By Ahmed Osumanu Halid, Nima 441
I wailed deeply for my beloved country, Ghana.
A great nation with wonderful people, even though with some short falls, because we are homo sapiens where perfection is not and will not be our trait. A country determined to march all other nations of the world in the areas of education, infrastructure, governance, sports, politics, law, investment, science and technology, tourism, sanitation etc.
Just some few days ago, it was rated as the second most peaceful nation in Africa. A positive achievement. All must be applauded for this feat.
We are nation with a population over 30 million, 16 regions, 275 constituencies and 261 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, availability of arable lands for agriculture and enough food for all. A nation where people are very religious. All the three main religions relate very well with one other.
Islamic, Christianity and Traditional religions.
I am saddened and disappointed with our political leaders. We campaign and vote for them. At times, they succeed in creating divisions, disharmony and disunity amongst us, the people.
My anger has to do with judgement debts payments being paid by our various governments. The payments are very huge and the frequency of these payments is very frustrating disheartening.
Our leaders: The Presidents both current and past, Ministers of state and Members of Parliament are guilty of this avoidable expenditure. These individuals are described as distinguished and Honourable. They are paid by the commoners of our land. They enjoy all the amenities and niceties of our land. They are protected by the taxpayers.
Interestingly, they are not compelled to lead us. They come on their own accord pretending to serve us, but alas. Guess work here.
Our leaders sit aloof to allow our country to be losing such billions of dollars on matters that they are expected and capable of investigating and interrogating before acting on them.
They intentionally sign dangerous contracts and undertake some bizarre actions that go a long way to deprive our nation of money that could have been utilized productively. As if they surreptitiously benefit from the largesse.
Our roads are terrible, schools, bridges, security, housing, energy, sporting facilities and other needs are inadequate and not in any better conditions. Sad! $185 million given to just one organization in an arbitration saga against the state. The organization benefited or took this colossal amount of money because of the stupidity, laziness and naivety of our leaders. My reader, I apologize for the strong dictions used.
I will not place my political party over my country, like the way I will not do same of placing my country and party over my beloved religion where the ultimate is Allah.
I won’t please or defend my party or government when it errs.
My dear reader, we have to be nationalistic and patriotic. Our nation matters before our political parties.
It is condemnable that our governments will continue paying these judgement debts. Our Ministers and Members of Parliament are not being punished for their lazy tasks or duties that hurt the country in this manner.
Yes, I am a budding politician and a sympathizer of the current administration. I believe in the party’s philosophy and its teachings. But I will not be a praise singer, no.
I pray to Allah that myself and other political leaders’ tasks will not hurt our country but rather heal it.
Just observe the childish display of blame game by our political leaders on this current judgement debts payments saga.
Ghanaians vote for our political leaders to serve them but sorry to state that some of them sleep on your jobs and politically defending and condemning themselves. Disgusting!
Our Parliament, instead of independently scrutinizing what the Executive brings, it rather rubber stamps them: policies and programmes of the government (Executive)because they benefit from the hands of the Executive either by appointments or other opportunities.
The reality is that my country is bleeding financially because its leaders are sleeping on their jobs and are being wasteful.
Let me state that in Arbitration, you cannot appeal to the decision of the tribunal. What the claimant earns is called arbitral awards. The other party in the dispute is the respondent.
In this case, the organization is the claimant and our country is the respondent.
We have to be careful when canceling contracts. Thorough research, investigation and interrogation must be carried out before acting.
It is my pray that our country will not find itself in this conundrum again.
In all, our nation Ghana must win.
I declined to mention any name in this epistle.
We can’t do politics every day.
Allah, I serve and my country I shall love.
