any club.
01:10:36 Because if you do that, in your commentary it shows.
01:10:41 Oh, okay.
01:10:42 Yeah.
01:10:43 However much you try not to.
01:10:46 You are a human being, you know.
01:10:48 It comes out.
01:10:49 So I try to do a kind of...
01:10:54 You balance it.
01:10:55 You draw your emotions.
01:10:57 That's right.
01:10:58 You know, I try not to get too involved.
01:11:02 But if you ask me, Kotoko, I like them because of their bravery, their winning sprees, and
01:11:11 you know, they are there.
01:11:14 Whether you like it or don't, they are there.
01:11:17 But, okay, so let me ask this question.
01:11:20 Well, Hazardhook is in Accra.
01:11:22 Hazardhook is in Accra, and I'm in Accra.
01:11:24 You are in Accra.
01:11:25 That's at the top.
01:11:26 Kotoko is in Kumasi.
01:11:27 You know what?
01:11:28 In the past, people regarded Hazardhook as a club that was supported by fishermen.
01:11:38 So they thought it was supported by illiterate people.
01:11:43 That was what I learned when I came on the scene.
01:11:48 You know, but I think that idea has worn it off.
01:11:53 Yeah.
01:11:54 And the difference is now.
01:11:57 What about Kotoko?
01:11:58 You've just given us a brief history of Hazardhook, whatever the perception that it was supported
01:12:02 by fishermen.
01:12:03 What's the brief history of Kotoko?
01:12:05 Kotoko is a kind of, it's a tribal club for Ashantis.
01:12:11 That's what people think.
01:12:13 And to some, you know, the Asantehine quite recently, showing, and it has always been
01:12:20 the Asantehine interested in Kotoko.
01:12:23 You know, they show it.
01:12:25 It's a kind of representing the soul of Ashanti on the sporting scene.
01:12:31 Okay.
01:12:32 So if Hazardhook is in Accra, Kotoko is in Kumasi, how come these two clubs are rivals?
01:12:37 What happened?
01:12:38 Well, it's because of their performance.
01:12:41 Their performance, their achievements on the pitch.
01:12:44 So the rivalry between them is intense.
01:12:50 And any time they meet, it's a tug of war.
01:12:55 Any time they meet, tug of war.
01:12:58 And they manage to, you remember we had trouble in the Accra sports stadium.
01:13:04 All sorts of things.
01:13:07 I remember that when I was doing commentary, any time I did a match involving Asante Kotoko
01:13:16 and Hazardhook, when I came back to base, the officials in the house had mapped out
01:13:28 where I was wrong, where I did this, where.
01:13:31 And then they called me and said, "When you were saying you showed too much of this,
01:13:35 you did too much of that," and so on.
01:13:37 And it was part of the training that I had as a commentator.
01:13:42 So gradually it shaped me.
01:13:46 And finally I became a kind of disinterested commentator in clubs of the match.
01:13:55 What is your memorable game that you've commentated on, be it Hazardhook domestically or in the
01:14:04 continental level, or Kotoko domestically or in the continental level?
01:14:08 I think I'll select or pick the match between Asante Kotoko and En-Nobet.
01:14:22 That was played in Kinshasa.
01:14:27 This was in the 70s?
01:14:29 Yes, in the 70s.
01:14:31 It was a match.
01:14:33 That really was a match.
01:14:36 I find it difficult to forget it.
01:14:40 Then Mobutu Sese Seko was the leader of Congo, and he displayed his whole-hearted support
01:14:56 for En-Nobet.
01:14:58 He came to the stadium in a motorcade, or with a motorcade, of about 80 riders.
01:15:09 No joke.
01:15:12 No joke at all.
01:15:15 And then when they lost, he left in disappointment.
01:15:22 I'll give you the details in my memo.
01:15:25 I understand that, but in that game, what really happened?
01:15:32 What really happened in that game that you've chosen that one?
01:15:35 Because the way in which En-Nobet supporters behaved, what they did to support En-Nobet,
01:15:51 and the way we, from Ghana, very cleverly squeezed ourselves out of any serious trouble,
01:16:03 is something that weighs on my mind.
01:16:06 Was it a game?
01:16:08 Because if we hadn't been careful, it could have resulted in something very bloody.
01:16:17 The way En-Nobet supporters worked on the feelings of their people, I went...
01:16:28 This will be in my memo.
01:16:30 When I went to collect the team's sheet, what happened to me, it remains a secret till now.
01:16:39 You read my memo, you'll get it.
01:16:41 I was also going to say that you got lost at some point.
01:16:44 I got lost. No joke. No joke at all.
01:16:49 So what happened?
01:16:51 I was given a treatment that I didn't deserve at all.
01:16:56 They didn't want to give you the team's sheet?
01:16:58 They gave me the team's sheet, but before they did, something happened.
01:17:01 Did they beat you?
01:17:02 They didn't beat me. But they did something to me.
01:17:08 Read my memo.
01:17:10 I will definitely have to read this memo.
01:17:15 But what about the Black Stars?
01:17:17 What about the Black Stars?
01:17:19 A game that you commented on, that you felt that these Black Stars were this Black Stars game?
01:17:24 There were so many.
01:17:26 Black Stars, Real Madrid.
01:17:30 Yes, that was a match that made history.
01:17:34 It ended 3-3.
01:17:37 The Black Star was then rising.
01:17:42 You know, Ohinijan did something which is interesting.
01:17:46 He said, "Anytime we talk about the Black Star, we should not say the Black Stars.
01:17:52 We should not make it plural.
01:17:54 We should say the Black Star.
01:17:56 Represent the Black Star.
01:17:58 Representing a club, I mean a national team.
01:18:01 Black Star.
01:18:03 So it is the Black Star, not the Black Stars.
01:18:05 But people don't care.
01:18:08 So it was that eternity?
01:18:10 Yes, it is always the Black Stars.
01:18:12 It should be the Black Star.
01:18:15 The Black Star.
01:18:17 And the Black Star, they have done very well.
01:18:21 Except that now, I think the team needs a kind of reorganization.
01:18:32 It should be, when you have a car, you drive around for a period, you go to the fittance to change the oil,
01:18:46 and check your blocks and so on.
01:18:49 That is the kind of thing we should do to the Black Star.
01:18:52 We should revise it and then bring it up again.
01:19:00 Because I think there are a few problems in the camp which we may not do off.
01:19:06 And I don't know because I will find out a lot which I will put into my memory.
01:19:12 My memory of some other Black Stars.
01:19:14 Okay, so there was a point that, let me ask the question this way.
01:19:23 Was there a point you were considered to be the leader of the Ghana Football Association?
01:19:28 Me?
01:19:29 Never.
01:19:30 Never.
01:19:31 Never.
01:19:32 There never was a point.
01:19:33 If there was, I didn't know about it.
01:19:35 Never.
01:19:36 Never.
01:19:37 But if it had come to your attention, would you have done it?
01:19:39 96.
01:19:40 If it had come to your attention, if you were...
01:19:43 When I was younger.
01:19:44 Yes.
01:19:45 Maybe.
01:19:46 Maybe I would have considered it.
01:19:48 Because it's an honor to be in charge of a Black Star.
01:19:54 It's a big honor.
01:19:56 And if he had proposed to me, if he had...
01:19:59 Well, I was involved in intercontinental relationships a lot.
01:20:05 There was one Egyptian who was in charge of organizing the administrative side of the African Union.
01:20:13 And I traveled with him a number of times on some of his things.
01:20:18 And maybe he was slowly, not intentionally, unknown to himself.
01:20:26 He was getting me to be interested in the African Union thing.
01:20:31 Oh, okay.
01:20:32 Yeah.
01:20:33 Okay.
01:20:34 So maybe with that in mind, I would have picked up anything connected with the Black Stars,
01:20:41 connected with African unity.
01:20:43 There are people who also talk about the 1966 World Cup that Ohenejian said Ghana shouldn't go.
01:20:49 Oh, 66.
01:20:51 Oh, is it the rule of Africa?
01:20:53 When we went to Senegal, it was played in Senegal.
01:20:57 No, the World Cup.
01:20:58 No, the World Cup was held in England in 1966.
01:21:01 66?
01:21:02 Yes.
01:21:03 Where Ohenejian, because they had said that Africa was supposed to compete with the likes of the Caribbean,
01:21:10 or it was in the Oceanic, so that they were willing to get one rep.
01:21:14 And Ohenejian wrote a letter to FIFA telling them that no, Africa was not going to participate in the competition?
01:21:21 Yeah, because of the number of places given to Africa.
01:21:24 Oh, okay.
01:21:25 Yeah.
01:21:26 And I think that is okay now.
01:21:28 Africa has quite a number of places.
01:21:33 The next World Cup will be in like nine countries.
01:21:35 That's right.
01:21:36 Let's see what happens.
01:21:38 I wasn't keen on that aspect yet.
01:21:41 Oh, okay.
01:21:42 Let's see what happens.
01:21:44 Let's see what happens.
01:21:45 Okay.
01:21:46 I think Africa is sitting fairly pretty now in affairs of FIFA.
01:21:51 Yeah.
01:21:52 Yeah.
01:21:53 When Pelé, World Pelé, said that there was an African country, Ghana, which could one day be a winner of the World Cup
01:22:05 because he had been here, he had seen the quality Ghanaian players had and all that.
01:22:10 But since then, football appeared to have taken a nose dive.
01:22:17 Well, the nose dive, you see, unfortunately, we in Ghana are doing something that we should watch.
01:22:29 We're injecting too much of politics into everything we do, into education, into medicine, into everything.
01:22:44 Politics, politics, politics.
01:22:47 And not only politics, party politics is a divisive element.
01:22:55 It's a dividing thing.
01:22:57 Party politics, it creates bitterness, it creates separation, and it blinds efficiency.
01:23:07 So I think we should watch it.
01:23:10 If we can eschew politics in almost everything we do, this country will be able to travel very fast.
01:23:19 In this case, our football?
01:23:21 In football, yes.
01:23:22 Football as well.
01:23:23 Football education, look at party politics in the schools.
01:23:28 One time, MPP in power, they extend the secondary school to three years, to four years, and it's always backwards.
01:23:40 It's not a factor that we should allow to grow.
01:23:46 We should stop it.
01:23:47 You see, many people now in Ghana, they go into politics not to serve this country, but to make money for their well-being.
01:23:58 And it shouldn't be that way.
01:24:00 I don't see it that way.
01:24:02 We should not go into politics just to make money or to be okay.
01:24:08 Let's go into politics because we are serving our rural areas.
01:24:13 Look at the rural area. I listen a lot because these days I spend a lot of time in the house.
01:24:19 And what do you hear from the rural area?
01:24:22 Water, roads, sanitation, repeated every day.
01:24:29 And not much is being done about it.
01:24:32 Yeah. Let's sign off the conversation pretty quick.
01:24:35 I was made to understand that there was a point you had to run to Nigeria.
01:24:41 What happened?
01:24:44 Politics.
01:24:45 Same politics.
01:24:46 When I left, I left GBC in 1973 out of frustration.
01:24:52 Frustration. I left GBC.
01:24:56 And I went to Food Distribution Corporation as a Public Relations Manager.
01:25:03 And from food distribution, I went into politics.
01:25:08 I was part of the outfit, the Ghanaian outfit that stood against Union Government.
01:25:18 Union Government promoted by General Achanpon.
01:25:24 Oh, okay.
01:25:25 That's right.
01:25:26 There was a referendum whether Ghanaians liked it or not.
01:25:30 And Ghanaians kicked against it.
01:25:33 After that event, after the loss to Achanpon, they started arresting those of us who were in the lead of the opposing group.
01:25:43 Oh, okay.
01:25:44 Yeah. And I was to have been picked on a late Saturday morning.
01:25:50 Because it had been so good, I got the win of it.
01:25:53 And I left the country on the Tuesday, the following Tuesday, and went to Nigeria.
01:25:59 And already I had very good connections in Nigeria.
01:26:03 So I reported to my good friend, Ishola Foronso.
01:26:07 He was the leading commentator at the time.
01:26:10 Oh, okay.
01:26:11 And at the time I went, he was in charge of radio broadcasting, sound broadcasting.
01:26:17 So I reported to him. And you know what he said?
01:26:20 He said, "Joe, are you saying that Ghana doesn't want you?"
01:26:23 I said, "Yes."
01:26:24 He said, "Look, there's a program going on downstairs at the music studio. Go and join them."
01:26:30 That's how I started working with Nigerian broadcasting.
01:26:34 Oh, okay.
01:26:35 And they treated me very well.
01:26:37 I should say this and say it again.
01:26:39 They treated me very well.
01:26:41 They have a big training school.
01:26:44 I was given a chance to lecture at the training school, which I thought was a very big honor.
01:26:52 And when Buhari, who recently retired,
01:26:58 when Buhari was a military head of state in Nigeria,
01:27:04 he had a second, a number two man called Idi Agbon.
01:27:09 Idi Agbon was known for his discipline. He was a disciplinarian.
01:27:15 So he introduced a project called War Against Indiscipline, WAI.
01:27:25 And the day it was to be launched, I was asked to go and do the commentary at the National Theater.
01:27:33 Oh, I see.
01:27:34 Yeah. And everybody thought, Nigerian broadcasting,
01:27:40 they thought Idi Agbon, being a disciplinarian, would arrive dead on time.
01:27:46 So I was alone as a commentator.
01:27:49 But when it was expected to arrive at five past eight,
01:27:55 that day he arrived later.
01:27:58 He arrived later, about 20 minutes late.
01:28:02 And I was left on air.
01:28:04 I didn't have any notes.
01:28:06 And I had to talk from my experience, talk about discipline, talk about this, talk about that.
01:28:12 When I came back to Nigerian broadcasting,
01:28:18 I had a girlfriend out of that.
01:28:21 [laughter]
01:28:23 Victoria.
01:28:25 An Igbo woman.
01:28:27 And she would take me out on the weekends
01:28:31 and introduce me to her friends.
01:28:34 This is my friend from Nigeria.
01:28:36 From Ghana.
01:28:37 This is my friend from Ghana.
01:28:39 It was only friendship. It didn't go beyond that.
01:28:43 That's a nice one.
01:28:45 So what advice would you offer to those who are managing football now?
01:28:49 Well, they have to clean their heads.
01:28:52 I intend visiting, sooner than later,
01:28:55 I intend visiting the present head of football.
01:29:01 With his name is Keto Floco.
01:29:05 I want to visit him.
01:29:07 And then we have a little chat.
01:29:09 Maybe the little experience that I have, a little,
01:29:12 I just give it to him.
01:29:13 If he takes it, okay.
01:29:14 If he doesn't, he is right there.
01:29:17 You know, I intend doing that.
01:29:19 When you say they have to clean their heads, what does it mean?
01:29:21 Yeah, they should remove prejudice.
01:29:24 They should remove hatred.
01:29:26 They should remove unnecessary competition.
01:29:30 Anything negative should be out of their heads.
01:29:34 Let them think about football and Ghana.
01:29:37 And let them say to themselves,
01:29:39 "We are here to make Ghana great in football."
01:29:43 And it will happen.
01:29:45 Let them develop positive thinking.
01:29:47 Positive thinking all the time.
01:29:50 They should completely banish the things that have destroyed many things in Ghana today.
01:29:59 And, i.e., the politics, isn't it?
01:30:01 Yeah, the politics.
01:30:02 Politics is becoming...
01:30:05 Football is becoming very political.
01:30:07 It has already become political.
01:30:10 Everybody is interested in football.
01:30:12 People are making money out of it.
01:30:15 Except the old lady.
01:30:16 I never made money out of football.
01:30:17 Oh, you didn't make money in football?
01:30:18 No, I didn't.
01:30:19 What happened?
01:30:20 My mother told me a good name is better than riches.
01:30:24 And I have stuck to that till now.
01:30:26 Whether it's good or not, you ask me, I'll tell you.
01:30:31 You never made money in football?
01:30:34 No, no.
01:30:35 My approach to life, generally, including football,
01:30:40 is not to struggle for money.
01:30:44 Money at all costs.
01:30:46 No, no.
01:30:47 It leads to trouble.
01:30:49 So, I am as I am.
01:30:51 Simple man.
01:30:53 Have many friends.
01:30:55 I was fighting the union government with President Nana Akufo-Addo.
01:31:02 Oh, really?
01:31:03 Yeah, we were together.
01:31:04 We were there fighting against the union government.
01:31:09 We wanted a pure, civilian, democratic setup.
01:31:13 And it has failed.
01:31:15 But, I'm sure you probably had the opportunity of meeting the likes of Issa Hayatu,
01:31:22 the likes of Avlange, who were all...
01:31:26 In the course of time, during the time they were in office,
01:31:31 now they are no longer there.
01:31:33 And it's a lesson to all of us.
01:31:36 You'll be there.
01:31:38 Sheikh Fayed said, "The world is a stage, and all the men and women are mere actors.
01:31:45 They have their exits and entrances."
01:31:48 We should always bear that in mind.
01:31:50 There's a time I wouldn't be here.
01:31:53 Nobody would talk about me anymore.
01:31:56 How many people talk about Kwame Nkrumah today?
01:31:59 There's not very many.
01:32:01 We should be singing his praises almost every day.
01:32:05 But we're not doing that.
01:32:08 He has done his bit and he's gone.
01:32:11 Interestingly, there's a secret I have about my connection with Kwame Nkrumah's mother.
01:32:20 When Kwame Nkrumah died, read my memoir. You'll get it.
01:32:24 [laughter]
01:32:26 We'll have to read that memoir.
01:32:29 And your life, your career also picked up, right?
01:32:32 Your profession.
01:32:34 One of you, Jolante Jr.
01:32:38 That's right. We have Jolante Jr. We have George Latte.
01:32:43 Yes, George Latte too.
01:32:45 He was in the seat.
01:32:48 Broadcasting can make you frustrated.
01:32:54 GBC can inject frustration into your veins.
01:33:00 From the way things are going, I think they are working hard to correct it.
01:33:06 Broadcast is a job that the welfare of the performers should be at the top.
01:33:17 Anything else will bring the place down.
01:33:21 Anything else.
01:33:23 If you forget about the performers, the people who really do the job.
01:33:28 Because there's a lot of strain.
01:33:31 There's a lot of stress.
01:33:33 There's a lot of all sorts of things.
01:33:36 It's up to the management to be aware of this.
01:33:41 And not to do paperwork.
01:33:44 Issuing queries and so on. It doesn't help.
01:33:48 There's some element of frustration in GBC.
01:33:52 And it should be removed. And I think they are working on it.
01:33:56 Final question.
01:33:58 Do you believe in the foreseeable future, Ghana can win the World Cup?
01:34:03 Yes, we can. We can. Yes.
01:34:06 I believe we can.
01:34:08 The other day we nearly won it.
01:34:10 We nearly did.
01:34:12 Very near. I think they won because they lost.
01:34:15 The 2010 World Cup, where we meet the quarterfinal.
01:34:18 Yeah, the one in which the maestro, what was his name?
01:34:26 Shot the ball.
01:34:28 At the cross by Samoa Jan.
01:34:30 We nearly got into the final scene.
01:34:35 So we can.
01:34:37 If only we put a few things right, we can win the World Cup.
01:34:42 But have you been disappointed that in the last 40 plus years we've not won the African Cup?
01:34:49 Yes, it's painful. Not disappointed alone.
01:34:52 It's painful that we haven't.
01:34:54 But I think, as I said, if we do a few things right, just a few things right, I think we can.
01:35:04 Because football appears to be in our blood.
01:35:09 It's part of us.
01:35:11 So let's see what can be done.
01:35:13 I've told you I want to meet the President, Kling Kuk, and then we'll talk.
01:35:21 And I hope, sincerely, I pray that when you are cutting the path, when it's crooked, you don't see it.
01:35:31 It's the man sitting elsewhere.
01:35:33 So I hope he may take some of the things I tell him to have and act on it.
01:35:40 The other day I listened to a speech he was making and I thought it was very fine.
01:35:47 (music)
01:36:12 Welcome back on the AM Show.
01:36:14 It's a holiday and I'm coming into your homes with my blunt thoughts.
01:36:18 Today I've titled them "A Forced Haircut, A New Pipe Dream, and a Cycle of Wastage.
01:36:28 Ghana on the Ropes."
01:36:30 Of course, like a boxer who is actually getting knocked out.
01:36:35 So what do I have to share with you this morning, Ghana, for?
01:36:39 Since today is Founders Day, let me start off with the Osadaful, only fitting on a day like this, right?
01:36:45 Kwame Nkrumah, during the struggle for independence, once said, and I quote him,
01:36:51 "And across the parapet, I see the mother of Africa, unity and independence.
01:36:56 Her body smeared with the blood of her sons and daughters in their struggle to see her free from the shackles of imperialism.
01:37:03 And I could see and hear springing up cities of Ghana, becoming the metropolis of science, learning, scientific agriculture and philosophy.
01:37:12 And I hear the mortals resound the echo and the rejoinder.
01:37:16 Seek ye first the political kingdom and all the rest shall be added unto it."
01:37:23 Yet the political kingdom of which Nkrumah so passionately spoke has been lost to charlatans,
01:37:29 vile and greedy politicians whose only God is themselves and whose only oblation or sacrifice are their people.
01:37:38 They rob the poor, squeezing them with burdensome taxes. They feed fat off the most vulnerable.
01:37:45 They ride in lavish cars and purchase the plushest of real estate.
01:37:49 They are nothing less than political vampires, draining the lifeblood of their own people drop by bitter drop.
01:37:57 Nkrumah was selfless. Those others who are being forced down our throats today as co-founders were of the same selfish thought we see in power today.
01:38:07 Nkrumah said, "Independence now." What did they say? "Independence, yes, but in the shortest possible time."
01:38:14 "Independence for them would only be good if it came at a time when they would take over and so to speak continue now as the new colonizers to rob their people blind."
01:38:25 Why are we so wicked to our fellow man? Go around even urban Accra and look at the squalor in which people live.
01:38:32 Look at the sort of ramshackle housing we have. Yet another government puts up a project in Saglemi and we deliberately let it deteriorate so we can sell it off cheap,
01:38:41 forgetting that the poor cocoa seller's taxes, the indirect taxes that hit even that beggar when he bought phone credits,
01:38:48 the taxes mopped up from the charcoal seller and the hawker at the Kwame Nkrumah interchange area who earns his bread day by day are those that built the edifice.
01:38:58 Was it tainted with corruption? Overpriced? Was there anything shady about it?
01:39:03 Me, I know bore. Deal with those who committed those atrocities.
01:39:08 But ensure the edifice benefits the ordinary people at least so it doesn't become a complete waste.
01:39:13 But no, because of shallow, myopic, self-centered thinking, we have to let it all come down to what we see now, a sad spectacle.
01:39:22 And even worse, we then come to say we are going to put up yet another affordable housing unit in Pukwasie. Affordable to whom?
01:39:30 At what cost? How many Ghanaians have family members and renowned architects and funeral donors like Sicilia Dapada's who can come up with millions of CDs and dollars and euros?
01:39:39 These misleaders, eh? These misleaders have got it really cheap in Ghana because when all this idiocy is done,
01:39:48 you will find even some ignorant, miseducated and patriotic, equally selfish fools coming to defend such arrant nonsense.
01:39:57 Let me tell you something. Stupidity and nonsense under the NDC was stupidity and nonsense then.
01:40:03 And it is saying now. So, too, incompetence under the NDP then and now are just that.
01:40:09 Don't mince words. Why we keep pretending black is white baffles me.
01:40:14 But if we keep acting like this, misfortune will soon catch up with us.
01:40:19 Incluma from some documents I have seen from the First Republic of Ghana, put up 17,132 houses nationwide.
01:40:27 And that excludes. Then those in the 10 communities in Tema, the 9631 one and two bedroom rentable facilities and the 7500 and one three to five bedroom buildings that Ghanaians could procure on higher purchase terms.
01:40:44 Just look at those numbers. Some other day when I can squeeze in a bit more time,
01:40:49 I shall give you a breakdown of the specific numbers and the housing units in Asawase, Suntresu North and South, Obwase, Takwa, Bibieni, Aki Modang, Kofuridia, Kanda, KGB, Jasek and Sopo, Cape Coast,
01:41:00 Fantea Boso, Osu Newside, Bogatanga, Tamale, South Labadi, Kolegono, Kaneshi one and two, Chapel Hill, East Christian Borg, North Laboni, Latibi Okoshi, among so many places.
01:41:10 I could exhaust a full hour mentioning to you.
01:41:13 Look at us today. Did we go or did we come?
01:41:19 The Osagafo Kwame Nkuma did not allocate even one of these houses to himself.
01:41:23 Rather, he donated his Pediasa Lodge to Ghana, to all of us as an act of unerring love, as a gift to his dear country for official use as a presidential lodge.
01:41:33 Today, these misleaders retreat to that same venue every now and then with no shame.
01:41:39 I listened to Mr. President recently when he spoke of Niger and what is happening there.
01:41:44 What did I hear? Grave concern, discomfort, anxiety.
01:41:50 I even smelled a bit of fear. Yes, fear. But why will you not be afraid when you make regime security your sole focus and ignore human security needs, pretending here and there?
01:42:01 Economic rights are thrown to the dogs, yet you want to be able to sleep at night and break what ate again.
01:42:06 That is nonsense. Let's break the nonsense. Let's break the misrule.
01:42:11 After you've done that, the people can go on a voting autopilot exercise because we can trust you to stay our affairs.
01:42:18 But when even Galaxy has done to us what it has and you come back and say we want to break the eight, then it must be that you take ordinary Ghanaians for the biggest of fools.
01:42:28 I don't you can merely pull the ethnic and the party card and win an election.
01:42:32 We are getting wiser by the day. And like the monkey that says, we began to mimic, we began to mimic.
01:42:38 Your capsule before four sooner rather than later. You claim your administration has created so many jobs.
01:42:45 Yet where are the returns? Why the unemployment bulge, which is at its height?
01:42:50 I spoke to a friend of mine who has worked for many years in Burkina Faso and other African countries and who recently got another major appointment and moved to Lagos, Nigeria.
01:42:59 Thanks to his job outside Ghana, which pays him very well, he's building a house somewhere here in Accra.
01:43:05 And when I say well-paying, it's because what he does is one of those few jobs where even here in Ghana, if you contract people to do that for you at an event, you'd have to pay in dollars or other hard currency or its equivalent.
01:43:17 So don't get me wrong. He's not been to the site where the house is being put up, partly because he's out of Ghana for most parts of the year.
01:43:24 And he only lets someone inspect the place and tidy up from time to time. Recently, when he came to Ghana right before taking up his appointment in Lagos, he went there and found to his absolute horror.
01:43:35 That all the wiring that had been done on the near completed house had been stolen. We're talking of cost of wiring and workmanship hovering around 80,000 Ghana cities gone.
01:43:46 The youth have no jobs, so they'll risk their lives to do wicked things like that.
01:43:51 I'm not justifying what they did, but what I am saying that when you push people to the wall, they either crumble and die or find a way of breaking through the wall, employing tactics legal or illegal alike.
01:44:04 Your Sgt. Forquam Nkrumah did his absolute best for Ghana. Can these misleaders today beat their chests and say in all honesty that they are doing so?
01:44:16 If we could see the loot that many, not all of them, but many have stashed away, we would be shell shocked.
01:44:22 Like we say here, every day for a thief man, one day for master.
01:44:28 The master's day will surely come at some point, whether here or in the afterlife, but come it will.
01:44:35 My heart bleeds for Ghana and what has become of it.
01:44:38 My heart bleeds for the teeming youth with all their creative energies, yet with nothing to do by way of working this suffocating, nepotistic and cronyistic economy.
01:44:49 Now we hear Dr. Amin Adam saying the IPPs can either accept government's haircut or forfeit their money altogether.
01:44:57 Wow.
01:44:58 [speaking in foreign language]
01:45:11 Nkrumah never dies.
01:45:14 Ghana will not perish.
01:45:17 Ghana will live on.
01:45:19 From the ashes of misleadership will arise the phoenix of a much better Ghana someday.
01:45:25 Before I proceed, let me just come to what Dr. Amin Adam has been saying before I wrap this morning.
01:45:33 If you look at the second round of the DDP, and I'll be going very quickly on this, it's going to cover energy sector, independent power producers, cocoa bills, and they have resisted this fiercely.
01:45:42 They say they are not going to partake in it.
01:45:44 And that is what we heard. Now, Dr. Amin Adam says you either accept it or maybe risk losing everything.
01:45:50 OK, let's see how that pans out.
01:45:52 Cocoa bills, local U.S. dollar-denominated bonds, and the Bank of Ghana non-tradable debt.
01:45:57 Let's go to the next slide.
01:45:59 Now, taking a haircut, government says it is unable to pay energy sector debt.
01:46:04 Restructuring is necessary. The IPPs are not unique and must undergo debt restructuring.
01:46:10 I see. You've forgotten the contract you had with them.
01:46:13 Next slide.
01:46:15 But Elie Klim, chief executive of the Chamber of Independent Power Producers, this is what he says.
01:46:21 IPP has made its position emphatically with regard to the debt restructuring that we are not open to that.
01:46:27 We are open to a discussion that focuses on the payment plan of our areas.
01:46:31 Next slide.
01:46:33 And then we come to other business.
01:46:35 Ken Ufuriata, our finance minister. We have turned the corner.
01:46:41 Which of them?
01:46:43 Emunie, which corner have we turned?
01:46:48 Next slide.
01:46:50 Then you look at our budget projections versus mid-year revisions, and it makes for a sad story.
01:46:55 Imagine this being the script of your child in school.
01:46:59 What's it?
01:47:01 Overall real GDP, 2.8 percent.
01:47:05 Revised budget, 1.5 percent.
01:47:07 Inflation target, 18.9, 31.3 percent.
01:47:10 Gross international reserves, not less than 3.3 months cover.
01:47:13 That's where we are, 0.8 months cover.
01:47:16 Primary balance, 0.7 percent of the surplus. We are at 0.5 percent deficit.
01:47:21 And expenditure allocation, 227.7 billion, 206 billion.
01:47:25 Next slide.
01:47:27 Now, if you look at the divisions in terms of the score, end December inflation rate deviated.
01:47:34 So, clear score there, F9.
01:47:37 F, fail.
01:47:39 Gross international reserves, 67.5 percent.
01:47:42 Favorable, B3.
01:47:45 Overall real GDP growth, 53.44, C6.
01:47:48 It's okay still.
01:47:50 Total expenditure commitment basis, F9.
01:47:56 Non-oil real GDP growth, there it is.
01:48:00 And then you come to crucial areas like primary balance on commitment basis.
01:48:04 We deviated.
01:48:05 Overall budget deficit, that one is like a song we keep singing.
01:48:09 Overall budget deficit cash basis, also deviated, 3 F9s.
01:48:13 If you have a student with the exception of total revenue and grants here, that's A1.
01:48:18 It will not get you into any institution in Ghana with 1, 2, 3, 4 F9s.
01:48:24 Your aggregate will be 32.
01:48:26 4 F9s.
01:48:28 And this is what we are turning the corner with.
01:48:31 Next slide.
01:48:33 In terms of our national affordable housing program, I've spoken to you about it and what Nkrumah did.
01:48:38 And the nonsense we are displaying now, regime after regime.
01:48:40 I'm not just talking about the MPP now.
01:48:43 The thing we've been doing with this affordable housing, it's so shocking.
01:48:46 And now you leave Sakhlemi and you say you are going to Pokwase.
01:48:49 God be with you.
01:48:51 It entails the construction of 14,000 house units, 8,000 units in the greater Accra region, and 6,000 in the Ashanti region.
01:48:57 The project infrastructure will cost government $47 million while the private entities take the rest of the cost.
01:49:04 [no audio]
01:49:10 Ghana 4.
01:49:12 And then we hear from Francis Asensu-Bahache, Minister for Works and Housing.
01:49:15 It will cost $140 million to make the Sakhlemi housing projects habitable.
01:49:20 When you leave it for the time you did and it becomes what it has become, why would it not cost you that much money?
01:49:26 [no audio]
01:49:28 But the private developer can take care of it, right?
01:49:31 The project lacks proper feasibility studies.
01:49:34 I see.
01:49:35 Sakhlemi should be completed by private entities who have-- fine.
01:49:39 It is my prayer that with the Pokwase one, all these things are in there, because if they are not, you will have a very hard time.
01:49:49 As I wrap, I want to give you hope.
01:49:53 You see, like Rocky Dawuni shares in his song, I've been listening to it throughout this morning.
01:49:58 Even my production team has been listening to it.
01:50:00 I may not sound like Rocky, but I picked a few words from the start, the middle, just in there.
01:50:07 When he says, "Time now for jubilation.
01:50:11 Oh God, I wish I had an answer.
01:50:15 'Cause in sweet love, our spirits will grow.
01:50:21 So brothers be jamming.
01:50:23 Yes, we be jamming.
01:50:25 We'll be jamming till they're hiding, or press a man running.
01:50:30 While we're jumping, we'll be jamming today.
01:50:35 So say it's love from Rasta in Ghana.
01:50:38 We're stopping all the suffering in Ghana.
01:50:42 I say it's love from Africa in Ghana.
01:50:46 That just seals and signs and delivers.
01:50:50 Take heart, my people.
01:50:52 I know you are knocking on the doors of despondency and hopelessness.
01:50:56 But I want to leave you with this quote by Pithacus Law, who says,
01:51:00 "When you have lost hope, you have lost everything.
01:51:04 And when you think all is lost, when all is dire and bleak, there is always hope."
01:51:10 Let us pray that God raises our flag, the red, the gold, and the green.
01:51:16 And that we become indeed that black, yet brightly shining star of Africa and the whole world.
01:51:21 I wish you all Ghana 4 a happy Founders Day with an apostrophe S.
01:51:26 My name is Benjamin Akako, and these are my blunt thoughts shared with you, raw, hot, and edited, and diluted.
01:51:34 God richly bless our homeland, Ghana, and make her great and strong.
01:51:39 [Music]
01:52:05 [Music]
01:52:09 Well, thank you for staying with us on the AM Show.
01:52:11 You know here, we are blunt.
01:52:13 We say it as it is.
01:52:14 You like it, you don't like it.
01:52:16 I meet a lot of people out there who say this or that, but we do what we do because we are passionate about the brand called Ghana.
01:52:22 The red, gold, green, and the black.
01:52:24 But as we continue today on Founders Day, we want to have a conversation on Ghana.
01:52:30 Everything Ghana, as much as we can with our guests.
01:52:33 Now, in the studio, we have Dr. Abusakara Foster.
01:52:37 He's founder, National Interest Movement.
01:52:39 He joins the conversation.
01:52:41 He's also the 2012 presidential candidate, Convention People's Party.
01:52:44 He's here with us in the studio.
01:52:47 And we have other guests that we'll be introducing to you shortly.
01:52:50 But I'll start with Dr. Abusakara Foster.
01:52:53 Thank you, Doc.
01:52:54 Ben, good morning.
01:52:55 And happy holiday.
01:52:56 A happy holiday to you, and congratulations once again on Founders' apostrophe S Day.
01:53:02 Yes, I was about to stress that.
01:53:03 For me, it's a founder, and it will always be apostrophe S.
01:53:07 One founder for me.
01:53:09 You can't force me to…
01:53:12 You know, the sun rises from the east and sets in the west.
01:53:17 If we decide to call the east west, it will still rise from the same place.
01:53:23 Nothing will change.
01:53:24 Nothing will change.
01:53:25 So I don't even believe that every Founders' Day, that should be the focus of our discussion.
01:53:35 What is the state of the founding?
01:53:38 Where have we got to?
01:53:40 And what has it been worth?
01:53:43 And what will it be worth in the future?
01:53:45 Those are the areas that we should be talking about.
01:53:47 A reflection of Founders' Day, of the sacrifices people made,
01:53:52 and whether we are making it worthwhile to have made those sacrifices.
01:53:56 Those are the issues that we should be talking about today.
01:53:59 And I believe that we'll have a good conversation on that.
01:54:03 Let's talk about, you've lived for a very long time in this country.
01:54:07 Indeed.
01:54:08 Since 2005, and then, of course, until I was 12, before I went abroad for my studies in the UK, I was here.
01:54:17 And of course, even during my entire 27-year professional life, I kept coming back and forth.
01:54:23 Made sure that my kids at least went to school here for about five years, to make them properly guarded.
01:54:29 And they have schoolmates.
01:54:30 And that's very important, because otherwise you grow up as a...
01:54:33 It's an integral part of socialisation that people often, when they've been there for so long, are odd.
01:54:39 You know that thing about secondary school?
01:54:41 Yes.
01:54:42 SHS, all of that.
01:54:43 Yes.
01:54:44 You miss certain things. It's difficult to integrate moving on.
01:54:47 Absolutely.
01:54:48 You don't have... I mean, I go to places and, "Oh, you're an old vandal? Yay, shut up! Give me a chance!"
01:54:52 You know, that kind of thing, that camaraderie.
01:54:54 If you don't have that, it's problematic.
01:54:56 It's important. And also, it's important for people's sense of identity, to know where they come from.
01:55:02 And one thing that provoked this, and it's good to tell it on Founders' Day,
01:55:07 was that we had our national football team come to Zambia.
01:55:11 And of course, we, the expatriates, we received them, we made a long convoy of 50 cars,
01:55:17 made noise, took them to the stadium, but we fed them for food beforehand, and we were beating 2-1.
01:55:22 You know?
01:55:23 Even Kaunda got up to come and see who was... how a few Guardians of the Magic did dominate the whole stadium.
01:55:30 So we went home with our tails between our legs, and it was all quiet.
01:55:34 In those days, it was fantastic to beat the Black Stars.
01:55:38 You know?
01:55:39 Was that before the days of Kamusha Mwalia?
01:55:42 These were the 80s. At that time, Kamusha was a young man.
01:55:46 And the next day, for having beaten Black Stars, not one couple, just beating Black Stars,
01:55:52 they gave them a float along Cairo Road, going up and down.
01:55:56 People were jubilating, and all my staff in the office went to the window to watch the float.
01:56:01 So when I came out, they all went back to their day.
01:56:04 I said, "No, go ahead."
01:56:05 So I went home early, only for my daughter to rush home.
01:56:09 "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy, yesterday we beat Ghana 2-1!"
01:56:14 And I told my wife, "It's time for her to go to Ghana."
01:56:18 Now she's identifying with the Zambians.
01:56:21 Yes, because you identify with wherever you live, you see?
01:56:24 So it's very important to ground them.
01:56:28 And I think that sense of grounding is good not only for the younger people, but also for ourselves.
01:56:34 At this stage, when there's so much confusion in the world,
01:56:38 all the things that we held sacred are no longer sacred.
01:56:43 The world is almost on its head. It's a topsy-turvy world.
01:56:48 Now, it's almost as though everything you knew was no longer like...
01:56:53 It's as though the script had been flipped.
01:56:56 And now you're reading things that converse...
01:56:59 The fundamentals have caught up with us.
01:57:02 The fundamentals have caught up with us.
01:57:05 Speaking of the fundamentals, I was deliberately talking about how much time you had spent in the country,
01:57:10 because you're not one of those... Yes, you've been out there, but you've spent substantial lengths of years in Ghana.
01:57:18 You've seen many regimes, many governments come and go.
01:57:23 And I call what we see now a misleadership.
01:57:27 What do you see in Ghana today?
01:57:30 You've lived in other countries.
01:57:32 Comparatively, what do you see in Ghana?
01:57:34 And again, comparatively, with everything we've been blessed with.
01:57:38 Sometimes you struggle to find what Ghana doesn't have.
01:57:41 Small country, yet we have everything, from water resources, mineral resources.
01:57:45 Now we've even discovered lithium.
01:57:47 We have iron. We have bauxite. We have everything.
01:57:50 And the human resource, thankfully, we have a large population, a youthful, vibrant population.
01:57:57 Yet, look at where we are.
01:58:00 And I have this document, Ghana at 100, as the conversation goes on.
01:58:03 I will share some of what our aspirations are, and run them by you,
01:58:08 whether you think these are even feasible on our trajectory.
01:58:11 But what do you see when you picture Ghana today?
01:58:14 I see a glowing ember.
01:58:16 A glowing ember.
01:58:18 Of a flame that was once bright, but nonetheless, it is still there, glowing in the dark.
01:58:25 And all we need to do is reignite it.
01:58:29 The nation will achieve what it's supposed to achieve.
01:58:32 But if there is no attempt to reignite it, then we have a problem.
01:58:39 Because the glowing ember will dim and dim and dim.
01:58:43 And the fewer people that see it, the less hope they have of reigniting the nation,
01:58:49 back on the course, to putting it where it's supposed to be.
01:58:53 Many of the people that I have been here with have left.
01:58:59 Some came and left.
01:59:01 Some came, stayed for a while, and then left.
01:59:03 Yes.
01:59:04 Expatriates who came, and you know, and there was a time, I must tell you this,
01:59:09 there was a time when, as an expatriate community in the diaspora,
01:59:14 we felt Ghana was abandoned.
01:59:17 And then, over a period, we came to a stage where now Ghana was ready to take off.
01:59:25 It was like a plane sitting on the tarmac, waiting to be given the clearance.
01:59:30 Just readying itself, yeah.
01:59:32 And slowly, slowly, slowly, the air hostesses got down.
01:59:37 The pilot got down.
01:59:39 Even the wheels of the plane were removed.
01:59:41 The drinks were taken to kiosks to serve people.
01:59:44 And the passengers began thinking maybe it's time to get out of the plane.
01:59:48 Because that time when we felt Ghana was about to take off,
01:59:53 that time when we felt that if you don't come here, you'll miss out on something,
01:59:58 you know, that time has passed.
02:00:00 Now, people are telling their kids who are abroad, don't come home.
02:00:04 Stay where you are.
02:00:05 Yeah, that's the rhetoric, though.
02:00:06 I mean, let's be honest.
02:00:07 I speak to a lot of people, and they are, in fact, I have colleagues, I say this all the time.
02:00:11 Some of my colleagues, my contemporaries, these are doctors, nurses, pharmacists, accountants, engineers,
02:00:18 who have all left the shores of Ghana.
02:00:20 Sometimes they tell me, "Ah, Ben, you have all these linguistic talents,
02:00:26 all these languages in law, toolbox, French, Spanish, Portuguese, a bit of this and that, German.
02:00:32 You have law. You have political science, international relations, a bit of the business.
02:00:37 Why are you still in Ghana?"
02:00:41 Well, it's--
02:00:42 It's always difficult explaining to them because they, in a way, they see it as a bit of, "Where do you make a crack?"
02:00:48 It's a bit of--
02:00:49 Yeah, well, it's--
02:00:50 It's difficult.
02:00:51 No, it's not that.
02:00:52 I mean, when you walk into this studio, you smell the air of patriotism.
02:00:55 That is why you are still here, you know, and the truth of the matter is,
02:01:00 if you don't pound the fufu, who should pound the fufu for you to come and eat it?
02:01:04 That's the question.
02:01:05 So some people have to do it, and I think that people who have been blessed,
02:01:09 who have the opportunity, should invest more here.
02:01:14 It's very sad for me when I look at the profiles of many countries
02:01:19 to see that the richest people do not invest in the productive sectors of their economy.
02:01:26 They rather actually keep-- safely keep the money in trading or put it outside.
02:01:31 We have to create the atmosphere where people invest here,
02:01:34 and the biggest investment that you can make in Ghana is your children.
02:01:40 You know, when you encourage your children to come back here,
02:01:43 and because of who they are, their name, or the political color people have put on them,
02:01:49 they cannot achieve their full potential because they're always cramped, you know,
02:01:54 not given opportunities because of the right political coloring
02:01:58 or because of the right ethnic background.
02:02:01 Then they begin to wonder, "Why am I here?"
02:02:04 So those are the things that we have to get rid of.
02:02:07 And when we talk about Founders' Day, we have to remember how we were founded.
02:02:11 When we were founded, we were given a sense of nationhood where everybody was the same.
02:02:18 Whatever we say about that period, we cannot deny the fact that
02:02:24 that first republic created the most patriotic group of Ghanaians.
02:02:29 At the same time-- - Unrivaled.
02:02:31 - At the same time, it also contained the biggest betrayals of the nation.
02:02:38 So this mixture is always there, and it is the yin and the yang.
02:02:44 And you always have to strive to make sure that the strive for the common good
02:02:51 overcomes those who are working for the selfish parochial interests.
02:02:56 And that is why it is very important at this time, on this Founders' Day,
02:03:02 to think carefully about the kind of democracy that we have.
02:03:06 This is the state of our nation.
02:03:09 What are the prime driving factors that have brought us there?
02:03:13 And we all know that it is the kind of adversarial democracy that we chose to adopt.
02:03:20 Right from the foundings of this nation, people couldn't agree.
02:03:25 And the storyline goes that there's so much disagreement,
02:03:29 we have to break the pot and make it again.
02:03:32 So how do you carry water if you are willing to break the pot
02:03:35 because you don't like the color of the pot?
02:03:38 And these are stories that must be told in the real context
02:03:42 so that people get it clear in their head that it is never a good idea
02:03:48 to break the pot from which you drink just because you have a disagreement.
02:03:53 All around us now, we see fires, Burkina, Mali, Niger, etc.
02:04:03 Why is this happening?
02:04:06 Why are people choosing to re-break the nation?
02:04:11 And that's an interesting bit because it started in the 60s post Ghana's independence.
02:04:16 It stopped for a while.
02:04:17 1866, February the 24th.
02:04:20 And then there was a bit of a, you know, there was a trend.
02:04:23 And it stopped. I mean, up to the 80s, these things were still happening.
02:04:27 Then that was cut.
02:04:28 And then it appears across the swathes of countries across the continent
02:04:33 started adopting democratic dispensations, subscribing to the ideals of democracy.
02:04:39 And then all of a sudden it has started again.
02:04:41 It tells you that the people have lost something.
02:04:43 That democracy has failed us.
02:04:45 Democracy has failed us.
02:04:46 That the kind of democracy we have chosen to practice has failed us.
02:04:51 Why? It has led to exclusion.
02:04:54 It has led to disempowerment of the masses.
02:04:58 It has led to a very extremely partisan society and polarized society.
02:05:07 And it has led to the cultivation of an elite political class
02:05:11 who have an entrenched self-interest in the preservation of the status quo.
02:05:16 Thereby eliminating possibilities for a change in the status quo
02:05:21 through the democratic process.
02:05:23 And when that happens, it becomes like a volcano where there are no dikes.
02:05:29 There's only the central chamber.
02:05:31 You know, democracy is like the dikes in a volcano.
02:05:34 When the pressure builds up, it divests it into the dikes.
02:05:38 But when there are no dikes and the dikes are all blocked,
02:05:41 it blows the top of the mountain off.
02:05:44 And that is a process that whether you like it or not will happen.
02:05:49 And we have to think of our society as human beings in a laboratory.
02:05:55 Just like you have physical reactions, chemical reactions,
02:05:59 you have social reactions.
02:06:01 If the society is managed in a certain way and frustrations are pent up
02:06:05 and opportunities are denied, and there is an elite class
02:06:09 suppressing the rest of the people,
02:06:11 then of course you get certain reactions.
02:06:13 It's a standard. It happens everywhere.
02:06:15 It doesn't matter about the color of the people.
02:06:17 It doesn't matter about their ideology, etc.
02:06:20 And these are--
02:06:21 That was the reaction we saw with the Arab Spring.
02:06:23 Yes.
02:06:24 Those are some of the reactions you're seeing in other African countries.
02:06:26 Absolutely.
02:06:27 So these are things that we should reflect on deeply on Founders Day.
02:06:30 Where are we?
02:06:31 What is the pressure in the nation?
02:06:34 Are we giving the right kind of vents for these pressures to be released?
02:06:38 Are we creating opportunities for other people to feel included?
02:06:42 And is the political system delivering?
02:06:44 Or has it just become a dance in the park?
02:06:47 Before I move on to Dr. Asaas-Maila Muhammad,
02:06:51 he's a development expert at the UDS.
02:06:52 Before I get to him, just on something you said,
02:06:55 I want you to quickly talk about it.
02:06:56 You say democracy has failed.
02:06:58 I said the kind of democracy that we are practicing has failed us.
02:07:02 Okay.
02:07:03 Because we know of that ideal democracy of the people, by the people, for the people.
02:07:07 The question is, is it of the people, really?
02:07:09 Is it by the people?
02:07:10 Is it for the people?
02:07:11 But I'll ask you then, if not democracy, then what?
02:07:14 Well, this is why we have to redefine.
02:07:17 You see, it's not a question of democracy or something else.
02:07:21 If the kind of democracy you're practicing has failed you,
02:07:25 that is a very partisan democracy, creating this elite group,
02:07:29 then you have to redefine that democracy
02:07:32 so that it works for all of us and not just for a few of us.
02:07:36 And the only way of doing that in a proper legal manner,
02:07:40 within a democratic society, is to pursue the legislative route.
02:07:45 We have to make sure that people are sent to parliament,
02:07:48 not to represent parties, but to represent people.
02:07:51 So we have to start building a cadre of independent parliamentary candidates
02:07:57 that can go to parliament as independent parliamentary candidates
02:08:02 on a reform agenda and fight for that agenda tooth and nail.
02:08:06 And if, as you have seen in this particular dispensation,
02:08:10 just one MP is able to hold sway in parliament,
02:08:14 can you imagine what five seasoned, substantive, self-made parliamentarians will do in a parliament that is very close?
02:08:25 Can you imagine the agendas that they will change?
02:08:29 But if we all put this aside, and every day people are running up the ramp,
02:08:34 wanting to achieve the presidential, wanting to achieve the presidential and falling back,
02:08:38 then nothing is going on at the parliamentary.
02:08:41 And that is the beginning of the place where we need to redefine the democracy.
02:08:46 So as we are going into this election, I am hoping that we will have a body of people
02:08:54 that are thinking critically about how we redefine this democracy
02:08:59 through seeking a group of independent parliamentary candidates,
02:09:03 self-made people, you and me, people committed to a reform agenda,
02:09:09 and so that we can have the kind of reforms we want.
02:09:13 Listen, it will not be overnight.
02:09:15 Anybody who promises you that there will be a substantive overnight change,
02:09:20 you know, has smoked something this morning, are you with me?
02:09:24 Unless of the kind that we don't want, you know?
02:09:27 But if we begin the process as a journey that will take time,
02:09:32 but we will achieve significant results step by step.
02:09:37 You see, the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.
02:09:40 And the fact of the matter is that going quickly in the wrong direction
02:09:45 is much worse than going slowly in the right direction.
02:09:49 Interesting words, food for thought.
02:09:52 Let me bring in Dr Asa Somaila Mohamed.
02:09:55 We are also joined by Dr Asa Asante, and he is a political scientist
02:10:00 and head of the Centre for European Studies at the University of Ghana.
02:10:03 But to you, Dr Asa Somaila Mohamed, this fourth Republican experiment,
02:10:09 we've had the first republic, second republic, third republic,
02:10:12 now this is the fourth republic, the longest we have had uninterrupted.
02:10:18 What do you make of it? Has the fourth republic delivered?
02:10:23 And on a day like this, when we celebrate for me,
02:10:26 the Osaa Defu, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, and the others,
02:10:29 because there were even women who aided this cause,
02:10:33 and some people spilled their blood.
02:10:36 We say Nkrumah never dies, but I'm putting it practically to you.
02:10:41 Nkrumah's dream for Ghana, I think, is dead in the water.
02:10:47 And some people subscribe to that.
02:10:49 So, does Nkrumah live on after all?
02:10:52 I know Dr Abusa Karafosa will have a take on that, but that will be later.
02:10:56 To you now, Dr Asa.
02:10:59 You would have to unmute, sir.
02:11:09 Okay, sorry. Yeah, so good morning and then happy Founders Day to all,
02:11:14 and my senior, Dr Kwame Asante.
02:11:18 Morning, sir.
02:11:20 Good. Very interesting day and a very interesting topic.
02:11:25 I think we have been discussing this issue for a very long time now.
02:11:30 And then the purpose of our discussions has always been
02:11:33 bordered on the challenges that we, as a nation,
02:11:37 we have not been able to do the right thing, become a nation.
02:11:41 I've always tried to go a little to my little political science and proper work.
02:11:49 Correct me.
02:11:50 Because at independence, the two things that you achieve is sovereignty
02:11:56 and power to control your resources.
02:12:00 And we're in the hands of the colonialists, who by the purpose of colonialism,
02:12:06 came and then conquered us in our minds and in our administration
02:12:13 and control our resources.
02:12:15 And that was the purpose of colonialism to extract and then go
02:12:18 and build their nations.
02:12:20 We thought at the point, led by our founders and then the leaders of our country,
02:12:27 and then being masterminded by Kwame Nkrumah, that we needed to stop that.
02:12:31 Because we, as human beings on earth, also thought that it was important
02:12:36 to control our resources and have an identity.
02:12:39 And that identity that we now call Ghana was to make us proud
02:12:46 that we belong to a section of the world, and therefore,
02:12:52 we can control our resources and develop ourselves.
02:12:56 Now, after independence, the purpose of independence is where we are now
02:13:02 struggling for.
02:13:04 Yes, the founders of this nation and led by the ideals of Kwame Nkrumah
02:13:08 got it right, that after independence, you needed to change the ideology
02:13:13 of the people in this country.
02:13:16 And then, Amyong probably did not have the opportunity to attend those
02:13:20 ideological institutes, but we had.
02:13:23 And those ideological institutes were there to establish and then imbibe
02:13:28 in the citizens the culture of citizenship and the sense of ownership
02:13:34 of that sovereign nation that we acquired from the colonials.
02:13:40 That particular moment was the moment that we needed to continue.
02:13:45 The longevity of that period was the challenge.
02:13:48 We were not able to elongate the process of inculcating into the citizens
02:13:54 to have that feeling and ownership of the nation.
02:13:59 Now, somebody asked me somewhere, "Does anything called Ghana exist in us?"
02:14:05 That question is a bit quite tricky.
02:14:09 When you wake up in the morning and then they say--
02:14:13 or somebody say you have worn a jackpot, $1 million, not to go into the one
02:14:19 that was found in the bed somewhere, $1 million, and they ask you,
02:14:23 "What will you do with it?"
02:14:25 Many Ghanaians will not mention to pay tax.
02:14:30 They will probably go straight to buying a house in the UK or in Europe.
02:14:35 That is where we are getting it wrong.
02:14:38 Now, the state is our own.
02:14:42 Then understanding of what is Ghana among Ghanaians, we have a challenge.
02:14:49 Because, one, if you say you are a Ghanaian, it means that you own the Ghana.
02:14:54 If anybody is found to be stealing money from Ghana, you will be angry
02:14:59 with that person, even if it's your father or your mother.
02:15:02 Because collectively, we have contributed to gather that resources,
02:15:06 whether from sale of our gold, diamond, forest resources, or oil,
02:15:12 or any source of funds that comes into this country.
02:15:15 It's for we Ghanaians.
02:15:16 But unfortunately, we don't have that in mind.
02:15:18 So if somebody is found to be corrupt and then he's stealing money,
02:15:22 and then you are the beneficiary of it, you say, "Hallelujah."
02:15:26 So unfortunately, the ownership of the state or the nation called Ghana
02:15:33 is seen more as an abstract but not a reality.
02:15:37 And that is where we are getting it problematic in our current practice
02:15:40 of democracy because it is like winner-take-all.
02:15:43 So if you are able to win power, then you have absolute control
02:15:47 of the resources, and you will now decide what you want to do with it
02:15:52 among your cronies.
02:15:54 It's like they will teach you in political science.
02:15:56 There's this--I think Dr. Asa Asante will be able to get it for me--
02:16:00 who says, "Then you get to determine who gets what, when, and how."
02:16:04 - When and how. - How. Exactly.
02:16:06 - Or last will. - Yes.
02:16:08 - Last will. - And, yes, it continues like that.
02:16:12 So now the question is--I share a simple experience
02:16:18 that has guided my thoughts for a very long time.
02:16:21 I worked more with the NGOs in the past, with CARE International,
02:16:25 with the EU, and a number of MA programs.
02:16:28 And there was one particular incident.
02:16:30 I visited a colleague. He came to Ghana.
02:16:35 I, at the time, did my national service at KwaTeKa International Airport.
02:16:41 And I had access to go into the arrival, departure.
02:16:48 And this particular time, he came, and then he came with some two phones.
02:16:53 When he came with the two phones, I was able to go to the KwaTeKa International Airport.
02:16:58 And then, with my relationship there, I got him out with the phones.
02:17:02 Apparently, he was bringing the phones for his girlfriend.
02:17:06 What did I do? I aided him to evade tax. Is that not so?
02:17:10 This same person--I went to Denmark.
02:17:14 This same person that I visited in Denmark,
02:17:17 we were to take a train--sorry, a tram, rather--from one point to the other.
02:17:22 In fact, we got it wrong. We didn't buy the full ticket.
02:17:25 So we bought a ticket, and when we got there, he said, "No, we need to go to the next stop."
02:17:29 Then I said, "Oh, then we are just moving to the next stop."
02:17:31 He said, "No, we need to buy the ticket again, because if you don't do that, the trains cannot run."
02:17:37 You know what he was telling me? That I was stupid, and I was really a stupid man.
02:17:42 I felt stupid at that particular moment, because I never protected Ghana when he was in Ghana.
02:17:49 So that is nuts, and among a lot of us,
02:17:53 you have been given the responsibility to guide how much gold is taken from Ghana.
02:17:58 They give you a V8 and $100,000, and it's enough to allow the mining company
02:18:05 to under-declare how much gold is taken from Ghana.
02:18:07 And that is what is happening. I don't think we will debate about this.
02:18:12 No, we shouldn't, because there have been times when even one country, like India or the UAE,
02:18:18 will say, "This is what we got from Ghana by way of gold in a year."
02:18:22 And yet, our total year exports of gold to the whole world would not amount to that.
02:18:27 So you ask yourself, "Where did it go?"
02:18:29 Where did they get it? These are the things.
02:18:32 So I'm saying that at independence, the power that was given to us,
02:18:36 or the power that we received from the colonialists, was to allow us to have control of our resources and our destiny.
02:18:42 And that's why along the line, we started thinking about what we call decentralization,
02:18:48 started thinking of development planning, instituted the National Development Planning Commission,
02:18:53 so we're able to plan our resources so that we have a destiny.
02:18:57 Now, you ask the question. I was in a conference in Germany about four years ago.
02:19:03 And you know what? We're thinking about how Germany can plan their energy in 200 years.
02:19:10 200 years?
02:19:13 200 years.
02:19:14 And just a few years ago, when we were talking about planning for 40 years, we were told we are looking too far into the future.
02:19:21 Exactly. And let me just tell you the basis for that.
02:19:24 Now, Germany at that point has been relying on what we call lignite.
02:19:29 Lignite is the next stage to coal in the formation of the hydrocarbon.
02:19:35 Now, lignite, if you take, let's say, one room full of lignite, you get the same energy like one bucket full of coal.
02:19:44 Now, Germany had been mining the lignite and they realized that if they allowed the lignite to stay there,
02:19:52 in the next 200 years time, it will turn to coal.
02:19:55 So if you go to Europe and in Germany in particular, you see them having a lot of alternative energy.
02:20:01 That's why this Russia-Ukraine issue and in Germany, you understand that Germany will not really push far
02:20:09 because they rely a lot on Russia for gas, which is another source of energy.
02:20:15 But apart from that, they have a lot of alternative energy sources like wind and everything.
02:20:20 Now, what are they thinking about?
02:20:22 200 years for the sovereignty of Germany to become dominant in the energy sector in the world.
02:20:29 And Russia is controlling the world because they have power of their resources.
02:20:35 Now, at independence, what did we do?
02:20:38 We initiated all this.
02:20:40 Nkrumah tried it.
02:20:41 Nkrumah said, "Look, the independence of Ghana is meaningless unless it's linked up to a total liberation of the African continent."
02:20:50 Because Africa, naturally, by gas creation, is endowed with a lot of resources.
02:20:57 And therefore, Africa needed not to go anywhere to look for any alternative energy.
02:21:03 Unfortunately, we are going around looking for alternative energy.
02:21:07 The River Congo was going to give us a lot of power.
02:21:11 But even within Ghana, look at the plants Nkrumah had, the bui hydropower.
02:21:16 Look how long it took before we constructed the bui.
02:21:18 Another alternative one at Palugu, we are playing chess with it and then playing football with it.
02:21:25 And today, no funding. Tomorrow, no funding.
02:21:27 Meanwhile, every day, every year, we complain.
02:21:30 Next month, we start complaining about the Bagra Dam spillage.
02:21:34 So the question is, do we have an agenda as a group of people to also dominate another group of people?
02:21:40 That's another point I want to come in.
02:21:42 In the development history and development theories, what we come to realize is that any country that is developed or is in the path of development have always thought of also dominating another person.
02:21:54 Just think about it. Any nation that is seen today as powerful has at a point in time led by its people, visionary people, thought of also dominating another country in terms of resources.
02:22:09 Britain did it, and that was the theory of colonialism.
02:22:13 Why did they go to colonize Africa or other parts of the world?
02:22:17 They moved from the theory of mercantilism.
02:22:19 They were doing merchant businesses, and then they were going around.
02:22:22 They realized that while they were going around selling their merchandise, they saw other resources in other countries.
02:22:29 And therefore, they realized that those countries were weak in terms of culture, and they can change ideologies.
02:22:34 So they started coming in with the theory of what?
02:22:37 Colonialism, which was powered by anthropology.
02:22:43 I'm sorry I have to do this, but because we also have a bit of a time situation, just round up so that I can also bring in Dr. Kwame Asasante.
02:22:52 Okay. So what I'm trying to say is that a group of people decided to look for independence.
02:23:01 The purpose was clear, that you have control of your resources and then have agenda for your generations to come.
02:23:08 So your generations will also become powerful and respected in the world.
02:23:12 Unfortunately, after achieving the independence, the generations or those who took over after Kwame Nkrumah thought that Ghana was not a place to live their lives.
02:23:23 So a lot of politicians come and take the money and find their way in Europe and America to go and have their homes.
02:23:29 That ideology of seeing Ghana as a place to go and harvest and go somewhere to live is where we are today.
02:23:37 Let me now bring in Dr. Kwame Asasante.
02:23:41 I would like your take on the fourth Republican experiment and that tag.
02:23:47 Nkrumah never dies, but I am positing this morning that with the death, maybe physically we remember him, but with the death of his dream for Ghana.
02:23:57 Maybe. That dream is dead in the water, maybe within Nkrumah together with it.
02:24:04 What are your quick thoughts on that? Because I want quick reflections and then I'll take you into the Ghana at 100 document so that all of us can get into it.
02:24:13 Many people don't have this. They don't know what even the plan is.
02:24:17 But if this is our plan and we find ourselves where we are, how do we get there? Like Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew.
02:24:24 How do we do it? So let's start with the fourth Republican experiment and whether Nkrumah's dream is still alive.
02:24:31 Doc. Good morning to you and good morning.
02:24:44 You're the US. Is it OK?
02:24:51 It's OK now. It was patchy at first, but it was halting. Can you hear me? Yes, go ahead.
02:24:56 Right. Good morning to you and good morning to my colleague, Dr. Sir. Very close.
02:25:06 Good morning to you, my colleague, and then the rest of your US. I must say that I support and I acknowledge the place of Nkrumah in the life of Ghana and Kuma.
02:25:20 It's not. And. Description of what Nkrumah was and continue to remain in the house of this country, I have no doubt in my mind.
02:25:38 But before I go into through into this conversation about the foundation, it is a beautiful concept.
02:25:43 But I think that I acknowledge the immense contribution of Nkrumah and how far he has brought us.
02:25:50 There's no doubt. And his contribution can never be shown under the carpet.
02:25:54 But there are others who also contributed same. Towards the cause of what freedom and the cause of building a better society for ourselves that we call today the modern Ghana.
02:26:09 And what make mention of a few people, because time will not permit us to go through the whole gamut of all those who contributed.
02:26:16 But one of the peoples whose contribution must be recognized and acknowledged by the people of this country is King Agri, who was a king of Cape Coast, who stood his ground firm that you will not allow the British to have their way in what Cape Coast, that a Cape Coast belonged to what the Fante people.
02:26:34 Nothing more, nothing less. And for independence and of course, a better Ghana one day.
02:26:39 This person was grabbed, taken to Sierra Leone, manhandled and they brought him only for him to come and die.
02:26:46 Nobody has acknowledged King Agri. It's unfortunate.
02:26:49 And if this country want to make sure that people emulate their leaders and contribute their quota effectively towards the building of this country, people like Agri must be what? Acknowledged.
02:27:02 That people like me who organize a lot of people.
02:27:09 Just a quick point, I just wanted to say that does acknowledging them necessarily mean we must have founders with an S and all of that.
02:27:17 There are look at places like China, look at many other jurisdictions.
02:27:20 They celebrate one person. It's not to say that it is that one person who, I mean, gave birth to everything and that everything is around that person.
02:27:28 But in this context, it's been the picture has been painted that some people brought in crowbines to the country and all of that.
02:27:35 And so some of these things cannot be overlooked. I was mentioning earlier, Doc, that even there were women who supported women.
02:27:42 They are rarely acknowledged who supported through their money, through different industrial mechanisms, the cause of independence.
02:27:50 Yet they are not celebrated. I mean, we could then the list would be endless.
02:27:58 There is a need not to celebrate them. My whole conversation is that I have a small the contribution of others.
02:28:05 It must be acknowledged. That is important. So we are saying that when we're single out and Krumah, then it becomes a little of a difficulty,
02:28:12 even though I acknowledge the immense contribution of Carmen Krumah towards the building of the modern Ghana.
02:28:18 I have no doubt in my mind, but I want the same to be extended to others who also contributed, such as what Nii Kwabena Bonny.
02:28:31 Doc, are you done with that submission? OK, the connection is frozen, so we'll try to reconnect.
02:28:39 Maybe if we can get him on the phone, I don't know which would which would work better.
02:28:42 But Dr. Asa, Dr. Abusakara Foster, let me read. So Ghana is 66 in 2057.
02:28:51 Thirty four years time will be 100. Imagine a hundred year old Dr. Abusakara Foster, a hundred year old Dr. Asa Sumaila Mohamed,
02:28:59 a hundred year old Dr. Asa Asante, a hundred year old Benjamin Akaku.
02:29:03 What would you aspire to? What would you have wanted to maybe have achieved as a person?
02:29:07 And then let's put a side by side with the portrait of Ghana.
02:29:11 This is a document I'm reading from the NDPC, among others, and following through the Fourth Republic, what the plan should be.
02:29:18 Now, pay attention. By 2057, the document says it is envisioned that Ghana will be a high income country with the following minimum characteristics.
02:29:28 This is the bottom line. One, self-confident citizens with high standards of patriotism and discipline,
02:29:37 good work ethic who put the welfare of country about self-interest.
02:29:42 Two, nominal GDP of approximately this will get you three point four trillion dollars and per capita GDP of no less than fifty thousand dollars equivalent.
02:29:55 Resilient, service oriented, industrialized and globally competitive economy.
02:29:59 A business and financial hub in the West African sub region. Modernized agriculture, minimal income disparities, robust pension schemes,
02:30:08 affordable and diversified. I'm just truncating some of them. Energy supply.
02:30:13 And this one really got me interested. Effective, efficient, dynamic and inclusive institutions that ensure accountability,
02:30:22 integrity and transparency with negligible levels of corruption.
02:30:26 This is nine out of the 18 that are listed. Well, I think first of all, when we talk about Ghana at 100, it's really not about us.
02:30:38 It's about our successor generations and what life will be like for them.
02:30:44 And it is our opportunity now to make that life as good for them as possible at that time.
02:30:51 So the decisions that we make now is really what will be reflected there.
02:30:56 And therefore, in looking at this vision for Ghana at 60, at 100, which is really a plan.
02:31:05 The question then is, where are we now? What are the things we are aspiring to and what is stopping us from getting there?
02:31:11 And how can we make up that gap? The fact of the matter is that some of the targets that you have mentioned are clearly now not achievable.
02:31:20 Because if you look at our GDP now, it is less than 2.9% of what this figure is.
02:31:29 So how do you make that gap? If in 66 years it has taken you that time to get to 80 billion, how do you then jump in 40 years to trillions?
02:31:40 So that is a big issue. And what have you done now to lay the foundation for you to make those jumps?
02:31:49 Other issues related to welfare of people, etc. If now we see that most of the economy is outside the formal sector,
02:32:01 how much of it will be coming into the formal sector so that all that planning actually is addressing things?
02:32:08 Instead of you making plans, that is not addressing the larger body of things outside it.
02:32:13 So that is also important. If you talk about inclusiveness, we have drifted towards a situation, a democracy in which a lot of people are excluded.
02:32:26 You only go to cast your vote. And essentially people are saying, look, they are not even interested in voting anymore because it makes no difference.
02:32:33 Of course, we can't have a democracy which survives like that. We have to rekindle it and open avenues so that people feel that, you know,
02:32:42 my vote is worth something, even if it is just on MPs who are able to hammer on your particular cause and get it heard in Parliament.
02:32:53 Now, these are things that we need to orchestrate. If we don't orchestrate them, it is not going to happen.
02:33:03 And there has to be the commitment to do it, and there has to be the resolve to do it.
02:33:08 That resolve is not seen when we are steeped in corruption. That resolve is not seen when we are steeped in an electoral process that is driven by money.
02:33:20 That resolve is not seen when you have a system that excludes so many people from poor backgrounds.
02:33:27 God does not distribute brains according to the money in the parents' bank account.
02:33:32 He endows each person with his own opportunity. And when a country is not tapping the brains of its poorer people,
02:33:41 it is losing out a lot because you don't know who is going to be the next Einstein.
02:33:46 And that is the whole point. Let me bring in Dr Asante back into the conversation,
02:33:51 even as I also walk through some others that are put here for that we can aspire to.
02:33:58 Efficient, affordable, and equitable first class social services at all levels.
02:34:02 Social services, low levels of unemployment and underemployment with decent work opportunities for all.
02:34:08 Maximum application of science, technology, and innovation in every facet of society.
02:34:13 And let me leave this for now. Sustainably managed land, forest, water, air, and biological resources.
02:34:20 Now look at our water bodies. Look at Galamsey and what it's doing to us.
02:34:24 Dr Kwame Asante, back to you now on the phone.
02:34:27 Yes. I want to take the opportunity to deal with the first part you posed to me, but because of network challenges.
02:34:35 Can I come to it quickly before I...
02:34:37 Yes, very quickly, Doc.
02:34:38 Right. If you look at the question of the force of public and how far we have come in terms of the ideas or the aspirations of those who founded Ghana,
02:34:50 I can say without your contradiction that we have deviated from what the founders set for this country.
02:34:58 We're looking for two main things, political freedom, economic freedom, and then to the box up with what social freedom.
02:35:06 Let's look at the issue of political freedom. Yes. Issue of what?
02:35:12 Freedom is a very difficult commodity to come by in this country. We pay lip service.
02:35:20 Our actions and our inactions point to the fact that we are not ready to allow freedom to exist in this country.
02:35:29 There have been all manner of efforts that we have done through what COVID and OBEC means to prevent people from enjoying the freedom
02:35:39 that they forefathered and envisaged for this country. Issue of justice. Is that something that we can be proud of in this country?
02:35:49 We have tough challenges if you read the literature from what the King Tongues and all that.
02:35:54 Yes, justice we have, but with some difficulties. How far have we done or contributed to dealing with this problem?
02:36:03 Issue of governance. It's a problem that you have leaders who are arrogating to themselves all powers, powers that they even don't have.
02:36:12 Where constitution prescribe them from or prevent them from exercising certain type of powers and all that.
02:36:19 They move beyond this because the constitution is tailor made for them and they do what it pleases them.
02:36:26 Issue of what? Probity and accountability because within the political freedom we're looking at what issue of what probity and accountability.
02:36:34 We've made it work. Find, you know, document that is the constitution and if you look at the preamble of the constitution,
02:36:40 probity is part of what the preamble, but are we ready for probity? Are we ready for accountability and all that?
02:36:47 Anytime people take on people who hold political power, there's a conversation that is from opposition and is from people who are disgruntled and the rest of them.
02:36:58 But issue of what? Human rights. Do we have that, the ability for people to develop, to become the best of themselves for the society?
02:37:07 Is that a case that we have here? There are people anytime it rains, they have no place to lay their heads.
02:37:14 But it's a basic human right, the right to shelter. People don't have water to drink.
02:37:19 And from the fourth republic up to date, there are a lot of places like that.
02:37:23 People go and fetch water at places where animals also go to drink water.
02:37:27 Right.
02:37:28 So all, look at that, look at economic freedom. Is that what we, our leaders envisage for us?
02:37:35 We envisage a society where we'll be able to put all our resources together and manage in such a way that it will improve the lives of people.
02:37:44 What are we seeing? We have to move on from, you know, from that time and then, you know, going down on the line of what?
02:37:52 Poverty. Yeah. I mean, abject poverty. Issue of the economy has never been very strong for this country.
02:37:59 And then it has affected means of livelihood for people. Look at the young people parading the streets of Ghana without jobs.
02:38:07 And all that we hear from government is nothing but rhetoric and banning the whole place of old figures.
02:38:13 That does not make sense to anybody. Right.
02:38:16 The issue of what, you know, development. All right.
02:38:20 A government will come to us, develop a plan that will help us to what? Chart a path of development.
02:38:26 It will be thrown away in the name of what? Political experience and all that.
02:38:31 Are we doing a service to the dreams and aspiration of our forefathers? Is it the case?
02:38:38 I strongly believe that it's not a case. Let me just do this.
02:38:43 I mean, our time has basically run out. But as we conclude and I'll start with you, Dr.
02:38:49 Assar, when you look at the vision again, it couches it. Ghana, the rising star Ghana at 100 vision, democratic, inclusive, self-reliant development country by 2057.
02:39:00 There are four pillars and these are the pillars. Government, peace and security pillar.
02:39:05 I will not elaborate economic pillar. You can imagine what will be under that social pillar and then environmental pillar to protect our environment and ensure that it is managed in a sustainable way.
02:39:18 What do you see currently and how do we improve it in simple terms to make Ghana that that land of promise that we all wanted to be?
02:39:29 So I think I'll apportion it a minute to each of you and we can wrap up.
02:39:34 Obviously, this is a conversation that we'll always have a lot more time for.
02:39:38 Dr. Assar Smaila. Again, you have to unmute.
02:39:48 I would say as the German Germans did after the Germans broke up and then united and then after they lost the Second World War, they told themselves that they've lost the war.
02:39:59 They admitted that they lost the war and that was the beginning of the reconstruction of Germany. And then it's from 1994 up to date when they united.
02:40:07 Germany is the largest economy in Europe. At a point in time, we have to agree that we have failed.
02:40:14 We have a lot of challenges in our development, our trajectory and an agenda. Let us pause. Let us restart the thinking and then the conversation.
02:40:24 Let us agree that we have made a lot of mistakes. Let's pause and point out where we have made the mistakes and correct ourselves and start.
02:40:32 I don't think Ghana is for we do living today. It's for the future and the future to come.
02:40:39 Let us create the opportunity for the future. I mean, the citizens to come and take over as in Kourmanko did.
02:40:46 We at the point truncated the agenda and then we are at where we are today. And in doing so, one of the key things I think we have to understand is that...
02:40:57 Gentlemen, one minute please. So try and manage the time. One minute.
02:41:01 ...and give us the resources that you made mention of. Let's see how best we can judiciously use them.
02:41:07 Don't let strangers come and steal our gold and then pollute our water. You talk about environment and all this we need to look at.
02:41:15 One important, I cannot stop without saying, is to reduce the expensive democracy that we are running.
02:41:23 To be frank with you, the troubles that we have today are as a result of the fact that people spend so much to get to power and then they must steal the state's resources to pay back their loans or whatever they got their money from.
02:41:34 So people go to work in public service as ministers or political appointees not because they love Ghana but because they have seen that it's an opportunity to make money.
02:41:45 People who by their individual selves who now raise a thousand Ghana cities today are raising millions of dollars.
02:41:54 I don't think they are getting those money from anywhere. What you and I will need to use to solve all the problems that we have talked about, the youth unemployment and all those ones,
02:42:02 creating of the jobs and all that. How can you allow one person to make that money? You know what the person is doing?
02:42:09 Okay, Ntasa, thank you. I see your passion but we have to end it at some point. But I think we get the thrust of what you're saying.
02:42:17 Dr. Musa Kara-Foster, interestingly, he talks about future generations. In Norway they have a fund, I think since the 90s, that has been there for future generations.
02:42:25 The oil resources and all of that. They are thinking of the future. Here even the future we are destroying now. Your last words.
02:42:34 Well, we have to accept that as a successor generation to the founders, we have not lived up to expectations.
02:42:44 We have fallen far behind the expected schedule. The reasons for this are clear to us. We have been willful, self-indulgent and at the end of the day concerned only with self-gratification now.
02:43:02 Those things don't make a patriotic nation build. Whether you call it ideology A or ideology B, they are wracked with indiscipline, theft and a lack of ability to stick at the job.
02:43:22 Now, what we must do now, you the younger generation, those of us in our 60s, we have only 20% shares left in the company called Ghana.
02:43:35 But most of you get to our 80s. Those of you who are younger, who have the majority shareholding in the company called Ghana, stop asking the older people what to do with it.
02:43:49 You are the majority shareholders. Take a grip and make sure that we change the trajectory of this Ghana.
02:43:55 And we do it using the democracy we have, but fighting very hard to make sure that the legislation, the legislature, performs its duty.
02:44:06 So more of you should get into Parliament, not on the backs of political parties where you will be whipped into line with whatever the executive wants, but go there as independents, community representatives.
02:44:20 Talk to the people, convince them that we are ready.
02:44:23 Okay. Okay. Interesting. Very interesting thoughts you've shared. I'll wrap with you Dr. Asa Asante. You also have a minute and then we draw the curtains on the conversation.
02:44:33 When you look at the few thematic areas you gave up, that governance, economic, independence, social, and then environment, I want to look at it this way, that you need the ABC of all.
02:44:51 One is the accountability, that having all the ideas, the dreams, and aspirations and all that, you need leaders must be accountable for what they do.
02:45:02 That whatever they do, one day they have to account. Once we begin to have that firmly placed in our mind, we begin to work at it and the end result will be what? Efficiency and productivity.
02:45:15 So governance aspect, we need to get all the basics right and then make sure that we are accountable.
02:45:23 The B is what? Getting all the basics of all that we are talking about. Basis of governance, the right formula is there for everybody to see.
02:45:32 We choose the one that will work and this part of what? Getting the basics right.
02:45:37 And then for what? The economy, for social, and then for the environment. And then what? The C is that we must be consistent of what we are doing with the hope of what? Realizing our vision.
02:45:50 Once we get this ABC what? Right through all these thematic areas, I'm sure at the end of the day, the story will be different and Ghana will be better off.
02:46:00 Ghana, that's a way for me to pay for it. And that is what we pray for. Ghana, the land of the warrior king.
02:46:07 That is our name. It's a powerful name. Land of the warrior king. And here we are.
02:46:12 We can't even fight our own battles. We need the IMF every now and then to fight for us.
02:46:16 Joining us for this conversation, we had Dr. Abusakara Foster. He's beaming at me right now. Founder National Interest Movement.
02:46:23 We also had joining the conversation, Dr. Asas Mayela Mohamed, development expert at the University for Development Studies and Dr. Kwame Asasanti, a political scientist with the University of Ghana.
02:46:36 Now, stay with us. Coming up next, we have a conversation with Translight Solar. They'll be telling us a lot about what they've been up to.
02:46:45 We'll be right back.
02:47:15 Welcome back on the AM show, and we're going to be talking lights, lighting, energy up next as we host Robert Kodjoe-Ohin, marketing manager at Translight Solar.
02:47:28 If you've been in this country for long enough, about the last 10 years, you would know how important it is for us to be having this conversation.
02:47:35 So, Ryan, a very good morning to you. Thank you for joining us.
02:47:37 Thank you. Thank you, Ben. How are you doing?
02:47:39 I'm okay. It's a holiday. I would have wanted to be somewhere relaxing, but both of us are here for business reasons.
02:47:46 Rightly so.
02:47:47 Yeah. But tell us a bit about your outfit, Translight Solar. How long have you been around?
02:47:52 Okay. So, Translight Solar started in 2014.
02:47:55 2014.
02:47:56 Yes, yes. Commercially, we entered the market.
02:47:58 So give or take some nine years ago.
02:48:00 2015, yes. Just about some nine years ago.
02:48:02 We've been offering clean, affordable, and reliable energy solutions for residential purposes, commercial, and also rural installations.
02:48:11 That has really been our business for the last couple of years.
02:48:14 And what is the terrain? I mean, what would you say the terrain has been like over the years?
02:48:19 Okay. So, you know, somewhere 2015, 2016, we were made to believe there was a major power crisis.
02:48:26 You were made to believe.
02:48:28 Popularly known as Doomsaw. So during that time, you know, there were a lot of power challenges, and people really couldn't, I mean, trust the grid so much.
02:48:37 So it gave rise to the business in a sense that we're selling backup solutions for homes.
02:48:41 Okay.
02:48:42 So, I mean, the market was opening up for that kind of business.
02:48:44 But it evolved after two years, two to three years, and we entered into the commercial space, and we've been doing excellently since then.
02:48:51 Okay. So tell us, break down for us, for those who are watching you and probably getting excited already.
02:48:56 What are your core operations as Translight Solar? What are your core operations?
02:49:00 Okay. So we are really a solar installation company, and then we focus largely on residential solutions, and commercial ones as well for businesses, small businesses, industries.
02:49:12 And quite recently, we started doing a lot of work in rural communities where we are providing solutions for them to have access to clean water,
02:49:20 and enough water for the farmers to farm all year round through irrigation purposes.
02:49:25 So, and we've also done a lot of mini-grids in villages where there's no light at all.
02:49:30 So they have power now. They couldn't even dream of it, having power over the last couple of years, but so far it's been very good.
02:49:38 Now, solar, I mean, a lot of us talk about solar. My church has solar.
02:49:43 I know schools that are starting projects with solar, but someone may sit somewhere and not have a proper concept of what solar energy or harnessing it is all about.
02:49:53 Explain to us.
02:49:54 Okay. So the way that it works is during the day, there's a lot of sun hitting the surface of your solar panels, and this converts this power into electricity through cables.
02:50:06 And by the way, those of you watching, if you are looking at the background, that's what some of the panels look like.
02:50:11 Yeah. So it transmits this energy through cables into a smart device called an inverter.
02:50:17 So this inverter is like the brain of the solar system. It's programmed in such a way that it always chooses the cheapest source of electricity.
02:50:24 So primarily in your home, it means that solar most of the time is the primary source of electricity for the home and the cheapest one.
02:50:30 After that, you have the grid. Then you have batteries as well.
02:50:33 So in an event where it's late in the night and you realize that there's no sun shining, one would ask, "How am I going to get power?"
02:50:41 ECG would now become your backup, and you have your batteries working for you up until about 11, 12 o'clock, where that cycle ends.
02:50:49 And we store about 50% power in the batteries such that when the lights go off between 12 and 6 a.m., you have at least some power to carry you through the night.
02:50:58 In the morning, the sun comes up and kicks in again. That cycle just continues all around.
02:51:03 But most people would be thinking, and that's a good image we're showing there of an example of how we can harness solar technology.
02:51:11 You want an interrupted power supply, but you also want it cheap at an affordable rate.
02:51:20 Is that possible with solar? Because a lot of the time, once you think solar, people say, "Hey, I don't know what deal."
02:51:25 Tell us, what is the reality?
02:51:27 Yes, so it's actually very possible to save on the cost of electricity and possible to also have an interrupted power supply.
02:51:34 So in an event where during the day, solar takes over the electricity provision in the home, you realize that at night, the batteries are also there.
02:51:42 So it means that the only time you may possibly be using ECG, since it's now your backup, will probably be in the night between 11 and 6 a.m.
02:51:50 So that way, all the power you are generating during the day is catered for by solar.
02:51:54 So it means that we have an example of a customer who was paying about 2,000 Ghana Cedis for electricity bills.
02:52:00 Monthly?
02:52:01 Yes, monthly. After solar installation, it dropped to about 200.
02:52:05 That's a factor of 1 to 10.
02:52:08 Significant savings.
02:52:11 Wow. But talk of the initial bit when you're starting, because I guess that's where the devil is.
02:52:16 What is it like when you're starting off on solar? It's a bit cost-intensive, right?
02:52:21 I don't want to call it the devil yet because, yes, people from time to time complain about the initial cost.
02:52:28 But you have to look at it as an investment because it's definitely going to pay off.
02:52:33 With the current bills, for example, the customer was paying 2,000.
02:52:37 In about two years, you would have paid off the system and still your bills would drop to 200.
02:52:42 So that's significant savings.
02:52:44 You really have to think about a long-term solution of getting solar, which will help you in your day-to-day operations now.
02:52:51 Because now it looks like people just have the misconception that it's expensive, but that's not really what it is.
02:52:57 It's really a good investment and treats everyone looking to have alternative power.
02:53:03 Solar is their primary source of electricity and their home to actually consider doing that now.
02:53:07 And you know what comes to mind? You mentioned an inverter. There are many gadgets from fridges to air conditioners to others.
02:53:15 You can choose the option with an inverter. It will cost you more.
02:53:19 That gadget, you can get an AC without an inverter, an AC with an inverter.
02:53:23 The one with an inverter will cost pretty much more, but over time, it will save you a lot more in terms of cost on electricity.
02:53:30 So it's a similar technology.
02:53:32 But in terms of the residential market in Ghana, what are the financing opportunities available?
02:53:39 I mean, a lot of these real estate, I'm sure they'd be interested.
02:53:42 And if you could harness that, they would also be able to cut down on the cost of even those who purchase.
02:53:47 Yeah. So with regards to the residential market, it's actually been a very tough market in the Ghanaian solar industry.
02:53:54 And as a company, we've evolved over the last couple of years to try and understand the markets better.
02:54:00 So formerly, the banks were not so supportive. But now the market has opened up.
02:54:06 Even now, the banks have like a green desk and they are able to support people who want to invest in solar.
02:54:11 They also fund from outside Ghana that are purposely for investing in solar.
02:54:16 So now there are a lot of green energy. Yes, there are a lot of opportunities for them.
02:54:20 And in-house, as a company, Translight, we came up with a model where we are offering a lease to own solution for residential customers,
02:54:29 where we have given them a period to pay for the system, maybe one year, two years.
02:54:33 But there's a little caveat there. You probably see if you are a human resource manager watching me now
02:54:38 and you're looking for solar solutions for your staff, I think you should get in touch with us
02:54:42 because it would be very easy for us to work with you to get your staff to sign on on our lease to own program.
02:54:50 In terms of what you've done over these last eight to nine years,
02:54:54 what would you say has been your proudest moment as an entity?
02:54:57 Translight Solar. Wow, we have a lot of things to be thankful for.
02:55:03 So top among them is we recently finished constructing a solar powered vessel.
02:55:11 And that's really the first in Ghana. Wow, a solar powered vessel? Yes. Where is that?
02:55:16 So I don't know if you ever heard of this story about a lady who swam the full length of the Akosumbo.
02:55:23 I heard something about it. Yes, yes, yes. So she got off that boat into the water and all of that.
02:55:29 So that was strictly for research purposes. We did it for a customer somewhere in Adabraka.
02:55:34 That's what's showing on the screen now. Yeah.
02:55:37 And then also we also we take pride in saying we are really the number one solar installation company in Ghana
02:55:44 because we've done well over 5000 systems.
02:55:47 We provide solutions for rural and rural services such that people are able to have access to clean water.
02:55:54 And the farmers are able to farm all year round because we are providing irrigation services for them.
02:55:59 Formerly they were only planting and sowing their crops when it was like the rainy season.
02:56:04 But now they have access to water to channel or help all those things to work out for them.
02:56:10 So, I mean, we can't do this without also adding. Someone is watching us right now.
02:56:16 I mean, I am interested. I'm sure other people are interested as well.
02:56:19 How can they if they want to get a solar system in place in their home, at the office, at some location?
02:56:27 How do they go about it with Translight Solar? What do they have to do? Yes.
02:56:30 So, well, because I'm here today, I want to say that the first 20 people to call us would get a special discount from Translight.
02:56:39 But you need to make reference to join us so that we can we can we can give you a very good package.
02:56:45 And so I'd say that the number for the company is 050-424-9229.
02:56:55 I'll go over that again. 050-424-9229 and 020-654-2454.
02:57:06 A bit slower with the number again.
02:57:08 020-654-254 and 050-424-9229.
02:57:19 You can call us now. And the first 20 people, we have a special package for you.
02:57:23 And a lot of the businesses that are looking to also cut down the cost of electricity, we have very good deals for you.
02:57:29 In the industry, there's no reason why one shouldn't do solar when you if you are working primarily during the day from 8 to 5.
02:57:36 Because those are like the peak hours of the sun.
02:57:38 So a customer is paying about 100,000 Ghana CEDs and they work only during the day.
02:57:43 And we are able to save them as much as I mean, their bills are able to drop to as low as 15,000 Ghana CEDs.
02:57:48 Wow. Yes. And that's significant.
02:57:50 You save up 85,000.
02:57:52 Significant savings. Yes. And now there are a lot of, like I said earlier, a lot of financiers who are ready to pump money into solar.
02:57:59 So these industries are probably going to get about 7 to 15 years payment plan so that they can invest in solar now and spread the payments over a period.
02:58:09 There are a lot of funds available and they are looking for people to put that investment in.
02:58:15 Kodjo, thanks for coming. Thank you.
02:58:17 We can only pray for the best. I mean, even as a country, we're seeking alternative sources of energy.
02:58:22 So solar is one of them. Rightly so.
02:58:24 And we wish you the best at Translight Solar on this journey. Thank you. Thanks for coming.
02:58:29 You're welcome.
02:58:30 Robert Kodjoahin is Marketing Manager with Translight Solar. He joined us for this conversation about Translight Solar.
02:58:37 But stick and stay with us. Up next, we have that conversation coming up on the University of Education.
02:58:42 We're hosting the Graduate Students Association of Ghana and that chapter as well.
02:58:50 So just stick and stay. We'll be right back.
02:58:53 [Music]
02:59:18 Well, we're talking about the Graduate Students Association of Ghana, UEW chapter,
02:59:23 and they have this international multidisciplinary conference for postgraduate students coming up.
02:59:30 The theme, Paradigm Shift in Pedagogical Innovation for Transformative Education.
02:59:36 Now, to help us wrap our minds around this theme, we have Ransford Samovie.
02:59:43 I hope I didn't murder the name. He will correct me if I'm the Grasshopper president from the University of Education.
02:59:49 And then Akudugu Isaka, immediate past Grasshopper president.
02:59:53 I'm on it because I have current president, past president. Hey, I'm a big man.
02:59:59 OK, so Ransford and my brother, a very good morning to you.
03:00:07 Very well. Very well. I was just sharing with them. I'll expose myself.
03:00:11 I was telling them about how tired I am this morning and everything.
03:00:15 But this is what we also contribute to our motherland.
03:00:19 So let's let's let's let's look at this conference that is coming up.
03:00:23 I'll start with you, Ransford. And tell us a bit about it.
03:00:27 What is it about? All right. Multidisciplinary conference.
03:00:30 OK, so thank you very much for giving me the opportunity.
03:00:35 I want to first of all greet all postgraduate students of UW and UW students as well for watching us.
03:00:46 They are really watching us this morning. So we are basically having this seventh edition of the conference.
03:00:55 Seventh? Yes. Yes. This conference have been running since 2016.
03:00:59 What we our predecessors believed was that as postgraduate students, it is a bedrock of research and everything research is about postgraduate students.
03:01:10 So we felt that we need to get a platform that will help us discuss national issues, especially relating to education and digest,
03:01:21 get papers, research that has gone into education and all those tasks and get a platform for all these people to present these papers and profess solutions to some of the issues that is confronting us as a nation.
03:01:36 So that is their brain technically behind getting at this conference.
03:01:41 And this conference is very international. It's international.
03:01:44 Since the inception of it, we have been inviting guest speakers across the country.
03:01:51 And this year is no exception. Like we have the conference obviously going to be hosted by the vice chancellor of University of Education,
03:01:59 Professor Moutha Avoke, who has been playing a very key role in the success of this conference.
03:02:08 In this conference, very, very key role. And then we are also going to be inviting the German ambassador, His Excellency Daniel Kruhl,
03:02:15 who is also going to be the keynote speaker for this conference.
03:02:19 And then we have Professor Edward Appiah, the director general, National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.
03:02:25 And then we have you're talking of pedagogy. Yes, yes, yes.
03:02:28 So regular assessment. Definitely. And then we have Professor Dr. Chelsea, who is coming from Hamburg University, Germany.
03:02:38 And then we have Professor Douglas D.Ajay, not forgetting our own Professor S.K. Asi-Eduardo, who is the planning committee chairperson.
03:02:49 And then Professor Aweyesu Brahma, who is also a graduate dean for the School of Business for University of Education.
03:02:57 These are very power packed professors and I mean, academia who are coming to help us digest these issues about education.
03:03:06 So this is something very good for postgraduate students across the country.
03:03:12 And then we all need it. It looks like a very high power that you've put together from the German ambassador,
03:03:20 His Excellency Mr. Kruhl, to all these other academicians who are coming on board.
03:03:26 But coming back to you, you have been there, you have done that. In fact, he took over from you.
03:03:31 Yes. And you have also held this before. Yes, please.
03:03:36 This is the seventh installment. So you hosted the sixth one, right? Yes.
03:03:42 What have the developments been? Because we always build upon what we've had.
03:03:47 What was it during your time and what are you hoping this year as you host this conference will be the add on to this conference?
03:03:55 Thank you for the opportunity once again.
03:03:58 Like you stated earlier, this is an international multidisciplinary conference meant as a platform for academic knowledge.
03:04:08 So last year, the conference went very successful and at the end of it, we had a post conference analysis
03:04:15 where we looked at some of the papers that were submitted and some of the speeches that were made.
03:04:23 At the end of it, we prepared a composite post conference analysis document where we made that document available to policy implementers
03:04:32 and to shape policies in implementing policy across the educational set up and our development as a nation.
03:04:40 So we are hoping that this year's conference, once we are done, we'll be able to do a post conference analysis
03:04:47 and then get some of the issues that were presented that we'll use it for our national development.
03:04:53 Some of the issues within the educational sector that the conference would have raised,
03:04:58 they would have used it to develop our educational sector and resolve some of the challenges confronting the educational sector.
03:05:04 What are some of the, and I'll ask both of you, I mean I'll throw the ball to both of you,
03:05:08 what are some of those core challenges? Because when it comes to pedagogy from different levels,
03:05:12 different facets of the chain, there are so many problems.
03:05:15 What are some of those that, I mean, you are looking forward to seeing them highlight as you host this conference?
03:05:20 I'll start with you and then come to you.
03:05:22 So if you quite remember, you realise that when we were hit by COVID,
03:05:29 the methods, pedagogy and everything that we used to teach got truncated and we needed to,
03:05:35 as a matter of urgency, whether we like it or not, to devise some solutions.
03:05:39 Now virtual has come to stay.
03:05:40 Very well. So this is where we are coming from.
03:05:43 So now we are talking about the pedagogy.
03:05:46 What ways are we going to employ now that we know COVID has taught us a lesson?
03:05:55 What are some of the things that we should be beginning to be thinking about as a country so that we don't get ourselves in any unforeseen event
03:06:04 and we don't know what, because since COVID hit us, we have not been able to recover our academic calendar.
03:06:10 Yes, because other nations have been able to do away with it and they are running normal.
03:06:18 But now we, our academic calendar has shifted drastically and then we are still forcing to get it.
03:06:24 I feel if we have those pedagogies in place as a country, we would have turned things around quickly.
03:06:31 So these are some of the research we are encouraging colleagues, postgraduate students across the country to bring.
03:06:37 Let's digest it. What are some of the ways that we can look at in going forward so that in case we have any unforeseen events,
03:06:44 we are readily available because we have policies, we have things in place that we can be running as a country.
03:06:51 This is what we want to do.
03:06:53 Good. So like you stated, if you look, if you take a careful look at our curriculum as a country,
03:07:00 especially the ones we are implementing at the basic level now,
03:07:03 you see that there are challenges with the curriculum implementation now relative to the models,
03:07:09 especially some of the materials available.
03:07:12 So some aspect of the conference, what we want to look at is that what are some of the teaching methods?
03:07:18 Has it really, you know, go concurrent to the realities on the ground?
03:07:24 Do they reflect the realities on the ground?
03:07:27 Because the basic education level is very key and very fundamental in our educational growth as a country.
03:07:35 And so we are expecting that after this conference, key issues will be able to raise as to relative to our curriculum development as a country
03:07:45 and its implementation process.
03:07:47 Because once we get that right, I can assure you that our educational system as a country as we have it now will be very well shaped.
03:07:56 And we will move forward.
03:07:57 And so this conference basically will do that and will produce a post-conference document.
03:08:03 We have to go now, but just to wrap the conversation, I'm just imagining while I was speaking to you,
03:08:08 imagining this on a national level.
03:08:12 I'm leaving you with food for thought.
03:08:14 As you engage your other leaders and all of that.
03:08:17 The abstracts that we took from this conference ran from the United States of America,
03:08:21 some of the universities, Hamburg University, KNUST, UCC, and every other university is taking keen interest in this conference.
03:08:34 So when is it happening?
03:08:36 Just give us those core details and then we can run off.
03:08:38 So it starts, the registration will start this Wednesday.
03:08:42 That is on the 9th of August.
03:08:46 So we then register, confront those who want to come and participate and all that will come and register.
03:08:54 And then the official opening is going to happen on the 11th, which is the 10th.
03:09:00 Sorry, 10th.
03:09:02 So after the Friday.
03:09:04 Yes, yes.
03:09:05 Then we'll break into the sessions and have our various presentation and research that we abstract that we took.
03:09:11 People present it and we have a guest moderator that are going to critique some of their work.
03:09:18 And then we have the conference.
03:09:20 So then we continue on the following day, the 11th.
03:09:24 Then we also continue with the presentation sessions and all those stuff.
03:09:27 So if you are interested in joining this, participating in this conference, it's just a good 100 cities.
03:09:36 And then just for mobilization and all that stuff.
03:09:39 And then if you are a UW student, obviously it's going to be go for a cool 25 cities.
03:09:45 Then you get a very good certificate for yourself and all those stuff.
03:09:48 So I think this is something that we are inviting the whole country to take a very keen interest in and come to UW this Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
03:10:00 And I can trust you. They can trust that they are not going to leave the empty headed or they are going to be fully loaded before they leave.
03:10:10 Well, gentlemen, this is where we'll have to cap it off. But I couldn't also fail to notice that we are all in a lovely holiday.
03:10:21 Anyway, that was a runs for some of the grass president to UW and I couldn't go.
03:10:27 Isaka immediate past grass president, you eat W on now.
03:10:32 Up next, we're going to be telling you about joy. Prime's Big Chef program.
03:10:35 Big Chef Tertiary is a culinary reality show that is on joy from TV every Sunday at 5 p.m.
03:10:40 That is up next.
03:11:09 Well, this is how we wrap the show this morning. We're going to be talking about culinary delights.
03:11:14 It's all about Big Chef. And they are wetting my appetite already because me a day here.
03:11:19 I had a home right now and we have chefs in the studio.
03:11:22 Let me introduce to you Chef Samuel Anaman. He's a judge on Big Chef.
03:11:26 And we also have Chef Tracy Oredo. I believe you also a judge on Big Chef.
03:11:32 Thank you for joining. Thank you for having us here.
03:11:35 We have about five to six minutes to run away. So I just want us to do the slip.
03:11:39 But I'm curious. What made you accept to be judges on Big Chef?
03:11:43 OK, so I believe in mentorship. I believe in impacting knowledge.
03:11:47 OK. And the reality is whatever you learn from school is different from what you practice in the industry.
03:11:54 So we want to blend the two. OK. They are students.
03:11:57 They are in the they are in the schools and they are learning.
03:12:00 But they need to be open to what we have in the industry.
03:12:06 That is where we come in. And that was one of the motivations why I joined.
03:12:11 Why I joined coming on the show. Yeah. And for you.
03:12:15 All right. So I mean, I say, yes, I know I have a lot to give to the young ones and the hospitality industry.
03:12:24 I also and that when I was invited to be a judge for the girls, the impartation part is very important to me.
03:12:33 Yes. You want to share. You want. Exactly.
03:12:37 That's so great. But at the same time, while you impart, sometimes you can cut them, slice them like you can give it to them.
03:12:45 Not a film. No. Sometimes you are so hard on them. Why?
03:12:49 OK, so with with we are not hard on them. You need to be. You are.
03:12:56 You need to. The thing is that you need to be very disciplined as a chef.
03:12:59 OK. Without discipline, you can't be a chef. And that is what that is where we come in.
03:13:05 So that you know what your standards are. Standards. And that is what is in the industry.
03:13:09 When a chef is there and is commanding you, not commanding, instructing you to do something,
03:13:14 you need to do it because the guest does not really care what happens at the back end.
03:13:20 All he cares is that his food is good and is the duty of the chef to make sure that all the units,
03:13:26 everybody is on point so that the guest experience with the meal will be perfect.
03:13:31 And that's a solid point. Not not also to forget that food health safety.
03:13:36 So you must ensure that standards are rigorously followed.
03:13:39 You give someone food poisoning or something like that and disaster strikes.
03:13:44 Yeah, I get it. But let's let's let's look at what the experience has been like so far as judges.
03:13:48 And I saw it has been so great. That was so great.
03:13:52 You know, I expectation from the beginning wasn't that with with a student.
03:13:57 But as the week goes by, so far, so good. Things are working the way we wanted.
03:14:02 So I can see the expectations is getting there.
03:14:05 Are they improving their culinary skills? In fact, for me, I have been a TA before in one of the universities.
03:14:12 I had a new. Which one? So I had a neutral, a neutral expectation for them.
03:14:22 But as day in and day out, we mentoring them, they are improving.
03:14:27 And I will say kudos to the other technical universities that brought their students to the show.
03:14:31 We are doing so well, but there is a lot that needs to be done.
03:14:35 So that I was about to get to that. Are they meeting your expectations? Are they following?
03:14:40 Yes. Yes. So far, so far, so good. But I would I would I would be happy for the technical universities to send their student into the industry so that they know what is happening in there.
03:14:54 The thing is that when it comes to the theory part, you could tell that they are like, OK, but it's different.
03:15:00 The application, the knowledge and wisdom are two different things, two different knowledge and application.
03:15:04 Exactly. Exactly. So they should come into the industry more so that they see whatever is going on there.
03:15:09 So that before they even come out from school, they are ready. They are ready for the market.
03:15:13 OK, Tracy. So to both of you, as we wrap the conversation, we've had five episodes so far.
03:15:18 There are many more to come before the season closes.
03:15:21 What what can viewers expect on Joy Prime every Sunday at 5 p.m. when they tune in to watch Big Chef?
03:15:29 And we have big chefs in the major chefs.
03:15:33 So they should they should not expect anything by the burst.
03:15:37 The education, innovation and the skills in their skills.
03:15:44 Like some catch a group of course, every other part of a whole lot of things in there.
03:15:48 So just don't say just tune in every Sunday at 5 p.m.
03:15:53 There's a lot of Sunday. You'd be amazed. Just say in after church, glue after getting your food for just chalk and weights.
03:16:03 So what I would add to what Chef Tracy said is we are bringing reality from the back end of the kitchen to the viewers so that you will see what your meal goes through.
03:16:14 The processes your meal goes through before your meal gets to you in the restaurant.
03:16:18 So please do watch Big Chef Tashari and you will not regret it.
03:16:22 The biggest reality show in Ghana. Biggest reality show in Ghana.
03:16:28 And as for the culinary shows, this one, it's it's beyond.
03:16:33 But for me, the only thing I would want to leave you with, maybe before I take your final message, I want to be in there somewhere.
03:16:40 And all I want is to eat the food sample. That's OK. I want to do that.
03:16:46 Is that it is that final message? Ten seconds each.
03:16:51 OK, so final message, I would say that glue to joy prime and you will not regret it.
03:16:59 I would say Big Chef Tashari, the kitchen has no boundary and this comes your way every Sunday at 5 p.m.
03:17:07 Just stay tuned. Thank you, Chef Tracy.
03:17:10 Orido, I'm a Bioshe's judge with Big Chef.
03:17:16 Pardon me. I've. Chef Samuel Anaman also joining the conversation this morning.
03:17:23 Thank you so much. Right before we go. Happy birthday to Margaret.
03:17:27 I'm Sam, the mother of my troublesome producer, Derek Ekwesam.
03:17:33 Trouble is his middle name. I'm just kidding.
03:17:37 He's an old bundle, just as I am. He's a wonderful fellow and he ensures that things go well.
03:17:42 It's from Felix from Sam and the kids. Sarah, Ekwesam, Barbara and Janet.
03:17:47 We love you, mommy. We, too. We love you so much. We are grateful that you gave us a call with his big head like mine.
03:17:53 Anyway, this is how we wrap the show this morning. Up next, Joy News Desk.
03:17:58 Yes, with yours truly. We'll be right back.

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