Part 2 of reviving the spirit of communal labour:Canteen youth in perspective
There is indeed,joy in communal toil, yes!
Our part two (2) of reviving the spirit of communal labour tour took us to the Hospital Junction Drive.That spot,which is a 'T Junction' leading to the West Gonja Hospital and Canteen avenue has been a death trap for years.It has received wide public outcry following the many accidents which have cost lives and damage to property (motorbikes, cars ad infinitum).
The bandwagon to fix that portion of the road which started on a small note,as usual got the Canteen Wura and his subchiefs,and elders of Canteen participating effectively.The outturn was overwhelming and unexpected.All thanks to our revered chiefs/elders and my fellow youth(Canteen Yaara)....
Many thanks to all cash and kind contributors.We have noted your disposition to do good to society and have a special way of thanking you.God richly bless and multiply your benevolence...
Before the start of the communal labour,we had the intention of only one (1) bag of cement, 30Ghc diesel support,1 trip of stones and sand, motorking and tractor support,but the support we received during the process was overwhelming and worth the effort to start...
When next you are negotiating that junction or driving along that stretch/spot,slow down,roll your glasses,tell me the difference then and now, and thank the youth of Canteen later.
The seemingly undulating bridge has been levelled and the submerged gutter resurrected to direct water and liquid waste.The reanimated gutter and bridge would stop any further eroding away of that portion of the road thanks to the youth of Canteen.We nearly lost that portion of the road leading to not less a place,than the only hospital in the District to erosion.
We have not entirely completed the work....The community volunteer who did the masonry work whispered in my ears after the exercise that,we would need not less than 10 bags of cement and at least,a trip of stones to do the stone pitching to secure the trough along the eaves(gutter).
We wish to appeal to the general public particularly,the District assembly,the member of parliament, philanthropist and indeed, anyone who is touched by this spirit to revive communal labour to come to our aid to ensure a completion of what we've started for God, country and community. Next coming Friday is another day.We are out again!
The power of community mobilization and the seemingly lost days of communal labour:
I hearken back to a poem I wrote months ago and a wave of nostalgia swept over me strongly.
The repeated rhymes of the poem were driven by a drunk desire to see a return of the good old days.see: https://mobile.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/features/Tales-of-the-good-old-days-635397... http://ananpansah-ab.blogspot.com/2018/03/tales-of-good-old-days.html?m=1.
When I talk about the good old days in this written account, I mean to say the days of communal labour.
I write of communal labour in a personal coinage as a joint action of community members accomplishing a task for the benefit of the entirety of society.Such labour leads to the achievement of a common goal, thus improving the quality and standard of living of community members and the provision of social amenities.
Today,instead communal labour,we would curse the wind and flood the airwaves with cacophonous chaos over what we call "it is someone's duty".Diminishing marginal returns seem to have set in on the ability of the women to carry water,whilst the men mix mortar and put up the buildings.The politics of coloring development and clothing same in partisan politics is the order of the day.
Individualism has fast substituted communism and communal spirit.
Let's revisit and renew the spirit of communal labour.Canteen youth is clearly showing the way.
I entreat the West Gonja District assembly to localise the now-defunct National Sanitation Day to what I will christen "Communal Labour Day".
Let's identify and set aside a day in every month,where we can mobilise the power of the youth for community work. We look out for special challenges in our individual communities, and move in to fix same.
Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable and a little rain each day will fill the rivers to overflowing.I end with a quote from Jeff Bridges,"The way to change the world is through individual responsibility and taking local action in your own community."
I am a proud Canteen Yaaro!
Shalom!
Source:Ananpansah B Abraham (AB)//Village writer
(0241129910/0200704844)
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