In Ghana people misconstrue confidence to arrogance. But before I begin, allow me to remind you of a story the late ace broadcaster and BBC World News Anchor Komla Dumor once shared.
The Late Komla Dumor, (may his gentle soul rest in perfect peace) once made a joke out of an incident that confirms how people know Ghanaians to be timid. It was Komla’s first time of meeting one of Nigeria’s renowned economists, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. He introduced himself by saying ‘hello madam, am Komla from the BBC.’ Then the woman said ‘oh Kola, how are you?’ Komla then replied ‘excuse me ma, my name is Komla and I’m from Ghana.’
Then the woman replied ‘really, and you are so confident’. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala could not just place confident Komla Dumor among Ghanaians, so she had to tell herself the name she heard on BBC every day was the Nigerian name Kola and not Komla.
But, incidentally, Komla Dumor may have gained some of his confidence growing up in Nigeria where he lived for many years of his youthful life while his father worked as a university professor and his mother worked as a teacher. So Ngozi may not be wrong after all; there is something Nigerian about Komla Dumor’s confidence.
I’m very sure it’s not just Ngozi who thinks Ghanaians lack confidence so I wouldn’t blame her much, because truth be told, Ghanaians in general are timid, but we often cover it with humility and shyness, and we pretend to be respectful.
It is not difficult to find the reasons Ghanaians in general are timid and shy. By Ghanaian nature not all can voice out their concern for the fear of being maligned and abused. Celebrities voicing out their pent-up feelings on the power crisis in the country is laudable since the President John Dramani Mahama himself has expressed worry about the situation whiles finding solution to it.
The situation is a societal issue and it affects our daily bread so it’s a matter of concern, so if a citizen expresses his frustration in that direction, nobody has the right to condemn that person. Ghanaians are really suffering, the increasing rate of theft and robbery going on in the darkness, and house and human life being lost as a result of these frequent blackouts.
According to Prof. Addae You live in a country where the President is lying; Ministers are lying; and everybody is lying. Which is true, but having the Sitting President and his cabinet lying on serious economic and energy problems then that calls for concern. Ghanaians should be worried when the presidency is not truthful in addressing their concerns; especially as Presidents are voted for in anticipation to solve the country's problems.
For over 3 years Ghana has been battling with energy crisis. And the President keeps shifting the goal post as to when this energy crisis will end. To the point where President Mahama vowed not to make promises as to the end time for the energy crisis, and breaches his own vow just a day after. This should tell you that the dumsor will never be a thing of the past but for the future. To have the President blaming this energy crisis on the usage of mobile phones, Television sets etc then we must be worried. But my questions are, were we not using mobile phones and Television sets before this current administration took over? Was the country in darkness before this administration took over?
These are legitimate questions that need answers. This Dumsor situation is unbearable, to the extent where Ghanaians are losing jobs day in day out. Companies’ production cost keep rising as most firms spend thousands of dollars on fuel to keep factories running. Students are failing exams because there is no light to learn in the evening, there are a lot of adverse effects to this crisis but mentioning few are okay with me.
All these mentioned issues will have a ripple effect on the economy of Ghana as companies may declare loss or low profits thereby paying fewer taxes due high cost of production. Balance of Trade Deficit will keep rising especially as companies in the exports industry will be producing under capacity since most might have laid of their workers, hence producing less for export.
This energy crisis is not affecting the individuals and businesses but the country as a whole. It saddens my heart, when people we are supposed to be learning from are exhibiting immaturity and unintelligence in address the legitimate concern of the Ghanaian.
Following an aide to the Presidency comments which likened celebrities above 30 years of age and still unmarried to “prostitutes” and further claimed they were to be considered “irresponsible”. Is it a crime to be unmarried? Definitely No, Alhaji Haruna should not look far but within his party, there are a lot of unmarried celebrities, since celebrity status is not meant for people in showbiz only.
This comment from Alhaji keep me wondering if celebrities like Jackie Appiah, Becca etc they took to the Brazil world cup was for services of satisfying the sexual desire of the government entourage as rumoured sometime after the world cup. It is pig-headed for NDC Communication team member,Stephen Atubiga linking Showbiz personnel who have aired their frustration about the worsening power crisis to NPP.
Mr Atubiga, how would these celebrities gets their product to the consumer? May haps they need candles, lanterns , tourchlights and "bobo" aka "yokuyo" to get their tapes and videos played by the consumer. I agree with Mr Kuntu Blankson for describing those NDC members attacking celebrities as “sycophants” within the ruling National Democratic Congress with “little brains”. Indeed it is outrageous to say Ghanaian celebrities cannot add their voice to the ongoing demand by citizenry for solutions to ‘Dumsor’. Are the celebrities not Ghanaians? It’s a big shame. For the Former president of the Ghana Actors Guild, Nii Odoi Mensah saying the planned vigil to protest against the worsening power crisis in the country will amount to nothing, And that energy problem was not created by President Mahama. But Was Ghana is darkness before President Mahama took over? He should know that Even NDC members are complaining of the Dumsor, so why not the celebrities?
According to Chinua Achebe "People say that if you find water rising up to your ankle, that's the time to do something about it, not when it's around your neck" These celebrities doesn't need any advice to aire their frustration on dumsor and so is any Ghanaian. Everyone must rise up and be heard on this energy crisis. Ooo! Light off! Sorry I have to end here because I have low battery and my light just went out.
#Dumsormuststop Julius W. Ayerh Afedi Member of Critical Thinkers
<<Print>>