I might not be the smartest person in the room so forgive me for exhibiting knowledge gaps. I suffer quietly, trying to make sense of nonsense. You probably do too. Here are just three of the things which don’t make sense to me. What are yours?
‘Power’ Talk Makes My Head Ache
Language betrays a lot about intention. Politicians on our shores often use the word power. In speaking to an electorate, a parliamentary candidate might say: “When I come to power.” Or, a party chairman might make a sentimental pronouncement: “When our party was in power.”
All these chatter about power makes my skin crawl. In the upcoming elections, would the majority of us subordinate our freedom and dreams to a few who would in turn project power onto us? With that, would they pee on us, poo on us, crow over us, breath down our necks and talk down to us – power drunk? Damn! It is as if empire days and military rule never ended! Such language appears to be part of the lasting and unending continuities from years of autocratic rule. Or could it be the Nana factor in our culture?
I wonder: to what extent does the ‘power’ rhetoric impacts on the very psyche and behaviour of office seekers/holders? Let me anchor one way in which power can be projected. Consider rape. A strong grown man gets a foolish, unnecessary but spectacular erectile super-functioning and loads it off onto a weaker female. Power is self-centred and can be ruthless.
Even in this democratic dispensation, it is not uncommon to hear of political leaders behave and speak as if we were still in the era when we foolishly declared: “Power to the people” and “We no go sit down make them cheat us everyday” while the military paraded this country, brutalizing us mercilessly. The positions occupied by politicians constitute their cloaks of power. Considering the nature of power, how can an ordinary mortal dare to fearlessly speak any grain of truth to mighty power?
The use of such language makes me nervous about voting, since voting is the bedrock of democracy. In the voting booth, at the moment I stain my pretty but aging thumb to leave my precious thumb-print on paper as a mark of preference for an individual, would I be subordinating my power to him/her? By losing my power, what else do I lose – my freedom? I love my freedom and would not hand it over to any ‘son-of-a-gun’ to be potentially trampled upon.
Instead of the annoying rhetoric of power, the phrase “public service” is beautiful music to my half-a-century-old tired ears. It is nobler. Therefore, when a candidate convinces me that s/he wants my vote to enable him/her provide us with much-needed selfless public service, s/he gets my attention. I need to be served. I have issues that must be taken care of, with much commitment and tenderness.
So the next time I hear any political party functionary engage in that annoying trash talking about when they “come to power”, “stay in power”, “return to power”, I might scream out loud: “Go wey you.”
A State-Funded Agency Should Not Serve As Propaganda Machinery For Ruling Governments
This is a sticky matter that should not be reduced to an NPP or NDC finger-pointing. In socialist Ghana, it made sense (sort of) when our first president equipped the Ministry of Information to serve as the government’s propaganda machinery. What does not make sense is why in democratic Ghana, we continue to channel tax payers’ money to fund this agency for the sole benefit of the government in ‘power’. Both military and democratically-elected governments have been guilty of this nonsensical nonsense. We can’t seem to let go of our socialist past.
Take recent occurrences as an example. Periodically, this government brags about its successes. There is nothing wrong with that. It’s a free world so if anyone feels like bragging, s/he should roll with it. But it doesn’t make sense for the government in “power” to audaciously use state-owned machinery and funds to brag for the benefit of its mother political party. Incumbency pays, cushy cushy.
Koforidua, May 15, GNA – A story headlined: “ISD embarks on campaign to explain government policies.” The news lead reads: “The Eastern Regional Directorate of the Information Services Department (ISD) is to embark on a two-week campaign to educate people about government policies and programmes. The campaign is targeted at reaching about 1,300 towns and villages in the Region who would receive information on recent government policies such as the free medical care for expectant mothers.”
If this does not sound like propaganda this close to December 7, then somebody should please spell and define the word propaganda for my benefit.
It is generally agreed that sanitation is one of our sticky national problems. So, why isn’t the ISD collaborating with the local government ministry to embark on a programme of behavioral change to instill proper sanitation and environmental habits in our people? Clearly, such an effort would not be a vote clincher in an election year because sanitation is not a pretty word. But bragging about free medical care for expectant mothers could potentially soften the stiffest thumbs of the most stubborn voter who might be cash-strapped but is nurturing a pregnancy s/he had no business initiating in the first place.
Is Northern Part of Ghana a ‘Territory’?
Tamale appears to be the NGO capital of Ghana. On a cursory look, I’ve seen more white people in Tamale than in Accra or Kumasi. There is something going on, a fascinating phenomenon that is crying for study.
Why is there an army of NGOs up there? Is the northern part of our country a free-for-all territory, a mini neo-colony at the kindness of wealthy donor agencies and/or countries (“development partners”) that might need to assuage age-old guilt over past international injustices?
I have more questions than answers about the northern question. Troubling! In the matter of the underdevelopment of the northern part of Ghana, is it the responsibility of international NGO’s to bring about the much needed parity between north and south or our governments have played and continue to play a significant role? This question is not laced with NPP or NDC connotations neither is it posed only to the ruling government. The question lies squarely in the cushy bosoms of all governments since independence.
Is any government agency responsible for coordinating all the many NGO interventions up north? Is anyone studying the overlaps and impact of their interventions? Why has the northern part of Ghana been neglected for so long? I don’t understand.
We in the south have the luxury of complaining about “Kayaye” – girls from the north who relocate to the city lights in the south to seek perceived greener pastures. The over-population of our cities, the increasing ghettos, squatters’ empires, drug use and abuse – can be traced to the neglect of the north and the rural parts of this country.
If I were a young girl growing up in the north or any dead-end village in Ghana, I would be boarding a vehicle just about now to relocate toward the rainbow and no one can stop me.
‘Power’ Talk Makes My Head Ache
Language betrays a lot about intention. Politicians on our shores often use the word power. In speaking to an electorate, a parliamentary candidate might say: “When I come to power.” Or, a party chairman might make a sentimental pronouncement: “When our party was in power.”
All these chatter about power makes my skin crawl. In the upcoming elections, would the majority of us subordinate our freedom and dreams to a few who would in turn project power onto us? With that, would they pee on us, poo on us, crow over us, breath down our necks and talk down to us – power drunk? Damn! It is as if empire days and military rule never ended! Such language appears to be part of the lasting and unending continuities from years of autocratic rule. Or could it be the Nana factor in our culture?
I wonder: to what extent does the ‘power’ rhetoric impacts on the very psyche and behaviour of office seekers/holders? Let me anchor one way in which power can be projected. Consider rape. A strong grown man gets a foolish, unnecessary but spectacular erectile super-functioning and loads it off onto a weaker female. Power is self-centred and can be ruthless.
Even in this democratic dispensation, it is not uncommon to hear of political leaders behave and speak as if we were still in the era when we foolishly declared: “Power to the people” and “We no go sit down make them cheat us everyday” while the military paraded this country, brutalizing us mercilessly. The positions occupied by politicians constitute their cloaks of power. Considering the nature of power, how can an ordinary mortal dare to fearlessly speak any grain of truth to mighty power?
The use of such language makes me nervous about voting, since voting is the bedrock of democracy. In the voting booth, at the moment I stain my pretty but aging thumb to leave my precious thumb-print on paper as a mark of preference for an individual, would I be subordinating my power to him/her? By losing my power, what else do I lose – my freedom? I love my freedom and would not hand it over to any ‘son-of-a-gun’ to be potentially trampled upon.
Instead of the annoying rhetoric of power, the phrase “public service” is beautiful music to my half-a-century-old tired ears. It is nobler. Therefore, when a candidate convinces me that s/he wants my vote to enable him/her provide us with much-needed selfless public service, s/he gets my attention. I need to be served. I have issues that must be taken care of, with much commitment and tenderness.
So the next time I hear any political party functionary engage in that annoying trash talking about when they “come to power”, “stay in power”, “return to power”, I might scream out loud: “Go wey you.”
A State-Funded Agency Should Not Serve As Propaganda Machinery For Ruling Governments
This is a sticky matter that should not be reduced to an NPP or NDC finger-pointing. In socialist Ghana, it made sense (sort of) when our first president equipped the Ministry of Information to serve as the government’s propaganda machinery. What does not make sense is why in democratic Ghana, we continue to channel tax payers’ money to fund this agency for the sole benefit of the government in ‘power’. Both military and democratically-elected governments have been guilty of this nonsensical nonsense. We can’t seem to let go of our socialist past.
Take recent occurrences as an example. Periodically, this government brags about its successes. There is nothing wrong with that. It’s a free world so if anyone feels like bragging, s/he should roll with it. But it doesn’t make sense for the government in “power” to audaciously use state-owned machinery and funds to brag for the benefit of its mother political party. Incumbency pays, cushy cushy.
Koforidua, May 15, GNA – A story headlined: “ISD embarks on campaign to explain government policies.” The news lead reads: “The Eastern Regional Directorate of the Information Services Department (ISD) is to embark on a two-week campaign to educate people about government policies and programmes. The campaign is targeted at reaching about 1,300 towns and villages in the Region who would receive information on recent government policies such as the free medical care for expectant mothers.”
If this does not sound like propaganda this close to December 7, then somebody should please spell and define the word propaganda for my benefit.
It is generally agreed that sanitation is one of our sticky national problems. So, why isn’t the ISD collaborating with the local government ministry to embark on a programme of behavioral change to instill proper sanitation and environmental habits in our people? Clearly, such an effort would not be a vote clincher in an election year because sanitation is not a pretty word. But bragging about free medical care for expectant mothers could potentially soften the stiffest thumbs of the most stubborn voter who might be cash-strapped but is nurturing a pregnancy s/he had no business initiating in the first place.
Is Northern Part of Ghana a ‘Territory’?
Tamale appears to be the NGO capital of Ghana. On a cursory look, I’ve seen more white people in Tamale than in Accra or Kumasi. There is something going on, a fascinating phenomenon that is crying for study.
Why is there an army of NGOs up there? Is the northern part of our country a free-for-all territory, a mini neo-colony at the kindness of wealthy donor agencies and/or countries (“development partners”) that might need to assuage age-old guilt over past international injustices?
I have more questions than answers about the northern question. Troubling! In the matter of the underdevelopment of the northern part of Ghana, is it the responsibility of international NGO’s to bring about the much needed parity between north and south or our governments have played and continue to play a significant role? This question is not laced with NPP or NDC connotations neither is it posed only to the ruling government. The question lies squarely in the cushy bosoms of all governments since independence.
Is any government agency responsible for coordinating all the many NGO interventions up north? Is anyone studying the overlaps and impact of their interventions? Why has the northern part of Ghana been neglected for so long? I don’t understand.
We in the south have the luxury of complaining about “Kayaye” – girls from the north who relocate to the city lights in the south to seek perceived greener pastures. The over-population of our cities, the increasing ghettos, squatters’ empires, drug use and abuse – can be traced to the neglect of the north and the rural parts of this country.
If I were a young girl growing up in the north or any dead-end village in Ghana, I would be boarding a vehicle just about now to relocate toward the rainbow and no one can stop me.
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