TREATING THE FIRE/ FLOOD VICTIMS AS PIECE OF TRASH...#THISMUSTSTOP.

         

As I write this piece of article about the Goil  filling station fire explosion, I do not intend to talk about what caused it or who caused it. Enough has been said already. I just want to draw our attention to a very sickening observation made in the aftermath of the tragedy.

Although this is not the first time this is happening,yet it was shocking to see it happening in the full glare of authorities.
As reported earlier, the people who died in the fire were believed to be stranded passengers, drivers and pedestrians who were either stacked in traffic or had gone to seek shelter at the filling station from the heavy down pour on that fateful day.

Tragically they met their untimely death. Responding to the distress calls, Ghana Fire Service and the Police according to reports swiftly rushed to help quench the fire and to also rescue victims
To show support and sympathy, many leaders from across the country including the President have visited the scene and in describing those who died,  this phrase ' Burnt Beyond Recognition "  was on the lips of almost  all of them.

Undoubtedly,to the ordinary person, the victims were burnt beyond recognition however, one would have thought that with all these big bosses from the various security agencies at the scene, at least some forensic effort would be made to identify if not all some of the victims to console their families. That was not done. They rather chose the "Normal" and easiest way like we see  every day in such cases to just draw a conclusion that non could be recognise and to further bruise the wounds of their families, dumped them like piece of trash.

 I could not believe my eyes to see how the deceased persons were being parked and virtually thrown onto each other in a pick-up truck like some wasted animals in the presence of the police and worse of it all, a minister of State, Mahama Ayariga was captured in a TV interview pathetically pointing the cameras to the pick-up truck that was loading those  who died at the scene.

And the police who was suppose to guard the scene as a crime scene just stood by and allowed people including the media who out of curiosity and lack of respect for human dignity took pictures of the dead bodies  and carelessly shared it on all the media platforms without any thoughts of bluring the gory images. Where did we go so wrong that simple common sense seems to have eluded us.

As people, we do lots of many things wrong and makes them appear normal. It is simple absurd and so unprofessional to treat people like that.  Every person, whether dead or alive deserves to be treated with some respect and dignity. Most often when we try to correct the way we carelessly do things by comparing it to the developed country , others are quick to argue that Ghana is not America or Europe and that we are not there yet.The question is, when?? after 58 years of managing our own affairs.
 Meanwhile it will interest you to know that some of this state officials and so-called experts demand their salaries in Dollars and want to be paid with same standards as their International colleagues.
What more then  will be the game-changer for Ghana. This tragedy did not happened in any where remote other than Circle, right at the center of the capital city, Accra, where all the headquarters of these state institutions and security agencies are located.

Today, #Ghanamourns and we hope this will never happen again. However, the raining season will end and as usual politics will take the better part of all the promises, assurances and the directives forgetting that over 150 precious lives perished in this tragedy and that we owe their souls the obligation to do the right things. Lets all have some respect for ourselves and make the system work.
Doing things the wrong way dose not make them Normal.
In solidarity to the families and the memory of the victims I join my colleagues in Citifm in saying #thismuststop.

NEVER UDNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF A WOMAN.#Dumsormuststop.

Yvonne Nelson in a selfie at the vigil

The much awaited and talked about vigil against the deteriorating power crisis in Ghana came off today with thousands of people in attendance.
What started as a mere complain by actress
Yvonne Nelson and Lydia Forson on social media became history in the streets of Accra as people from all walks of life joined in the march to show their frustrations against Government's failure in solving the energy crisis which Ghanaians have been enduring for the past three years.
Yvonne Nelson and her colleagues pulled it off to the admiration of many. It is the first time the country has seen this kind of organised protest devoid of political colours. Participants were seen in national colours and the national flag signifying a sense of one common goal in the spirit of national interest. Although some people from the ruling party believe the vigil is motivated by the opposition, the turn-out shows Ghanaians are very tired of the worsening situation.

protesters holding placards in the march

To the organisers I say Ayekoo. You have successfully executed your civic right by peacefully  adding your voice to this troubling national issue " dumsor" .
Today, those who stood up against you and called you all kinds of names  have come to believe in your noble course and they are not only saying dumsor must stop but rather they
 say " indeed dumsor must stop now" to quote from Alhaji Halidu Haruna, a member of the communication team for the ruling party.

Never underestimate the power of a woman because whenever the power comes to play, history is made. This vigil is no way a solution to the problem however it is a strong statements to the President and his team that if indeed they have an answer to this problem, then they must act fast before the 2016 election. From an objective perspective, one may see this as the voice of the floating voter who all he needs from Government is a stable economy.
For party sycophants, they will keep on defending the indefensible, this Dumsor is seriously crippling the economy  and making lives very uncomfortable.

BOYCOTT AFRICAN UNION DAY FOR THE ATTACKS IN S A.

25th of May is slated for the annual commemoration of African Union Day. It is a day the whole of the African continent reflect on and also remember the founding principles behinde the organisation of Afican Unity.For most coutries this day is observed as statutory holiday. Although over the years many have criticised and questioned the relevence of this day, in our present times, I can not agree less with those critics. The time has come to boycott the celebration, if not to quash it altogether.

One of the major role of the Union at the time of it formation was to fight for the liberation of Africans from foreign oppression particulally to rally support for the freedom of Black South Africans who were suffering from segregation under the Aparthied regime.
So if today , South Africans have resolved to killing their fellow foriegn Affrican nationals who fought and sheltered them in those trying times, then i beg to differ but say there is no need for A U Day.

Over the last few days, what we have witnessed in the streets of South Africa is unspeakable and to think that this is not the first time in the history of the country that innocent migrants have come under this gruesome attack all in the name of xenophobia, without any serious action taking against SA from the AU, then I ask why do we have to waste precious time commemorating it.
Ever since reports of these attacks floaded the media, it got me thinking and each time I sat to write, I held on. It is unbelievable that humans will do this to their own kind, wherther black or white.
In the past, when this attacks took place, very little was said about it due to the fact that many of us did not see the actual events like we are doing today, thanks to social media and the availability of tecnology. Every right thinking member of society can not comprehened what is going on.
The total outrage and public out-cry from other African countries call for proper action and response from A.U. And when I say " response" I am not talking about the issuing of statements.
I have already seen a publication of such statements from the chairperson of A U, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma saying "...the commission has appaeled for dialogue in and amongst communities to address the challenges and find peaceful solution..."

'Peaceful"! yes we all wants peace but madam chairperson, what happens to justice. Justice for those who died in the past and those dying now under the same circumstances.

I hear ECOWAS has also issued a statements signed by the Chairman, President John Mahama of Ghana '... we welcome the statement of our brother Jacob Zuma and his assurances of a peaceful resolution, but we request for an urgent national action plan backed by a behavioral changed campaing..."
If people espercially innocent children die in this shameful and barbaric way and all we do as people given power and placed in authority to act, also join in the many voices to cry for help, then who will really defend us?

Mr chairman! this is not the first time it is happening, so behavioral changed?? this Xenophobia or what ever it is causing these killings are in clear violation of the foudamental principles of ECOWAS which is to foster cordial economic activities among member states of which South Africa is part of. So when the people are resenting fellow Africans for not any other reason but just beacuse they are accused of conducting business and working hard, then we expect more from ECOWAS than this.

Enough of speaches, talks,pageantry meetings and signing of treaties that ends up on lazy desks. We want to see more action from these Organisations to serve as a deterent measure and for the world to also take us serious.
Africa in recents times has seen a lot of bloodshed. From the activities of BOKO-Haram in Nigeria, Al-Shabab in Kenya and now to this Xenophobia in South Africa not to talk of the deadly Ebola which is still hovering oround our necks.The continent has too many problems to deal with so lets not pretend, those given power must act.

In the days of colonialism, African leaders like Kwame Nkrumah, Nelson Mandela and several others did their best to buy us the freedom we have now. Today, our generation and those to come are looking at the leadership for the kind of legacy they will leave behind. We need not to fail them so untill a deterent measure is spelt out claerly to our fellows in South Africa and the perpetrators, this Year's A U day must be boycott.