December 20, 2012
When the clock strikes that chord to tell the time, it is a clear manifestation that time has just gone on. But time will only pass us by, if we fail to hear the tick-tock of the clock and fail to do what we have to do.
Nothing gets late than the moment we realise that we have regretted not having acted as early as we ought to have done.
Internal Auditors demonstrating a keen listening ear for the tick-tock of the clock also know that time gone by can be time lost if we allow time to pass us by. We cannot afford the cost of complacency. I won't even talk about lethargy and its impact. Oh why have I not even spoken about taking responsibility for our actions? That's just it. We cannot afford the cost of any negativity with our work.
Therefore, as we resolve to be the Internal Auditors of the future by being there - when it even gets thought of, when it even gets planned, when it even gets done, and when the mopping up and reports are being put together or even ignored – we will be in pole position to be able to tell them (management and colleagues) that the time of reckoning is also nigh….. and we were there.
We love our role as Internal Auditors
…. and we wish all our stakeholders, friends and colleagues a most bright future of collaboration, support, excellent advisory services and fully wired assurance services that will surpass the expectations of all who care about Internal Audit.
With the best of Wishes and Love
Eric N. Yankah
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Friday, December 7, 2012
Election 2012: Bla Elik in Tema Reporting 05
Friday 22:00hrs
Just finished my Milo and remembered one thing.. and that is to say
shame to all those who were shouting that we have to prevent
violence!! Of course, we need to but who said tha we were headed for violence.
Everything about this election has put all those people to shame.
Ghana has not burned ( or is it burnt?), Ghana will not burn and is
not even contemplating burning.
I will be back.!! Once again, For now, Good night!!!
BTW, You can read my quadrilineal blog and catch up with the
excitement of the previous posts on http://bla-elik.blogspot.com
Bla Elik
Just finished my Milo and remembered one thing.. and that is to say
shame to all those who were shouting that we have to prevent
violence!! Of course, we need to but who said tha we were headed for violence.
Everything about this election has put all those people to shame.
Ghana has not burned ( or is it burnt?), Ghana will not burn and is
not even contemplating burning.
I will be back.!! Once again, For now, Good night!!!
BTW, You can read my quadrilineal blog and catch up with the
excitement of the previous posts on http://bla-elik.blogspot.com
Bla Elik
Re: ec needs public co-operation
the Party Agents in all the affected areas, whih agreed to adjourn, made the EC Officials put all the remaining materials in the ballot boxes and they all put their individual numbered seals on every possible point.. so the ballots will be safe over night.
It is a major cock up in my view because I know from business continuity and disaster recovery practice that if there is a one-off event like an election, you cannot allow certain contingencies from occurring in the first place. There should have been backups of the machines at every and each station. There should also have been backup batteries, back up memory or storage cards. Thinking that there will be a certain probability of failure was not good enough an excuse to keep the back-ups at centralised locations especially if the logistics planning to replenish anguished centres was not going to be as smooth as I thought they will do.
It all boils down to planning, planning, then testing, testing.. indeed.. then simulation, simulation and I thought that lessons from the special voting day will have removed some element of complacency.
Bla Elik
At 08:43 PM 12/7/2012, Yaw B wrote:
It is a major cock up in my view because I know from business continuity and disaster recovery practice that if there is a one-off event like an election, you cannot allow certain contingencies from occurring in the first place. There should have been backups of the machines at every and each station. There should also have been backup batteries, back up memory or storage cards. Thinking that there will be a certain probability of failure was not good enough an excuse to keep the back-ups at centralised locations especially if the logistics planning to replenish anguished centres was not going to be as smooth as I thought they will do.
It all boils down to planning, planning, then testing, testing.. indeed.. then simulation, simulation and I thought that lessons from the special voting day will have removed some element of complacency.
Bla Elik
At 08:43 PM 12/7/2012, Yaw B wrote:
Yes, Uncle, things could have gone better. Spent the morning in Agona Kwanyarko where things seem to have gone smoothly. One of the boys in my house just return, will have to go back tomorrow; E. Legon hasn't been as good.
On Friday, December 7, 2012, K wrote:
- I just watched on Joy FM, a beleaguered Electoral Officer at the Caprice polling station in Accra do his best to handle an almost impossible situation. He calmly explained to the teeming crowd that there were about 300 people who had not been able to vote today. He advised them to come back tomorrow Saturday and they would be able to vote. Meanwhile, the polling agents of the parties would accompany the police and the election officials to Kotobabi Police Station, where the ballot papers would be kept overnight. The crowd protested but appeared to agree.
- This appeared to be a pragmatic process and if it works, all fine and good. But there are too many difficulties possible. Suppose recalcitrant police officers try to prevent the polling agents from staying with the ballot all night? When the polling agents are at the police station, would the police treat them with respect and not try to bugabuga them with instructions? Are the polling agents equipped to stay at the police station all night? Equipped with feeding facilities, for instance? (Hygiene we might forget about -- it's only 24 hours, after all!)
- In the final analysis, we have to conclude that the Electoral commission has been to stiff-necked about this election. It introduced a brand new electoral system; there were protests about the system's efficacy, which the EC ignored. The EC had the biometric registration to open its eyes to the possibility of its machines NOT working properly, but it doesn't appear to have taken any steps to forestall the massive failure of verification machiines, that has now occurred.
- Did the EC bite more than it could chew by adding 45 constituencies, which no-one particularly wanted, to the tally? Common sense suggests that if trouble can occur in two constituencies, then trouble in four constituencies will be twice as difficult to handle, doesn't it?
- Despite its failures, however, the EC needs public co-operation at this time, not blaming. The important thing is to manage the explosive situation as best as possible, so that the public will continue to have confidence in the electoral process. An analysis of what went wrong can be done afterwards, and those responsible for not anticipating and pre-empting the difficult situation duly punished.
- LET US HOPE THE NIGHT IS NOT QUITE AS DARK --FIGURATIVELY -- AS IT SEEMS.
Election 2012: Bla Elik in Tema Reporting 04
Friday 21:30hrs
What a day this has been. I am sorry that I could not get back to my
little box to tell my story earlier. Oh My Oh my. I wanted to do
some updates direct from the field but my little flat thing could not
connect to the net and now i has all but been overtaken by the events
of the day.
But you know, here is the day in perspective from my narrow bottle mouth.
The process of voting itself once you got a chance to do it took less
than 2 minutes in total. You show your card, they check it in the
order in which your name is written on the card.. so if your card
says Bla Elik Onuador for example, you had to be in the line for
Bs.. If it is written the Presbyterain way as Onuador Elik Bla or
Onuador Bla Elik, you went to the line for Os.... it was
simple. many people simply did not listen to the instructions of
the folks who periodically came along the lines or felt hat they had
queued enough in a particular line to change lanes - only to get to
the mouth of the line at the polling booth to be sent to the end of
the correct line. I did a simple thing that my daughter reminded me
about - I sent an sms to code 1413 with my polling station number and
about 2 hours later, I got a feedback confirmation about exactly
where and which line to join.. It saved me a ton!!! Noneheless, I
waited in line about 2 hours to vote. I even met a classmate of
mine who said he was called to the head of the line because he looked
like a senior citizen.. he offiered to take me to the place and I
said, I enjoy the euphoria of watching history unfold once
more.. remember what Kente4U just said earlier today.. its been 20
years, y'all !!!
well, I voted and I voted - one for presidential and then for
parliamentary. Then the burden appeared lifted from my
shoulders. Except tha I had my legs to contend with - because the
resident dictator was still in the other line - just because of her
wrong first name. whew, now I must say, I am damn lucky they used
the Eric.. She has a big S to start off her name. and it was a
cool one hour thirty five minutes of waiting. I mean
1h35m.......!!!! before she was done.
by this time, it was 4:40pm and I began to wonder what was going to
happen because one of the 5 stations in the yard had had a
verification machine failure for well over 5-6 hours. the others
including mine had experienced intermittent failures or
stoppages. well then I drove out to try and get some
kelewele (Arnold, eat your heart out!!) but alwas, setewa it was.
because all the kelewele sellers were probably in some queue
somewhere or they were afraid that election euphoria will force the
to give out free quality Kelewele. So with my legs in my car, I
returned to the polling station in my neighbourhood just on the
stroke of 5:00pm.. one of them had finished and so they commenced
sorting and counting.
But folks, as I drove around along the Spintex Road, I realised that
the turnout was really really huge this time around and that folks
were more than eager to get their mouth listened to via their
thumbs. Huge lines were the order of the day. This was of course
corroborated by the Radio and TV broadcasts.
Thankfully, the EC came out to say that if teh machines were not
available, and they also started so late, they could continue
tomorrow .. so Party agents, girded their loins to put their seals on
the ballot papers and materials. But some places, when the machine
arrived, the people said they were prepared to stay overnight if that
was what it took, and promptly, people went o their homes and brought
mobile lights, some brought their cars and turned on their headlights
to illuminate the grounds. What a determined people we are!!!
Some places of course did not have any problems and so they completed
at the appointed times,,, so as I write, the results have come in
paaa from many of the narly 26000 polling stations and it is clear
that the nail biting has been more than audibly settled.. It is a
two horse race between NDC & NPP In both Presidential and Parliamentary races.
Sadly Nduom is not likely to get back any of the money he invested
- I doubt with the trend of results coming whether he can get the
deposit refund from the electoral commission. Even in KEEA his home
constituency, the results were disastrous. the rest of the parties
(GCPP, PNC, CPP) are getting 1 or 2 in some polling stations.. UFP
and independent JOY are clocking a serious 0 in most places. in the
Parliamentary it is the same.. but NC Ayariga in a few places has had
like 5 or 7.. It is very bad. I have said it before that Ghana is
a two tradition town and that is NPP and NDC.. the Nkrumaists have,
in my opinion, been destroyed beyond repair in and via this
election. I am sorry, but I wonder how with all their gurus, thy
could not read the signs. Just their bickering for position was a
recipe for disaster as it clearly pointed out to the electorate that
they could not even patch a small set of organistaions... how could
they sustain and patch the diversity called Ogyakrom. Nkrumaists,
forget about the constitutional right of association and democratic
option for self-determination!!! Simply choose a tradition ( I am
sure you know which one without fighting over the choice of colour or
emblem) and align with it for the future..
Right now, even with a possible vote tomorrow in many areas, the die
is cast and the flow of results will continue.
This will be a very very tight race.. I am watching the trends!! in
most places, it is NDC & NPP criss-crossing each other with votes in
either of the races. some regions have also demonstrated strong
gargantuan results..but it looks like there are a great many swing
constituencies.. But like I said this morning.. It is still early days yet.
But I tell you, 2012 will be an election to remember.. when it is
all over, the biometric verification would be seen to have more than
contributed to the beauty of the Ghana political journey.. even if
the no verification, no vote has bitten a few people and refused them
the chance to vote in today's election. the machine could also
tell how many ballots should be in the box.. so when you open the box
after the voting, the total number of ballots including rejected
ballots must not be more than what the verification machine says.
This evening is an opportunity for all of us not to sleep.. because
counting has been completed some places, voting is goiing on in some
other places, others have adjourned till tomorrow morning.
let me end by telling yo a funny story at my polling station. This
young lady walks up to the polling officer, presents her card, is
checked correct, then she proceeds to the next official and is duly
verified with her for-finger on the machine.. She walks to the next
official, is given the Presidential, collects the ballot paper, folds
it there and then and walks to the ballot box, slots in the folded
ballot paper... then she walks to the next officer ( who is the
officer in charge of the parliamentary ballot papers) and asks in Twi
" nea EwOhe na me de min sa be tim so no" and which one will I have
to thumbprint? she was told, in Twi, eno na wo de akoshEmu no.. it
is the one you just slotted in ... so she asks the Polling
Official, Oh, so cant I get another one? she was promptly
dismissed... but she got to do the parliamentary. Her plain
unstamped ballot was among the rejected ballots.
I tell u. What a day, this has been!!
I am yet to eat my Milo with hot water!!!
I will be back.!! For now, Good night!!!
BTW, You can read my quadrilineal blog and catch up with the
excitement of the previous posts on http://bla-elik.blogspot.com
Bla Elik
What a day this has been. I am sorry that I could not get back to my
little box to tell my story earlier. Oh My Oh my. I wanted to do
some updates direct from the field but my little flat thing could not
connect to the net and now i has all but been overtaken by the events
of the day.
But you know, here is the day in perspective from my narrow bottle mouth.
The process of voting itself once you got a chance to do it took less
than 2 minutes in total. You show your card, they check it in the
order in which your name is written on the card.. so if your card
says Bla Elik Onuador for example, you had to be in the line for
Bs.. If it is written the Presbyterain way as Onuador Elik Bla or
Onuador Bla Elik, you went to the line for Os.... it was
simple. many people simply did not listen to the instructions of
the folks who periodically came along the lines or felt hat they had
queued enough in a particular line to change lanes - only to get to
the mouth of the line at the polling booth to be sent to the end of
the correct line. I did a simple thing that my daughter reminded me
about - I sent an sms to code 1413 with my polling station number and
about 2 hours later, I got a feedback confirmation about exactly
where and which line to join.. It saved me a ton!!! Noneheless, I
waited in line about 2 hours to vote. I even met a classmate of
mine who said he was called to the head of the line because he looked
like a senior citizen.. he offiered to take me to the place and I
said, I enjoy the euphoria of watching history unfold once
more.. remember what Kente4U just said earlier today.. its been 20
years, y'all !!!
well, I voted and I voted - one for presidential and then for
parliamentary. Then the burden appeared lifted from my
shoulders. Except tha I had my legs to contend with - because the
resident dictator was still in the other line - just because of her
wrong first name. whew, now I must say, I am damn lucky they used
the Eric.. She has a big S to start off her name. and it was a
cool one hour thirty five minutes of waiting. I mean
1h35m.......!!!! before she was done.
by this time, it was 4:40pm and I began to wonder what was going to
happen because one of the 5 stations in the yard had had a
verification machine failure for well over 5-6 hours. the others
including mine had experienced intermittent failures or
stoppages. well then I drove out to try and get some
kelewele (Arnold, eat your heart out!!) but alwas, setewa it was.
because all the kelewele sellers were probably in some queue
somewhere or they were afraid that election euphoria will force the
to give out free quality Kelewele. So with my legs in my car, I
returned to the polling station in my neighbourhood just on the
stroke of 5:00pm.. one of them had finished and so they commenced
sorting and counting.
But folks, as I drove around along the Spintex Road, I realised that
the turnout was really really huge this time around and that folks
were more than eager to get their mouth listened to via their
thumbs. Huge lines were the order of the day. This was of course
corroborated by the Radio and TV broadcasts.
Thankfully, the EC came out to say that if teh machines were not
available, and they also started so late, they could continue
tomorrow .. so Party agents, girded their loins to put their seals on
the ballot papers and materials. But some places, when the machine
arrived, the people said they were prepared to stay overnight if that
was what it took, and promptly, people went o their homes and brought
mobile lights, some brought their cars and turned on their headlights
to illuminate the grounds. What a determined people we are!!!
Some places of course did not have any problems and so they completed
at the appointed times,,, so as I write, the results have come in
paaa from many of the narly 26000 polling stations and it is clear
that the nail biting has been more than audibly settled.. It is a
two horse race between NDC & NPP In both Presidential and Parliamentary races.
Sadly Nduom is not likely to get back any of the money he invested
- I doubt with the trend of results coming whether he can get the
deposit refund from the electoral commission. Even in KEEA his home
constituency, the results were disastrous. the rest of the parties
(GCPP, PNC, CPP) are getting 1 or 2 in some polling stations.. UFP
and independent JOY are clocking a serious 0 in most places. in the
Parliamentary it is the same.. but NC Ayariga in a few places has had
like 5 or 7.. It is very bad. I have said it before that Ghana is
a two tradition town and that is NPP and NDC.. the Nkrumaists have,
in my opinion, been destroyed beyond repair in and via this
election. I am sorry, but I wonder how with all their gurus, thy
could not read the signs. Just their bickering for position was a
recipe for disaster as it clearly pointed out to the electorate that
they could not even patch a small set of organistaions... how could
they sustain and patch the diversity called Ogyakrom. Nkrumaists,
forget about the constitutional right of association and democratic
option for self-determination!!! Simply choose a tradition ( I am
sure you know which one without fighting over the choice of colour or
emblem) and align with it for the future..
Right now, even with a possible vote tomorrow in many areas, the die
is cast and the flow of results will continue.
This will be a very very tight race.. I am watching the trends!! in
most places, it is NDC & NPP criss-crossing each other with votes in
either of the races. some regions have also demonstrated strong
gargantuan results..but it looks like there are a great many swing
constituencies.. But like I said this morning.. It is still early days yet.
But I tell you, 2012 will be an election to remember.. when it is
all over, the biometric verification would be seen to have more than
contributed to the beauty of the Ghana political journey.. even if
the no verification, no vote has bitten a few people and refused them
the chance to vote in today's election. the machine could also
tell how many ballots should be in the box.. so when you open the box
after the voting, the total number of ballots including rejected
ballots must not be more than what the verification machine says.
This evening is an opportunity for all of us not to sleep.. because
counting has been completed some places, voting is goiing on in some
other places, others have adjourned till tomorrow morning.
let me end by telling yo a funny story at my polling station. This
young lady walks up to the polling officer, presents her card, is
checked correct, then she proceeds to the next official and is duly
verified with her for-finger on the machine.. She walks to the next
official, is given the Presidential, collects the ballot paper, folds
it there and then and walks to the ballot box, slots in the folded
ballot paper... then she walks to the next officer ( who is the
officer in charge of the parliamentary ballot papers) and asks in Twi
" nea EwOhe na me de min sa be tim so no" and which one will I have
to thumbprint? she was told, in Twi, eno na wo de akoshEmu no.. it
is the one you just slotted in ... so she asks the Polling
Official, Oh, so cant I get another one? she was promptly
dismissed... but she got to do the parliamentary. Her plain
unstamped ballot was among the rejected ballots.
I tell u. What a day, this has been!!
I am yet to eat my Milo with hot water!!!
I will be back.!! For now, Good night!!!
BTW, You can read my quadrilineal blog and catch up with the
excitement of the previous posts on http://bla-elik.blogspot.com
Bla Elik
Election 2012: Bla Elik in Tema Reporting 03
Friday 07:47hrs
The voting is a bit slow because of the verification step.. but not
to worry, it is too early to form any conclusion.. We will surely
fall into the rhythm as the day trudges on.
the Radio and TV stations are really standing up to the beat with
good spread on reporting.
It seems in many places across teh country, voting has not started as
of now.. either the materials are a bit late arriving or as I am
hearing on radio, one polling station in Tema Central (Comm 4 Police
station area) the ballot boxes are wet from yesterday's rains and the
papers are all soaked and so if the EC doesnt step in with new
materials, the folks may have a challenge voting today. IN Bukom,
Freeman Methodist Church Polling station, it appears that two of the
EC staff were late and they had to look for replacements so they may
start voting in the next few minutes at about 0800 or thereabouts..
but in all cases the folks are comporting themselves very very well.
In one or two places, it looks like where there are two polling
booths in the same area, the list is split into two groups by
alphabetical order (say A-J, then K-Z) and this is also in tone.
Logistics planning, back-up systems, tests of back-up systems, more
logistics planning.. A lesson we probably never complete.
But I tell you, the people are really really eager to vote. Delays
or no delays!!!
I will be back.!!
BTW, You can read my quadrilineal blog and catch up with the
excitement of the previous posts on http://bla-elik.blogspot.com
Bla Elik
The voting is a bit slow because of the verification step.. but not
to worry, it is too early to form any conclusion.. We will surely
fall into the rhythm as the day trudges on.
the Radio and TV stations are really standing up to the beat with
good spread on reporting.
It seems in many places across teh country, voting has not started as
of now.. either the materials are a bit late arriving or as I am
hearing on radio, one polling station in Tema Central (Comm 4 Police
station area) the ballot boxes are wet from yesterday's rains and the
papers are all soaked and so if the EC doesnt step in with new
materials, the folks may have a challenge voting today. IN Bukom,
Freeman Methodist Church Polling station, it appears that two of the
EC staff were late and they had to look for replacements so they may
start voting in the next few minutes at about 0800 or thereabouts..
but in all cases the folks are comporting themselves very very well.
In one or two places, it looks like where there are two polling
booths in the same area, the list is split into two groups by
alphabetical order (say A-J, then K-Z) and this is also in tone.
Logistics planning, back-up systems, tests of back-up systems, more
logistics planning.. A lesson we probably never complete.
But I tell you, the people are really really eager to vote. Delays
or no delays!!!
I will be back.!!
BTW, You can read my quadrilineal blog and catch up with the
excitement of the previous posts on http://bla-elik.blogspot.com
Bla Elik
Election 2012: Bla Elik in Tema Reporting 02
Friday 07:03
The day has finally started!!
After a 5 minute demonstration to show the electorate how to vote and how to avoid the spoilt ballots. My polling station has started work. Voter#1 has just been verified and has picked his presidential ballot. I am watching the throughput per person.. that is really the kicker to make sure that all 1000+ voters at my polling station can cast before the 5:00pm..
I am sure that will be the pattern across the country but I trust that all other stations would also have started. By the way I notice that mobile phone traffic is exceedingly high.. I am standing next to a friend and I cant even reach him.
I don't want to see voting at night and counting deep in the night either.
I will be back.!!
Bla Elik
The day has finally started!!
After a 5 minute demonstration to show the electorate how to vote and how to avoid the spoilt ballots. My polling station has started work. Voter#1 has just been verified and has picked his presidential ballot. I am watching the throughput per person.. that is really the kicker to make sure that all 1000+ voters at my polling station can cast before the 5:00pm..
I am sure that will be the pattern across the country but I trust that all other stations would also have started. By the way I notice that mobile phone traffic is exceedingly high.. I am standing next to a friend and I cant even reach him.
I don't want to see voting at night and counting deep in the night either.
I will be back.!!
Bla Elik
Election 2012: Bla Elik in Tema Reporting 01
Friday 06:26
The day has come!!! and what a start this will be!!!
This would surely be a huge turnout day. Al over the country the
queues started as early as 1:30am this morning. In my own polling
station in Community 18, Tema, it is already wow. just watching a
stion on TV, someone says she got to the polling station at 7:00pm
last night. Shiee!!!! People have not slept.. all in a bid to cast
their Vote
I know there will be very little by way of fracas,. Incidentally, I
wonder why people have spent so much time talking about how we have
to work hard to maintain the peace. because, I was wondering why we
have not spent time educating the electorate on the full rights and
responsibilities.
In just about 30 minutes from now, the die will be cast and the
process for determine who the next batch of leaders will be will
become cast in stone. No opinion polls will matter.. who
constitutes that X% of Ghanaians will not mater at all... it will
simply be a matter of the thumb talking.
yesterday, it was massive rains throughout the Accra area but that
rather has cooled down the temperatures not of tempers and emotions
but of the "climatic" temperatures under which we will vote
today. Exercising your franchise gives one a feeling that cannot be
described.. and this morning, I shall also join the teeming eligible
voter to do exactly that. Ii will be voting in the Tema West
Constituency where Sam Ofosu-Ampofo (NDC), Naa Torshie Addo (NPP) ,
Sue Adu-Amankwaa (CPP) among others whose names I don't remember are
vying for the Parliamentary Seat. As for the Presidential, we all
know who the contestants are.!!
Wise voting has been recommended by all the parties so each voter
will do his/her interpretation of whatever that means to them. The
public adverts this year were super creative and this time round, had
pointed response/rebuttal type TV adverts..some were just crass junk
but whatever opinion one has, no one can deny that this year,
communications and media has really been pushed to a good limit by
all the parties with facebook, web pages, twitter, sms via mobile
phones, TV, Radio, door to door, inanimate mannequins dressed in
party colours and human mannequins painted in party colours walked the streets
The rush to travel to the hinterland to cast votes brought Accra
Tema to a virtual standstill as all the lorry stations were just
choked ith travellers. The local flights have also been full since
yesterday even with the addition of additional flights by all the
domestic operators. It is my understanding that this morning, the
situation is the same as people are still struggling to get to their
hometowns where they registered to be able to exercise their franchise.
I even heard someone on radio saying that the parties should pay for
the empty buses to come from the hinterland to come to Accra to pick
the stranded passengers. I am just saying to myself.. haba!! this
will be stretching the matter too far. for all you know, the drivers
and their mates themselves dont want to miss their votes as
well. Today be Today!!!
The anxiety, the ecstasy, the pressure, the nail-biting, the wringing
of wrists, the koo-mi-ni-ni ....is helping the day start on a frying
pan. Hot as Bofrot, but soft on the inside!!!
so off we go.. this will surely be a huge turnout day and so it
should be. Ghana will surely confirm its credentials.. ... .I dont
want to use the expression "Beacon of African Democracy"!!
I will be back.!!
I dey go vote come!!!!
Bla Elik
The day has come!!! and what a start this will be!!!
This would surely be a huge turnout day. Al over the country the
queues started as early as 1:30am this morning. In my own polling
station in Community 18, Tema, it is already wow. just watching a
stion on TV, someone says she got to the polling station at 7:00pm
last night. Shiee!!!! People have not slept.. all in a bid to cast
their Vote
I know there will be very little by way of fracas,. Incidentally, I
wonder why people have spent so much time talking about how we have
to work hard to maintain the peace. because, I was wondering why we
have not spent time educating the electorate on the full rights and
responsibilities.
In just about 30 minutes from now, the die will be cast and the
process for determine who the next batch of leaders will be will
become cast in stone. No opinion polls will matter.. who
constitutes that X% of Ghanaians will not mater at all... it will
simply be a matter of the thumb talking.
yesterday, it was massive rains throughout the Accra area but that
rather has cooled down the temperatures not of tempers and emotions
but of the "climatic" temperatures under which we will vote
today. Exercising your franchise gives one a feeling that cannot be
described.. and this morning, I shall also join the teeming eligible
voter to do exactly that. Ii will be voting in the Tema West
Constituency where Sam Ofosu-Ampofo (NDC), Naa Torshie Addo (NPP) ,
Sue Adu-Amankwaa (CPP) among others whose names I don't remember are
vying for the Parliamentary Seat. As for the Presidential, we all
know who the contestants are.!!
Wise voting has been recommended by all the parties so each voter
will do his/her interpretation of whatever that means to them. The
public adverts this year were super creative and this time round, had
pointed response/rebuttal type TV adverts..some were just crass junk
but whatever opinion one has, no one can deny that this year,
communications and media has really been pushed to a good limit by
all the parties with facebook, web pages, twitter, sms via mobile
phones, TV, Radio, door to door, inanimate mannequins dressed in
party colours and human mannequins painted in party colours walked the streets
The rush to travel to the hinterland to cast votes brought Accra
Tema to a virtual standstill as all the lorry stations were just
choked ith travellers. The local flights have also been full since
yesterday even with the addition of additional flights by all the
domestic operators. It is my understanding that this morning, the
situation is the same as people are still struggling to get to their
hometowns where they registered to be able to exercise their franchise.
I even heard someone on radio saying that the parties should pay for
the empty buses to come from the hinterland to come to Accra to pick
the stranded passengers. I am just saying to myself.. haba!! this
will be stretching the matter too far. for all you know, the drivers
and their mates themselves dont want to miss their votes as
well. Today be Today!!!
The anxiety, the ecstasy, the pressure, the nail-biting, the wringing
of wrists, the koo-mi-ni-ni ....is helping the day start on a frying
pan. Hot as Bofrot, but soft on the inside!!!
so off we go.. this will surely be a huge turnout day and so it
should be. Ghana will surely confirm its credentials.. ... .I dont
want to use the expression "Beacon of African Democracy"!!
I will be back.!!
I dey go vote come!!!!
Bla Elik
Monday, April 19, 2010
Re: A Better Ghana: Erratic power outages to last for a year
BG (and all)
It is all very easy to criticise the situation and I will agree with you if there seems to be some sense of despondency somewhere with utility services. There is no doubt about that. But has anyone actually done an introspection?
lets get the situation in proper perspective.
The utilities ( water, electricity in particular) are regulated in terms of how much they can charge as direct operators. what has happened for all these years right from inception is that there has always been a limitation of what the utilities can charge their customers.
Point one - not all who complain are actually customers of the utilities - consumers we all are but customers we may not be!! but we all bear the brunt of the poor services if they so occur
Point two - apart from petrol ( which is to some extent regulated) and salaries, everything local that is used is subject to commercial and market forces - cement, vehicles (taxes & duties are paid by the way), steel rods, operating chemicals and all other local supplies. The worse thing is that most of these are imported as a result of the long known collapse of Ghana manufacturing - although to some extent AGI is also trying but what do we see - our manufacturing and industry is generally geared towards export market to the extent that the better products are sent out quite often for foreign exchange
Point Three - in the utility business, goods are not sold according to your poverty level or otherwise - you pay for what you get money for.... in much the same way, you can only order what you are sure you can raise money for. Forget the crude oil or gas - even with credit lines we are talking 32 ( Three two) million dollars a month just to buy crude oil for Aboadze plant. forget the other thermal plants that also run on crude oil and those in Tema that run on Diesel. Guess what, at current tariffs, the maximum bill from say VRA to ECG is about US$24-27 million equivalent. so even with spares, paying workers etc there is a shortfall right there that must be plugged. before I go to Point Four, let me point out that the hole that must be plugged usually must come from GoG as owner of the utilities
Point Four - consumers dont generally like to hear of tariff increases right from Nkrumah days to now. a) in Nkrumah days the machines were new at Akosombo and just a few towns had isolated diesel generating stations that operated for limited hours (usually evenings). so like a new car, it was just regular servicing that did the trick. b) over the years, the machines aged beautifully, the network was expanded, our towns got bigger, more people migrated to the big towns, we started SHEP ( Self Help Electrification Programme), we managed to get Valco to pay more but even there Valco which was consuming 3241GWh per year had to progressively scale down as we could not justify additional plants because we did not have the ability to pay back directly without support from GoG. The Ghana load conversely also grew and soon domestic demand excluding Valco and the Mines took up more than 60% of the demand profile. what did we see at both the generation and distribution ends? poor payers for services. consumers resisted paying more and either linked any payment at higher tariffs to salary increases and affordability, ECG also paid less to VRA because of their own problems which had been exacerbated with teh genuine problem of poor customer rendering of responsibility. No Government has liked the idea of getting unpopular because of tariffs and that is wher point Five comes in
Point Five - to tray and redress the perennial revenue issues, a number of initiatives were tackled - the Cross Debt Clearing House under which all the stakeholders met periodically to reconcile their indebtedness to each other - say VRA is given support by GoG to buy crude oil, that is logged, ECG buys power from VRA and is not paying all, thet is flagged, Ghana Water is not paying ECG so ECG is not paying VRA is also flagged etc at the end of the day, the net debtor picks up the flak. Whilst this was good for some time, it was not comprehensively addressing the problem so the Power Sector Reform programme was initiated in part because GoG (in the early 1990s) and the utilities were hemorrhaging and needed some new spice to (at the core of it all) bring a commercial attitude devoid of much governmental intervention because it had been proven that the utilities could largely operate without much direct interventions if their resource base was good. So in comes the PURC ( The public utilities regulatory commission) which was supposed to be 100% independent and subject to any authority in the performance of its duties. Guess what the stakeholders put on it generally represent interests ( consumers, industry, trades unions) that are more likely to be unfavourably inclined towards tariff increases so they have kept on hammering the efficiency issue so much that everybody believes that is the core problem. Anybody who has actually gone into the utilities would bear testimony that but for our fine crop of staff, the Ghana utilities would have collapsed a long time ago. Efficiency is to some simply painting what is bad and getting it to work no matter what. but I tell you the truth is that the frame that is not good cannot support the heavy curtain of debt if you were to treat that as a garment of governance
Point Six - In spite of the difficulties, Ghanaman loves his tinted glass house with the burglar proof inside even if he has no air-conditioning - so we sweat under our own pleasures!! My point is that, once we make our choices for taste, we must be reciprocal in determining the responsibilty for paying for it. The answer I would say decidedly is NOT to privatise (and it does not matter whether it is to a Ghanaian or Expatriate person or company that we privatise) as some would be shouting but to commercialise and allo management to do its job and meet set targets. Amanfour, as you will see, anybody who has been on the seat will tell you that shouting from the sidelines is not the same as being there on the pitch and coaching - indeed, when it comes to teh utility business, quite often the conjectures come from people with no clue as to the core of the problem.
Point Seven - we should be thankful that the system has not been collapsing frequently. we must be grateful for the little our boys and girls are doing to keep Ghana illuminated.. I wont compare Ghana to any country, we are simply not at the best level but certainly not until consumers get it into themselves to agree to support the utilities by removeing all avenues of excuse, the problem wont go away, Remember, if the utilities need 10 Ghana Cedis to do a job and they are denied this revenue wise with a 3% tariff increase (say 4 Ghana Cedis) instead of say an 8%, what we do is force them to borrow the remaining 6 Ghana Cedis.. at the end of the year at 20 percent interest, teh hole is actually bigger and they will come back now looking for 15% tariff increase and the longer this delays, the more deeper the hole we dig.. and GoG to prevent financial collapse steps in with money that could have and should go to Education, Health and other social services - we are our won enemies because at the end of its tenure - GoG begins to panic and gives fodder to the parties opposite to make their case and when they also come in - the repeat the same wahala and the cycle begins for us.
Point Eight - the demand for utility services is so great that Accra alone has practically gone beyond double capacity since 2002 when a brand new substation was opened at Mallam to take up part of the load at the Achimota substation right on the Dzorwulu rail crossing. A third one is being built near Adjiringanor and I wont be surprised that this could become overloaded in a few years. the morale of this latter story is that, despite such interventions - there are still many parts of Accra that are still UNserved and many parts that are UNDERserved. All that is money.
This is not about politics.. IT is about understanding the subject matter and tackling it from the core.. This business of our GOvernment has done this or that and the other government did not do that will be an unending cycle that we would need to put an end to. It is better in my book to underpromise and overdeliver than plenty talk.
Let us allow the utilities the space to work. Let me end my long piece by telling you the story of kerosene!! Kerosen has other applications including the fact that it a good substitute for diesel.. For many years, Kero was always in short supply in villages and towns and a beer bottle (1 pint) was more expensive than the actual gallon price PLUS IT WAS STILL NOT available readily.. so whenever we went to the village we would call and make small arragements to carry 2 or three gallons along to help our elders back at home. so we said, look, lets look at public policy issues here - whet should be our priority - cheap kero that does not reach the target folks or kero that was available that was not hoarded - that they could purchase on demand? the response was overwhelmingly the latter and that was what was done a few years ago when kero price was almost equated to that of Diesel by removing the subsidy - overnight there was kero everywhere in Ghana.
It takes good public policy to make good policies. Lets take advantage of the opportunity and play less politics and playing to the gallery with unwarranted consumer pandering. Indeed the consumer will always thank you if he will be assured of power on all the time rather than cheap but erratic supply.. afterall, if he needs it so badly, his reaction is to purchase he own stand-by generator - gosh, what an irony. we take decisions that sometimes smack our own faces
Thank you. No one needs to be fired..the shot you call is the shot that will be put in the gun!! just make sure it is not fired whilst you are still loading it.
Bla Elik.
At 18:03 19/04/2010, BG wrote:
It is all very easy to criticise the situation and I will agree with you if there seems to be some sense of despondency somewhere with utility services. There is no doubt about that. But has anyone actually done an introspection?
lets get the situation in proper perspective.
The utilities ( water, electricity in particular) are regulated in terms of how much they can charge as direct operators. what has happened for all these years right from inception is that there has always been a limitation of what the utilities can charge their customers.
Point one - not all who complain are actually customers of the utilities - consumers we all are but customers we may not be!! but we all bear the brunt of the poor services if they so occur
Point two - apart from petrol ( which is to some extent regulated) and salaries, everything local that is used is subject to commercial and market forces - cement, vehicles (taxes & duties are paid by the way), steel rods, operating chemicals and all other local supplies. The worse thing is that most of these are imported as a result of the long known collapse of Ghana manufacturing - although to some extent AGI is also trying but what do we see - our manufacturing and industry is generally geared towards export market to the extent that the better products are sent out quite often for foreign exchange
Point Three - in the utility business, goods are not sold according to your poverty level or otherwise - you pay for what you get money for.... in much the same way, you can only order what you are sure you can raise money for. Forget the crude oil or gas - even with credit lines we are talking 32 ( Three two) million dollars a month just to buy crude oil for Aboadze plant. forget the other thermal plants that also run on crude oil and those in Tema that run on Diesel. Guess what, at current tariffs, the maximum bill from say VRA to ECG is about US$24-27 million equivalent. so even with spares, paying workers etc there is a shortfall right there that must be plugged. before I go to Point Four, let me point out that the hole that must be plugged usually must come from GoG as owner of the utilities
Point Four - consumers dont generally like to hear of tariff increases right from Nkrumah days to now. a) in Nkrumah days the machines were new at Akosombo and just a few towns had isolated diesel generating stations that operated for limited hours (usually evenings). so like a new car, it was just regular servicing that did the trick. b) over the years, the machines aged beautifully, the network was expanded, our towns got bigger, more people migrated to the big towns, we started SHEP ( Self Help Electrification Programme), we managed to get Valco to pay more but even there Valco which was consuming 3241GWh per year had to progressively scale down as we could not justify additional plants because we did not have the ability to pay back directly without support from GoG. The Ghana load conversely also grew and soon domestic demand excluding Valco and the Mines took up more than 60% of the demand profile. what did we see at both the generation and distribution ends? poor payers for services. consumers resisted paying more and either linked any payment at higher tariffs to salary increases and affordability, ECG also paid less to VRA because of their own problems which had been exacerbated with teh genuine problem of poor customer rendering of responsibility. No Government has liked the idea of getting unpopular because of tariffs and that is wher point Five comes in
Point Five - to tray and redress the perennial revenue issues, a number of initiatives were tackled - the Cross Debt Clearing House under which all the stakeholders met periodically to reconcile their indebtedness to each other - say VRA is given support by GoG to buy crude oil, that is logged, ECG buys power from VRA and is not paying all, thet is flagged, Ghana Water is not paying ECG so ECG is not paying VRA is also flagged etc at the end of the day, the net debtor picks up the flak. Whilst this was good for some time, it was not comprehensively addressing the problem so the Power Sector Reform programme was initiated in part because GoG (in the early 1990s) and the utilities were hemorrhaging and needed some new spice to (at the core of it all) bring a commercial attitude devoid of much governmental intervention because it had been proven that the utilities could largely operate without much direct interventions if their resource base was good. So in comes the PURC ( The public utilities regulatory commission) which was supposed to be 100% independent and subject to any authority in the performance of its duties. Guess what the stakeholders put on it generally represent interests ( consumers, industry, trades unions) that are more likely to be unfavourably inclined towards tariff increases so they have kept on hammering the efficiency issue so much that everybody believes that is the core problem. Anybody who has actually gone into the utilities would bear testimony that but for our fine crop of staff, the Ghana utilities would have collapsed a long time ago. Efficiency is to some simply painting what is bad and getting it to work no matter what. but I tell you the truth is that the frame that is not good cannot support the heavy curtain of debt if you were to treat that as a garment of governance
Point Six - In spite of the difficulties, Ghanaman loves his tinted glass house with the burglar proof inside even if he has no air-conditioning - so we sweat under our own pleasures!! My point is that, once we make our choices for taste, we must be reciprocal in determining the responsibilty for paying for it. The answer I would say decidedly is NOT to privatise (and it does not matter whether it is to a Ghanaian or Expatriate person or company that we privatise) as some would be shouting but to commercialise and allo management to do its job and meet set targets. Amanfour, as you will see, anybody who has been on the seat will tell you that shouting from the sidelines is not the same as being there on the pitch and coaching - indeed, when it comes to teh utility business, quite often the conjectures come from people with no clue as to the core of the problem.
Point Seven - we should be thankful that the system has not been collapsing frequently. we must be grateful for the little our boys and girls are doing to keep Ghana illuminated.. I wont compare Ghana to any country, we are simply not at the best level but certainly not until consumers get it into themselves to agree to support the utilities by removeing all avenues of excuse, the problem wont go away, Remember, if the utilities need 10 Ghana Cedis to do a job and they are denied this revenue wise with a 3% tariff increase (say 4 Ghana Cedis) instead of say an 8%, what we do is force them to borrow the remaining 6 Ghana Cedis.. at the end of the year at 20 percent interest, teh hole is actually bigger and they will come back now looking for 15% tariff increase and the longer this delays, the more deeper the hole we dig.. and GoG to prevent financial collapse steps in with money that could have and should go to Education, Health and other social services - we are our won enemies because at the end of its tenure - GoG begins to panic and gives fodder to the parties opposite to make their case and when they also come in - the repeat the same wahala and the cycle begins for us.
Point Eight - the demand for utility services is so great that Accra alone has practically gone beyond double capacity since 2002 when a brand new substation was opened at Mallam to take up part of the load at the Achimota substation right on the Dzorwulu rail crossing. A third one is being built near Adjiringanor and I wont be surprised that this could become overloaded in a few years. the morale of this latter story is that, despite such interventions - there are still many parts of Accra that are still UNserved and many parts that are UNDERserved. All that is money.
This is not about politics.. IT is about understanding the subject matter and tackling it from the core.. This business of our GOvernment has done this or that and the other government did not do that will be an unending cycle that we would need to put an end to. It is better in my book to underpromise and overdeliver than plenty talk.
Let us allow the utilities the space to work. Let me end my long piece by telling you the story of kerosene!! Kerosen has other applications including the fact that it a good substitute for diesel.. For many years, Kero was always in short supply in villages and towns and a beer bottle (1 pint) was more expensive than the actual gallon price PLUS IT WAS STILL NOT available readily.. so whenever we went to the village we would call and make small arragements to carry 2 or three gallons along to help our elders back at home. so we said, look, lets look at public policy issues here - whet should be our priority - cheap kero that does not reach the target folks or kero that was available that was not hoarded - that they could purchase on demand? the response was overwhelmingly the latter and that was what was done a few years ago when kero price was almost equated to that of Diesel by removing the subsidy - overnight there was kero everywhere in Ghana.
It takes good public policy to make good policies. Lets take advantage of the opportunity and play less politics and playing to the gallery with unwarranted consumer pandering. Indeed the consumer will always thank you if he will be assured of power on all the time rather than cheap but erratic supply.. afterall, if he needs it so badly, his reaction is to purchase he own stand-by generator - gosh, what an irony. we take decisions that sometimes smack our own faces
Thank you. No one needs to be fired..the shot you call is the shot that will be put in the gun!! just make sure it is not fired whilst you are still loading it.
Bla Elik.
At 18:03 19/04/2010, BG wrote:
I guess if former governments (NDC1 and NPP) had any foresight or vision, Ghanaians would have been spared these power outages. NDC 1 failed to replace these old lines. Can you tell us whether or not NPP instituted any culture of maintaining anything during their 8-years of you-know-which/what rule? I hate to politicize this, but I guess the culture to maintain infrastructure was equally lost on the NPP as well. Now, we can conveniently blame the Mills government for these faulty lines and outages. I am sure if these faulty lines were discovered during the NPP rule, you will be here blaming NDC 1 for all the woes of Ghana. We have learned to live with your tantrums or, as you love to put it yourself, "telling it as it is". I go dieoooooooooooooooo.
In any case, I support the residents to file a consumer class action against the ECG. Why should it take them one year to repair these lines? Can someone who knows more than I do - which is basically turning on and off a switch to have light around me - tell me the reasons why it will take so long to replace the cables? Is it lack of manpower? As is typical these days, I call on the president to fire the Director of Operations at least for the reason that "we have to drop people off and this was not planned so it was difficult to announce it". So, there is no way of knowing when the load will "go high" and warn the consumers ahead of that time? It is time to "expatriate" - I go dieoooooo - a white man to take up his job to see if there will be a change. Now, I am sure I am tired.
BG
It Takes Courage to Stand Alone. ~ Anon
A wise man proportions his belief to the evidence. ~ David Hume
Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain. ~ Anon
What you think you create, What you feel you attract, What you imagine you become. ~ Anon
--- On Mon, 4/19/10, Yaw A; wrote:
- From: Yaw A.........@hotmail.com;
- Subject: A Better Ghana: Erratic power outages to last for a year
- To: okyeame@googlegroups.com
- Date: Monday, April 19, 2010, 1:25 PM
- The erratic power supplies which has been the signature piece of achievement under Atta Mills run government, will last a year. I am prepared to go on record it will last till the end of the Mills era, we even have a choice we can extend it for another 4 years.
- How can such an essential utility be treated with such pedestrian contempt. In some countries this would be a call for the national guard and a state of emergency.
- Nanayaw
- *********************************
- The Electricity Company of Ghana says the current erratic power supplies being experienced in parts of Accra would continue for at a least a year.
- Residents have complained about the unpredictable nature of power supply, worsened lately as a result of repair works.
- Whilst some complain of blown-up household appliances resulting from power surges, others say current levels are so low they cannot power high-energy machines. Play audio
- Officials of ECG tell Joy News residents in eastern Accra have been particularly affected because of a series of faults on the main line that serves them.
- Director of Operations at ECG, Tetteh Okine, said the company has lost up to 85 megawatts of electricity as a result of the faults.
- "So when the load goes high, we have to drop people off and this was not planned so it was difficult to announce it," he said.
- According to him, the ECG will, during the period, replace cables and also upgrade its systems.
- Mr Tetteh Okine also explains that another major phase of the project would involve the replacement of faulty cables.
- Source: Myjoyonline.com/Ghana
- --
- Posted on Okyeame - Talking about Ghana since 1990.
- Visit us at http://groups.google.com/group/okyeame?hl=en
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Whilst We Are Shouting ... ..
To: okyeame@googlegroups.com; glu-ghana-leadership-forum@googlegroups.com
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Greetings,
Over the past several days, in-situ Ogyakromians and people of diasporan descent have been debating, shouting, crying and wondering about several problems that are so serious that the whole nation has had to stop and pretend to listen.. I mean, people are pretending to listen because no one is hearing the other person even speak because the shouts are largely at cross purposes and its only after you have heard the discourse over a period of time that you can discern the pattern ( read sense) of thinking and thought. and then you realise that in the main, the arguments are just too partisan, ill-informed, non-informed and certainly not contributory to nation-buidling expectations Haba!!!
why should this be so? why should this be so?
I am even mad that the engagement has involved active participation by very senior members of our national caretakers. I am wondering when they collected the keey from the porter's lodge, they chose to sit by the radio to listen and do their call-ins. I am very dissapointed!! why should I? ... Let me try and start... first of all, who is setting the agenda as to what is important for discussion? why should we allow insignificant matters to chop our head as if we are built to waste our time. I am most displeased with our dear brethren even on this net - who spend all day cutting and pasting newspaper and radio station infor from their websites and ghanaweb and post them on this or that forum - and failing to discuss their unhappiness or otherwise of what they are posting.. so we all end up joing the commentary chain of the same thing that is time wasting, diversionary and of no significance to the growth and future of our dear nation.
I want to emphasise that I also do love the country and I am always ready to debate on issues pleasant or not to Government (whichever one is in power). My paddies, let me tell you, over the past four or five weeks all we have heard is Pres Kufuor and his office and all teh variants to that story (1), Agya Atta's I am the only president we have now (2), road accidents and whether its the drivers, the roads or the vehicles (3), and the sudden interest in senior public officials in making people believe that they are now being given a chance to do something positive with the jobs they are paid to do (4). Gosh, what a country.!!!! and lately its been social news like soldier bar, ashawos from Peking and the nursing mother stock!! Oh ho!!! I could rattle on and on!!!
meanwhile...you know what is happening?? check out the recent bold adverts in the newspapers - X bank is pleased to announce its base rate as 29.5%, Y bank 30%, Z Bank 28.7%. Our folks are not even spending time diverting attention to that and looking at the impact of that? well those who have the cash have started going back to treasury bills which until a few weeks had ceased to be a sweet alternative for the application of money. the Banks are wilting on cash because, if you get and don't buy, the value will NOT be the same tomorrow.. meanwhile our nice exchange rate has now become a vogabond that the grass in front of the Kotoka Airport has suddenly vanished and Civil Aviation is no longer watering what is not there.. why? the Money-Gorro Boys have started swarming the place and people go there - defying the no-stopping signs - to change money like nobody's business...
wanna hear more?
My paddies, I have every reason to be mad...Leadership is all abouut catching the symptons and bring the matters to fruition , oops, I mean, solvable conclusions. Of course you don't have to shout on the tree tops but what makes me a little uncomfotable is that our big men have not as yet learnt how to keep quiet.. Leave the boys to answer the issues.. but hey, who am I.. we are in a country that everybody knows that if you dont see the President himself or VicePee or a Minister about your problem, it wont be solved.. so everythning, people must troop to a castle or a ministry.. Hmmmm... I bet you some of the matters, are even referred to a district assembly but the response is sent back to Accra and the complainaint goes to Accra to hear that his solution is with the District Chief Executive of his village.. hahahahaaa.. Ghana is sweet I tell you!!!
But on a more serious note, we need serious responses to the key issues confronting Ghana in this time of global economic crisis.. mistakes, inactions, wrong actions taken now would germinate into problems in a minimum 4-6 months time.. I went out to buy kenkey this morning.. the damn ball had shot up to "for taasin" 40Gp per ball.. what? and the Ga youth are talking about "won hey wor man" Laoord Ha Mercy!!!!! members of this forum have people who will listen to them... but I dont see that happening...in fact we are not making Ghana politics sweet koraaa.. we are acting buga buga and leaving our shoes behind... by the time we start walking back to pick our balls, the gravels will be too hot to walk on.
Look people on the street are not working. Just walk through the neighbourhoods of Accra and Tema any day and see for yourself.. I think it is the same in many places around Ghana. I am not sure its because people are lazy but its because there is no motivation to work. just check out our churches on weekday morning and see the thousands of people there. It will shock you!!... for the pastors, its work of course, for the congregations its grace they are seeking. meanwhile, no real civic education programming and motivational programmes are on, except for HIV counselling.. hahahahahahaa. fashion parades, mobile phone based competitions where you text xxxx to all networks and the more you text the more your chances of winning. Many people are unemployable because their motivation if not for slow money but business and travelling abroad!!! Partly because those who have come out of school are largely half-baked..
and the ordinary joe and jane in the street. don't even try - to the extent that if you become too known and try to point out a social wrong to a defaulting pedestrian or individual, you may be insulted in a manner that would shock you and if you are unlucky and they shout Ewio!!! Hmmmm..
So whilst we are shouting, there is a lot of work to be done ON and IN our great land Ghana. Big Men, get your act together!!! the nation's history won't be paused whilst we hesitate with indecision and inaction.
let me end today by telling you a story from Tema yesterday.. This guy comes running to where I was conversing with some folks yesterday evening and , panting, says some boys are chasing him.... what for? we asked.. he looks behind him and says, the boys say he is not a Hausa boy and he has come to chase one of their girls... if he comes near the place a gain... he will smell something!!! I could not help laughing. and silently bowed my head in shame. is Ghana becoming zenophobic? Western region? Ashanti Region? Greater Accra? ei.. let's be careful....so we can't relax small even ini our backyards?
we have work to do. Hmmm.. Like KSM will say... I am out of heeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeee!!!
Thank you
Bla Elik
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Greetings,
Over the past several days, in-situ Ogyakromians and people of diasporan descent have been debating, shouting, crying and wondering about several problems that are so serious that the whole nation has had to stop and pretend to listen.. I mean, people are pretending to listen because no one is hearing the other person even speak because the shouts are largely at cross purposes and its only after you have heard the discourse over a period of time that you can discern the pattern ( read sense) of thinking and thought. and then you realise that in the main, the arguments are just too partisan, ill-informed, non-informed and certainly not contributory to nation-buidling expectations Haba!!!
why should this be so? why should this be so?
I am even mad that the engagement has involved active participation by very senior members of our national caretakers. I am wondering when they collected the keey from the porter's lodge, they chose to sit by the radio to listen and do their call-ins. I am very dissapointed!! why should I? ... Let me try and start... first of all, who is setting the agenda as to what is important for discussion? why should we allow insignificant matters to chop our head as if we are built to waste our time. I am most displeased with our dear brethren even on this net - who spend all day cutting and pasting newspaper and radio station infor from their websites and ghanaweb and post them on this or that forum - and failing to discuss their unhappiness or otherwise of what they are posting.. so we all end up joing the commentary chain of the same thing that is time wasting, diversionary and of no significance to the growth and future of our dear nation.
I want to emphasise that I also do love the country and I am always ready to debate on issues pleasant or not to Government (whichever one is in power). My paddies, let me tell you, over the past four or five weeks all we have heard is Pres Kufuor and his office and all teh variants to that story (1), Agya Atta's I am the only president we have now (2), road accidents and whether its the drivers, the roads or the vehicles (3), and the sudden interest in senior public officials in making people believe that they are now being given a chance to do something positive with the jobs they are paid to do (4). Gosh, what a country.!!!! and lately its been social news like soldier bar, ashawos from Peking and the nursing mother stock!! Oh ho!!! I could rattle on and on!!!
meanwhile...you know what is happening?? check out the recent bold adverts in the newspapers - X bank is pleased to announce its base rate as 29.5%, Y bank 30%, Z Bank 28.7%. Our folks are not even spending time diverting attention to that and looking at the impact of that? well those who have the cash have started going back to treasury bills which until a few weeks had ceased to be a sweet alternative for the application of money. the Banks are wilting on cash because, if you get and don't buy, the value will NOT be the same tomorrow.. meanwhile our nice exchange rate has now become a vogabond that the grass in front of the Kotoka Airport has suddenly vanished and Civil Aviation is no longer watering what is not there.. why? the Money-Gorro Boys have started swarming the place and people go there - defying the no-stopping signs - to change money like nobody's business...
wanna hear more?
My paddies, I have every reason to be mad...Leadership is all abouut catching the symptons and bring the matters to fruition , oops, I mean, solvable conclusions. Of course you don't have to shout on the tree tops but what makes me a little uncomfotable is that our big men have not as yet learnt how to keep quiet.. Leave the boys to answer the issues.. but hey, who am I.. we are in a country that everybody knows that if you dont see the President himself or VicePee or a Minister about your problem, it wont be solved.. so everythning, people must troop to a castle or a ministry.. Hmmmm... I bet you some of the matters, are even referred to a district assembly but the response is sent back to Accra and the complainaint goes to Accra to hear that his solution is with the District Chief Executive of his village.. hahahahaaa.. Ghana is sweet I tell you!!!
But on a more serious note, we need serious responses to the key issues confronting Ghana in this time of global economic crisis.. mistakes, inactions, wrong actions taken now would germinate into problems in a minimum 4-6 months time.. I went out to buy kenkey this morning.. the damn ball had shot up to "for taasin" 40Gp per ball.. what? and the Ga youth are talking about "won hey wor man" Laoord Ha Mercy!!!!! members of this forum have people who will listen to them... but I dont see that happening...in fact we are not making Ghana politics sweet koraaa.. we are acting buga buga and leaving our shoes behind... by the time we start walking back to pick our balls, the gravels will be too hot to walk on.
Look people on the street are not working. Just walk through the neighbourhoods of Accra and Tema any day and see for yourself.. I think it is the same in many places around Ghana. I am not sure its because people are lazy but its because there is no motivation to work. just check out our churches on weekday morning and see the thousands of people there. It will shock you!!... for the pastors, its work of course, for the congregations its grace they are seeking. meanwhile, no real civic education programming and motivational programmes are on, except for HIV counselling.. hahahahahahaa. fashion parades, mobile phone based competitions where you text xxxx to all networks and the more you text the more your chances of winning. Many people are unemployable because their motivation if not for slow money but business and travelling abroad!!! Partly because those who have come out of school are largely half-baked..
and the ordinary joe and jane in the street. don't even try - to the extent that if you become too known and try to point out a social wrong to a defaulting pedestrian or individual, you may be insulted in a manner that would shock you and if you are unlucky and they shout Ewio!!! Hmmmm..
So whilst we are shouting, there is a lot of work to be done ON and IN our great land Ghana. Big Men, get your act together!!! the nation's history won't be paused whilst we hesitate with indecision and inaction.
let me end today by telling you a story from Tema yesterday.. This guy comes running to where I was conversing with some folks yesterday evening and , panting, says some boys are chasing him.... what for? we asked.. he looks behind him and says, the boys say he is not a Hausa boy and he has come to chase one of their girls... if he comes near the place a gain... he will smell something!!! I could not help laughing. and silently bowed my head in shame. is Ghana becoming zenophobic? Western region? Ashanti Region? Greater Accra? ei.. let's be careful....so we can't relax small even ini our backyards?
we have work to do. Hmmm.. Like KSM will say... I am out of heeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeee!!!
Thank you
Bla Elik
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Setting a tone for Governance - the role of Lackeys & Supporters
To: okyeame@googlegroups.com
0830hrs, Wednesday January 7, 2009
Taking Discourse to the Next and Right Level
Greetings..
If you are an insider, you must realise the difference between the political platform and the actual art of governance.
Those of us on the sidelines only see those we know well..the rest of the people we see by their names only even if we have never met them or interacted with them directly. What this means is that the impressions or perceptions we carry of people we either encounter or get to hear about can be lasting but may be either manifestly correct, partly correct or manifestly wrong when you dig into it.
Today as we turn the scales on the administration of president JAK and welcome president JAM, we need all the lackeys and insiders to begin to bring the prospect of decorum into their utterances. it is very different when you are a Joe Somebody in the street, but when you assume the reins of government, you must change your language.
If we remember the kind of hard words that Agya Atta used on the campaign trail, we should not accept him as President.. but that was the campaign floor... it is just like Agbenaaaaa, they wont come in today or tomorrow etc... it all adds to the beauty and the temperament of the campaign. Watch the MPs, they insult themselves but actually work together more than cordially in Committees and in the House etc.
It is for this reason that I think our newly rejuvenated hot mouths have to begin to change the tone that they bring into the Okyeame Space. Same to all the NPP diehards in this space..Tone down.!!!!.
We may be meaning no harm with our words, but our lackeys in the street see it as their ticket and signal to misbehave. look at how even some landlords are evicting their tenants from different party persuasions... what kind of mind-set is that? we have to move on as a country.
We must now begin the process of vigourously defending or critiquing Government actions and policies.. we must also, based on new data to be brought out by the new administration, review the performance info of the JAK administration. all these would form part of the mixed grill of Okyeame over the next few years.. in addition to stories about Obaa Rose's kitchen and the Akropong city toli etc.
The next 100 days will most definitely be critical as we welcome Agya Atta into the Presidency. The media landscape must be very vibrant - as vibrant as it has been but more robust, balanced, more enquiring than ever, more or better analytical and focused from a better learned position with respect to the different subjects/issues. We need to steer away from conjecture, stick to facts and opinions based on reason and analysis.
We must now raise Okyeame to a new level - avoid Pull-Him-Down-isms, celebrate the breath and span of diversity of our forum members. Let's make Okyeame attractive, in fact so attractive that we shall enjoy the paradigm of relevance of wisdom matched with knowledge.
Good Morning
0830hrs, Wednesday January 7, 2009
Taking Discourse to the Next and Right Level
Greetings..
If you are an insider, you must realise the difference between the political platform and the actual art of governance.
Those of us on the sidelines only see those we know well..the rest of the people we see by their names only even if we have never met them or interacted with them directly. What this means is that the impressions or perceptions we carry of people we either encounter or get to hear about can be lasting but may be either manifestly correct, partly correct or manifestly wrong when you dig into it.
Today as we turn the scales on the administration of president JAK and welcome president JAM, we need all the lackeys and insiders to begin to bring the prospect of decorum into their utterances. it is very different when you are a Joe Somebody in the street, but when you assume the reins of government, you must change your language.
If we remember the kind of hard words that Agya Atta used on the campaign trail, we should not accept him as President.. but that was the campaign floor... it is just like Agbenaaaaa, they wont come in today or tomorrow etc... it all adds to the beauty and the temperament of the campaign. Watch the MPs, they insult themselves but actually work together more than cordially in Committees and in the House etc.
It is for this reason that I think our newly rejuvenated hot mouths have to begin to change the tone that they bring into the Okyeame Space. Same to all the NPP diehards in this space..Tone down.!!!!.
We may be meaning no harm with our words, but our lackeys in the street see it as their ticket and signal to misbehave. look at how even some landlords are evicting their tenants from different party persuasions... what kind of mind-set is that? we have to move on as a country.
We must now begin the process of vigourously defending or critiquing Government actions and policies.. we must also, based on new data to be brought out by the new administration, review the performance info of the JAK administration. all these would form part of the mixed grill of Okyeame over the next few years.. in addition to stories about Obaa Rose's kitchen and the Akropong city toli etc.
The next 100 days will most definitely be critical as we welcome Agya Atta into the Presidency. The media landscape must be very vibrant - as vibrant as it has been but more robust, balanced, more enquiring than ever, more or better analytical and focused from a better learned position with respect to the different subjects/issues. We need to steer away from conjecture, stick to facts and opinions based on reason and analysis.
We must now raise Okyeame to a new level - avoid Pull-Him-Down-isms, celebrate the breath and span of diversity of our forum members. Let's make Okyeame attractive, in fact so attractive that we shall enjoy the paradigm of relevance of wisdom matched with knowledge.
Good Morning
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Now the Day is Over and Four Years is Drawing Nigh
1810hrs Saturday January 3, 2009
A new Era begins for a new Administration
As you can see from the corrupted first line of the famous hymn, the title of this message indicates that Ghana has actually crossed the precipice that was looming over our political journey and we actually crossed it without having to dig a tunnel through the mountains. We did not need to look out for any ambush along the path and believe me, the glory that Ghana has brought upon herself has in turn brought in its wake, peace and tranquility that passeth all political understanding.
This day, the EC under the leadership of Opanin Afari-Djan came out to say that I listened to both sides when they were squabbling, I continued doing my work whilst my scientists were using their oscilloscopes and titration burettes, I watched the people of Tain dance their way, even if half-heartedly, to the polling stations yesterday, then I stayed up till late, whilst my boys used the good facilities of the Nsawkaw church hall to count the ballots fiili-fiili.
Afari-Djan continuing said - This morning I woke up to my usual red-red breakfast and some nice hot okro-soup desert and I say unto thee, verilly verily it has come to pass. everything the schoolboys brought before me is typical school boy antics.. I wont change the report cards so as for me I want to tell all parents that Agya Atta was first and Nana was second. they have all done well, they have run a good and nice race, but it is my duty to name Agya Atta as House Prefect for the next four years. Thank you. everybody go home.
I shall now return to Eno's kitchen to eat my well deserved Jollof Rice with grilled guinea fowl, and my nice small calabash of home brewed pito.
Thus ended the saga of the EC side of Election 2008. and the beginning of the reaction side of Ghanaians and the political parties to Election 2008 Round Two.
The crowds have started milling in town. Earlier this afternoon, I saw this yellow Hummer convertible with an NDC umbrella the size of a single room with chamber on the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange. the trucks and the cars and the motorbikes and the bicycles and the boys with roller skates all over from teshie, Nungua, Tema, Ashaiman, all the way through Independence Avenue to Osu. It looks like the people are more than ecstatic with Agya Atta's victory.
It is absolutely beautiful that Nana has come out to congratulate Agya Atta this afternoon. But it looks like, there is a possibility that NPP might persue this election through the courts, as provided for in law. I do hope that this would not spur the NPP supporters to take the law into their own hands, nor lead either side's foot soldiers from engaging in political scuffles of any kind.
I am all for the scenario that people will recognise that we have one country and that the taunting and bickering - no matter how passionate or dispassionate - would be seen to have ended once the election is over until the next parliamentay and legislative political season begins in approximately 2011 or 2012 according to, or depending on, their party constitutions.
As far as I am concerned, the real work now begins on Wednesday with the need and obligation of NDC keeping faith with the people of Ghana, via the implementation of the NDC manifesto, the continuation of critical and ongoing national programmes and projects etc. I do hope that the NDC, as promised by Agya Atta, does not come out with any agenda of political vindictiveness and ensures that its apparatchiks don't even think about same.. People are ready to hold NDC (and all political parties) to their word. The Ghanaian political landscape has been changed with this election.
I am sure the NDC has now dusted off their plans and activated their transition team. This afternoon, I heard names that have been lost for the past eight years on the Ghanaian political landscape. I do hope they are there to work not simply think that their time has come.
It is not what you do, how well you do alone that would make us come out to give our thumbprints to you but it is the message, how well you present it, how well your message is perceived alongside your punch.. remember the Barry White song - how well we perceive you to be practicing what you preach. It certainly is a tall order - so no one should take the Good People of Ghana for granted at all. Our political maturity is now moving towards the level of the unequalled. Moderation, selflessness, national duty, patriotism, Ghana-first, me second should be the order of the day for the NDC and all political parties. I trust that they will all live up to expectation.
I take this opportunity and for the first time in this blog to send out my personal congratulations to President Kufour for the leadership in bringing serious infrastructural and governance related programmes and projects to bear on this country. We certainly have come very far since 2000 and the evidence is manifested throughout the country.
It is equally gratifying that President Kufuor not only provided the assurance of seeing a smooth change-over on wednesday January 7, 2009, but also expressed his personal willingness to abide by the constitutional provision of a two-term maximum presidency. Ayekoo, your Excellency. we trust that you will now enjoy your retirement as a former Head of State.
I do also hope that now that Ghana is finally to be blessed with two former Heads of State, Agya Atta will find time in his prospective tight schedule to convene a wisdom and knowledge sharing session with the Two Johns before the next John, Uncle Jerry and Wofa Agyekum, as soon as possible.. what a benefit, this nation stands to gain from them.
Ghana is indeed blessed with Johns at the helm of affairs.. Perhaps, we all should change our names or simply add a John to our names.
John Evans Atta Mills - Welcome to the seat of state. Nana Akufo-Addo, Thank you for your contribution to our political dispensation.
May God Bless our Homeland Ghana and make it great and strong, and turn it into the cynosure of all Africa and a beacon of hope that IT CAN BE DONE..
Good Evening
Bla Elik
A new Era begins for a new Administration
As you can see from the corrupted first line of the famous hymn, the title of this message indicates that Ghana has actually crossed the precipice that was looming over our political journey and we actually crossed it without having to dig a tunnel through the mountains. We did not need to look out for any ambush along the path and believe me, the glory that Ghana has brought upon herself has in turn brought in its wake, peace and tranquility that passeth all political understanding.
This day, the EC under the leadership of Opanin Afari-Djan came out to say that I listened to both sides when they were squabbling, I continued doing my work whilst my scientists were using their oscilloscopes and titration burettes, I watched the people of Tain dance their way, even if half-heartedly, to the polling stations yesterday, then I stayed up till late, whilst my boys used the good facilities of the Nsawkaw church hall to count the ballots fiili-fiili.
Afari-Djan continuing said - This morning I woke up to my usual red-red breakfast and some nice hot okro-soup desert and I say unto thee, verilly verily it has come to pass. everything the schoolboys brought before me is typical school boy antics.. I wont change the report cards so as for me I want to tell all parents that Agya Atta was first and Nana was second. they have all done well, they have run a good and nice race, but it is my duty to name Agya Atta as House Prefect for the next four years. Thank you. everybody go home.
I shall now return to Eno's kitchen to eat my well deserved Jollof Rice with grilled guinea fowl, and my nice small calabash of home brewed pito.
Thus ended the saga of the EC side of Election 2008. and the beginning of the reaction side of Ghanaians and the political parties to Election 2008 Round Two.
The crowds have started milling in town. Earlier this afternoon, I saw this yellow Hummer convertible with an NDC umbrella the size of a single room with chamber on the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange. the trucks and the cars and the motorbikes and the bicycles and the boys with roller skates all over from teshie, Nungua, Tema, Ashaiman, all the way through Independence Avenue to Osu. It looks like the people are more than ecstatic with Agya Atta's victory.
It is absolutely beautiful that Nana has come out to congratulate Agya Atta this afternoon. But it looks like, there is a possibility that NPP might persue this election through the courts, as provided for in law. I do hope that this would not spur the NPP supporters to take the law into their own hands, nor lead either side's foot soldiers from engaging in political scuffles of any kind.
I am all for the scenario that people will recognise that we have one country and that the taunting and bickering - no matter how passionate or dispassionate - would be seen to have ended once the election is over until the next parliamentay and legislative political season begins in approximately 2011 or 2012 according to, or depending on, their party constitutions.
As far as I am concerned, the real work now begins on Wednesday with the need and obligation of NDC keeping faith with the people of Ghana, via the implementation of the NDC manifesto, the continuation of critical and ongoing national programmes and projects etc. I do hope that the NDC, as promised by Agya Atta, does not come out with any agenda of political vindictiveness and ensures that its apparatchiks don't even think about same.. People are ready to hold NDC (and all political parties) to their word. The Ghanaian political landscape has been changed with this election.
I am sure the NDC has now dusted off their plans and activated their transition team. This afternoon, I heard names that have been lost for the past eight years on the Ghanaian political landscape. I do hope they are there to work not simply think that their time has come.
It is not what you do, how well you do alone that would make us come out to give our thumbprints to you but it is the message, how well you present it, how well your message is perceived alongside your punch.. remember the Barry White song - how well we perceive you to be practicing what you preach. It certainly is a tall order - so no one should take the Good People of Ghana for granted at all. Our political maturity is now moving towards the level of the unequalled. Moderation, selflessness, national duty, patriotism, Ghana-first, me second should be the order of the day for the NDC and all political parties. I trust that they will all live up to expectation.
I take this opportunity and for the first time in this blog to send out my personal congratulations to President Kufour for the leadership in bringing serious infrastructural and governance related programmes and projects to bear on this country. We certainly have come very far since 2000 and the evidence is manifested throughout the country.
It is equally gratifying that President Kufuor not only provided the assurance of seeing a smooth change-over on wednesday January 7, 2009, but also expressed his personal willingness to abide by the constitutional provision of a two-term maximum presidency. Ayekoo, your Excellency. we trust that you will now enjoy your retirement as a former Head of State.
I do also hope that now that Ghana is finally to be blessed with two former Heads of State, Agya Atta will find time in his prospective tight schedule to convene a wisdom and knowledge sharing session with the Two Johns before the next John, Uncle Jerry and Wofa Agyekum, as soon as possible.. what a benefit, this nation stands to gain from them.
Ghana is indeed blessed with Johns at the helm of affairs.. Perhaps, we all should change our names or simply add a John to our names.
John Evans Atta Mills - Welcome to the seat of state. Nana Akufo-Addo, Thank you for your contribution to our political dispensation.
May God Bless our Homeland Ghana and make it great and strong, and turn it into the cynosure of all Africa and a beacon of hope that IT CAN BE DONE..
Good Evening
Bla Elik
We have entered the Osu Curve
To: okyeame@googlegroups.com
0854hrs Saturday January 3, 2009
The last bend on the Race Course looms ahead of us
This day, would also mark yet another watershed in this nail-biting marathon of an election. Tain, the 230th constituency) has been held. NDC got almost 90% of the valid votes cast. the turnout was less than 50% of the 53000 registered voter list. To win, NPP needed 23,055 PLUS 50% PLUS 1 of the remaining valid votes cast in the Tain ballot. The EC had earlier declared that he had certified 229 out of 230. Both NDC and (now) NPP have presented information to the EC as their evidence of some irregularities on Dec 28th in Ashanti and Volta Region respectively.
In the meantime, NPP has confirmed that they have withdrawn their legal suits and trust that the EC would look at the evidence they have provided. NPP has also stated that they expect the EC to look at both their claims and those of the NDC equally and take both issues into consideration before he makes any announcements. Likewise, NDC.
The EC, it has been said, intends to make an announcement at 1100hrs or thereabouts today on the election, and more than certainly, on the winner. or would he tell Ghanaians that for x and y reason, I have decided as follows.. bla bla bla......Dr Afari-Djan and his team of commissioners have always in all the elections held in Ghana since long, always pulled a super card at interpreting the electoral laws.. not bad for a person(s) who live that law all the time and for all these years!!
So at this stage, the big ticket question is how long will it take the EC to investigate the claims of the two parties?, would the claims impact on the numbers declared by the EC on the 30th of December? Did the EC declare or did he provisionally give the figures for the 229 constituencies? If the EC does not finish its work before 10:00am on January 7th, would the new Speaker be the one to take over? would the EC announce his final results today or tomorrow and let the parties sort themselves out in court afterwards?
Looking forward to 7th January, would there be a consensus or would there be difficulty appointing/electing the Speaker for the Fifth Parliament of the Fourth Republic given the numbers in the House.. ? Have the two parties set aside a backroom team insulated from the presidential elections to haggle out the issues relating to the election of the leadership of the new House - the Speaker, 1st & 2nd Deputy Speakers, Chairpersons of the various select committees?. Are they also working on which MP will sit where in the new House?
It is very easy for us to forget that in the melee of presidential action, parliament is working and the new one will be expected to begin registration on Monday January 5 so they can be seated on Wednesday January 7, 2009
In the meantime, I believe President Kufuor will deliver his valedictory Address to the House on Tuesday January 6th to the outgoing Parliament. This would probably be one of the tear-popping moments of this political era, where many stalwarts will appear for the last time before the House sitting on one side of the House.
The few MPs who will return from NPP will have to shift to the minority side, and the retained ones from NDC will shift to the majority side. Many many experienced NPP MPs either did not contest, or lost their seats either at their party primaries or during the Dec 7th polls. Likewise, many new (some of them strong) faces will also add a puff of fresh breath into Parliament on both sides of the political divide.
Another day of interest, this shall be!!
Bla Elik
0854hrs Saturday January 3, 2009
The last bend on the Race Course looms ahead of us
This day, would also mark yet another watershed in this nail-biting marathon of an election. Tain, the 230th constituency) has been held. NDC got almost 90% of the valid votes cast. the turnout was less than 50% of the 53000 registered voter list. To win, NPP needed 23,055 PLUS 50% PLUS 1 of the remaining valid votes cast in the Tain ballot. The EC had earlier declared that he had certified 229 out of 230. Both NDC and (now) NPP have presented information to the EC as their evidence of some irregularities on Dec 28th in Ashanti and Volta Region respectively.
In the meantime, NPP has confirmed that they have withdrawn their legal suits and trust that the EC would look at the evidence they have provided. NPP has also stated that they expect the EC to look at both their claims and those of the NDC equally and take both issues into consideration before he makes any announcements. Likewise, NDC.
The EC, it has been said, intends to make an announcement at 1100hrs or thereabouts today on the election, and more than certainly, on the winner. or would he tell Ghanaians that for x and y reason, I have decided as follows.. bla bla bla......Dr Afari-Djan and his team of commissioners have always in all the elections held in Ghana since long, always pulled a super card at interpreting the electoral laws.. not bad for a person(s) who live that law all the time and for all these years!!
So at this stage, the big ticket question is how long will it take the EC to investigate the claims of the two parties?, would the claims impact on the numbers declared by the EC on the 30th of December? Did the EC declare or did he provisionally give the figures for the 229 constituencies? If the EC does not finish its work before 10:00am on January 7th, would the new Speaker be the one to take over? would the EC announce his final results today or tomorrow and let the parties sort themselves out in court afterwards?
Looking forward to 7th January, would there be a consensus or would there be difficulty appointing/electing the Speaker for the Fifth Parliament of the Fourth Republic given the numbers in the House.. ? Have the two parties set aside a backroom team insulated from the presidential elections to haggle out the issues relating to the election of the leadership of the new House - the Speaker, 1st & 2nd Deputy Speakers, Chairpersons of the various select committees?. Are they also working on which MP will sit where in the new House?
It is very easy for us to forget that in the melee of presidential action, parliament is working and the new one will be expected to begin registration on Monday January 5 so they can be seated on Wednesday January 7, 2009
In the meantime, I believe President Kufuor will deliver his valedictory Address to the House on Tuesday January 6th to the outgoing Parliament. This would probably be one of the tear-popping moments of this political era, where many stalwarts will appear for the last time before the House sitting on one side of the House.
The few MPs who will return from NPP will have to shift to the minority side, and the retained ones from NDC will shift to the majority side. Many many experienced NPP MPs either did not contest, or lost their seats either at their party primaries or during the Dec 7th polls. Likewise, many new (some of them strong) faces will also add a puff of fresh breath into Parliament on both sides of the political divide.
Another day of interest, this shall be!!
Bla Elik
Friday, January 2, 2009
TAIN wakes up to action
0844hrs Friday January 2, 2009
The People of Tain at the Eye of the Storm
It has been reported and confirmed with live TV reports that NPP has not deployed any polling agents nor participated in the facilitation of ballot paper movements in the Tain constituency this morning
Last night too, Arthur Kennedy was on the airwaves saying the party will be boycotting the ballot because the Court effectively said so. How he or the party interpreted the Justice's actions as such beats my mind. Why they will lose such an opportunity to bridge the gap they so dearly need to come up tops beats my mind as well. In the meantime, NDC is working hard to finish the race kwatakwata with our without NPP.
I think doing what they have done ( if it a party decision) even limits the breath of opportunity that the NPP has, if there is one at all. It's a most unfortunate decision for a party that is struggling to come up on top under the circumstances . Whoever took that step to the street has done a great disservice to the party. Of course, when a person goes to the polling station to vote, no one will ask him/her which party they belong to. I want to look at it from another angle, that it is, maybe it was the local party boys that have chosen not to go to the polling stations today in which case the party hierarchy must have stepped in to call them to order. But I doubt the local boys can take such a momentous decision on such a critical matter at such a watershed time in such a nail-biting election.
Look, for a party that needs 23,055 PLUS ONE MORE VOTE than Mills will get out of the remaining valid votes cast. (Nana needs 23,055 + [(50% +1) of the valid votes to be cast today] to be declared the winner ) This is not a good story to write home about. What they have done reminds me of a person who wants to get into a university and decides that they will wait for their results before they fill the application.. it will be late by that time. You only get a chance if you have a leg in the door with a pre-completed application. someone in NPP backrooms is not advising well. They are losing some sympathisers along the way with all the uncertainty as to options and strategy and unpredictability of actions. My concern is that if it is a decision of the party, then they are not helping their party supporters in Tain to exercise their franchise.
in any case, if the people see themselves as individuals, they can exercise their franchise. I do hope that someone will not come up later today and say that they don't recognise the ballot in Tain.
questions: can we say that the EC has been restrained by any court order? can NPP say that they have served the EC with a court-approved (restraining) order? is the EC right in conducting today's poll in Tain? has the NPP made a mistake with their non-participation action of today? would Tain plebians be angry with NPP and give less votes to NPP today?
what other steps are NPP likely to take in the aftermath of Tain? How remote is the possibility that Pres Kufour would not have a successor named by 0700hrs January 7th? many questions abound on my mind.
in the meantime, whilst we are brooding over the questions, the EC has said that it is not by force for parties/candidates to have an agent at the polling stations and the collation centres, but an option they have put in place to deepen participation in the process.. so they have gone ahead to carry out the exercise in Tain.
Like I said yesterday, 1700hrs today will be the most sought after time on our clock. until then, my ears are glued to the radio and my eyes on the TV..
whew!!! this day is truly unfolding. Today, I am wringing my fingers because my finger and toe nails are all finished.
Do we have a political stalemate? This is one election that will get the political historians enough fodder to analyse for many years to come. whatever you can add, add and let the debate go on!!
Another Friday in Ghana has just started and the EC has a big task. Would he accept the challenge? I sincerely hope so.
Good morning
Bla Elik
The People of Tain at the Eye of the Storm
It has been reported and confirmed with live TV reports that NPP has not deployed any polling agents nor participated in the facilitation of ballot paper movements in the Tain constituency this morning
Last night too, Arthur Kennedy was on the airwaves saying the party will be boycotting the ballot because the Court effectively said so. How he or the party interpreted the Justice's actions as such beats my mind. Why they will lose such an opportunity to bridge the gap they so dearly need to come up tops beats my mind as well. In the meantime, NDC is working hard to finish the race kwatakwata with our without NPP.
I think doing what they have done ( if it a party decision) even limits the breath of opportunity that the NPP has, if there is one at all. It's a most unfortunate decision for a party that is struggling to come up on top under the circumstances . Whoever took that step to the street has done a great disservice to the party. Of course, when a person goes to the polling station to vote, no one will ask him/her which party they belong to. I want to look at it from another angle, that it is, maybe it was the local party boys that have chosen not to go to the polling stations today in which case the party hierarchy must have stepped in to call them to order. But I doubt the local boys can take such a momentous decision on such a critical matter at such a watershed time in such a nail-biting election.
Look, for a party that needs 23,055 PLUS ONE MORE VOTE than Mills will get out of the remaining valid votes cast. (Nana needs 23,055 + [(50% +1) of the valid votes to be cast today] to be declared the winner ) This is not a good story to write home about. What they have done reminds me of a person who wants to get into a university and decides that they will wait for their results before they fill the application.. it will be late by that time. You only get a chance if you have a leg in the door with a pre-completed application. someone in NPP backrooms is not advising well. They are losing some sympathisers along the way with all the uncertainty as to options and strategy and unpredictability of actions. My concern is that if it is a decision of the party, then they are not helping their party supporters in Tain to exercise their franchise.
in any case, if the people see themselves as individuals, they can exercise their franchise. I do hope that someone will not come up later today and say that they don't recognise the ballot in Tain.
questions: can we say that the EC has been restrained by any court order? can NPP say that they have served the EC with a court-approved (restraining) order? is the EC right in conducting today's poll in Tain? has the NPP made a mistake with their non-participation action of today? would Tain plebians be angry with NPP and give less votes to NPP today?
what other steps are NPP likely to take in the aftermath of Tain? How remote is the possibility that Pres Kufour would not have a successor named by 0700hrs January 7th? many questions abound on my mind.
in the meantime, whilst we are brooding over the questions, the EC has said that it is not by force for parties/candidates to have an agent at the polling stations and the collation centres, but an option they have put in place to deepen participation in the process.. so they have gone ahead to carry out the exercise in Tain.
Like I said yesterday, 1700hrs today will be the most sought after time on our clock. until then, my ears are glued to the radio and my eyes on the TV..
whew!!! this day is truly unfolding. Today, I am wringing my fingers because my finger and toe nails are all finished.
Do we have a political stalemate? This is one election that will get the political historians enough fodder to analyse for many years to come. whatever you can add, add and let the debate go on!!
Another Friday in Ghana has just started and the EC has a big task. Would he accept the challenge? I sincerely hope so.
Good morning
Bla Elik
Thursday, January 1, 2009
What can we do to knock down the problems?
1454hrs Friday January 1, 2009
Supporters of NPP are grieving for points. Non-Supporters of NPP are mad that they are wasting everybody's time. Indeed, everyone appears to have an opinion and it is increasingly getting to the point of extreme in terms of positions. In the end, it is we the plebians who are left with a perplexing state of anxiety. I don't like the feeling at all. I just want to live my life and move on with my business come Monday January 5, 2009. It is looming large on the horizon that this thing that came to the wire is likely reaching its tensile strength. What do we do to prevent it snapping.. to ensure that everybody comes out this unscathed and with his/her honour standing? This is my reason for this afternoon.
Now it is clear that it has moved from "I have a chance" on the part of NPP to "we want our rights given to us before this matter can be settled". This is the impact of the follow-up action to Arthur Kennedy's statement on Metro TV last night. And what am I talking about? The ex-parte motion filed today at the Accra Fast Track court. what the NPP wants is summed up in Arthur K's statement about the constituencies in Volta Region. Of course, somehow, the media and NDC and the observers all heard about it and trooped to court and Madam CJ also assigned a Judge to sit on the matter this morning.
Meanwhile in a different part of the country, the buzz activities for political action was going on by the NDC big wigs.. it has even been reported that some NPP boys there are saying that if AfariDjan doesn't say something about the NPP writ, then they won't vote. Anyway, the Judge told NPP that ex-parte means having a party by yourself but you need witnesses to celebrate the occasion so go look for NDC and AfariDjan and give them their invitation cards by 10.00 tomorrow (Friday) and the NDC would be expected to respond to their invitation by 1100hrs on Saturday. All that before he would even entertain any discussion in his chambers.
My view of the matter now - and this is polished by all the people I have been talking to (on both sides of the political divide) - is that the NPP is trying hard to be innovative in distancing itself from the people of Ghana. At this stage, it is not about whether NPP is right or wrong but simply that the wind of change has been demonstrated (in their opinion) and that NPP is just proving stubborn and losing all the marbles of a future fortune in 4 years time. My son, who is my independent political thermometer during this 2nd round, tells me that the NPP is acting in such a way that people would be so angry with them that the good will that they have built up might and will dissipate and keep them in opposition for many years.
I tell you, the moral (I don't know if its the correct word now, but let me use it all the same) standing of NPP is being eroded in the eyes of Ghanaians, because it seems as if their actions are being seen as plain disregard for the sensitivity of Ghanaians and a subtle contribution to any infractions that would happen in Ghana. God Forbid!! Amen. I doubt if NPP has that agenda!
I am seeing that there could be a possible difference in preferred action. I put this to Leadership. Sometimes the actions or inactions or non-action of leadership and any indoor conflicts with the family elders can ultimately bring out the wrong messages to the people of Ghana. Even if NPP is right, people feel that the way they are going about things is not the best. perhaps, the tight deadlines available now provide a compelling reason for that.
So many people are saying today that NPP must not damage their democratic reputation or goodwill. Some people even feel that the said goodwill has been taken away already on the basis of events and their actions following AfariDjan's announcement. This situation is a real test case of leadership dynamics however difficult it is.
The questions that are on the lips of many are many - should Nana concede? should the leadership of NPP put down their files? Shouldn't Nana be seen to be talking to Agya Atta? can this election be "salvaged" outside of Tain? Are Ghanaians prepared to wait beyond Friday to hear who their next President would be? would Ghanaians be prepared to allow President Kufuor to stay as President whilst a court battle rages on? if yes, what constitutional provision caters for that hanging situation? if so, which Parliament would need to be in place to be inaugurated to hear the Inaugural Address by the President? I tell you, last night after watchnight service, the talk on the lips of my friends was that the tension is just too much to bear.I won't ask their (NPP's) motive but clearly they are very determined to prevent losing the elections (notice the way I have put it).
This is very daunting for NPP because AfariDjan has announced the certified results for 229 out of 230 constituencies. he is saying that its up to Tain to bring the casting ballot for this presidential race. For presidential results, the whole country is one constituency so maybe some polling stations could be relooked at.. but there are procedures for achieving this. I believe, not until the man declares the results, you have nothing to file an affidavit on. because the declaration at the polling stations and constituencies and regional levels are all provisional results until signed and approved by AfariDjan. Once, the man did this on Tuesday, the metal bolt appears to have been cast on the matter.
So the other question I have is, what stops AfariDjan from declaring on FRIDAY night the winner following the Tain vote? whilst there is a case likely to be heard on Saturday or SUNDAY by Justice Ofori-Ansah's (I am not sure what the name is) fast track High court?
My hunch is that AfariDjan would announce as it is duty to do. If he does not, he would also be blamed for being influenced by Government to keep this battle enjoined unnecessarily. If he does, he would be seen as a hero by NDC.. no where cool!!
Can our man take the heat, his independence, his profesional experiences and kill all the birds with one stone? if so, when can he do it? when should he do it? why should he do it? how does he manage the after effects of what he does....? does he have to be the person to manage the after-effects? would there be any after-effects? these are matters for the political scientists and those physically ini the political game.. We the plebians have no locus standi in venturing into the minds of either AfariDjan or the politicians.
There is too much confusion and tension. Ghanaians at home and in the diaspora should not be despondent at all because we shall rise above all this with an intact country...so please don't stop your money transfers. we love the inflows. Tain is bustling with all the attention. they are all there. wow, there is even live TELEVISION coming fro that place.. can you imagine.. development can come when it is necessary!!! Tain people, you are buei!! How will your thumbs talk tomorrow?
1700hrs, Friday January 2, 2009 would be the most precious time this side of this new year. I doubt if any of the 140 polling stations there will not have live coverage on radio tomorrow. already, come and see the local folks being interviewed on TV side by side with the big politicians. Life can be sweet if there is all the glitter of attention on you. Goodness and Mercy shall be showered on Tainese all the days of their lives until 0700hrs tomorrow morning.
In spite of all this , believe me, I want to commend Ghanaians for the unbelievable show of courage and determination never to be cowed into any conflict thus far. Paradoxically, despite the tension, it has been very quiet (no peaceful) otherwise. I even decided against buying my bag of rice already. It is a matter of pride that this close election has not, with the exception of what appears to me to be a few orchestrated (certainly not spontaneous) rampages by small groups of supporters on both sides, not led to any national level conflagration.
We await the wisdom of AfariDjan and his team.
I tell you and I repeat that I am proud to be Ghanaian.
Bla Elik
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Our Candidates say "I have a Chance"
1940hrs Wednesday, December 31 2008
I have a Chance but will I blow it?
Tonight, two sides of the political coin are singing different songs and giving different speeches each with the Theme "I have a Chance". But they both mean something different. Agya Atta is saying... "I am on the threshold of realising my dreams". Nana is saying ... "This is tough but there is a small crack in the door." But the key has suddenly been given to Tain. sardines and sausages are flowing.. hotels, sorry guesthouses are all full... four-wheelers are dusting up the rural roads. the permed hair and rasta styles are having to be covered to prevent the red ground dust mixed with the mid-belt harmatttan dryness imbibed hazy airborne dust.
Suddenly, the quiet neighbourhoods are seeing all the big boys .. the kee kaa and we are moving forward tra la la, yeresesamu tra la la taped songs are all over on mobile boom box cars. when you are important, you have to chop your post. but how do you ensure that the post lasts? I mean how do you ensure that you get a permanent benefit from the visitors? - very simple, ma broda!!! negotiate your packages!! stupid!!
So tonite, I am sure in the dark nights of Tain, opinion leaders are seriously discussing their future with both parties. But we learnt something a long time ago, that when they bring, collect and then when you get there use your conscience and exercise your thumb well well.
This is going to be the mother of a casting ballot and the people of Tain will come out of Friday either as villains or heroes, depending on which side of the coin you stand.
Everybody thought it was Mills or Nana who had a reason to say "I have a Chance" but for me the biggest orator will probably come from Tain. whether it is the paramount chief, the opinion leaders, the youth leaders, the pastors, the imams, the teachers, the market queens, the farmers or the local village drunks, "I have a chance" is a merry statement tonite.. ei, massa, but you see say tomorrow be new year, you no bring me hamper? oh massa, this one no need hamper-ooo, just something small make I buy 2 bottles beer or brukutu. massa you mon know, abi!! Oh massa, oh, I no ask say make you give me something.. but anyway, since you bring fine fine thing from Accra, I go hold am so!! I can almost hear the conversations.
Without imputing any corruption, I do know that people in Tain will benefit somehow from this one day sudden unplanned onslaught on their constituency. For one, Ghanaians will get even more coverage of the area than the recent multi-part documentary on the Bui Dam project ever even attempted.
Whichever way you look at it, NPP has a really daunting task than NDC to be able to surmount the hurdle towards Golden Jubilee House on January 7, 2009. Just check out the cheap pythagoremithic arithmetic below. if it is wrong, you have to blame my teacher.. if it is right, know that my table mate is very fine!!
here goes:
Mills 2nd Round Scores = M
Nana 2nd Round Scores = N
Difference as announced by electoral commission = 23,055
Tain Constituency Registered Voters (Tain maximum figures) = T (53,000) ( if you have the exact figure, put it here)
Tv = Tain Valid Votes to be cast in Tain = Tn +Tm
Where
Tn = Nana's votes in Tain
Tm = Mills' votes in Tain
Tr = Rejected Ballots to be recorded in Tain
Ta = unused ballots in Tain
T = Tn + Tm + Tr + Ta
Position on December 30, 2008, as announced
M=N+23055
Position on January 2, 2009 after 1700hrs (as will be announced)
M + Tm = N + Tn
For either Mills or Nana to win, the picture must be as follows:
M + Tm = (M-23055) + Tn
Tm = Tn – 23055 or Tn = Tm + 23055
Therefore Tn –Tm = 23055
Nana needs to beat Mills in Tain by not less the 23,006 to win the presidency. Anything less and Mills take the crown. The herculean task is that Tain is such that unless to put 23,055 in the bank before we start is really a daunting task.
This is one day that people will not be sleeping.
by the way,on Metro TV a few minutes ago, Alex Segbefia (NDC) and Arthur Kennedy (NPP) appeared on a programme and NPP says they have filed a protest note to the EC this evening in which they are in effect asking the EC to re-consider results in EIGHT constituencies in the Volta Region where they noted irregularities. they wont accept the position until this matter is resolved. I saw that posture as immature. I thought Arthur Kennedy should just have said we have presented the documents to back our claims and we shall await the EC's position. naturally NDC was not happy with this and I thought strategically, the leadership of both parties need to be most restrained..
I am surprised that they don't seem to be aware that the big English could be misconstrued by even the journalists during their reportage and could also be misinterpreted by their own followers as a call to the duty of mischief. right now, some tensions could be foisted on innocent Ghanaians who just wanted to exercise their franchise and see a smooth transition from President Kufuor's administration.
I am not sure, if I have to get a couple of bags of rice, gari and onions to fill my chopbox just in case some foolishness erupts by one side or the other. "In this Ghana in which we are living in it" I do cherish my freedom, my ability to enjoy life without looking behind me. I have friends on both divides - some are sweating others are panting, sorry trotting and expecting to be seen as waiting in the wings.
my question to all sides. which Ghana do you want to rule? the one that has been made fine or the one you are struggling or rehearsing to destroy!! Think about it. what you destroy is the same place you have in mind to rule. Choose your option!!
It is time to wish all Akyeame a really magnanimous Happy New Year.
with the best of regards
Bla Elik
I have a Chance but will I blow it?
Tonight, two sides of the political coin are singing different songs and giving different speeches each with the Theme "I have a Chance". But they both mean something different. Agya Atta is saying... "I am on the threshold of realising my dreams". Nana is saying ... "This is tough but there is a small crack in the door." But the key has suddenly been given to Tain. sardines and sausages are flowing.. hotels, sorry guesthouses are all full... four-wheelers are dusting up the rural roads. the permed hair and rasta styles are having to be covered to prevent the red ground dust mixed with the mid-belt harmatttan dryness imbibed hazy airborne dust.
Suddenly, the quiet neighbourhoods are seeing all the big boys .. the kee kaa and we are moving forward tra la la, yeresesamu tra la la taped songs are all over on mobile boom box cars. when you are important, you have to chop your post. but how do you ensure that the post lasts? I mean how do you ensure that you get a permanent benefit from the visitors? - very simple, ma broda!!! negotiate your packages!! stupid!!
So tonite, I am sure in the dark nights of Tain, opinion leaders are seriously discussing their future with both parties. But we learnt something a long time ago, that when they bring, collect and then when you get there use your conscience and exercise your thumb well well.
This is going to be the mother of a casting ballot and the people of Tain will come out of Friday either as villains or heroes, depending on which side of the coin you stand.
Everybody thought it was Mills or Nana who had a reason to say "I have a Chance" but for me the biggest orator will probably come from Tain. whether it is the paramount chief, the opinion leaders, the youth leaders, the pastors, the imams, the teachers, the market queens, the farmers or the local village drunks, "I have a chance" is a merry statement tonite.. ei, massa, but you see say tomorrow be new year, you no bring me hamper? oh massa, this one no need hamper-ooo, just something small make I buy 2 bottles beer or brukutu. massa you mon know, abi!! Oh massa, oh, I no ask say make you give me something.. but anyway, since you bring fine fine thing from Accra, I go hold am so!! I can almost hear the conversations.
Without imputing any corruption, I do know that people in Tain will benefit somehow from this one day sudden unplanned onslaught on their constituency. For one, Ghanaians will get even more coverage of the area than the recent multi-part documentary on the Bui Dam project ever even attempted.
Whichever way you look at it, NPP has a really daunting task than NDC to be able to surmount the hurdle towards Golden Jubilee House on January 7, 2009. Just check out the cheap pythagoremithic arithmetic below. if it is wrong, you have to blame my teacher.. if it is right, know that my table mate is very fine!!
here goes:
Where
Position on December 30, 2008, as announced
M=N+23055
Position on January 2, 2009 after 1700hrs (as will be announced)
M + Tm = N + Tn
For either Mills or Nana to win, the picture must be as follows:
M + Tm = (M-23055) + Tn
Tm = Tn – 23055 or Tn = Tm + 23055
Nana needs to beat Mills in Tain by not less the 23,006 to win the presidency. Anything less and Mills take the crown. The herculean task is that Tain is such that unless to put 23,055 in the bank before we start is really a daunting task.
This is one day that people will not be sleeping.
by the way,on Metro TV a few minutes ago, Alex Segbefia (NDC) and Arthur Kennedy (NPP) appeared on a programme and NPP says they have filed a protest note to the EC this evening in which they are in effect asking the EC to re-consider results in EIGHT constituencies in the Volta Region where they noted irregularities. they wont accept the position until this matter is resolved. I saw that posture as immature. I thought Arthur Kennedy should just have said we have presented the documents to back our claims and we shall await the EC's position. naturally NDC was not happy with this and I thought strategically, the leadership of both parties need to be most restrained..
I am surprised that they don't seem to be aware that the big English could be misconstrued by even the journalists during their reportage and could also be misinterpreted by their own followers as a call to the duty of mischief. right now, some tensions could be foisted on innocent Ghanaians who just wanted to exercise their franchise and see a smooth transition from President Kufuor's administration.
I am not sure, if I have to get a couple of bags of rice, gari and onions to fill my chopbox just in case some foolishness erupts by one side or the other. "In this Ghana in which we are living in it" I do cherish my freedom, my ability to enjoy life without looking behind me. I have friends on both divides - some are sweating others are panting, sorry trotting and expecting to be seen as waiting in the wings.
my question to all sides. which Ghana do you want to rule? the one that has been made fine or the one you are struggling or rehearsing to destroy!! Think about it. what you destroy is the same place you have in mind to rule. Choose your option!!
It is time to wish all Akyeame a really magnanimous Happy New Year.
with the best of regards
Bla Elik
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
So it has come to a small rural community?
To:
2105hrs Tuesday December 30, 3008
Wonders will never End!!
After a marathon "keep quiet, shut up and watch me check the figures" meeting that had one side looking to see more numbers flow its way, and the other side saying what has come is enough, Ghanaians finally got to hear the most eagerly awaited voice this side of the God's kingdom. a weary voice it was, one who had probably forgotten how smooth his resident dictator''s face feels like; certainly a man who had not eaten from his house plate for nearly 40 hours since Sunday. And what a message he brought to us. This was like the Murder on the Orient Express suspense.
Oh by the way, just wait a minute for me please. in the background, come and see verbal pugilistics from insider politicians and sympathisers.. no that appears too strong an expression. but how else can you express a situation where people appear to have dug their heels in on an issue. But wha-aaat!!, Opanin Afari-Djan who had on the 7th of December put it out that no one can tell him which law could force him to talk quickly decided to put a calming balm on all Ghanaians in the most deftest of presentations and with the bravest of presence. The man don fear whu!!
Do you remember that I stated sometime ago ( see my Bla-Elik election diary at http://bla-elik.blogspot.com ) that Wofa Afalijan did not like standing to speak...I have researched-aaaaaaaaa and found out that there is something in the soup. I am sure you want to know. I won't tell you but I am willing to leak the rumour (I beg, its only a rumour-ooooooo, my mouth is not a ballot box!!) that his presentation format has been determined to be most effective way of presenting "erection lesurts" to an expectant population especially when there are more mobile phones acting as microphones than radio/tv station microphones. I cannot understand for the life of me understand why the media or even the EC cannot fix some equipment that can serve as a distribution console so my Wofa has to sit behind a table where we only see his grey hair and very little of his eyes when he speaks to the nation. to make it worse, the only time I decided to see TV small, my cameraman may have been too short so I had the privilege of seeing an canopy of microphones. shame on the TV station
Back to the matter, Wofa AfariDjan confirmed that we should despair no more. we can start growing our nails. we can even use some nail extensions to make them look nice, if we can afford the manicure (and/or pedicure for those who chewed their toe nails as well). he said, massa, I call them for bedroom, I take cane lash them four four well well, then I asked them to wipe their eyes with their trouser pocket and their elbows. The I ask them to follow me here. but before we came out, each one said, Please sah, this boy threw the stone first, the other one said, no Sah, he picked up the stone first so I suspected that he will throw, so I threw then he threw mine. bla bala bla bala bla!! Haba. keep quiet, you think this place is a kelewele centre..? or do you think you are talking to your grandmother? as a teacher, my motto is Evidence, that is why my nickname is Commissioner, take me play!!
and so it came to pass that Wofa AfariDjan said that I have been shown some evidence for some place.. I am waiting for the other boy to bring his evidence if he has. when I get it, I shall investigate and then i shall see the merit as to who threw the stone first.. but you are all small boys... I shall also look at how big your stone is, and you too I shall see how far you threw your stone, then I shall see who shall be punished less .. but in the meantime, for disturbing my ears, take this four four lashes each.. Sanmia!!!
What a deflation!! We thought this was going to be, and what a deflation it was seen to have been...!! but what a relief it was for some people..!! why, Because the announcement by Afari-Djan immediately also had the very solid effect of defusing all tension in town today. what do you say, when business is abruptly suspended across town with banks closing around 1:30 - 2:30pm, shops shut down, huge traffic jams of folks going home early, reports of steamed and charged boys rehearsing etc, rumours upon rumours of nasty things from certain quarters planned.. Shieeeee, today was wild paaaaaa.. some small business koraa that I was looking forward to knack today got truncated. but the real beneficiary is my resident dictator who benefits from an early arrival of he truant roommate.
Things have calmed down, because Mr Evidence had said yesterday or so that if it was necessary, he would do Tain to conclude the ballot on Friday to determine how the 23,000 difference can be resolved with a special Bla-Elik equation: Mills (M+X) = C + NANA(N+Y).
Under the scenario available, the only way Nana can win the presidential ballot is to make such progress in Tain such that Mills' present M votes must be reduced by X such that Nana's present N votes must be increased by Y such as to neutralise the present difference ( C the constant) of 23,000 PLUS if the credible evidence either party presents to Wofa AfariDjan would add to or subtract from any candidate's votes. What a day this day has been!!
Referee no afa ball no ko fie.. Our dear referee whistled in the 85th minute and took the ball home. But I tell you, the man did Ghanaians a big favour today, not announcing the results but at least telling Ghanaians the scores SO FAR!! AfariDjan masterfully behaved like Joe Lartey of old. Onukpa, where are you? AfariDjan , when I looked at him using my brand new homeland security x-ray glasses had his eyes red with lack of sleep, no trembling fingers, but his hands were curled like he had just used the school abaa to lash the boys .. and from his office watching the traffic pass by the mental hospital told himself and his team that people, if we let these boys and girls lose on the streets today, they will say we have done this or that.. so okay, lets give them the bitter medicine today and leave the matter in the hands of Tain.
Like I had noted two days ago, Tain did not vote because of problems in the aftermath of Dec 7th parliamentary vote had ended up with the EC offices there being burnt down, then on Dec 28th, their electoral materials were found not to be enough so the parties decided not to start at all and had the materials returned to Sunyani.
One Touch, Tain becomes like Tuobodom.. people are suddenly drawing maps of Ghana - dont worry about the butchering of the Ghana map.. people are speculating about what the capital is? is it a district? or just a constituency within a district? is the place north of or where relative to Sunyani....? are they NDC believers or NPP sympathisers (pun intended), who is their chief? has President ever gone there before? come and see, how a place can get so popular simply because of Wofa AfariDjan. The sole contender decider out of 230 constituencies. we even wonder, what language they speak there? Ghanaians need to spend some time to learn about Ghana. Hmmmm. Tain, by the way is north of wenchi in the general area of the new Bui Dam project. the constituency sort of sits between Wenchi and the Bamboi, just in case you are using a non-detailed map of Ghana
Tain is now the centrepiece of our country tonight. I am sure each polling station on Friday, January 2, 2008 when the citizens of Tain cast their ballot, will be filled with every NPP minister, DCEs, party big wigs, NDC prospective ministers and job seekers, suddenly converted party members, volunteers, EC, ECOWAS, CODEO, AU and what have you Observer missions, BBC, Joy, GBC, ANN, It would simply be hu there. The number of people who have started trooping there already is mind boggling. But, trust me, it would be the most difficult place to play any tricks, if any side or person even thinks about it
1700hrs on Friday January 7, will mark the end of the penalty shootout. I am wondering how many polling stations would be open that day.
once again, I ask who will resolve the equation Mills(M+X) = C + NANA(N+Y). knowing that X + Y is less than or equal to 55,000 or thereabouts.
I end with just one concern - how ready is either side to accept the casting ballot equivalent of Tain Constituency. I look forward to either side being ready to do the nation the honours in this regard.
A New Year's eve looms up without clarity of the finality of the choice of Ghanaians. Let us Pray!!
Good night
Bla Elik
2105hrs Tuesday December 30, 3008
Wonders will never End!!
After a marathon "keep quiet, shut up and watch me check the figures" meeting that had one side looking to see more numbers flow its way, and the other side saying what has come is enough, Ghanaians finally got to hear the most eagerly awaited voice this side of the God's kingdom. a weary voice it was, one who had probably forgotten how smooth his resident dictator''s face feels like; certainly a man who had not eaten from his house plate for nearly 40 hours since Sunday. And what a message he brought to us. This was like the Murder on the Orient Express suspense.
Oh by the way, just wait a minute for me please. in the background, come and see verbal pugilistics from insider politicians and sympathisers.. no that appears too strong an expression. but how else can you express a situation where people appear to have dug their heels in on an issue. But wha-aaat!!, Opanin Afari-Djan who had on the 7th of December put it out that no one can tell him which law could force him to talk quickly decided to put a calming balm on all Ghanaians in the most deftest of presentations and with the bravest of presence. The man don fear whu!!
Do you remember that I stated sometime ago ( see my Bla-Elik election diary at http://bla-elik.blogspot.com ) that Wofa Afalijan did not like standing to speak...I have researched-aaaaaaaaa and found out that there is something in the soup. I am sure you want to know. I won't tell you but I am willing to leak the rumour (I beg, its only a rumour-ooooooo, my mouth is not a ballot box!!) that his presentation format has been determined to be most effective way of presenting "erection lesurts" to an expectant population especially when there are more mobile phones acting as microphones than radio/tv station microphones. I cannot understand for the life of me understand why the media or even the EC cannot fix some equipment that can serve as a distribution console so my Wofa has to sit behind a table where we only see his grey hair and very little of his eyes when he speaks to the nation. to make it worse, the only time I decided to see TV small, my cameraman may have been too short so I had the privilege of seeing an canopy of microphones. shame on the TV station
Back to the matter, Wofa AfariDjan confirmed that we should despair no more. we can start growing our nails. we can even use some nail extensions to make them look nice, if we can afford the manicure (and/or pedicure for those who chewed their toe nails as well). he said, massa, I call them for bedroom, I take cane lash them four four well well, then I asked them to wipe their eyes with their trouser pocket and their elbows. The I ask them to follow me here. but before we came out, each one said, Please sah, this boy threw the stone first, the other one said, no Sah, he picked up the stone first so I suspected that he will throw, so I threw then he threw mine. bla bala bla bala bla!! Haba. keep quiet, you think this place is a kelewele centre..? or do you think you are talking to your grandmother? as a teacher, my motto is Evidence, that is why my nickname is Commissioner, take me play!!
and so it came to pass that Wofa AfariDjan said that I have been shown some evidence for some place.. I am waiting for the other boy to bring his evidence if he has. when I get it, I shall investigate and then i shall see the merit as to who threw the stone first.. but you are all small boys... I shall also look at how big your stone is, and you too I shall see how far you threw your stone, then I shall see who shall be punished less .. but in the meantime, for disturbing my ears, take this four four lashes each.. Sanmia!!!
What a deflation!! We thought this was going to be, and what a deflation it was seen to have been...!! but what a relief it was for some people..!! why, Because the announcement by Afari-Djan immediately also had the very solid effect of defusing all tension in town today. what do you say, when business is abruptly suspended across town with banks closing around 1:30 - 2:30pm, shops shut down, huge traffic jams of folks going home early, reports of steamed and charged boys rehearsing etc, rumours upon rumours of nasty things from certain quarters planned.. Shieeeee, today was wild paaaaaa.. some small business koraa that I was looking forward to knack today got truncated. but the real beneficiary is my resident dictator who benefits from an early arrival of he truant roommate.
Things have calmed down, because Mr Evidence had said yesterday or so that if it was necessary, he would do Tain to conclude the ballot on Friday to determine how the 23,000 difference can be resolved with a special Bla-Elik equation: Mills (M+X) = C + NANA(N+Y).
Under the scenario available, the only way Nana can win the presidential ballot is to make such progress in Tain such that Mills' present M votes must be reduced by X such that Nana's present N votes must be increased by Y such as to neutralise the present difference ( C the constant) of 23,000 PLUS if the credible evidence either party presents to Wofa AfariDjan would add to or subtract from any candidate's votes. What a day this day has been!!
Referee no afa ball no ko fie.. Our dear referee whistled in the 85th minute and took the ball home. But I tell you, the man did Ghanaians a big favour today, not announcing the results but at least telling Ghanaians the scores SO FAR!! AfariDjan masterfully behaved like Joe Lartey of old. Onukpa, where are you? AfariDjan , when I looked at him using my brand new homeland security x-ray glasses had his eyes red with lack of sleep, no trembling fingers, but his hands were curled like he had just used the school abaa to lash the boys .. and from his office watching the traffic pass by the mental hospital told himself and his team that people, if we let these boys and girls lose on the streets today, they will say we have done this or that.. so okay, lets give them the bitter medicine today and leave the matter in the hands of Tain.
Like I had noted two days ago, Tain did not vote because of problems in the aftermath of Dec 7th parliamentary vote had ended up with the EC offices there being burnt down, then on Dec 28th, their electoral materials were found not to be enough so the parties decided not to start at all and had the materials returned to Sunyani.
One Touch, Tain becomes like Tuobodom.. people are suddenly drawing maps of Ghana - dont worry about the butchering of the Ghana map.. people are speculating about what the capital is? is it a district? or just a constituency within a district? is the place north of or where relative to Sunyani....? are they NDC believers or NPP sympathisers (pun intended), who is their chief? has President ever gone there before? come and see, how a place can get so popular simply because of Wofa AfariDjan. The sole contender decider out of 230 constituencies. we even wonder, what language they speak there? Ghanaians need to spend some time to learn about Ghana. Hmmmm. Tain, by the way is north of wenchi in the general area of the new Bui Dam project. the constituency sort of sits between Wenchi and the Bamboi, just in case you are using a non-detailed map of Ghana
Tain is now the centrepiece of our country tonight. I am sure each polling station on Friday, January 2, 2008 when the citizens of Tain cast their ballot, will be filled with every NPP minister, DCEs, party big wigs, NDC prospective ministers and job seekers, suddenly converted party members, volunteers, EC, ECOWAS, CODEO, AU and what have you Observer missions, BBC, Joy, GBC, ANN, It would simply be hu there. The number of people who have started trooping there already is mind boggling. But, trust me, it would be the most difficult place to play any tricks, if any side or person even thinks about it
1700hrs on Friday January 7, will mark the end of the penalty shootout. I am wondering how many polling stations would be open that day.
once again, I ask who will resolve the equation Mills(M+X) = C + NANA(N+Y). knowing that X + Y is less than or equal to 55,000 or thereabouts.
I end with just one concern - how ready is either side to accept the casting ballot equivalent of Tain Constituency. I look forward to either side being ready to do the nation the honours in this regard.
A New Year's eve looms up without clarity of the finality of the choice of Ghanaians. Let us Pray!!
Good night
Bla Elik
Political Lessons abound in our Elections
0136hrs Tuesday December 30, 2008
WE HAVE MANY LESSONS TO LEARN FROM OUR THUMB ACTION BUT WHEN DO WE START??
This posting is a direct quote from a email posting I sent a friend on the Okyeame Network. I thought it might make not just a good epilogue but also a good link to my first posting on December 27th on the second round of the Ghanaian presidential elections.
It's now the beginning of the second day after the elections. We (Ghanaians with or without a vote) truly experienced nail-biting like never seen before with this finish-to-the-wire election. I even finished my finger nails and started on my toes. ouch!!!
whatever it is or has been, the elections are now over and we expect the Electoral Commission to call the elections by the end of the day and certainly before New Year's day depending on what the final scenario is. One big question that we all want to ask, is whether the remaining constituencies to be confirmed/certified by the Electoral Commission would render the prospective ballot in Tain constituency ( Brong Ahafo) relevant or not to the political equation
What a period we have witnessed these past 48 hours... Now read on ....
--- --- --- ---
Subject: Re: Those who betrayed!!
Togbe Yao,
in some of the places, there was skirt and blouse voting, I suppose. either because of problems during the party primaries for parliamentary candidate or the people were unhappy with "instructions from Accra" or with their local party executives.. This happened to both parties.
The result? some of the parliamentary aspirants went independent and so split votes. see what happened at Nkawkaw for example to use an example not included in your list. You will see that The one who won "was" probably thicker and stauncher politically than the NPP candidate. he was sacked so he went ballistically independent... beat the NPP Candidate hands down. Even though Nana Addo ultimately won in NKawkaw, you could see that Mills grabbed a sizable chunk of Shaaba's votes so Nana Addo's votes were down by about 5,000 and the anger seemed to have been there. so indeed, NPP's losses really started from the first round.
with the general drubbing of NPP in the first round in the Central Region from 16-2 to 11-7 or so, the very good performance of NDC in Ashanti, Western and even Brong Ahafo compared to previous years. the only battle ground region left was Greater Accra.. but there too many stalwarts did not contest so in some of the constituencies, the glitter and shine was lost.
If you recall, in one of my postings (also available on my blog http://bla-elik.blogspot.com) , I noted that many great NPP MP folk either did not contest or were beaten at the primaries and many of their replacements were not seen as great material by the voters ultimately. The lesson here is that the Party name (or for that matter, the tradition) alone is not enough! and generally it showed everywhere.
We do need to look at the voting preferences of Volta Region where it appears that the party colour has made more than a showing every time. Except that this year, the candidates were from nowhere near there so either Volta Region has made up its mind as NDC all the way, or the other parties have not been able to present a credible message that the people there like.
In the main therefore, it has not been a matter of betrayal but really a real conundrum in party political strategy that meets the aspirations of the voters.
This election, I repeat, is a lesson, big time, in what to do or not to do, it has redrawn the electoral map of Ghana. To me, it does not matter where it finally ends, but it has been humbling for both parties. It has also been eye-revealing or is it popping for the parties.
Voters appeared unimpressed with the roads, hospitals and infrastructural projects, the macro-economic gains etc. Voters dealt with their perceptions of the politicians, the currency of the political and propaganda messages. Communications strategy and effectiveness played a key role in my view else One cannot simply explain voter patterns this time round. it has been a true shocker. Truly truly, one cannot take the Ghanaian voter for granted anymore
Clearly we are a two party state. the rest of them should just align with one. at best, we can have a third "liberal/social democrat" type political element in the equation for the future.
whatever the outcome tomorrow when the EC is expected to make its announcement, Ghana will be a changed place (pun not intended) politically.
But the other side of the coin is that if Mills is confirmed tomorrow, he will have a difficult legislature to deal with when it comes to matters requiring the FULL MAJORITY of the House. If Nana ( in what seems to be a very tight and difficult scenario) is confirmed tomorrow, he will most definitely have a House that can really require him to have coalition type arrangements with appointments (even though he wont be required to). All this is part of the changed political landscape that the incoming President would have to face come January 7th
I am definitely not happy with some of the postures of the party supporters, the NDC especially, since late Monday afternoon when most of the radio & TV stations put out the results of 224-226 constituency results. then most of them started playing Highlife and Gospel songs. but clearly the NDC boys across the country are charged and any result now that says NPP won would most likely, no most definitely, be rejected by them. They are so wild that it could be a tinder box waiting to be ignited. I don't know whether I should express any concern about this, but I am afraid I have to, because the prospects of violence would clearly send this town back 50 years. the prospects of losing our credibility as a politically mature state would be wiped off the slate in no time. In addition, the prospects of having a marred transition - short as it would now have to be - does not appear to be a cosy choice at all for me.
How do we resolve this? This is the time for leadership to be manifested by Nana Akufo-Addo and Prof Mills. I would pray that my dreams of them having breakfast or brunch together tomorrow ( Tuesday Dec 30th) comes true. They probably could do that before the results are announced tomorrow (Hopefully at about noon, as we seem to be hearing).
and won't it be even nicer if both of them were at the announcement event so that one can immediately concede and hug the other, whichever way it goes!!!! this reminds me of a CitiFM report from Cape Coast Monday evening where people in both NPP and NDC Tshirts were seen jubilating together that GHANA HAS WON and that democracy has come to roost.
This election has been about Ghana. and once again I am proud to be Ghanaian. I abhor mod-action, I dearly stand on the side of peace and nationhood. This is my home, I ain't gonna go nowhere. And we shall live in it, without the fear of looking back or sleeping with one eye open.
Ghanaman has spoken and its now left to the Electoral Commission to also do its part. What a shocker of an election!!!
Good morning
Bla Elik
At 22:13 29/12/2008, Yao wrote:
WE HAVE MANY LESSONS TO LEARN FROM OUR THUMB ACTION BUT WHEN DO WE START??
This posting is a direct quote from a email posting I sent a friend on the Okyeame Network. I thought it might make not just a good epilogue but also a good link to my first posting on December 27th on the second round of the Ghanaian presidential elections.
It's now the beginning of the second day after the elections. We (Ghanaians with or without a vote) truly experienced nail-biting like never seen before with this finish-to-the-wire election. I even finished my finger nails and started on my toes. ouch!!!
whatever it is or has been, the elections are now over and we expect the Electoral Commission to call the elections by the end of the day and certainly before New Year's day depending on what the final scenario is. One big question that we all want to ask, is whether the remaining constituencies to be confirmed/certified by the Electoral Commission would render the prospective ballot in Tain constituency ( Brong Ahafo) relevant or not to the political equation
What a period we have witnessed these past 48 hours... Now read on ....
--- --- --- ---
Subject: Re: Those who betrayed!!
Togbe Yao,
in some of the places, there was skirt and blouse voting, I suppose. either because of problems during the party primaries for parliamentary candidate or the people were unhappy with "instructions from Accra" or with their local party executives.. This happened to both parties.
The result? some of the parliamentary aspirants went independent and so split votes. see what happened at Nkawkaw for example to use an example not included in your list. You will see that The one who won "was" probably thicker and stauncher politically than the NPP candidate. he was sacked so he went ballistically independent... beat the NPP Candidate hands down. Even though Nana Addo ultimately won in NKawkaw, you could see that Mills grabbed a sizable chunk of Shaaba's votes so Nana Addo's votes were down by about 5,000 and the anger seemed to have been there. so indeed, NPP's losses really started from the first round.
with the general drubbing of NPP in the first round in the Central Region from 16-2 to 11-7 or so, the very good performance of NDC in Ashanti, Western and even Brong Ahafo compared to previous years. the only battle ground region left was Greater Accra.. but there too many stalwarts did not contest so in some of the constituencies, the glitter and shine was lost.
If you recall, in one of my postings (also available on my blog http://bla-elik.blogspot.com) , I noted that many great NPP MP folk either did not contest or were beaten at the primaries and many of their replacements were not seen as great material by the voters ultimately. The lesson here is that the Party name (or for that matter, the tradition) alone is not enough! and generally it showed everywhere.
We do need to look at the voting preferences of Volta Region where it appears that the party colour has made more than a showing every time. Except that this year, the candidates were from nowhere near there so either Volta Region has made up its mind as NDC all the way, or the other parties have not been able to present a credible message that the people there like.
In the main therefore, it has not been a matter of betrayal but really a real conundrum in party political strategy that meets the aspirations of the voters.
This election, I repeat, is a lesson, big time, in what to do or not to do, it has redrawn the electoral map of Ghana. To me, it does not matter where it finally ends, but it has been humbling for both parties. It has also been eye-revealing or is it popping for the parties.
Voters appeared unimpressed with the roads, hospitals and infrastructural projects, the macro-economic gains etc. Voters dealt with their perceptions of the politicians, the currency of the political and propaganda messages. Communications strategy and effectiveness played a key role in my view else One cannot simply explain voter patterns this time round. it has been a true shocker. Truly truly, one cannot take the Ghanaian voter for granted anymore
Clearly we are a two party state. the rest of them should just align with one. at best, we can have a third "liberal/social democrat" type political element in the equation for the future.
whatever the outcome tomorrow when the EC is expected to make its announcement, Ghana will be a changed place (pun not intended) politically.
But the other side of the coin is that if Mills is confirmed tomorrow, he will have a difficult legislature to deal with when it comes to matters requiring the FULL MAJORITY of the House. If Nana ( in what seems to be a very tight and difficult scenario) is confirmed tomorrow, he will most definitely have a House that can really require him to have coalition type arrangements with appointments (even though he wont be required to). All this is part of the changed political landscape that the incoming President would have to face come January 7th
I am definitely not happy with some of the postures of the party supporters, the NDC especially, since late Monday afternoon when most of the radio & TV stations put out the results of 224-226 constituency results. then most of them started playing Highlife and Gospel songs. but clearly the NDC boys across the country are charged and any result now that says NPP won would most likely, no most definitely, be rejected by them. They are so wild that it could be a tinder box waiting to be ignited. I don't know whether I should express any concern about this, but I am afraid I have to, because the prospects of violence would clearly send this town back 50 years. the prospects of losing our credibility as a politically mature state would be wiped off the slate in no time. In addition, the prospects of having a marred transition - short as it would now have to be - does not appear to be a cosy choice at all for me.
How do we resolve this? This is the time for leadership to be manifested by Nana Akufo-Addo and Prof Mills. I would pray that my dreams of them having breakfast or brunch together tomorrow ( Tuesday Dec 30th) comes true. They probably could do that before the results are announced tomorrow (Hopefully at about noon, as we seem to be hearing).
and won't it be even nicer if both of them were at the announcement event so that one can immediately concede and hug the other, whichever way it goes!!!! this reminds me of a CitiFM report from Cape Coast Monday evening where people in both NPP and NDC Tshirts were seen jubilating together that GHANA HAS WON and that democracy has come to roost.
This election has been about Ghana. and once again I am proud to be Ghanaian. I abhor mod-action, I dearly stand on the side of peace and nationhood. This is my home, I ain't gonna go nowhere. And we shall live in it, without the fear of looking back or sleeping with one eye open.
Ghanaman has spoken and its now left to the Electoral Commission to also do its part. What a shocker of an election!!!
Good morning
Bla Elik
At 22:13 29/12/2008, Yao wrote:
Based on data from Ghanaweb (with 226 constituencies reported), the following constituencies (number of votes, irrespective), betrayed their presidential candidates (only presidential votes compared for Dec 7 and 28, with Dec 7 MPs listed), and looked the way during the run-off. The information excludes data from the four remaining and unreported constituencies:
Ashanti: None
Brong-Ahafo: Asutifi South (switched to NDC) - MP not reported on Ghanaweb
Central: Assin North (switched to NPP) - an NPP MP
Eastern: None
Greater Accra: Ablekuma South (switched to NDC) - NDC MP
Ayawaso Central (switched to NDC) - NPP MP
Ayawaso West Wuogon (switched to NDC) - NPP MP
Northern: Tolon (switched to NDC) - NDC MP
Upper East: Bawku Central (switched to NDC) - NPP MP
Upper West: Lambussie (switched to NDC) - NPP MP
Wa East (switched to NDC) - NPP MP
Volta: None
Western: Bibiani-Anhwiaso Bekwai (switched to NDC) - NPP- MP
Mpohor Wassa East (switched to NDC) - NPP MP
Prestea - Huni Valley (switched to NDC) - NDC MP
Question:
What does this mean?
Are the NPP MPs in trouble, or is it "hatred" for Akuffo-Addo that seem to have swayed voters somewhere else? What can we read into this trend? Why did Assin North not vote NPP the first time round? The same question can be asked of Ablekuma South, Tolon, Prestea-Huni Valley. Why did they vote NPP but elected an NDC MP?
Let's talk!
Yao
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