Perennial Flooding:Can We Ever Learn Our Lessons As A Country?

Perennial Flooding:Can We Ever Learn Our Lessons As A Country?

By ANANPANSAH,B ABRAHAM(AB)

It is a miserably terrifying moment.Our country is once again clothed in black and red.Terribly sad, indeed!
The whole of Tamale came to a standstill, leaving many residents completely devastated following last Tuesday's awful flood that hit the town unaware ...In fact,the fastest growing city in West Africa is still in a state Coma.

At this very trying times,our hearts and minds are with the people of Tamale,particularly,the families,friends and relatives of deceased victims of last Tuesday's apocalypse.I wish to personally commiserate with our comrade,the Northern Regional GNAT trustee on the lost of his dear sister Hajia Fati Amams who wailed for help in the troubling waters but no one could hear her voice.And to the innocent school pupil.Find a peaceful rest in the bossom of Abraham brethren.

It can sometimes be very had to imagine the end of life.You wake-up healthy with the hope of life,set about your normal duties,and tell your family 'I would be back in a jiffy',only to leave the same family,friends and relatives in a tearful everlasting good-bye.What a pitiable life!But that is the way of life.I sometimes wish we could resurrect back these valuable lost lives,but not on mother earth,at least.

I'm told the Northern Regional Secretariat of the National Disaster Management Organization(NADMO) is assessing the gravity of the floods.I wish them well.

Flooding in the north and Ghana at large;
Sad to say,but we have been here before .It's never my prayer or wish,but we may be here again .Today,we are shedding tears.We are weeping the error of our common sins.But the excruciating reality is that,we may be here to weep again.When that time comes,which I pray it doesn't,we would not be weeping for Hajia or the school pupil...But the tearful good-bye may just be in the name of me or you.Don't you feel this!Did I just say me or you?I think I did....

Today,NADMO we are told is assessing the gravity of the flood.A 'gravity' they have assessed in the past before,and we are yet to see anything good come out of such assessment.But they are still on an assessing spree.Huh!Let's see how it goes.(We are just watching! ).

Down memory lane;
On the 25th of July,2016,same floods killed one person and displaced several hundreds in the Tamale Metropolitan area and Sagnerigu district.NADMO told us in a citifm report that they were assessing the disaster and to collate actual statistics.
On 29th April,2014,Hundreds of residents in the Northern Region were displaced by severe rainstorms.Houses were destroyed.Infact, portions of the official residence of the then Northern Regional Minister and his Deputy were badly affected.
In 2007 and 1999, major floods ravaged the three regions in the north of Ghana.NADMO,indeed,revealed that the 2007 floods affected close to 275,000 people in Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions of Ghana.
Northern Ghana was nearly at risk of chronic hunger following the opening of the Bagre dam in Burkina Faso in 2007.Enormous water was released into the white volta.Staple crops such as rice, maize,beans and soya beans were washed away.People were in urgent need for food.We had to beg the world cup in hand for rescue.

I guess the June 3,2015,flood disaster that hit the capital(Accra) is still very fresh in our minds.Over 159 valuable lives perished away that faithful day.Property worth Ghc1,658,847,000 washed down the drain .Mr.Justice Isaac Douse's led five member committee tasked at the expense of the tax payer to probe into the underlying factors that led to the unfortunate national disaster outlined major recommendations after their findings.The recommendations ended on paper.Wasted time and tax payers money were the end results.The recommendations included:compulsory provision of bins and baskets for all commercial vehicle operators,dredging of the Odaw and Korle Lagoon,establishment of sanitation police inter alia.Do you see some of these recommendations manifesting in your community?That is Ghana for you!

So you see!We've seen it all.We have been through what we are seeing in Tamale today.Not once,not twice,but on several counts...And I tell you,most if not all of these floods or natural disasters are human preventable.We just needed to do something right...But the big unanswered question that should alway run in our mind's eye remains,what are we not getting right?Are we really learning our lessons from past experience as a country or we are just waiting for the next victim to be victimized,and we will as usual talk plenty and do little?Can we ever learn our lessons as a country,and bring a stop to some of these things?

The bare fact is,we lack disaster preparedness,and so we turn to see these catastrophes as an annual ritual/festival within the control of only nature and beyond human control.How wrong we are! 

Guess what? In this country called Ghana,even a well positioned primary school child can tell you the causes and even go ahead to proffer solutions to these perennial floodings/natural disasters in his/her community and the country at large.Is that not amazing?

Just ask and such a child would tell you that,we've Town and Country Planing departments under each Assembly (MMDAS) in Ghana,yet our towns and cities are poorly planned.No proper layout.We put up buildings 'anyhow' without recourse to proper architectural design.
Such a child should be able to say that,we've untapped spirit of nationalism and communism(gone days of communal labour) largely dying in us, yet our gutters are choked.We dispose our refuse indiscriminately. Our drainage system is highly poor.Our gutters now bank solid waste instead of liquid waste.There is no free flow of liquid waste.
It should be said that we have sanitation unit/officers in each MMDA in Ghana,yet our sanitation laws are either not enforced or partially enforced.One wonders were the gone days of 'Samasama' could be....Sanitation laws are flagrantly flouted with impunity.Politics of Sanitation is the order of the day. 
The child should be able to tell that,as a people,we've totally lost it.Our minds are enslaved.Our attitudes are bankrupt.And that we need attitudinal and mental emancipation.We throw garbage into gutters and open streets, plastic waste is improperly disposed, and open defecation is an emboldened practice with shoulders up.We don't obey sanitation laws.We now even give political colouration to sanitation and its related issues.We fail to manage the environment in a sustainable manner.

Need I say much!
Have you noticed we have diagnosed and know the solutions to our sickness long time ago?Just that we lack a committed spirit.I guess we are waiting to all be wiped out before we begin to walk the talk...
It's thus simple,we effectively need to implement the sanitation laws of the country and change our attitudes towards our common environment. (I call it attitudinal, legal and mental emancipation).
And until we begin to do the needful,we will always be here someday somehow.

May God bless our homeland Ghana.

The writer of this article is a teacher by profession,a freelance journalist,youth/community advocate,blogger/writer and a student.
Read more of his works on (ananpansah-ab.blogspot.com).

By ANANPANSAH,B ABRAHAM(AB)
(The Village Writer)
0241129910/0200704844

Perennial Flooding:Can We Ever Learn Our Lessons As A Country?

Perennial Flooding:Can We Ever Learn Our Lessons As A Country?

By ANANPANSAH,B ABRAHAM(AB)

It is a miserably terrifying moment.Our country is once again clothed in black and red.Terribly sad, indeed!
The whole of Tamale came to a standstill, leaving many residents completely devastated following last Tuesday's awful flood that hit the town unaware ...In fact,the fastest growing city in West Africa is still in a state Coma.

At this very trying times,our hearts and minds are with the people of Tamale,particularly,the families,friends and relatives of deceased victims of last Tuesday's apocalypse.I wish to personally commiserate with our comrade,the Northern Regional GNAT trustee on the lost of his dear sister Hajia Fati Amams who wailed for help in the troubling waters but no one could hear her voice.And to the innocent school pupil.Find a peaceful rest in the bossom of Abraham brethren.

It can sometimes be very had to imagine the end of life.You wake-up healthy with the hope of life,set about your normal duties,and tell your family 'I would be back in a jiffy',only to leave the same family,friends and relatives in a tearful everlasting good-bye.What a pitiable life!But that is the way of life.I sometimes wish we could resurrect back these valuable lost lives,but not on mother earth,at least.

I'm told the Northern Regional Secretariat of the National Disaster Management Organization(NADMO) is assessing the gravity of the floods.I wish them well.

Flooding in the north and Ghana at large;
Sad to say,but we have been here before .It's never my prayer or wish,but we may be here again .Today,we are shedding tears.We are weeping the error of our common sins.But the excruciating reality is that,we may be here to weep again.When that time comes,which I pray it doesn't,we would not be weeping for Hajia or the school pupil...But the tearful good-bye may just be in the name of me or you.Don't you feel this!Did I just say me or you?I think I did....

Today,NADMO we are told is assessing the gravity of the flood.A 'gravity' they have assessed in the past before,and we are yet to see anything good come out of such assessment.But they are still on an assessing spree.Huh!Let's see how it goes.(We are just watching! ).

Down memory lane;
On the 25th of July,2016,same floods killed one person and displaced several hundreds in the Tamale Metropolitan area and Sagnerigu district.NADMO told us in a citifm report that they were assessing the disaster and to collate actual statistics.
On 29th April,2014,Hundreds of residents in the Northern Region were displaced by severe rainstorms.Houses were destroyed.Infact, portions of the official residence of the then Northern Regional Minister and his Deputy were badly affected.
In 2007 and 1999, major floods ravaged the three regions in the north of Ghana.NADMO,indeed,revealed that the 2007 floods affected close to 275,000 people in Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions of Ghana.
Northern Ghana was nearly at risk of chronic hunger following the opening of the Bagre dam in Burkina Faso in 2007.Enormous water was released into the white volta.Staple crops such as rice, maize,beans and soya beans were washed away.People were in urgent need for food.We had to beg the world cup in hand for rescue.

I guess the June 3,2015,flood disaster that hit the capital(Accra) is still very fresh in our minds.Over 159 valuable lives perished away that faithful day.Property worth Ghc1,658,847,000 washed down the drain .Mr.Justice Isaac Douse's led five member committee tasked at the expense of the tax payer to probe into the underlying factors that led to the unfortunate national disaster outlined major recommendations after their findings.The recommendations ended on paper.Wasted time and tax payers money were the end results.The recommendations included:compulsory provision of bins and baskets for all commercial vehicle operators,dredging of the Odaw and Korle Lagoon,establishment of sanitation police inter alia.Do you see some of these recommendations manifesting in your community?That is Ghana for you!

So you see!We've seen it all.We have been through what we are seeing in Tamale today.Not once,not twice,but on several counts...And I tell you,most if not all of these floods or natural disasters are human preventable.We just needed to do something right...But the big unanswered question that should alway run in our mind's eye remains,what are we not getting right?Are we really learning our lessons from past experience as a country or we are just waiting for the next victim to be victimized,and we will as usual talk plenty and do little?Can we ever learn our lessons as a country,and bring a stop to some of these things?

The bare fact is,we lack disaster preparedness,and so we turn to see these catastrophes as an annual ritual/festival within the control of only nature and beyond human control.How wrong we are!  

Guess what? In this country called Ghana,even a well positioned primary school child can tell you the causes and even go ahead to proffer solutions to these perennial floodings/natural disasters in his/her community and the country at large.Is that not amazing?

Just ask and such a child would tell you that,we've Town and Country Planing departments under each Assembly (MMDAS) in Ghana,yet our towns and cities are poorly planned.No proper layout.We put up buildings 'anyhow' without recourse to proper architectural design.
Such a child should be able to say that,we've untapped spirit of nationalism and communism(gone days of communal labour) largely dying in us, yet our gutters are choked.We dispose our refuse indiscriminately. Our drainage system is highly poor.Our gutters now bank solid waste instead of liquid waste.There is no free flow of liquid waste.
It should be said that we have sanitation unit/officers in each MMDA in Ghana,yet our sanitation laws are either not enforced or partially enforced.One wonders were the gone days of 'Samasama' could be....Sanitation laws are flagrantly flouted with impunity.Politics of Sanitation is the order of the day. 
The child should be able to tell that,as a people,we've totally lost it.Our minds are enslaved.Our attitudes are bankrupt.And that we need attitudinal and mental emancipation.We throw garbage into gutters and open streets, plastic waste is improperly disposed, and open defecation is an emboldened practice with shoulders up.We don't obey sanitation laws.We now even give political colouration to sanitation and its related issues.We fail to manage the environment in a sustainable manner.

Need I say much!
Have you noticed we have diagnosed and know the solutions to our sickness long time ago?Just that we lack a committed spirit.I guess we are waiting to all be wiped out before we begin to walk the talk...
It's thus simple,we effectively need to implement the sanitation laws of the country and change our attitudes towards our common environment. (I call it attitudinal, legal and mental emancipation).
And until we begin to do the needful,we will always be here someday somehow.

May God bless our homeland Ghana.

The writer of this article is a teacher by profession,a freelance journalist,youth/community advocate,blogger/writer and a student.
Read more of his works on (ananpansah-ab.blogspot.com).

By ANANPANSAH,B ABRAHAM(AB)
(The Village Writer)
0241129910/0200704844

Perennial Flooding:Can We Ever Learn Our Lessons As A Country?

Perennial Flooding:Can We Ever Learn Our Lessons As A Country?

By ANANPANSAH,B ABRAHAM(AB)

It is a miserably terrifying moment.Our country is once again clothed in black and red.Terribly sad, indeed!
The whole of Tamale came to a standstill, leaving many residents completely devastated following last Tuesday's awful flood that hit the town unaware ...In fact,the fastest growing city in West Africa is still in a state Coma.

At this very trying times,our hearts and minds are with the people of Tamale,particularly,the families,friends and relatives of deceased victims of last Tuesday's apocalypse.I wish to personally commiserate with our comrade,the Northern Regional GNAT trustee on the lost of his dear sister Hajia Fati Amams who wailed for help in the troubling waters but no one could hear her voice.And to the innocent school pupil.Find a peaceful rest in the bossom of Abraham brethren.

It can sometimes be very had to imagine the end of life.You wake-up healthy with the hope of life,set about your normal duties,and tell your family 'I would be back in a jiffy',only to leave the same family,friends and relatives in a tearful everlasting good-bye.What a pitiable life!But that is the way of life.I sometimes wish we could resurrect back these valuable lost lives,but not on mother earth,at least.

I'm told the Northern Regional Secretariat of the National Disaster Management Organization(NADMO) is assessing the gravity of the floods.I wish them well.

Flooding in the north and Ghana at large;
Sad to say,but we have been here before .It's never my prayer or wish,but we may be here again .Today,we are shedding tears.We are weeping the error of our common sins.But the excruciating reality is that,we may be here to weep again.When that time comes,which I pray it doesn't,we would not be weeping for Hajia or the school pupil...But the tearful good-bye may just be in the name of me or you.Don't you feel this!Did I just say me or you?I think I did....

Today,NADMO we are told is assessing the gravity of the flood.A 'gravity' they have assessed in the past before,and we are yet to see anything good come out of such assessment.But they are still in an assessing spree.Huh!Let's see how it goes.(We are just watching! ).

Down memory lane;
On the 25th of July,2016,same floods killed one person and displaced several hundreds in the Tamale Metropolitan area and Sagnerigu district.NADMO told us in a citifm report that they were assessing the disaster and to collate actual statistics.
On 29th April,2014,Hundreds of residents in the Northern Region were displaced by severe rainstorms.Houses were destroyed.Infact, portions of the official residence of the then Northern Regional Minister and his Deputy were badly affected.
In 2007 and 1999, major floods ravaged the three regions in the north of Ghana.NADMO,indeed,revealed that the 2007 floods affected close to 275,000 people in Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions of Ghana.
Northern Ghana was nearly at risk of chronic hunger following the opening of the Bagre dam in Burkina Faso in 2007.Enormous water was released into the white volta.Staple crops such as rice, maize,beans and soya beans were washed away.People were in urgent need for food.We had to beg the world cup in hand for rescue.

I guess the June 3,2015,flood disaster that hit the capital(Accra) is still very fresh in our minds.Over 159 valuable lives perished away that faithful day.Property worth Ghc1,658,847,000 washed down the drain .Mr.Justice Isaac Douse's led five member committee tasked at the expense of the tax payer to probe into the underlying factors that led to the unfortunate national disaster outlined major recommendations after their findings.The recommendations ended on paper.Wasted time and tax payers money were the end results.The recommendations included:compulsory provision of bins and baskets for all commercial vehicle operators,dredging of the Odaw and Korle Lagoon,establishment of sanitation police inter alia.Do you see some of these recommendations manifesting in your community?That is Ghana for you!

So you see!We've seen it all.We have been through what we are seeing in Tamale today.Not once,not twice,but on several counts...And I tell you,most if not all of these floods or natural disasters are human preventable.We just needed to do something right...But the big unanswered question that should alway run in our mind's eye remains,what are we not getting right?Are we really learning our lessons from past experience as a country or we are just waiting for the next victim to be victimized,and we will as usual talk plenty and do little?Can we ever learn our lessons as a country,and bring a stop to some of these things?

Guess what? In this country called Ghana,even a well positioned primary school child can tell you the causes and even go ahead to proffer solutions to these perennial floodings/natural disasters in his/her community and the country at large.Is that not amazing?

Just ask and such a child would tell you that,we've Town and Country Planing departments under each Assembly (MMDAS) in Ghana,yet our towns and cities are poorly planned.No proper layout.We put up buildings 'anyhow' without recourse to proper architectural design.
Such a child should be able to say that,we've untapped spirit of nationalism and communism(gone days of communal labour) largely dying in us, yet our gutters are choked.We dispose our refuse indiscriminately. Our drainage system is highly poor.Our gutters now bank solid waste instead of liquid waste.There is no free flow of liquid waste.
It should be said that we have sanitation unit/officers in each MMDA in Ghana,yet our sanitation laws are either not enforced or partially enforced.One wonders were the gone days of 'Samasama' could be....Sanitation laws are flagrantly flouted with impunity.Politics of Sanitation is the order of the day. 
The child should be able to tell that,as a people,we've totally lost it.Our minds are enslaved.Our attitudes are bankrupt.And that we need attitudinal and mental emancipation.We throw garbage into gutters and open streets, plastic waste is improperly disposed, and open defecation is an emboldened practice with shoulders up.We don't obey sanitation laws.We now even give political colouration to sanitation and its related issues.We fail to manage the environment in a sustainable manner.

Need I say much!
Have you noticed we have diagnosed and know the solutions to our sickness long time ago?Just that we lack a committed spirit.I guess we are waiting to all be wiped out before we begin to walk the talk...
It's thus simple,we effectively need to implement the sanitation laws of the country and change our attitudes towards our common environment. (I call it attitudinal, legal and mental emancipation).
And until we begin to do the needful,we will always be here someday somehow.

May God bless our homeland Ghana.

The writer of this article is a teacher by profession,a freelance journalist,youth/community advocate,blogger/writer and a student.
Read more of his works on (ananpansah-ab.blogspot.com).

By ANANPANSAH,B ABRAHAM(AB)
(The Village Writer)
0241129910/0200704844

When "We" Glorify Mediocrity:Case In Point Of Popular Rashida V. disfavored Brilliant Zuweira Mohammed;Ex Parte "our common Future"

When "We" Glorify Mediocrity:Case In Point Of Popular Rashida V. disfavored Brilliant Zuweira Mohammed;Ex Parte "our common Future"

By ANANPANSAH,B ABRAHAM (AB)

I think it was a misrule...A false step in procedure-procedural ultra vires;lacking substance.It was a case of plain hypocrisy and manifest absurdity.Society 'must' have committed an error of law on the face of the record.Society must be crazy!How?Is that how cracking down mediocrity and societal pettiness can be as complex as the phenomenon mediocrity itself?

If not,how can the court of public opinion rule in favor of  Rashida Mohammed(Satirical So-Called Rashida Black Beauty)!The media was the presiding judge.Leading the war to justify profanity and debase womanhood.I disagree with the ruling.Give me my pen and book let me tell you why.

Rashida has caused more public harm than good.She is a typical example of the 21st century societal nuisance.She has misled many innocent souls.Others are encouraged to try same act without shame .After all,society emblazoned their mentor with the title of a star.That "silly girl" must be condemned beyond condemn(the weedicide).Her crime is equivalent to first degree felony.Zuweira on the other hand,is light to many young girls out there.she has inspired hope in many.Even my unborn daughter in God's care is inspired.That my girl must read science!

rashida(sorry,I used a lower case 'r' to start your name and a sentence-grammarians have the right to come after me),has been adjudged a rising star overnight.Her Facebook page has hit 4k likes from the last time I checked.She is probably the most surfed for on the local Internet.The 2016 Jigwe award winner is suddenly a brand,thanks to her desire to popularise unchasitity.Fame be what?Keenly reading comments on popular online portals,many have called on her to join the movie industry where her pathetic body can best be used to serve the desires of the lost generation.Huh!Where are the men of God to save society?

On the other hand,her direct opposite,brilliant Zuweira Mohammed of Tamale Senior High School is striving to make Ghana proud much the same way as prof.Mariama Ewurama Addy of blessed memory,first woman professor of Science in Ghana did...She wants to be more of Dr.Letitia Obeng,first female scientist in Zoology.
Zuweira was recently adjudged the best female contestant in the just ended 2017 National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ).What a girl!
I admire her soo much,even more than Romeo admired Juliet(hey!just hold it there, not what you think).I mean I admire her mustered courage and brilliance. She has clearly defied societal odds,and is an inspiration to many girls daring to 'dare'.

And the media and public just went silent on her...Little was said about her on popular portals and social media.Google could provide me very little information about this 'young brain'.Her story is not out there as a testimony.She was not a subject on social media.Meanwhile,'Malafaka' or is it 'motherfucker' is enjoying a comfortable lead on the media and Internet cruising towards cracking down societal moral values."Boys boys" are just discussing her on social media.'Chai!
A friend in trying to reconcile the issues wrote,"bad news sells faster."I immediately responded,"We sell bad news faster."
We are publishing and popularising the negatives for the younger and unborn generations to come and consume.

It's crestfallen,and even more so that this is happening at a time when our country is investing heavily in science in a bid to cure the inequalities in science and its related fields of study...The inequalities in gender related issues in science; the inequalities between developing and the developed countries in science, and science related subjects.
We have collectively identified that our lagging behind in development is mainly because,we lack encouraging,motivating and innovative young scientist to steer the wheel of development.Resources' and potential's remain untapped.

Countries such as USA, China, UK, India,Brazil, Russia,Japan,Germany,France,Italy and Spain did it with science and continue to dictate the pace in science and its related fields.A country like Japan became the world's second largest economy for a long period until it was overtaken by China and India,thanks to its traditional innovation and products in the electronics and automobile sectors.It has the 3rd fastest rail in the world with a top speed of 275mph(442.57km/h).

We can choose to be motivated by the giant steps of these counties or continue to engage in pettiness and worship mediocrity. The media must take this country of ours very serious.Concentrate on healthy issues.Your actions and inactions can either break or make this country. You must not always sell, but excel with the nation by shaping the national discourse along relevant issues.

It's our common future that is threatened.The children are watching and learning every step of the way.
Let's not turn around and chastise them as 'useless' after making them.
People in the humble nature of Zuweira Mohammed must be celebrated whilst acts of the devil as that of Rashida Mohammed misplaced as black beauty must be anathemized.

God bless!

By Ananpansah,B Abraham (AB)(Village Writer)
Writer/Blogger/Freelance Journalist/Youth Advocate
(0241129910/0200704844)

DEPOLARABLE STATE OF KUSAWGU-TULUWE ROAD AFFECTING ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES

DEPOLARABLE STATE OF KUSAWGU-TULUWE ROAD AFFECTING ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES

The deplorable state of roads leading to communities within Kusawgu and Tuluwe traditional areas of the Central Gonja District of the Northern Region is affecting economic activities in the area.

The present condition of the roads do not only pose a challenge to trading and economic activities for the people in the area, but are also a death-trap for drivers and traders who ply the roads on daily basis.

The ‘unmotorable’ state of the Kusawgu-Kuluwe road has resulted in several losses as a result of the difficulties and challenges traders and farmers, who are the worst affected, go through to transport food produce and goods to surrounding market centres.This development often leaves farmers and traders cash-strapped and hopeless -- compelling many of them to question whether that area in the district is indeed part of the country.

The increasing post-harvest losses being recorded by farmers in the area is of a great concern because the surrounding villages go through a lot of difficulties to attend to their food crops during the course of the farming season, only to be confronted with the challenge of how to transport the harvested food items to market considering the state of their roads.

In most cases, due to the absence of vehicles to convey the food items to the markets and silos to store them, the food produce either has to be sold at cheap prices or left go bad in anticipation that a vehicle might not come for them.
The few vehicles that risk to go to communities in the area in the raining season to carry food items to surrounding market centres are seen stuck in muddy parts of the road - leaving many of the traders in fear that their goods may go bad.

Some communities in the Tuluwe traditional area like Belbong and Npotoso are always cut off from other communities whenever it rains heavily. This unfortunately often leads to post-harvest losses due to the inability of farmers and traders to get access to the marketing centres.

I therefore wish to appeal to authorities in the Central Gonja District to help address the situation that has rendered many people in the area poor. The district assembly, member of parliament for the area, assembly members within the area, Kusawguwura, Tuluwewura, other sub-chiefs in the area as well as NGOs are kindly called upon to as a mtter of urgency come to the aid of the people in these traditional areas as they risk losing their source of livelihood.

Written By:
SULEMANA ISHAWU
RURAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVIST
(0543199250)

ECONOMIC WOES OF AFRICA;LEADERS MUST WAKE UP!

ECONOMIC WOES OF AFRICA;LEADERS MUST WAKE UP!

Writer; ANANPANSAH ISAAC

Africa is a continent with a projected geographical landmass of about 30.370,000Km² representing 16.1 of mother earth's total landscape.
The continent's landmass is largely embedded with tremendous natural resources and countless economically viable rivers running to and fro on the land surface of Africa.

In fact,these resources can catalyst the overall economic development and equally,stimulate progress in the other sectors of Africa's economy.In the same tangent,Africa is pitched to be the world's most rich resource continent in both natural resources and human capital as its human population stands at 1.2 billion with an estimated population density of about 36.4 km².The continent has an exuberant youthful population taking the Lion share of its total population...

In what can be more of a blessing,the continent is rich in mineral and natural resources with large parts of its terrain teeming with wild life and magnificent plant life.It possesses 99 percent of the world's chrome resources, 85 percent platinum, 70 percent tantalite, 68 percent cobalt, and 54 percent gold, among others. It has significant oil and gas reserves. Nigeria, Libya, Algeria,Angola, Ghana, Sudan, Morocco are among the leading oil producing countries according to current research projections.

More so,Africa is the second largest continent in terms of land geography and population.And it's also made up of several islands countries numbering about seven (7) such as  Madagascar being the largest in the world,Comoros,Sì£o Tomè, Principe, Seychelles just to mention a few. Not forgetting, the many river bodies such the great river Nille of Egypt, lake Victoria of Tanzania bordering Kenya and Uganda, lake Tanganyika' which laps Tanzania, Burundi, Congo DR, and Zambia and the biggest man made lake in Ghana inter alia. 

Indeed,Africa's economy is hinged on four cardinal areas,thus,trade, industry,human capital and agriculture.To this end,one would have thought all these rich resources efficiently combined will translate into economic prosperity...
But with all these unending resources,almighty Africa is still lagging behind in all aspects of development.
Development,if there is any word like that in the continent keeps eluding us...Economic development(Transformation from lower income national economy to a modern industrial economy) is conspicuously missing..Human development(poverty alleviation development) can only be achieved if you visit the typical African rural areas and feel the situation of poverty for yourself . Economic growth (increase in wealth or rise in national income) has only been achieved in the bank accounts and pockets of politicians.
Poverty and economic disorder is the order of the day across the continent.Indeed,in the abundance of water,the fool is thirsty.

Amidst all these,Africa Union,the mother body which is supposed to play a pivotal role and most definitely,project the continent as a force to reckon with after colonialism can't even fund its annual budgetary allocation without heavily depending on funds from the western world in the form of donations , aid, grants and loans with strings attached.A Case in point is a revelation in one of its financial statement.According to the said financial document,the main annual budgetary allocation of AU comes from China,the European Union, US, United kingdom and the world Bank.And hence, AU's budget sharply grew  from $278,2 million in 2013 to $ 393,4 million in 2015 all due to external peaks from 56% to 61.7% in the corresponding years.

Talk less of the seven sub-regional  grouping such as the Arab Maghreb Union ( UMA),Community Of Sahel_Saharan States( CEN_SAD), Community Market For Eastern and southern Africa(COMESA), Economic Community Of west African States among many others which many pundits have largely described as being rubber stamps in term of telescoping the economy of  Africa into broad day prosperity. This is due to the fact that, they can't  sufficiently fund their own day-to-day spending talk less of helping its member countries.

Indeed,the underlying reasons being that, many of these Africa countries have mortgaged their natural resources in a desperate attempt to soliciting for funds for development and thus, making them venerable in accepting aid, grants,loans which come with several explicit and implicit commitments.This phenomenon is gradually leading the continent into economic slavery. Indeed, China being the largest investor in recent times with over US$ 60 billion has leveraged on that because, China has about 40 percent of Africa's resources due to unfavourable terms of trade which in the long run causes the general economy to shrink in the face of global economic meltdown.

Nigeria with an economic worth of about US$290,south Africa with a worth of about US$301 and Angola are Africa's largest economies yet still, they're  not spared either because,the  continent is currently deeply embattled with poverty and underdeveloped with great deficit in infrastructural development and worsening inflation figures recorded over the years. And the rough surge of the continent suffers massive brain drain due to the shrinking nature of the economy of African countries.

Well,expert projection will have us believe that,a large chunk of  people in Africa live in abject poverty. On the average, 80 % of  people in Africa live on less than US$ 2.5 on a daily basis.  Recently, in the 2017 statistical analysis, Africa has a nominal GDP estimation of about US$3.3 trillion and the purchasing power parity of about US$ 6.757 which can even quadruple given the numerous resources at its disposal.

Interestingly,in 2013, Africa was the world's fastest growing continent at about 5.6%, and, the GDP is expected rise by average of over 6% between 2013 and 2023 according to world bank's findings. But on the hand,  economic indicators of the Africa are not proving any positive signs at all such as the detorating rate of income and wages, consumer price index', strength of currency, interest and unemployment rate among others.

Africa as a continent needs an overhaul and most certainly,reorientation in the leadership structure. And surely,transformational minded leaders with the urgent ability to think outside the box to sieve in dynamic ideas as well us radical  policy thinktanks with the earnest need to implement reforms to stabilize the continent's economy. Also, there is the need for Africa to reinvigorate the spirit of pan Africanism and the conscious  step_by_approach in creating a united State of Africa to best project it as a super power in the world.Equally, there's the need to rake out corruption in the system because, billions of dollars go down the drain all in the name of corruption and all forms of illicit financial malfeasance,misappropriation of funds not forgetting, the swift need to resonate economic revival throughout the continent.

  The clarion call is on the current crop of leaders to develop the art of mastery to Marshall out well refined roadmap and people centered economic policies for this generation and generations yet to come.
Our continent must arise and work again to better the lives of over 1.2 billion people.
Leaders of the continent must wake up!

God bless.

ANANPANSAH ISAAC
0200316691//ananpansahisaac@gmail.com

The author is a Freelance Journalist, a student of the university of  Ghana.

CF entertainment launches Anniversary

CF Entertainment Launches Anniversary            

Changing face ( CF) Entertainment has hinted that it will be launching and celebrating its 5th Anniversary celebration anytime soon this year.

This was revealed in a meeting organized for its members on Monday 10th July, 2017, by the CEO of the group Kumatey Gorden,known in local entertainment cycles as DJ Flenzy.

The entertainment group was established in September 2012  by a five member committee led by DJ Flenzy the current C. E. O of the firm after realizing Gonjaland was lacking behind in terms of event organization, talent promotion,and entertainment in general.

The entry of CF entertainment into the industry has since compelled other competitors to sit up in the running of their firms in similar operations that has seen a total change in the face of entertainment in Damongo and its environs.

The Anniversary celebration which seek to open doors for the group to operate as a record label would enable CF entertainment to expand its operations in artists management and branding, and signing of new deals with artists for their management and promotion.

CF entertainment as an entertainment group has also admitted to working towards the resurrection of funfairs which the group sees as a light to talent discovery. Industry players, artists,youth groups and opinion leaders are free to forward their suggestions to us on the upcoming event through; 0243531604/0203658132.

The group will be announcing the date and other necessary arrangements soon.

Signed:

   Kumatey Gorden

(Dj Flenzy (CEO))
0243531604/0203658132

Issued;
DJ Wounded (PRO)

(0507176888)