I'm Tired of These Arguments on Africa (Yawn)

 

“Making Poverty History?
By Nicholas Newman
Hi! Don’t you agree that just forgiving third world debt is not the solution to tackling the poverty suffered by the poor in the third world, which the rich and famous like Dawn French and Bono would have us believe?

All it will do is reward the money grabbing elites that misrule those countries. Angola and Nigeria are major oil and gas producers, but they remain large debtors. In Angola, Global Witness reports that a quarter of oil revenue is unaccounted for each year, and one in four children dies in infancy. The poor in those countries remain poor despite the oil wealth. Debt, by itself, is not the principal cause of poverty in many economically failing states, but bad governance, incompetence and corruption. “Ordinary citizens in oil producing states of Angola, Equatorial Guinea or Kazakhstan have no information on what is happening to that money" Gavin Hayman of Global Witness told the BBC's Today programme. "The international community spends $200m each year trying to feed one million people in Angola who are critically dependent on international food aid," said Mr Hayman.

"Now given that $1.5bn is going missing from the treasury, there is a lot more they could be doing for their citizens."

All debt forgiveness or rescheduling does is to delay the day when such countries will need to make the painful process to reform their economic, governmental and political systems. The 1996 World Bank Report argues “Aid may have unintentionally encouraged misrule that led to collapse and civil conflict”. Almost all civil governance and public development in Africa is paid for by foreign aid, enabling African despots to wage wars on their neighbours.

Ethiopia is a good example of a failed state, a country fashionably popular with our rich and famous. In 2004 AFP reports, this much troubled land bought a new fleet of Sukhoi SU-27 fighter planes and military helicopters, costing millions of dollars, while two million citizens remain dependent on humanitarian food aid. Marti Ahtisaari, the UN special envoy for the Humanitarian Crisis in the Horn of Africa, blames current Ethiopian government policies in two key areas environmental and population polices as the cause of the country’s cycle of catastrophes.

Did you know debt forgiveness or rescheduling increases the cost of future borrowing - as such a process worsens the credit rating of such a state. Indonesia has rescheduled three times and the cost of borrowing has gone up each time. That explains why many third world states including Laos and Vietnam are against such proposals reports the World Bank
.Debt forgiveness or rescheduling is unfair on those countries that have made the effort to pay off their debts like India and Russia; in fact Russia will become a net creditor in a few years time, notes the OECD. Incidentally, there is a strong correlation between states that meet their repayments and later long term strong financial performance.
According to the OECD, did you know that almost every African country has witnessed a systematic regression of economic capacity over the last 30 years? The majority had better economic capacity at independence than they now possess. This poor economic performance is due to many reasons including absence of incentives for the private sector, government control of the economy, and discouraging investment laws., and, of course, corruption.

Having a simple regime change is not the solution; all you will do is replace one corrupt, incompetent, money grubbing elite with another. What is needed is a cultural change through economic, political and governmental reform, which will encourage the majority to work hard to transform their country into a modern prosperous state.

The oft sited mantra ‘that the only solution is to let such countries solve their problems themselves’ is now wearing thin according to often exasperated experts in the aid industry.
It looks like countries like Kenya need outside pressure to force significant change. When President Mwai Kibaki was elected three years ago, he promised Western aid donors and end to corruption by appointing the Kenya's National Anti-Corruption Campaign. Instead, his government has continued the two traditions of African governments, continued as before while paying lip service to Aid donors. This body was kept chronically under funded and blocked at every turn and its steering committee has resigned in disgust reports the Kenya’s Standard earlier this month. This together with the allegations of the Kenyan government ministers involved in a series of dodgy procurement deals worth millions of dollars reports the Kenya’s Sunday Standard.

Whilst Kenya’s Standard complains that ‘The government’s credibility in the fight against corruption has been in freefall in recent weeks, following a barbed attack by British High Commissioner Sir Edward Clay. Mr. Clay’s statement was followed shortly thereafter by the withdrawal of funding for the government’s anti-graft effort by the United States government and, on Friday, (18 February, 2005) by the German government’. It looks like the West is learning, letting Africa solve its own problems does not work - a more hands on, project by project, approach is certainly needed.

Prime Minister Tony Blair and President Bush are right to encourage democracy as part of the solution to turning round such basket cases. Simply throwing more aid to prop up corrupt incompetent regimes who neglect their countries duties to develop their countries for the benefit of the majority of its citizens is not the answer.
Since many of these poor states are victims of their corrupt governments, one possible solution would be for the EU adopt Robert Wheelan Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) proposal. This proposes that the West should privatise the governance of such countries to EU approved multinationals to run such states under a profit sharing deal for a 21 year period, with the aim to rebuild, regenerate and develop these countries economies for the benefit of the majority of these countries citizens.

Somehow I don’t see Dawn French or her Vicar of Dibley persona starting a campaign to support Wheelan’s proposal?

 

From: http://oxfordprospect.blogspot.com/

 

This was my response: (whether he allowed posting of it or not is a moot point!):

 

Ever heard of the WTO, IMF, World Bank and their execrable policies inflicted on Africa?

 

I don't agree that debt is the panacea, but if the latter institutions stopped interfering in Africa and let it follow its on path, rather than predicating our existence on an aid-for-trade policy (<a href="http://www.epawatch.net">http://www.epawatch.net</a>), then Africa might just be the better for it.

 

Yes, there is corruption in Africa--as there is in the West, but, pls, I am surprised by your sheer tired-old arguments that even DFID are dropping;-)

 

You don't read the Daily Telegraph by any chance do you?;-)

 

24 February 1966--24 February 2006: Ghana's Day of Shame

On 24 Febraury, 1966, the first President of Ghana would be overthrown in a CIA-inspired coup whilst in Hanoi mediating peace. Today, 40 years later, Ghana remembers him.

I sent this text message to Bernard Avle's CITI FM Breakfast Show on Ghana's 97.3FM band:

ROPAB , a law to compel external ghanaians 2 vote was passed on eve of 40th anniversary of a coup that involved external forces 2 remove Nkrumah. Is the irony lost over you?--emmanuel, spintex

The host, Bernard Avle, regrettably, made a sarcastic comment: where do the{y} get these from?

He did say one thing right: "this text was sent by one of our keen listeners".

2.02pm update: I just gave Avle a call, and he said that the Minister (Apraku--Miinister for Regional Integration and Nepad who was there waiting for the programme INSIDE POLITICS) chuckled at what was perceived to be a discerning comment. Avle admitted to now seeing the jocular side. My point was not that the NPP administration passed the ROPAB deliberately on the eve of the fortieth anniversary of the 66 coup, but that irrespective of whether it was a coincidence or not, the IRONY was there! Good to have clarified things!!

More of the Same: Ruminations & Reflections of a Constitutional

--{picture shows yours truly taking our first pet dog PHOENIX for a walk just minutes walk from our house in the suburbs in Belgium. It was a summer day way back in 2003, hence the shades. Mum took this picture as I was just about to walk into the path that leads to the front door of our house}

As I proceeded on my habitual constitutional this morning with my pet dog Fenix, I came across the girl of FCUBE, not ICE Cube fame. I asked her whether she was ok; she said yes, thankyou. And as always, she was ever-so-polite. She was carrying something on her head in a big bowl through the dusty area that is just outside these Manetville gates.

In a manner reminiscent of september 2005, when I asked her about her attendance to school now that it is free--thanks to FCUBE--she said that tomorrow, her Mum was going to find out about attendance for her. "That's good!" I added eagerly and walked on. Maybe she said it for my benefit, but whatever the case, it won't be the last time I ask her:-) How can after five months or so since Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE), mooted by Minister of Sports and Education Osafo-Maafo, this girl not been spotted by authorities who ply that route and her asked what she is doing not at school?

In so many ways, one of the reasons for the absence lately has not just been a busier work schedule, but also because of, well, more of the same.

In other words, last year around this time ( http://www.clubgh.com/showart.asp?art=707&cat=1), petroleum prices had gone up.

They went up a few days ago.

A couple of weeks ago, the so-called National Petroleum Authority (NPA)--established to ostensibly regulate fuel prices--brought the prices down, so there we were not expecting this increase at all. Thankfully, as the cover of today's Daily Graphic reports, the minimum wage has gone up so as to cushion workers from the increases:
The new wage is now ç16,000, "an increase of 18.52 per cent over the previous wage of ç13,500."

Swell.

Yesterday, there was a demonstration (second) orchestrated on the most-part by the minority-led NDC over ROPAB, over Representation of the People's Amendment Bill, that went rather down south in the sense that there was some scuffle, and, regrettably, some violence, which some observers claim was initiated by young police officers.

The truth is in between somewhere there, I guess:-)

While demonstrations to get your spleen vented are all well and good, predicting that they will always go smoothly is a bad idea, cos given the human condition, someone is always bound to take advantage and do something atypical to the pacific nature of the demo.

All that being said, Accra has been polarized for the past couple of weeks over the passing or not of the ROPAB, which would, in effect, give voting rights to those Ghanaian residents overseas. While most Western countries have applied this voting times for as long as I can remember, it is not something that is of great necessity to Ghana at the moment. It only engenders the idea that the incumbent NPP government want to use it as a way of consolidating at best, at worst rigging, future elections.

A good thing that could come out of it is the decision to issue National ID cards--something that appeaars to be anathema to those in the UK, but not those in Belgium. Belgium, like many other EU and Schengen countries issue ID cards. As far back as 1980, when Dad went over to Belgium to prepare to work there at African, Caribbean, Pacific (ACP) Group of States, and prepare the coming over of my Mum, my elder brother, Samuel, and myself -- a tiny tot of 3.5 years old -- he was faced with having to register my brother and I not just in the commune, but having cards issued for us detailing our nationality, occupation, etc.

SO, in short, it's something we, the Bensah family at least, are conversant with and used to. In so many ways, I think it helps organise society in a far better way that with the use of just passports, driving licenses, or voting cards---which are the three requirements of ID here in Ghana. Whether or not society has to be "organised" at all is another debate for another day!

I understand that at the moment, the UK govt, under Blair, {mmm, when will it be under Gordon Brown I wonder?:-) } will be debating it in parliament. Actually, according to this article: (Defence expert undermines Blair on safety of ID cards) , Blair wants to "introduce compulsory ID cards and give ministers powers to order all motorists to replace their driving licence with a new one requiring a biometric ID card".

This is not sitting very well with campaigners against ID cards, who are claiming that "In light of the numerous inconsistencies and conflicts that have emerged, serious unanswered concerns that remain, project dynamics that are dysfunctional and potential outcomes that may be harmful to the public interest we can now no longer support even the principle of an identity scheme owned and operated by the Home Office."[from: http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/pressAndInformationOffice/newsAndEvents/archives/2006/IDCard_StatusReportJan06.htm

And I don't blame them. That the use of biometric data is being peddled as one of the ways of reducing terrorism, and by extension the introduction of ID cards are an unwitting way of getting biometric data on ID cards, suggest seriously that something wrong is afoot. The terrorism card is being held up too explicitly for comfort.

I do not quite think that the small, developing democracy that is Ghana has quite got to that level of sophistication, but I would not be surprised in any way that if Ghanaians dug deeper, we would not find something rather rotten at the core, that could involve our so-called "international" (donor) partners.

Right now, I have AKOSOMBO Blues. AFter having experienced views as verdant and breathtaking as the ones here, how can I not??:-)

Redemption Song: Let's Push for the Black Stars to Win in 2008

“emancipate yourself from mental slavery. None but ourselves can free our mind…”

 

So. Bob Marley would have turned 61 this month, and the Egyptians are bringing the cup –er—home. They did do well, winning on penalties of 4-II to Cote d’Ivoire.

 

Frankly, I was disappointed. I do not consider Egyptians Africans in the TRUEST sense So imbued have they been by the US’s influence and – dare I say it – Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s Western proclivities, coupled with their fairer colour that gives them an air of superiority over Black Africans, I have, for some time now, dismissed them.

 

Racist?

 

Maybe.

 

It is a shame really, because this is a country whose (historical) leader – Gamal Abdel Nasser – remains one of my heroes for the manner in which 50 years ago this October, he unwittingly exposed the duplicitous and perfidious actions of Britain and France  (and Israel) over the Suez Crisis of 1956. Watch out for more on this as October approaches.

 

To be fair, the Egyptians played a good game, and their player’s tactics – from a non-pundit perspective – appeared very well-executed. The Ivorians, undoubtedly, played a very strong game, also. To have sustained a score line of nil-nil up until the end, be given 12 minutes of over-time, yet still maintain the same score line (bar a very close goal by Egypt that was apparently disallowed) speaks volumes of the nail-biting intensity – not to mention drama – of this most auspicious game.

 

Speculation is not rife at all about our performance in 2008, but I am hoping over hope that since the Egyptians – as host of the CAN 2006 – won (let’s face it, the thousands of fans/supporters had some impact on the Egyptian player’s psyche and motivation) so will Ghana, also, as host of CAN 2008 win it for the country for its fifth time, as well.

 

Of course, the syllogism of this argument is hardly twenty-twenty, but since we are a nation that likes to pray for everything, why don’t we give this whimsical syllogism a run for its money?:-)

 

While the Black Star’s performance in CAN 2006 was frankly nothing to write home about, (I called it execrable in an earlier entry), I also believe with consistent training, coupled with single-mindedness, we can re-deem ourselves as the eponymous Black Stars of Africa.

 

 

FW: BIRD FLU OUTBREAK IN NIGERIA SHOWS AFRICA AT HIGH RISK FROM DISEASE - UN AGENCY

Scary stuff…

 

-----Original Message-----
From: news11-admin@list.un.org [mailto:news11-admin@list.un.org] On Behalf Of UNNews@un.org
Sent: mercredi 8 février 2006 17:01
To: news11@list.un.org
Subject: BIRD FLU OUTBREAK IN NIGERIA SHOWS AFRICA AT HIGH RISK FROM DISEASE - UN AGENCY

 

BIRD FLU OUTBREAK IN NIGERIA SHOWS AFRICA AT HIGH RISK FROM DISEASE - UN AGENCY

New York, Feb  8 2006 12:00PM

An outbreak of the deadly bird flu virus in Nigeria shows that the rest of Africa is in danger from the disease, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2006/1000226/index.html">FAO) warned today, calling for urgent action to stop the spread of the virus.

 

FAO said in a statement that along with the World Organization for Animal Health it would now send veterinary experts to the West African country to assess the situation and examine how the virus got there.

 

“The outbreak in Kaduna state in Northern Nigeria proves that no country is risk-free and that we are facing a serious international crisis,” said Samuel Jutzi, Director of FAO’s Animal Production and Health Division.

 

“If the situation in Nigeria gets out of control, it will have a devastating impact on the poultry population in the region, it will seriously damage the livelihoods of millions of people and it will increase the exposure of humans to the virus,” Mr. Jutzi added.

 

Nigeria has an important commercial poultry sector and millions of backyard poultry farmers. The poultry population is estimated at 140 million.

 

The origins of the spread are not yet known. “It remains unclear if the outbreak has been triggered by migratory birds or by the trade and movement of poultry or poultry products,” said Joseph Domenech, FAO Chief Veterinary Officer.

 

The Rome-based agency urged veterinary services in Nigeria to eliminate the outbreaks through immediate humane culling and to strictly control the movement of people and animals to and from places contaminated with bird flu. It said it would also send two local experts to the affected region to advise authorities there on control measures.

 

Transparency, rapid interventions and close collaboration with the international community are crucial to stop the spread of the virus, FAO added.

 

“We are aware that veterinary services in Nigeria are in need of international support. The animal health infrastructure in the country is facing a big challenge and will require outside assistance,” Mr. Domenech said. Laboratory materials for diagnosis and protective equipment for veterinarians undertaking investigation are urgently required.

During the last two years, several countries have reported outbreaks of avian influenza caused by the H5N1 virus in people, and close to 100 have died, most of them in Viet Nam. In addition more than 140 million chickens have been slaughtered in an effort to contain the disease.

So far, the virus has only spread from infected animals to humans, but the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that it could change into a form that spreads easily from person to person, triggering an influenza pandemic that could kill tens of millions of people worldwide.

Last month, donors pledged $1.9 billion to fight the spread of the disease, and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan called for a massive, coordinated international response to the virus.

 2006-02-08 00:00:00.000

 

 

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Ghana in Mourning...Over the Black Stars

I have never been a football pundit, and I do not profess to be one at any time soon.

But, in all honesty, the monumental cock-up displayed by my country’s national team – the Black Stars – donning ominous black attire for the fateful game that saw them being whipped by two goals to one by the Zimbabwean team two days ago, has to be the greatest expression of bad football I have seen in a long time.

At least, that is the general (national) consensus, coming from the pundits.

Another school of thought is saying that the fact that few of the very good players –- an injured Stephen Appiah was there, fine – being there (notably Chelsea’s Michael Essien; Sulley Montarey(sp); Laryea Kingston (who earned a four-match ban during the Senegal-Ghana game last week); to name but three) were present was sufficient to warrant such a failure, sending our boys back home with their tails between their legs.

Having a BMW, and $18,000 spare cash waiting quietly from the qualification to the World Cup a few months back is not bad, though;-)

Whatever the case may be a substantial number of pundits and non-pundits alike are calling for the head of the Serbian coach Djukovic.

Perhaps AFRICATODAY.com presaged this when it wrote in the January edition: “Ghana has never won the cup with an expatriate coach”.


Serious mental pabulum!

Back on the 31st January

 

I’m off – with all members of staff—to an organisational/institutional retreat an hour outside the capital (beautiful, lush, by-the-sea) for a few days.

 

I doubt I will be blogging, though I will be thinking about it;-)

 

Till then!

 

 

Oh!! Nigeria 1 - Ghana 0

Nigeria scores at the 85^th minute!!! Ghana’s defence was execrable, according to all accounts. Leaving Ghana’s goalkeeper—Sammy Agyei— alone from the Nigerian striker Tawu(sp?) George Mensah’s defence considered “lousy”.

 

OuchL

 

Now Ghana is to play Senegal Friday.

 

Thanks, DSTV for feeding into CITI-FM97.3—even though your rates are still too prohibitive—3million cedis/month!!

 

Double ouch!!

 

Adjei has just saved a goal

It’s 3.50pm GMT, and Ghana 0, Nigeria 0. Listening to commentary (BBC feed?) on CITI 97.3FM. Port Said…is the place at the African Cup of Nations, in Egypt…

 

 

Ghana drawn in Group E (World Cup) in Italy, US, Czech Republic. “Difficult, difficult group for Ghanaians” says commentator…

 

Commentator is praising Appiah and Essien for having qualified Ghana to world cup.

 

3.52pm Ghana has a free kick…

 

Matthew Amoah plays an “outstanding” free kick…”Ghana coming close…” says commentator

 

4.10pm “breath-taking first half” says Zelda Kpoku, of citi-fm97.3 sports desk…

 

Half time!!

 

 

 

As the Week Draws to a Close...Thoughts on the late Lumumba, Politics, CAN 2006, Black Stars

I am immensely disheartened by the fact that the 45^th anniversary of the assassination of Patrice Lumumba practically went un-noticed. Why? Just because we are not Congolese, so it doesn’t matter? And why are the Congolese bloggers (if any they may be) writing about it?

 

For a strange reason, Global Voices, which usually picks up my posts, and feeds it into its summaries, did not cover it AT ALL.

 

Was there a political motive/reason behind this? Are those who write the summaries for Global Voices not also imbued by certain prejudices that may make them deliberately, or unwittingly, not cover the issue?

 

Or are we waiting a good fifty years—five years from now-in 2011 before we celebrate fifty years of the man’s assassination, when the consciousness needs to build now?

 

As for politics, that over pre-dominates the media landscape in Ghana, it has gone down a bit for the past few days, to be replaced by Ghanaian fears as to whether Ghana’s Black Stars can bring the cup from the CAN (African Cup of Nations) home.

 

Yesterday, there was some interesting analysis by the softly-spoken-British-accented football analyst (Nana Agyeman, lately working for CITI-FM’s Saturday programme “Final Whistle”) of Metro TV, hosted by Paul Adom-Otchere (CITI-FM news presenter-cum-lawyer), about the Black Stars, and why Chelsea’s Michael Essien probably did not want to come to CAN 2006 (hosted in Egypt: http://www.egypt2006.com.eg/english/

) because he is a player of international repute who does not need to show his calibre at CAN, which usually serves as a platform for up-and-coming footballers.

 

On the diplomatic front, the First Lady of the US—Laura Bush—was in town a few days ago to emphasize the point that Ghana is one of the countries’ that has a high AIDS-rate, which is TOTALLY untrue. Ours is falling considerably. Colleagues were saying that our President did very badly in not saying anything, allowing Bush’s wife to connect HIV AIDS to the country as if to say the country was HIV – AIDS-ridden. Here are some pictures of the meeting: http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/photo.day.php?ID=97602, taken by Kwasi Kpodo. It revealed Bush’s daughter (I guess it’s not the one who had the drink problem) looking very, very personable. Yum!

 

I wouldn’t put it past Barbara Bush, Laura’s daughter, that she’s wondering why all those darkies are looking at her like that. From the pictures, it appears Ghanaians were not that enamoured!

 

In any event Bush transited through Ghana to attend the inauguration of the election of the first African female Head of State to be elected on the continent. Days earlier, down in Chile, South America, a very good-looking Dr. Bachelet – also a lady – had just won elections and awaiting inauguration as the first female Head of State on the continent.

 

Ghanaians are holding their breath for Ghana’s game against Nigeria on 23 January.

 

Let’s see whether Ghana can re-claim itself from the drip-drip of complacency that had been created as a result of qualification for the World Cup a few months back!

 

Have a good weekend!

 

 

This Man Must Not be Forgotten

Were it not for history's capacity to conciliate egregious actions of yore committed against the African continent, Africa would continue to be a continent very much at war, with a people remaining fiercely racist.

Looking back 45 years to the Cold War – a tense confrontation that pitched two superpowers of US and USSR on the brink of war – the assassinations, both successful and attempted, that abounded from Congo’s Lumumba in 1961 to US’s Kennedy in 1963, and Ghana’s Nkrumah in 1966 is sufficient to perpetually enrage the psyche of Africans.

It is not enough to have endured the slave trade of the nineteenth century, which in a UN-sponsored conference on racism in 2001, Western powers refused to give reparations for, but to be consistently dictated to, and be consistently denied the continent’s capacity to industrialise, by way of execrable trade policies that progressively hurt and hinder its development in the twenty-first century when Africa has a collective wherewithal to fend for itself, beggars belief that Africa continues to do business with those who suppressed and killed our ancestor’s souls two centuries ago.

Fine, Africans were equally bribed and corrupted to exact that degree of calamity on the continent, but that does not do away the glaring fact of their objective: throw the so-called Dark Continent into ever-more obscurity, by reducing it to one merely for extraction of minerals and resources.

It is one of the reasons why that anger has compelled me to write this biting tribute to Patrice Lumumba who, ostensibly inspired by Ghana’s Nkrumah, failed to muster sufficient support from those whom he felt could assist – the United Nations and the Russians – to rescue him from a fate worse than the proverbial death: the cutting up of his body and dissolving into acid just because he dared to speak the truth about the atrocities that the Belgians had visited on his country.

Today, I say SHAME to Belgium for having killed this man, and SHAME to the US for having had a President under the name of Eisenhower who ordered his death because of the distorted view that the man, fighting for his country, was a Communist.
.

Water, Water, Nowhere! (World Cup arrives in Ghana!)

I woke up yesterday to a horrible reality that the water in my tank had run out. I took it in my stride. The next best thing would just be to go buy pure water (sachet) and use that to do the things I needed to do. I was praying that it would be a temporary situation--and thank God, it was!

But to say nothing of the frustration that I felt just to see that only drops--yes drops! -- of water were dripping down into the bucket made me saw the proverbial red. Hearing on the news that the water company, Ghana Water Comany Limited (GWCL), had caused a considerable amount of confusion in many other parts of Accra, because of an apparent fault in the system outside Accra, near a place called Weija, did nothing to my rising frustration.

Ghana Water Company expects us to pay water bills every month--as you do--yet are not willing to fulfill their social contract by providing sufficient water to people. To boot, they have the audacity to go round publishing in the papers that they will conduct mass disconnection exercises.

Reports on the news (ofcourse it had to be CITI FM's Breakfast Show with Bernard Avle) indicated that as far away as Teshie-Nungua, people's water was so scant in distribution, as it were, that people were compelled either to travel very far (expensive travelling) to go fetch water, or use pure water. The problem with this is that it is expensive on both counts.

The other side of the coin, and one which I very much espouse, is that in the wake of the November decision to bring in the very dodgy South African company, as well as a Dutch company to ostensibly manage Ghana's water and (effective privatisation), earn salaries in excess of 10 million euros for the management, speaks volumes of something rather monstrous that is afoot: forcing Ghanaians to believe that an inefficiency in the water company is so grave and acute that privatisation is justified!!

News yesterday on TV3 news indicated that CAMEROON has privatised its water.

---

RandWater Vitens win bid for Ghana Water Company Limited
Credit: Saint Doe Tamakloe (CITI NEWS)

Tuesday, 15 November 2005

Government has announced that it would sign a technical agreement with the two bidders for the management of the Ghana Water Company Limited, Randwater of South Africa and Vitens of Holland who have put in a joint bid for the management of the company.

Minister for Works and Housing, Hon. Hackman Owusu Agyeman made this revelation when he took his turn at the meet the press series in Accra on Tuesday.

Mr. Owusu Agyemang said that the 10million Euro contract is approved by the World Bank and expressed the hope that it would bring some managerial expertise to the National Utilities provider.

As per the arrangement for the management takeover of the Ghana Water Company Limited, about six hundred workers were billed to be laid off which formed part of the campaign against the move by the coalition against the privatization of water.

However, Mr. Owusu Agyeman revealed that contrary to the earlier reservations about the repercussions of the lay offs, about 1500 employees of the company agreed to voluntarily leave the water company and explained that the this was due to the professional manner in which the situation was handled.

It is however expected that the Coalition against the Privatization of Water led by firebrand advocate, Mr. Gyekye Tandoh of the Third World Network, would hold a press briefing to indicate their position on this new development and their next line of action.

from: http://www.ghananewstoday.com/portal/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=2357&Itemid=37

---

Some good news is that the World Cup is in the country, with Ghana being one of the priviledged first countries to see it.

On the water front, the problem is far from resolved; many people remain still without water, with accounts of people having to travel as far as Paloma (in the centre of the capital) before obtaining some.

Now ask yourself whether this is not a sleight-of-hand by the water company to force privatisation on denizens?

More Vignettes of Christmas in Accra

At the I-Net internet cafe in the A&C mall this evening, doing some work for the office wouldja believe...!! and ofcourse, having some fun to boot:-) )

More of the Spintex Road. The authorities--whoever they may be--did little to create the Christmassey feel. At least, that "OPTIMUM THERAPY" could have had some Christmas lights. Honestly!!


Is that red garden chair going to a party? Only in Ghana!! Incidentally, only a ubiquitous van like this, with the characteristic yellow number plate (indicating public transport), would dare to do something like this...I took this on the Spintex Road, on Christmas day, in my parents' car as we cruised into the capital.

A Vignette of Christmas in Accra

Sort of.

The picture to the left was taken at A&C Shopping Mall a few days ago.

Would just like to say that despite Accra not looking very "christmassey", people, pls, I exhort all of you--in particular, ELSA, to have a STUPENDOUS Christmas and a joyous new year!

Many thanks to all those who cruised in on this blog. Will see you next year!

lots of hugs,
Emmanuel

I'm Getting Some Good News from Hong Kong

News coming in from my colleagues in Hong Kong are indicating that the WTO talks are going to present to us another failure.

This is most endearing news. The developing countries got bigger and more proactive.

Finally.

More grease to the Third World, I say!

check this article out: New Power Bloc Emerges.

The Future of West African Regional Banking is Here!

The article in Nigeria’s Daily Trust newspaper of November 24 suggests that the West African landscape is undergoing a revolution. Forget ECOBANK, which is not going anywhere anytime soon, but watch out for First ECOBANK. According to the article, this will revolutionise the West African banking area, with the merger of three banks. What is most exciting is this—that the bank aims to “be one of the largest end most diversified banking groups in Africa with assets of over $5.5 billion and over 470 branches and offices across 15 countries in West and Central Africa, a subsidiary in the United Kingdom and a representative office in South Africa.”

 

Rock on West Africa!!

 

 

First Bank, Ecobank to Become First Ecobank

Daily Trust (Abuja)
NEWS
November 24, 2005
Posted to the web November 28, 2005

By Adelenwa Bamgboye

First Bank of Nigeria Plc, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated and Ecobank Nigeria Plc Tuesday signed a combination agreement setting out the framework and timeline for the completion of what would be the largest indigenous cross-border banking combination in Sub-Sahara Africa.

The marriage of the three institutions which would give birth to First EcoBank plc with the elephant logo of the FirstBank would operate in 15 countries in the West African sub-region.

The agreement calls for Ecobank Nigeria and Ecobank Trans-national Incorporated, the parent company of the Ecobank Group to be listed prior to the completion of the combination which will take place in the third quarter of 2006.

Upon completion, Business Trust gathered that the future potential of the combined group will be one of the largest end most diversified banking groups in Africa with assets of over $5.5 billion and over 470 branches and offices across 15 countries in West and Central Africa, a subsidiary in the United Kingdom and a representative office in South Africa.

Alhaji Mutallab, chairman of First Bank said the Bank looks forward to the combination as a vehicle for better meeting the needs of the African private sector and for developing products for the consumer, SME and microfinance sectors.

Omo-Obe Odimeyo, chairman of Ecobank Nigeria in his remark said "we are elated with this combination from which our shareholders and employees should derive optimal value."

Ecobank Nigeria will be fully capitalised before the end of the year in order to meet the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) minimum capital requirement and will be subsequently listed in the first quarter of 2006 on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

In line with its regional identity, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated will be listed in the second quarter of 2006 on the three regional stock exchanges in West Africa namely the Ghana Stock Exchange in Accra, the Bourse Regionale de Valeurs Mobilisers (BRVM) in Abidjan and the Nigeria Stock Exchange.

	Copyright © 2005 Daily Trust. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).

From: http://allafrica.com/stories/200511280735.html

 

 

Unbearable Lightness of Blogging--Part II : Close Encounters of a WTO Kind

I spent my lunch period with a very very personable young woman today at the Kofi Annan ICT Centre of Excellence, whose link you can access here: http://www.aiti-kace.com.gh. They currently have this fair going on. I met an interesting group from ASHESI UNIVERSITY, studying computer science, who explained to me a new traffic system that they have come up with that would be used on the LABADI road in Accra.

 

Basically, the system is designed such that rather than having a policeman guide traffic, ultra-sonic sensors would detect – from a distance of 50 metres as yardstick – whether there were any cars up to that distance. If there are, then the traffic lights remain red; if not, it goes green.

 

And the brains behind this are Ghanaians!

 

Can you imagine that they would like to use LINUX software, which would enable them to change the code—as opposed to traditional Microsoft et al, that will not. Coupled with the fact that they can use JAVA applications, too.

 

I’d like to visit the place tomorrow with my colleague at lunch.

 

For now, though, my blogging will be a tad light as I prepare myself for my colleagues who are preparing to go to Hong Kong. In a post reminiscent of the August one (http://ekbensahinghana.blogspot.com/2005/08/shuttling-around-is-this-accra.html), I’d just like to get you to try and read between the lines.

 

My colleagues are preparing to go down to Hong Kong in a couple of day’s time for what will prove to be another historic battleground for social and trade justice groups.

 

I can already feel the World Trade Organisation excitement building up…and it’s building big time.

useful links

http://www.ginks.org

Accra by Night

I do not think I have ever shown a picture here of Accra during the evening, so drum roll...here goes:

	The picture to the extreme left (top) is that of Fenix lying in the dark last Saturday evening. To the right (top) of that is the front of Papaye, fast-food eaterie, where they sell mostly fried rice and seriously delicious-yet-imported broasted chicken. To the immediate left of this text is inside Papaye, taken two nights ago, minutes before there was a power-cut!

Back to Rain...and AREEBA Inanity

 

As I write this, rain is pouring down this side of the capital of Accra, and we at the office are all tempted to just stay in and not go out to lunch. Few are intrepid here, faced against the weather-- and for a bunch of social activists, that’s pretty ironic, but that’s another story…

 

I arrived ten thirty pm on Tuesday evening to a 28-degree Accra. The flight, by way of Alitalia, was okay—could have been better, though. We left around 2.45pm, were served lunch around 3/4pm. But whatever happened to dinner? Instead we got some cake and a drink! What is that about?

 

We stopped at Lagos for a good hour and a half (nothing indicated on the itinerary/manifest!), before taking off.

 

It’s always been my experience since we started coming to Ghana in 1997 that each time the plane landed after flying from Amsterdam, or Malpensa, or Germany, for the passengers – predominantly African – to clap.

 

They clapped again as we touched down to the almost-obscurity of Lagos airport. I am sure one of the things the Italians—like the Dutch and the Germans-- like about us Ghanaians is our empathy to their plight of flying a good six or seven hours from their respective European capital—only for those darkies to appreciate their flying with a clap. I think everyone enjoys being appreciated, and pilots are hardly an exception.

 

I have to say I was surprised by the number of people who clapped after the forty-odd minute journey from Lagos to Accra!! Yet these were the same people who were mumbling that we were taking too long at Lagos airport…

 

Things like these make me proud of being African, Black, Ghanaian.

 

I got my hand-luggage only yesterday afternoon. It failed, along with a couple of passengers’ things, to turn up with my suitcase on Tuesday evening. Got home around 11.30pm…and went back to work on Wednesday!!

 

Regrettably, I am back to the inanity of those torturous AREEBA ads (the latest is winning a MERCEDES C Class once you buy a starter pack, and may be selected, or something like that). And whilst we are talking about starter packs, who would want to get another starter pack after buying one?!! Get me a phone goddamit—not another number!! What can I do with another number when I have no phone???

 

Honestly, AREEBA, please do grow up…

 

More: http://www.areeba.com.gh/

 

On a positive front, I enjoyed Buffy Wednesday, who has somehow met her doppelganger--another slayer! Mmm...the plot thickens...

 

Ghana Stand Could Have Done Better

As for the Ghana stand, my colleague and I were rather disappointed with them. The best they could do was showcase…our beleagured National Communications Authority, and annoyingly badly-performing AREEBA. Actually, not quite. Sudan did that very nicely for us. What Ghana also showcased was Ghana’s privatised “ONETOUCH” service. I almost forgot. Must buy the sim card at 30 thousand cedis before the end of November, once I get back to Accra. Obour, with his almost indefatigable energy, has had ONETOUCH co-opt his song “SHINE YOUR EYE” for the promo, where you are supposed to get 10 SMSs free, since early October.

Even the African Development Bank was giving out t-shirts—I know, cos the lady there asked me to come at 3 pm, and I was there on the dot!—yet we had nothing free to give out.

More later this Saturday. I am off with my colleague to Hammamet, a more beautiful and historic place to see.

So, We Finally Voted…

…and boy, was it laborious. Democracy in Africa, I swear! No wonder we are so left behind, our democratic process is like the oil that cogs the wheels. I had to run out of there after 9.30pm. After everyone was elected, kind of, they were going to proceed with the voting of the President.

Poof! I was all handshakes, smiles, and out the door to catch the Tunis bus into the town centre 20km away!

Only to come back to see that BBC had contacted me about my humble reportage of the WSIS process, and I had missed it! You can read about here:

It hurts. It hurts…

Still at Palexpo Kram

We continue to deliberate over which sub-regional coordinators should be represented. Nigeria was not amused at the fact that a predominant number of the people there were francophone, plus the fact that the text of ACSIS statues was available ONLY in French.

Yes, the francophone/anglophone divide exists very much in Africa. It is a great shame. This is one of the reasons why it will take long for us to move forwrd. We started at around 5.15pm. It is now 8.18pm. How much longer?!!!

Running Late to Vote for the African Civil Society on WSIS (ACSIS)

The title says it all. Oh, I posed at the Rwanda stand yesterday with no-one less than Republic of South Africa Thabo Mbeki. He is actually shorter in real life than he seems on tv.

You cannot imagine the security detail that trailed him. Surprisingly, he was VERY friendly, urging all those round to take a picture with him, too. I got to even shake his hand. But I was not in awe. Not when he is going round portraying South Africa and NEPAD like the panacea to Africa's problems.

Not on your nelly!

I have to go vote for the very very personably young woman at this ACSIS election now...

I am Humbled, BBC...More on A&C (Ghana)

Out of 12 pages of looking for "Tunis WSIS", the British Broadcasting Corporation decided to take a look at mine. Obviously, noone left a comment, but they were there!!! Or, rather, they were here...;-)

On the Ghanaian front, someone who has access to aandcdevelopment webmail :(16 Nov, Wed, 11:49:13 http://webmail.aandcdevelopment.com/src/read_body.php?mailbox=INBOX&passed_id=490&startMessage=1 ) visited this site.

I now know that A&C Development FINALLY has a website, which you can readily take a look at here: http://aandcmall.com/.

Why I never thought of going into PR beats me. Honestly...

Off to another workshop, which started late...only ten minutes ago...

Incidentally, the UN delegates deliberations have been beamed through to the Palexpo Kram,and so as I type this, I could literally give you a running commentary...but won't bother. Too jaded by it all really;-)

Microsoft is about to talk, but the CEO of KDDI will talk right now. Let's go:

No idea what company that is. The guy is Japanese; he is talking about "how to enhance" something or other "for developing countries".

PLease change the record!

Reflecting the Eccentric World of...WSIS

For your info, I am writing two variants of my experience of WSIS 2005, Tunis. The one, for the more international audience is at this link here, and the one for the pan-african audience(though all nationalities are welcome!) is on this particular blog.

Thanks, Global Voices, for picking up on my feeds, nut honestly, I cannot for the life of me understand why people would be looking for links like these:

1. 15 Nov, Tue, 17:26:45 Google: wantto have sex in ghana in madina or east legon

In the words of Buffy, in one of those memorbale episodes back in Season I, "I think I speak for everybody when I go "huh?!" "

Ok, ok, so I'm a relic. Sue me!

What, Do I, Like, Look French to You?

Ah stereotypes! Stereotypes, stereotypes, stereotypes. It is bound to run amok in a gathering like this. I hear Kofi Annan is in town. Obviously, the hotel is probably kept secret.

I am in the Civil Society area of the Palexpo Kram. Sorry I cannot bring you any piccies as my Zire Palm decided to give up on me a few days before I left. There was no time to do anything about it...

Pooh, so I am resorting to normal pictures:-( Talk about low-tech in a hi-tech place like this, where almost everyone with a laptop is checking out their emails whilst a meeting goes on. Yes, WI-FI, or wireless internet is in FULL swing, baby!

As for the taxi-driver, well, I had to go deliver something on behalf of my Dad to his acquaintance who works at the African Development Bank. Can you actually believe that there is a road called "Avenue de Ghana", that is one of the three streets that leads to the ADB? Wow...

Anyway, did that, left and caught a cab. He bemoaned the state of Tunis, telling me that "c'est un police d'Etat". Funny, my Dad's friend also said the same thing. You wouldn't think it to see it, though. I thought the place was so secure because of the UN status of the summit and the high number of dignatries--ouch spelling!!--attending.

Both two bemoaned that the police was too much, and what are the Tunisians afraid of? A policeman almost round every corner. Seriously. That bad. For foreigners, I think it's quite welcome, but I can understand why the denizens do not think the same way.

Oh, well.

The taxi driver was interesting. He tried to teach me how to say "welcome" and "bonjour" in Arabic. Sounded cool! Not that I could say it without chuckling or anything, but the language is seriously very elegant. He asked me where I came from, and I was not surprised when he associated football with Ghana. He said that he could detect an anglophone accent.

Conversely, two or three people right here during the past two hours have addressed me in French--and I have responded straight back at them, with a smile, in English, triggering a visceral chuckle from both of us. The anglophone accent and the stunted attempt at speaking French is so detectable:-), don't you think? I doubt any anglophone can ever pass the French test of speaking fluently with a francophone accent -- do you? Bar Jodie Foster, whom I heard, what, four/five years ago in an interview on Belgian television speaking IMPECCABLEMENT. Sexy.

What One Tunisian Newspaper is Saying about WSIS...The Eve of Day Two of Internet Governance Discussions

It's a cool, dry Sunday evening. It's almost 8pm, and I am sitting at the Internet cafe of the Hotel. I have in my hand one newspaper--Le Renouveau. It's subtitle is "organe du rassemblement constitutionnel democratique", and the redacteur en chef, or editor-in-chief is one Nejib Ouerghi.

Here are some of the headlines on WSIS in today's paper:

1. XVIIIeme Anniversaire du Changement--Le Chef D'Etat recoit des messages de felicitations de plusiers organisations et associations. Cohesion autour de Ben Ali et engagement a faire reussir le SMSI:: 18th Anniversary of Change. The Head of State Receives Messages of Congratulations from Many Organisations and Associations. Cohesion around Ben Ali and an engagement to make WSIS Succeed.

2. Reprise, aujourd'hui, des travaux de la Prepcom3. Le document politique et la declaration de Tunis, a l'ordre du jour: The Resumption, today, of PrepCom3. The policy document and the Tunis declaration top the agenda.

3. L'urgence de reduire la fracture numerique: The urgent need to bridge the digital divide

4. Les Jeunes Au SMSI:Une mobilisation remarquable, un engagement total: Youth at WSIS: a Remarkable Mobilisation, Total Engagement

5. Intel entend lancer un projet de modernisation par le tout numerique en AFrique du Nord et Moyen-Orient: Intel counts launching a modernisation project...in North Africa and the MIddle East

6. Quatre secteurs seront cibles par investissement: l'entreprenneuriat local, l'education, laccessibilite au systeme digital et la specialisation des competences techniques: Four Sectors will be Targetted for investment: Local Entrepeneur, Education; Accessibility to Digital System, and the Specialisation of Technical competencies

...and many more.

Looks like Tunis is capitalising big-time, as one would do, on its status as the cynosure of the place where information society sits at the cusp of historical change.

And it certainly looks to be a big summit. Internet governance talks started tpday, but I stayed in the hotel most of the time, being fed French news and some French inanity left, right centre. It was only later in the afternoon that I decide it was time to listen to the radio, and check out a few good radio stations.

Of course good is relative.

I ended up, apart from Radio Mosaique that inspired yesterday's title, finding two or three other stations. There was Radio Tunis international on 98.2 FM. They surprisingly have a mosaique of languages. First, I heard English, where they interviewed around 2.30pm a civil society activist on the WSIS, then later French news, then later Italian, and some Italian music.

Talk about eclectic.

The other stations were playing some alluring and rather sensual Tunisian music, which sent signals viscerally to your body to shake some body stuff, y know:-)

Later, after having my bath, strolled down the boulevard that runs adjacent to the street that leads to the Hotel I am staying in, and I enjoyed the fresh air and psychedelic lights.

I went to one particular hotel -- Hotel Africa -- that is a towering edifice located right in the heart of the boulevard. AFter passing through the hotel security, where I was asked to take off my watch, several dinar coins and other metalliuc stuff on me, walked through the elegant hallway that made no bones that it was a five star hotel.

I just had to try the food here. SO up I went to the fifth floor. I knew it was fifth because I was here yesterday evening to an empty room.

It was empty again, but I persisted. I asked for Couscous and Lamb stew.

Sumptious!

Couldn't even finish it all. For dessert, Tunisian patisserie, which was predominantly pistache and sugar baked together very elegantly. Didin't finish that either. My orange juice, like yesterday at another eaterie, was freshly-squeezed.

AFter about an hour, feeling a bit cut-off from the outside world as I sat all alone on the fifth floor eating, I left--with a very full stomach.

I needed to walk, so I walked plenty...found some papers, and here I am.

Earlier, met two civil society delegates from Zimbabwe who were doing some passive window-shopping. Passive, because the shops were mostly closed.

As I write now, shops are re-opening, and activity has begaun anew.I've been here almost two hours again.

Tomorrow promises to be interesting; I am definitely looking forward to it, but before I take leave of you, must note for posterity that the magasine I bought just a few hundred metres away from here had the alluring title: SMSi. Les Enjeux du Sommet de Tunis WSIS: The Stakes of the Tunis Summit.

Internet Governance is certainly one of those.

I hope to be able to blog from the Kram Exhibition Park tomorrow, despite the business of the place.

Tunis : A Mosaique of Breathtaking Frenchness and Beauty

"En Tunis, si tu oublie quelque chose, tu peux y aller et venire, ca restera au meme place". This is how I would begin a memorable period in a country I never dreamt of visiting – let alone for a UN World Summit on Information Society.

It’s getting to 7pm, or 19heures, over here in Tunis. I’m sitting at an Internet café specially prepared for participants of the WSIS, or SMSI in French. I am the only one here, yet I know that there are WSIS participants staying at the hotel. To my immediate left are transparent doors that look into and outside this place.

Goodlooking—nay, gorgeus-looking—women pass with their boyfriends, friends, etc, passing a poster that says “KILL BILL. Cette Semaine au Cinema”.

How long has the film been out again? I thought it was almost a year. Reminds me of the legendary questionable rights that Tunisians are supposed to have. When I say rights, I am talking about censorship.

I’m actually thinking of checking that film out. Maybe not tonite, though. I have to pretend to myself that I can do something serious whilst I am preparing for the Internet governance discussions to begin 13 November. It ends on 15 November. The following day, 16, is when the Summit ends, only to end on the 18. I get almost two days free time.

Almost.

There are workshops, or ateliers, that I and my colleague are bent on attending, so I am not going to shirk that one.

The information society maybe lost to many people. In the beginning, even I couldn’t get my head round the utility of a conference round it, but now having back-pedalled and seen the bigger picture, I am beginning to think that it’s pretty cool being here.

Especially in Tunis.

We are treated like royalty. We, being those delegates going to the WSIS. These people are far friendlier than I ever anticipated or expected. Many of them after they ask me where I am from say “bienvenue. Tu es chez toi.” Alright so they are tutoieing me, that is not using “vous” since they do not know me, but I am not bothered. They seem to like me, and I certainly find them personable.

They have been very accueuillant, or welcoming, as they say. My French is upping the ante again big time. There is no CNN in my room. Just TF1, France 2 and a host of Tunisian/Arabic stations. I wish I could speak Arabic. Considering it’s a UN language. We sometimes forget don’t we that it’s spoken by a sizeable part of the world.

But a sizeable part of the world do not have signs contemporaneously in French and Arabic. Neither, as far as I know, have predominantly French influence in a country that is supposed to be predominantly Moslem.

There are many Peugeots here—the funk, latest ones—as well as the latest BMWs, even rovers. The buildings like white a lot—as they like blue, shiny faces too. Looks swell.

As I arrived into the town centre (rue de Marseillaise) near the Hotel Oscar, you could have sworn you were approaching Paris. I swear, man.

This is a gorgeous city. It certainly is not reminiscent of Africa, which in many ways is a shame. What happened to the dusty roads?

The security detail (men taking turns in the lobby and outside with their inimitable earpiece) treats you like royalty and you are sure that you will come to no harm.

When I stupidly forgot my suitcase at the badging centre yesterday, I was assured by security that they would find it and bring it back to me. Though they didn’t find it initially, when I was asked to return with the bus people (they did come to the hotel after I reported it), they asked me to tag along.

Within minutes, I found it not far from where I forgot it. It had been on the bus, but in all our haste to get to the badging centre, I forgot it on the bus after I helped a Rwandan delegate who’s bag got torn, leaving all contents trailing. God her colleague was just this side short of very sexy. The slender Rwandan physique, the smooth physiognomy, and that beautifully permed hair she kept on stroking. Wow.

I must have been driven to distraction.

Never again!

The sweat beads that trickled down my face as I pondered over the prospect of losing my suitcase was too great.

And so, when the friendly, congenial and gregarious security man who happened to be a police officer monitoring activity at the badging area late last night told me that "In Tunis, if you forget something somewhere, you can go and come and find it there", I was inclined to believe him.

Just behind us read the gigantic sign "Aeroport Fret".

I was not lost in the irony.

Lights Off...I'm Off! Go Buffy!

As I write this, I am getting a live feed from Parliament, thanks to CITI-FM97.3, of the proceedings leading up to the discussions on the budget. Yes, for the first time ever, Finance minister Baah-Wiredu is reading the budget a month ahead of time. Usually, the budget is delivered in February the following year. News reports this morning were indicating that he has lived up to the constitution.

 

Good stuff.

 

Accra has been interesting off-late.

 

What with the taking off of Ghana International Airlines late October this year. Speculation became rife that because GIA was selling tickets to London at $398 plus taxes, Lufthansa and British Airways were slashing their prices, too. In fact, KLM, in tune with its 45th celebration of flying to Ghana, is selling its tickets st $450 to...anywhere in the world.

 

No, I'm not prepared to do any dubious advertising; I want GIA to succeed, even if 30% is owned by a consortium, with government of Ghana owning the rest. But, for me, it represents exciting times in the country and the aviation industry, especially with Ghana considering itself the gateway to Africa and, I hear anecdotal evidence that Nigeria is...the destination;-)

 

Good one.

 

Latest news from my personal side is that, God willing, I will be en route to Tunis, Tunisia, by way of Italy this evening. I'm off, with my colleague, to attend the UN Summit World Summit on Information Society (http://www.itu.int/wsis). There will be a myriad of side events taking place and it promises to be an interesting eleven nights in North Africa. Another colleague at work has suggested that I read some history on the country so that the place comes alive, once we get there. Seeing as diplomatic history is a major area of interest to me(especially 1815-1914--pls check: http://writing_center.tripod.com/pol211/pol211-index.htm) , I was out to the 'Net and the printer in a flash printing everything and anything I will pretend to read while contemporraneously dosing under my specs...:-)

 

Ho hum...

 

Now, back after an hour and a bit of of two mini-meetings, it is now lunch time, and I'm getting butterflies in my stomach. I'm preparing to go down to Alitalia to get me and my colleagues transit visa through Italy.

 

Just now, the live feed on the reading of the budget by Baah-Wiredu, Ghana's finance minister, is making uncomfortable hearing.

 

First, there will be considerable tax breaks for companies. Just the type of things many NGOs, like Third World Network-Africa here are campaigning against in the light of the campaign against the Minerals and Mining Bill that is currently in parliament. You can obtain an insight into the campaign at this link here: http://www.twnafrica.org/news_detail.asp?twnID=847

 

Thankfully, tracking of goods by our CEPS (Customs, Excise, Preventive Service) will be intensified. CEPS is one of the biggest collectors of revenue for the state through goods that come into the country.

 

On a lighter side, which, frankly, is ironic, I got home yesterday evening to darkness that had fallen.

 

It would continue to be dark up until 3am this morning. I know it wasn't earlier, because I woke up around 2am for a pee and it was still dark outside with only the beautiful moonlight lighting up the area, and houses.

 

Mosquitoes were not too bad this time as we lit the coils earlier. I heard on the radio that the lights were going to come back around 10pm. Alas, no.

 

We ended up using our silent generator to watch tv for a good two hours or so. We caight Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, as per usual, on Ghana's TV3. Buffy has been showing for a few months now, and I find myself enjoying it. Yesterday's episode involved Buffy's ex-boyfriend seeking to be a vampire, as well as immortality. So he decides to sacrifice Buffy to a hard-nosed vampire who goes by the name of Spike, who tags along with what has been described as a "criminally-insane" sensual-yet-dangerous vampire. (Episode 5V06)

 

Back in Brussels, I always changed the channel when I saw it on BBC2.

 

Reality is very much different these days!!:-)

 

BTW, I check up on detailed programming on buffy at this link here: http://www.buffyguide.com/episodes/episodes2.shtml