Monday, April 23, 2012
Policy Fair 2012 - Road Sector and Family Day Steal the Show
By Mawutodzi Abissath
Do you know that competition engenders excellence? Gradually but subtly, the Dialogue Session module of the Information Ministry-initiated Policy Fair is emerging as a national platform for intellectual and strategic thinking pageant. And the quality of speakers and moderators for this year’s event was beyond compare. The other component of the Fair is Exhibitions by MDAs.
Without exaggeration, all the dialogue sessions of the just-ended National Policy Fair –the 3rd in series held at the plush Accra International Conference Centre from 16st to 21st April, 2012 was not only mind-boggling, but titillating, thrilling, exiting, insightful and soul moving! It was fantastic!
Most Rev.Gabriel Charles Palmer-Buckle, Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra was the man of God who beseeched the presence of the Commander-in-Chief of the Universe to take control and direct affairs. And indeed, despite all human errors and challenges, the event came to a successful end with a Muslim prayer by Hon. Baba Jamal Ahmed Mohammed, Deputy Minister for Tourism.
If I were granted the privilege to declare a winner of the quoloquim, (dialogue sessions), Hon. Joe Gidisu of the Road sector and Rev. Dr. Samuel Kisseadoo of the Family Day would have shared the first prize for Speakers category, while Hon. Ben Ephson of the Daily Dispatch and Hon. Kwesi Pratt of The Insight would share the Moderators award. The quality was apt!
But the object of this piece is to highlight the salient points in the presentation made by the Roads and Highways Minister because time did not allow him to do justice to his topic and more importantly, “he who brings you roads brings you life.” All the 230 Parliamentarians want roads in their constituencies at ago, especially during this election year. But roads budget is always cut.
First of all this writer can affirm and confirm that Ghanaian roads engineers at the Highway Authority, Department of Feeder Roads and the Department at Urban Roads do not have the luxury to sit and enjoy the cozy comfort of their fully air-conditioned offices at all.
The nature of their work finds them in virgin forests, swampy and mushy rivers, abyss valleys, or struggling to climb Rocky Mountains and hills in efforts to take roads to the last living soul at the end of the rainbow. Speaking from experience, I can vouch for their commitment and dedication to bring life to all Ghanaians in most deprived rural communities through roads.
Labour-Based Technology (LBT):
According to the Roads Minister, the Labour-based in road maintenance and rehabilitation policy was reintroduced in 2009; and as at the end of 2011, thirty-three (33) contracts had been awarded creating jobs for about 4,200 “mouths” in the country.
Road Maintenance Financing:
An automated toll collection was introduced for the first time in this country in September 2010 to improve revenue generation into the Road Fund. The Minister pointed out that since the electronic toll collection came into being, “the Road and Bridge Tolls which used to generate only 2% of total Road Fund revenue now constitute about 17% of the total revenue.”
Axle Load Control:
To protect the heavy investment Government was pumping in road infrastructure, the Ministry has to intensify the enforcement of the Law on Axle Load Limit as provided in the Road Traffic Act 2004 (Act 683) and ECOWAS Supplementary Act on Axle Load.
So far, the Ghana Highway Authority has constructed 14 permanent Weighbridge Stations (PWS) out of a total of 26 programmed for the country. The Ministry has further contracted the supply of six (6) more permanent Weigh equipment while four (4) portable Weigh pads were expected to be awarded soon.
Public Private Partnerships (PPP)
Having realized that road infrastructure is a capital intensive venture that government alone cannot shoulder, “the Ministry is exploring Public Private Partnership (PPP) schemes in financing, construction and management of road infrastructure,” it was disclosed.
The Minister revealed that the contract for the financing, construction and maintenance of an Overpass on the Motorway at Teshie Link has been signed with Trascacco and works will commence soon. “Dualization of the Accra-Cape Coast- Takoradi Road,” is another result of PPP. Mr. Gidisu said Cabinet has given approval for the Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) arrangement of the dualization of the Accra-Kumasi trunk road and procurement has gone far with Arterial Roads as the main company.
Chinese Loan Facility:
“The Government has received a loan of US$3billion from China Development Bank towards various infrastructure developments in various sectors of the economy. Part of the loan will be applied for the construction of various roads, notably the Oil Enclave roads in the Western Region and some roads in the Accra Metropolitan Area,” said Mr. Gidisu.
Some of these projects are Mpataba-Ekpu-New Town road, Sankor Junction –Cape Three points road, Agona Nkwanta-Discove road, Busua Junction-Princess Town road all in the Western Region. Then the La Beach Road (Accra-Tema) completion project; Area-wide Traffic Control Centre and Intelligent System for Street Lights in Accra.
The Minister said about US$180 million would be used to upgrade 400km of Gravel Roads to bitumen surfacing and 300km of earth roads to gravel surface to improve access roads under the Eastern Corridor Multi-Modal Transportation Project, he noted.
Status of some major on-going projects:
The Government says it is committed to the continuation of road projects started before 2009. Here is evidence provided by the Roads Minister at the Policy Fair:
Tetteh Quashie – Madina Road as of 2009 stood at 29% and moved to 75% as of March 2012; Madina –Pantang Road moved from Mobilization to 65%; Achimota –Ofankor Road -22% to 93%; Nsawam Bypass, Mobilization to 96%; Nkwakaw Bypass, Mobilization to 80%; Construction of Sofoline Road was elevated from 5% to 70%; Kumasi –Techiman Road (ph2), 40% to Completion; Oforikrom – Asokwa Bypass moved from 10% to 95%.
Other important projects are Sogakope –Adidome-Ho-Fume Road (ph1) was elevated from 70% to total completion; Bamboi –Tinga Road also moved from 55% to completion; Kasardjan Road in Koforidua moved from 40% to a total completion; Accra CDB Roads (High Street & Asafiatse Nettey) as well as Achimota Transport Terminal in the capital moved from 50% and 70% respectively to total completion by March this year.
New Road Projects:
Besides the inherited on-projects, Government itself has initiated some critical new road projects since 2009. Some of these new projects were categorized into Trunk, Feeder and Urban Roads which the Minister enumerated as follows:
Buipe-Tamale (104km) (IDA) - the contract for the rehabilitation/pavement strengthening of this road section has been awarded. The Minister said the contractor has mobilized to site and works have since commenced in earnest; adding that the Contractor is China Jianxi International Corporation.
Asikuma Junction-Hohoe Road (45km) (GoG), is another new project for which construction took off in October last year and work is reported to be progressing unabated. The Contactor is GS International Developers, said the Minister.
Dodo Pepesu-Nkwata Road reconstruction (46km) (EU) has been awarded to Oumarou Kanazoe of Burkina Faso and work expected to take off in this second quarter of the year.
Other crucial new projects include Reconstruction of Nkwanta –Oti Road (58km); Rehabilitation of Adomi Bridge, Reconstruction of Takoradi-Agona Junction (25km); Rehabilitation of Agona Junction – Elubo (25km); Reconstruction of Tarkwa –Bogoso-Ayamfuri (94.4km) and Rehabilitation of Ayamfuri – Asawinso (52.2km) for which evaluation and tenders have been completed and works expected to commence this quarter.
Up-north, two contractors have commenced reconstruction works (147km) from both the Fufulso and Sawla ends. Meanwhile, construction of seven (7) Bridges (BADA/GOG) to “remove bottlenecks on the highway network has commended at key locations,” disclosed the Minister.
Some of the rivers over which these bridges are to be constructed include Aboabo, Birim, Asuboni and Ochi all in the Eastern Region. Others are Kalanmua and Sissili in the Upper East Region; as well as Nanpeni River in the Brong Ahafo Region. In fact, “Lot 1 is 48% complete and Lot 2 is 44% complete, noted the Roads Minister.
District Capital Roads
“Sixty-Nine (69) Districts Capitals in all the 10 regions are benefiting from a programme dubbed “District Capital Roads Improvement Project (DCRIP)- Japanese,” said the Minister. According to him, the project has been divided into three phases and works under phases 1, 2, and 3 are 84%, 85%, and 84% completed respectively. All things being equal, 143km of town roads will be surface dressed by the end of phase 3 next year.
Other Feeder Roads and Bridges, as well as Urban Roads both in Accra, Kumasi, Tema such as Spintex Road, Dansoman High Street, GIMPA Bypass, Zenu-Ashiaman Road, Ekon Bridge in Cape Cape Coast; Kaase Road in Kumasi, Nalung Roads in Takoradi, CK and Fiave Road in Ho, have been completed or near completion.
COCOBOD Funded Programme
It is encouraging to learn that COCOBOD has been collaborating with the Ministry in rehabilitation, upgrading and maintenance of roads vital for haulage of cocoa, coffee and sheanuts. So, from Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo in the North to Tema in the South, road projects are on course under the Better Ghana Agenda.
In his concluding remarks,Moderator of the Road Sector Dialogue Session, Hon Ben Ephson commented: “If the road engineers in Ghana were sleeping in their offices, they would not have been able to competently handle the questions that were fired at them the way they did!”
Mr. Joe Gidisu, Minister for Roads and Highways (L) Speaker making his presentation, while Mr. Ben Ephson Editor –in- Chief, The Daily Dispatch (M) Moderator jotting
down notes. On the right is a Rep of Ministry of Health at the Policy Fair.
The Writer is Deputy Director/Head of ICT at the Information Services Department,Ministry of Information, Accra -Ghana
Ghana To Start E-Service Billing This Year 2012
By Mawutodzi K. Abissath
All things being equal, the Government of Ghana (GoG) will initiate an e-service billing on pilot basis by April this year. This is made possible by a successful implementation of e-government network system among some 85 Ministries, Municipals, Departments and Agencies (MMDAs) to communicate efficiently and seamlessly and to do government business across the country.
Mr. William Tevie, Director General of the National Information Technology Agency (NITA), disclosed this to about 500 participants drawn from various MMDAs at a conference yesterday at the Alisa Hotel here in the capital city of Accra. “It is in this light that NITA has invited you here to show you what services are available and to discuss the proposed pricing for these services before billing begins from 1st April, 2012,” said Tevie.
According to Tevie, NITA was established by an Act of Parliament Act 771 in 2008 as a policy implementation arm of the Ministry of Communications. He explained that NITA’s focus is to lead in the transformation of Public Service information management and efficient delivery of services by government to citizens; provide the foundation and framework for utilizing information and technology to transform Ghana into a value-based knowledge society, as well as create the necessary environment and empower the public to facilitate the transformation required to achieve the technological vision of the nation.
“In addition, NITA has been mandated to encourage all Ghanaians to participate in and utilize the opportunity made available by Information and Communication Technology (ICT),” Tevie stressed.
Tevie told conference delegates that in an effort to exercise its mandate, the first step his organization (NITA) took over the last few years was the establishment of the e-government network to minimize, if not totally eradicate bureaucracy and ‘red-tapeism’ from among MMDAs.
“The multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) network give engineers the flexibility to transport and route several types of network traffic using the technologies of MPLS backbone and to divert and route traffic around link failures, congestion, and bottlenecks,” explained Tevie as strategy adopted by NITA.
According to NITA boss, today, over 85 government institutions are currently connected to this network. “Plans are far advanced to install fiber connectivity in the eastern corridor of Ghana, a place which has been neglected by many commercial service providers due to lack of viable business prospects,” he revealed. Tevie disclosed that the second phase of the e-government project will ensure that all 170 districts and large towns have connectivity via fiber optics and WIMAX connectivity he noted.
Tevie further informed participants that NITA has also rolled out a pilot data centre where several applications are being provisioned from. “NITA today is providing Anti-virus services, active directory services, email services, storage services and web hosting services from the pilot data centre.” He added, “The national data center which will be managed by NITA is under construction and will be commissioned towards the end of the year.” He pointed out that with the availability of the data center, loss of data through fire would be a thing of the past. (Ghana is notorious for fire out-breaks, especially at public mark places).
Tevie again told the meeting that a second data centre in Kumasi, the second larger city about 600 kilometers north of Accra, and a backup data center in Takoradi some 700km west of the capital, have been planned in the second phase of the e-government network roll out. “This is to ensure that government services are seamless with minimal downtime,” Tevie opined.
Throwing more light on some e-services that have already been initiated in some sectors across MMDAs, Tevie enumerated: “Eleven MDAs including Birth and death registry, passport office, registrar general’s department , Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Department of Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), have started e-services aimed at serving the citizenry via online service delivery, he said.
For the information of participants, Tevie hinted, “An e-payment platform was recently launched to enable citizenry to pay for these services online. E-parliament and e-immigration are all in different stages of development.” Tevie proposed that the second phase of the project will also see e-health system deployed.
“Most of these services have been made possible through funding from the World Bank and other funding agencies. In order to ensure that these services are sustainable, there is a need to charge cost recovery fees as external funding wane.
“Maintenance of the infrastructure is also very important . All these require that users pay a fee for every service used to enable NITA maintain and sustain the infrastructure. It is in this light that NITA has invited you here to show you what services are available and to discuss the proposed pricing for these services before billing begins from 1st April, 2012,” Tevie concluded.
It is recalled that July 2006, the World Bank approved a loan of $40million USD for the Government of Ghana through the Ministry of Communications to assist Ghana, among other things to generate growth and employment by leveraging ICT and public-private partnership (PPP) to develop ICT Enabled Services industry as well as contribute to improve efficiency and transparency of selected government functions through e-government applications.
Other topic through which conference participants were taken through included e-Government Infrastructure, Service Provisioning Billing, Domain Registration, E-Applications, Standards and Enterprise Architecture.
Writer is Deputy Director/Head of ICT at the Information Services Department, Ministry of Information -Accra,Ghana
Saturday, April 14, 2012
ECOWAS Network of Science Journalists
Abissath's Profile
Abissath is a veteran Ghanaian bilingual journalist, writer, poet and blogger. He holds B.A (Hons) Communication Studies from the University of Ghana and Diploma in Journalism from the Ghana Institute of Journalism GIJ). He has had a stint at the Institute of System Sciences, National University of Singapore as well as at the Ecole Nationale d'Administration, Paris, France, where he studied Project Management of Information Technology (IT) for Chief Innovation Officers (CIOs) and Communication Diplomacy respectively.
He has been a communication practitioner for over a quarter of a century (25 years).
He spent 12 years out of the 25 in Public Relations practice where he served various institutions including the National Commission on Culture, Ministry of Communications, Ministry of Information and Ministry of Roads and Highways, all in Accra, Ghana as Government Public Affairs Director. Among his schedules was advising authorities and Ministers of these sectors of national economy on communication policy issues as well as drafting speeches and co-coordinating all media events of these state institutions.
He has published over 500 features or articles in newspapers, magazines, on the Internet in both French and English. He has freelanced for the two leading national dailies in Ghana, namely the Daily Graphic and the Ghanaian Times for over 20 years running.
•He is the author of “Friends of Tomorrow- Poems for Young Children” (1994).
• Co-author, Traditional Wisdom in African Proverbs (2004).This is a collection of about 1000 proverbs from over 40 African countries.
• Kofi Annan the Great: Eulogy to the Former UN Secretary-General under publication (2007).
•Ezinearticles.com Expert Author since (2005), Web-based publication.
Abissath currently has in his possession a collection of over unpublished pieces of 70 poetry under the title: BE USEFUL AND OTHER PHILOSOPHICAL POEMS. (Interested publishers may get in touch)
Abissath has had an appreciable international exposure. He is an alumnus of Ecole Nationale d’Administration (l’ENA) Paris, France, National University of Singapore and Nanyang Polytechnic also in Singapore.
He is a member of ECOWAS Science Journalists Newtork Steering Committed headquarted in Abuja, Nigerian
Abissath is currently Deputy Director and Head of ICT Division of the Information Services Department of Ministry of Information, Accra, Ghana.
He is the Content Manager Government of Ghana Portal (G0G Portal), the Official National Website of the Republic of Ghana www.ghana.gov.gh
His blogs: http://abissathfeatures-mawu.blogspot.com/
http://abissathmodernblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/ecowas-science-journalists-to-champion.html
Abissath is a veteran Ghanaian bilingual journalist, writer, poet and blogger. He holds B.A (Hons) Communication Studies from the University of Ghana and Diploma in Journalism from the Ghana Institute of Journalism GIJ). He has had a stint at the Institute of System Sciences, National University of Singapore as well as at the Ecole Nationale d'Administration, Paris, France, where he studied Project Management of Information Technology (IT) for Chief Innovation Officers (CIOs) and Communication Diplomacy respectively.
He has been a communication practitioner for over a quarter of a century (25 years).
He spent 12 years out of the 25 in Public Relations practice where he served various institutions including the National Commission on Culture, Ministry of Communications, Ministry of Information and Ministry of Roads and Highways, all in Accra, Ghana as Government Public Affairs Director. Among his schedules was advising authorities and Ministers of these sectors of national economy on communication policy issues as well as drafting speeches and co-coordinating all media events of these state institutions.
He has published over 500 features or articles in newspapers, magazines, on the Internet in both French and English. He has freelanced for the two leading national dailies in Ghana, namely the Daily Graphic and the Ghanaian Times for over 20 years running.
•He is the author of “Friends of Tomorrow- Poems for Young Children” (1994).
• Co-author, Traditional Wisdom in African Proverbs (2004).This is a collection of about 1000 proverbs from over 40 African countries.
• Kofi Annan the Great: Eulogy to the Former UN Secretary-General under publication (2007).
•Ezinearticles.com Expert Author since (2005), Web-based publication.
Abissath currently has in his possession a collection of over unpublished pieces of 70 poetry under the title: BE USEFUL AND OTHER PHILOSOPHICAL POEMS. (Interested publishers may get in touch)
Abissath has had an appreciable international exposure. He is an alumnus of Ecole Nationale d’Administration (l’ENA) Paris, France, National University of Singapore and Nanyang Polytechnic also in Singapore.
He is a member of ECOWAS Science Journalists Newtork Steering Committed headquarted in Abuja, Nigerian
Abissath is currently Deputy Director and Head of ICT Division of the Information Services Department of Ministry of Information, Accra, Ghana.
He is the Content Manager Government of Ghana Portal (G0G Portal), the Official National Website of the Republic of Ghana www.ghana.gov.gh
His blogs: http://abissathfeatures-mawu.blogspot.com/
http://abissathmodernblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/ecowas-science-journalists-to-champion.html
Friday, February 17, 2012
MOTHER OF ALL ELECTIONS IN AFRICA 2012: GHANA GOES BIOMETRIC
By Mawutodzi Abissath
The wisdom of African ancestors is reflected in this Ghanaian proverb which says: “If you haven’t been to the war front, you’ll have the pleasure to chastise others for not fighting hard enough.”
Hypothetically, the year 2012 seems to be going down in political history as the most democratic year on the African Continent as far as elections go. For those who are spared the agony of this democratic “tug of war”, these elections will be a game to enjoy. Unfortunately, however, elections in Africa end up more in war than in peace. But should elections be life and death affairs?
Africa’s elections 2012
Just take a quick glance at the Africa’s election schedule for 2012 as published on the African Union (AU) website, last updated on 13th January, 2012.
“Senegal 26 February Presidential; Guinea-Bissau 18 March Presidential; The Gambia 29 March Parliamentary ; Mali 29 April Presidential (First Round); Mali 13 May Presidential (Second Round); Algeria May Parliamentary; Burkina Faso May Parliamentary; Lesotho May Parliamentary; Seychelles May Parliamentary; Senegal 17 June Parliamentary; Congo (Brazzaville) June Parliamentary; Egypt June Presidential; Mali 1 July Parliamentary (First Round); Mali 22 July Parliamentary (Second Round); Cameroon July Parliamentary.”
The rests are: “Angola September Presidential/Parliamentary; Togo October Parliamentary; Sierra Leone 17 November Presidential/Parliamentary; Ghana 7 December Presidential (First Round)/Parliamentary; Ghana 28 December Presidential (Second Round); Guinea Parliamentary; Libya Presidential /Parliamentary; Madagascar Presidential/Parliamentary; Mauritania Parliamentary; Tunisia Presidential; Zimbabwe Referendum/Presidential.” This writer deliberately quoted verbatim what is on AU’s website. And it is clearly stated there, “All dates are extremely tentative and are based on past poll scheduling patterns.”
Ghana’s election 2012
On Wednesday, 15th February, 2012, Africa’s Electoral Commissioner of the 21st century, Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan of Ghana, set the tone for what is characterized as the Mother of all elections in the country since 1992. Ghana’s election 2012!
Hear him: “The biometric voter registration is a complete replacement of the voters register compiled from 2004 to 2010,” he started. He went on: “As a result, all previous registrations and existing voter ID cards will no longer be valid.” And so what? “All Ghanaian citizens who registered from 2004 to 2010 should therefore be registered anew to qualify to vote in public elections and referenda.” This is the crux of election 2012 in Ghana. The target audience of this piece is what is known as “common man.”
Fellow Ghanaians, sugarcane sellers, charcoal producers, illegal chainsaw operators, galamsay environmentalists, sweet-mothers of makola kingdom, truck pusher-instructors, palm wine tappers, agbeli kaklo manufacturers, tuozaafi gastronomy specialists, azonto acrobatic engineers, foot-soldiers, die hard politicians, book long academicians, latter-day media saints and brothers and sisters in grave digging industry, all protocol observed:
Please, listen with rapt attention to what the doyen and icon of modern Africa elections – Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan is saying ooo!!! The man is so simple and humble that when he talks - he does not repeat himself. So, pay attention to him now! Dr. Afari-Gyan is saying that, whether you have been voting since the day Adam and Eve were shown the red card by the Creator Himself to vacate the Eden Garden, or not; or whether you have just graduated from JSS at age 18, you will not vote in 2012 unless you go through a certain harmless initiation called BIOMETRIC VOTER REGISTRATION.
The implication is that all previous voter registration booklets and the existing voter ID cards in Ghana since Adam, Eve and the Serpent started pointing accusing finger at one another, will be null and void. It means that, henceforth, “No Biometric Registration, No Voting in Ghana.” The doctor of elections is saying that even if the Master Jesus the Christ himself comes down today, and does not present himself for biometric registration, he cannot and will not be allowed to vote in Ghana. Is that clear?
So, if you want to use your ‘kokroboti’ or your thumb finger as ‘AK47’ to show politicians where power lies, you must register as a Biometric Voter. Simple! Right now, all Ghanaians are starting from ground zero. Nobody is qualified to vote in December 2012 if the person does not register as biometric voter. This is the beginning of free and fair elections in Ghana. And Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan alone cannot guarantee this free and fair strategy except all Ghanaians.
So, what is this animal called BIOMETRIC? Well, I, too, didn’t know until Wednesday, 15th February 2012. The venue was the International Press Centre of Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) headquarters in Accra. It was there that under the auspices of Editors Forum Ghana (EFG) all the top notch journalists in Ghana went back to school to be taught by Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan. In fact, luminary editors like Madam Adjoa Yeboah- Afari, who is the President of EFG; Ambassador Karbral Blay- Amihere, Chairman, National Media Commission; Mr. Ransford Tetteh, President of GJA, Mr. Kwame Bright Blewu, General Secretary of GJA, just to mention a few, were all in that open-air classroom to learn at the feet of Dr. Afari-Gyan, what BIOMETRIC VOTER REGISTRATION is all about.
Dr. Afari-Gyan taught us that Biometric is not an animal at all. You remember a few years ago when the Ghana Education Service started the computerized selection of schools for Senior High students, and there was confusion galore, where some girls were posted to boys’ schools? At one of phone-in-calls, someone called on a radio station and asked why the Police would not go and arrest the computer who was posting girls to boys’ schools and vice versa? That caller thought computer was a human being sitting in some corner and causing unbearable pain to parents and their wards. Such a person, should not be ridiculed, but rather be assisted through public education. So, we should not wait until some of our electorate compatriots start taking a Biometric as an animal or a human being, before we sit up.
So, at the Editors Forum School, Dr. Afari-Gyan taught us that basically, a Biometric Voter Registration is simply a technology whereby computers, fingerprint scanners and digital cameras are used to capture the bio-data of applicants. In this context, applicants refer to prospective voters in Ghana. The doctor of elections told us that human beings’ fingerprints are unique to every individual. He explained that it is these unique features and other details that are stored in the computer from which the voters register is produced. That is why it is called Biometric Voter Registration. For example, even identical twins like the celebrated Tagoe Sisters may have fingerprints peculiar to each other.
Dr. Afari-Gyan told us that the actual biometric voter registration will start on 24th March and end on 2nd April this year. So, don’t let anybody deceive you to wait until next year. He told us that some evil-mined people have already started their diabolical activities by deceiving people, especially our brothers and sisters in the rural areas that if they go through the biometric registration, they would get cancer or HIV/AIDS. Please, this is a BIG lie. It is not true at all. If you listen to such people, you will not have the power to vote. And if you don’t vote, you will not be able to decide who should be your President or Parliamentarian in 2013. Remember your vote is your power!
Dr. Afari-Gyan explained that biometric registration will be carried out in four phases in all 10 regions of the country. That each phase will take only ten days including Saturdays and Sundays. So, Phase one is from 24th March to 2nd April. Phase two is from 4th April to 13th April. Phase three is from 15th April to 24th April and the last phase is from 26th April to 5th May, 2012.
Be it known that Ghana’s Electoral Commission has trained officers who will bring the biometric registration machines (kit) to a registration centre which is the same as the polling station near you. So, please, don’t rush to a polling station that is far away from you to register. This is important because, with the biometric registration, you can register only once and you can vote only once. If you register in your village and come to Accra or Kumasi to register again, the machine will detect you and reject your second registration. In fact, with the biometric registration, you cannot register on behalf of your grandmother, or grandfather, or your twin brother or sister. Everybody must be physically present to scan their fingerprints and take their digital photographs personally.
Now, when you get to the registration centre, the electoral officials will take you through four stages for the registration process. This is very simple, so, you don’t need to panic. There may be four tables. At table one, the officer will ask of your name, date of birth, age, sex, that is whether you are a man or woman, ( but if you are both man and woman, they will not ask you that question so, you must make your choice). Then they will ask your residential address or your house number, your parents’ names; even if your parents have left this earth and enjoying themselves in heaven, you must give their names; then your home town and finally the district in which your home town is located.
At the second table, all your ten fingers will be taken. The machine will not burn you so don’t fear. It will only scan the fingers like a photocopy machine. First, you put your four fingers of the right hand, followed by the four fingers of the left hand and the two “kokroboti” or thumbprints. Don’t worry if you don’t have all the ten fingers. You will be allowed to use those fingers that are available for the registration. Even if you don’t have any fingers at all, Dr. Afari-Gyan says you will not be disenfranchised, but there is a special way to make it possible for you to register and vote.
Then at the table three, your photograph will be taken with digital camera on the spot. It is this photograph that will be printed on your voter ID card and voters register. This is how you get a photo ID card to be inspected on the day of voting in December this year.
Now, at the table four, if your registration is completed without any problem whatever, you will only have to wait for a while and your voter ID card will be issued to you. This is how you become a Biometric Registered Voter. Before then, make sure you are a citizen of Ghana; you are 18 years and above; you have a sound mind in a sound body; you are a resident in an electoral area; you have not registered anywhere else; and above all you are the person you claim to be. No impersonation.
With this, man, you are qualified to take part in Ghana’s Mother of all elections in Africa 2012. And it will be a gargantuan election in the true sense of the word.
The Writer is Deputy Director IT at the Information Services Department in Accra
The wisdom of African ancestors is reflected in this Ghanaian proverb which says: “If you haven’t been to the war front, you’ll have the pleasure to chastise others for not fighting hard enough.”
Hypothetically, the year 2012 seems to be going down in political history as the most democratic year on the African Continent as far as elections go. For those who are spared the agony of this democratic “tug of war”, these elections will be a game to enjoy. Unfortunately, however, elections in Africa end up more in war than in peace. But should elections be life and death affairs?
Africa’s elections 2012
Just take a quick glance at the Africa’s election schedule for 2012 as published on the African Union (AU) website, last updated on 13th January, 2012.
“Senegal 26 February Presidential; Guinea-Bissau 18 March Presidential; The Gambia 29 March Parliamentary ; Mali 29 April Presidential (First Round); Mali 13 May Presidential (Second Round); Algeria May Parliamentary; Burkina Faso May Parliamentary; Lesotho May Parliamentary; Seychelles May Parliamentary; Senegal 17 June Parliamentary; Congo (Brazzaville) June Parliamentary; Egypt June Presidential; Mali 1 July Parliamentary (First Round); Mali 22 July Parliamentary (Second Round); Cameroon July Parliamentary.”
The rests are: “Angola September Presidential/Parliamentary; Togo October Parliamentary; Sierra Leone 17 November Presidential/Parliamentary; Ghana 7 December Presidential (First Round)/Parliamentary; Ghana 28 December Presidential (Second Round); Guinea Parliamentary; Libya Presidential /Parliamentary; Madagascar Presidential/Parliamentary; Mauritania Parliamentary; Tunisia Presidential; Zimbabwe Referendum/Presidential.” This writer deliberately quoted verbatim what is on AU’s website. And it is clearly stated there, “All dates are extremely tentative and are based on past poll scheduling patterns.”
Ghana’s election 2012
On Wednesday, 15th February, 2012, Africa’s Electoral Commissioner of the 21st century, Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan of Ghana, set the tone for what is characterized as the Mother of all elections in the country since 1992. Ghana’s election 2012!
Hear him: “The biometric voter registration is a complete replacement of the voters register compiled from 2004 to 2010,” he started. He went on: “As a result, all previous registrations and existing voter ID cards will no longer be valid.” And so what? “All Ghanaian citizens who registered from 2004 to 2010 should therefore be registered anew to qualify to vote in public elections and referenda.” This is the crux of election 2012 in Ghana. The target audience of this piece is what is known as “common man.”
Fellow Ghanaians, sugarcane sellers, charcoal producers, illegal chainsaw operators, galamsay environmentalists, sweet-mothers of makola kingdom, truck pusher-instructors, palm wine tappers, agbeli kaklo manufacturers, tuozaafi gastronomy specialists, azonto acrobatic engineers, foot-soldiers, die hard politicians, book long academicians, latter-day media saints and brothers and sisters in grave digging industry, all protocol observed:
Please, listen with rapt attention to what the doyen and icon of modern Africa elections – Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan is saying ooo!!! The man is so simple and humble that when he talks - he does not repeat himself. So, pay attention to him now! Dr. Afari-Gyan is saying that, whether you have been voting since the day Adam and Eve were shown the red card by the Creator Himself to vacate the Eden Garden, or not; or whether you have just graduated from JSS at age 18, you will not vote in 2012 unless you go through a certain harmless initiation called BIOMETRIC VOTER REGISTRATION.
The implication is that all previous voter registration booklets and the existing voter ID cards in Ghana since Adam, Eve and the Serpent started pointing accusing finger at one another, will be null and void. It means that, henceforth, “No Biometric Registration, No Voting in Ghana.” The doctor of elections is saying that even if the Master Jesus the Christ himself comes down today, and does not present himself for biometric registration, he cannot and will not be allowed to vote in Ghana. Is that clear?
So, if you want to use your ‘kokroboti’ or your thumb finger as ‘AK47’ to show politicians where power lies, you must register as a Biometric Voter. Simple! Right now, all Ghanaians are starting from ground zero. Nobody is qualified to vote in December 2012 if the person does not register as biometric voter. This is the beginning of free and fair elections in Ghana. And Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan alone cannot guarantee this free and fair strategy except all Ghanaians.
So, what is this animal called BIOMETRIC? Well, I, too, didn’t know until Wednesday, 15th February 2012. The venue was the International Press Centre of Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) headquarters in Accra. It was there that under the auspices of Editors Forum Ghana (EFG) all the top notch journalists in Ghana went back to school to be taught by Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan. In fact, luminary editors like Madam Adjoa Yeboah- Afari, who is the President of EFG; Ambassador Karbral Blay- Amihere, Chairman, National Media Commission; Mr. Ransford Tetteh, President of GJA, Mr. Kwame Bright Blewu, General Secretary of GJA, just to mention a few, were all in that open-air classroom to learn at the feet of Dr. Afari-Gyan, what BIOMETRIC VOTER REGISTRATION is all about.
Dr. Afari-Gyan taught us that Biometric is not an animal at all. You remember a few years ago when the Ghana Education Service started the computerized selection of schools for Senior High students, and there was confusion galore, where some girls were posted to boys’ schools? At one of phone-in-calls, someone called on a radio station and asked why the Police would not go and arrest the computer who was posting girls to boys’ schools and vice versa? That caller thought computer was a human being sitting in some corner and causing unbearable pain to parents and their wards. Such a person, should not be ridiculed, but rather be assisted through public education. So, we should not wait until some of our electorate compatriots start taking a Biometric as an animal or a human being, before we sit up.
So, at the Editors Forum School, Dr. Afari-Gyan taught us that basically, a Biometric Voter Registration is simply a technology whereby computers, fingerprint scanners and digital cameras are used to capture the bio-data of applicants. In this context, applicants refer to prospective voters in Ghana. The doctor of elections told us that human beings’ fingerprints are unique to every individual. He explained that it is these unique features and other details that are stored in the computer from which the voters register is produced. That is why it is called Biometric Voter Registration. For example, even identical twins like the celebrated Tagoe Sisters may have fingerprints peculiar to each other.
Dr. Afari-Gyan told us that the actual biometric voter registration will start on 24th March and end on 2nd April this year. So, don’t let anybody deceive you to wait until next year. He told us that some evil-mined people have already started their diabolical activities by deceiving people, especially our brothers and sisters in the rural areas that if they go through the biometric registration, they would get cancer or HIV/AIDS. Please, this is a BIG lie. It is not true at all. If you listen to such people, you will not have the power to vote. And if you don’t vote, you will not be able to decide who should be your President or Parliamentarian in 2013. Remember your vote is your power!
Dr. Afari-Gyan explained that biometric registration will be carried out in four phases in all 10 regions of the country. That each phase will take only ten days including Saturdays and Sundays. So, Phase one is from 24th March to 2nd April. Phase two is from 4th April to 13th April. Phase three is from 15th April to 24th April and the last phase is from 26th April to 5th May, 2012.
Be it known that Ghana’s Electoral Commission has trained officers who will bring the biometric registration machines (kit) to a registration centre which is the same as the polling station near you. So, please, don’t rush to a polling station that is far away from you to register. This is important because, with the biometric registration, you can register only once and you can vote only once. If you register in your village and come to Accra or Kumasi to register again, the machine will detect you and reject your second registration. In fact, with the biometric registration, you cannot register on behalf of your grandmother, or grandfather, or your twin brother or sister. Everybody must be physically present to scan their fingerprints and take their digital photographs personally.
Now, when you get to the registration centre, the electoral officials will take you through four stages for the registration process. This is very simple, so, you don’t need to panic. There may be four tables. At table one, the officer will ask of your name, date of birth, age, sex, that is whether you are a man or woman, ( but if you are both man and woman, they will not ask you that question so, you must make your choice). Then they will ask your residential address or your house number, your parents’ names; even if your parents have left this earth and enjoying themselves in heaven, you must give their names; then your home town and finally the district in which your home town is located.
At the second table, all your ten fingers will be taken. The machine will not burn you so don’t fear. It will only scan the fingers like a photocopy machine. First, you put your four fingers of the right hand, followed by the four fingers of the left hand and the two “kokroboti” or thumbprints. Don’t worry if you don’t have all the ten fingers. You will be allowed to use those fingers that are available for the registration. Even if you don’t have any fingers at all, Dr. Afari-Gyan says you will not be disenfranchised, but there is a special way to make it possible for you to register and vote.
Then at the table three, your photograph will be taken with digital camera on the spot. It is this photograph that will be printed on your voter ID card and voters register. This is how you get a photo ID card to be inspected on the day of voting in December this year.
Now, at the table four, if your registration is completed without any problem whatever, you will only have to wait for a while and your voter ID card will be issued to you. This is how you become a Biometric Registered Voter. Before then, make sure you are a citizen of Ghana; you are 18 years and above; you have a sound mind in a sound body; you are a resident in an electoral area; you have not registered anywhere else; and above all you are the person you claim to be. No impersonation.
With this, man, you are qualified to take part in Ghana’s Mother of all elections in Africa 2012. And it will be a gargantuan election in the true sense of the word.
The Writer is Deputy Director IT at the Information Services Department in Accra
Friday, February 10, 2012
TSOBOI.COM WEBSITE LAUNCHED IN ACRRA
The theme for the occasion was “Sharing lessons for national development”.
In an address, the Deputy Minister for Communications, Mr Ernest Attuquaye Armah, said the Communications Ministry recognised the development and exploitation of Information & Telecommunication Technologies (ICT’s) that can facilitate sustainable livelihoods in deprived communities.
Mr Armah noted that the launch of the knowledge product will go a long way to open up the enormous opportunities in the three northern regions and other communities that have been identified under the programme.
The Deputy Minister acknowledged the need to integrate the new emerging economic order where information and knowledge are fundamental to achieving competitiveness, investments of human capacity and improved governance― leading to wealth-creation and national prosperity through the appropriate use of information and communication technologies.
In a brief statement delivered on behalf of the Chief Director of the Ministry of Information, Mr Mawutodzi Abissath, Deputy Director, ISD, in charge of ICT, said ICT has succeeded in transforming the entire globe into a miniature community and government welcomes any effort geared towards empowering the people, especially the poor in the rural communities, with any information that will help reduce poverty.
Mr Abisath said certain key issues that are at the heart of poverty problems in the communities have been identified, some of which, he said, include the lack of a system that channels relevant information on resources available to support community developments, to communities that require and can use such information.
Another key issue, he said, is the difficulty in finding relevant online content for rural Ghanaians. “Although there is a great deal of information from development partners, civil society organisations, extension services providers, most of this is not available online or electronically”, he stressed.
Mr Abissath disclosed that the Ghana Development Information Portal (GDIP) branded www.tsoboi.com have been designed as a one-stop shop for accessing and sharing locally-relevant development information content.
He said the GDIP is linked to the Government of Ghana Portal www.ghana.gv.gh which is being managed by the ISD, the contents of which, he said is expected to feed into Community Information Centres (CICs) established by the Ministry of Communications across the length and breadth of the country.
The SRLP, implemented in Ghana by Africa 2ooo Network-Ghana, was established by the UNDP in partnership with the Government of Ghana as a potentially-effective approach to tackle poverty by increasing productive capacity.
Source: ISD (Tally Asiedu)
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
PRACTICING JOURNALISM OF LOVE AS WE ENTER ELECTION YEAR 2012
By Mawutodzi Abissath
You may keep in mind this weird but wisdom- impregnated Ewe proverb which says: “You don’t notice the value of buttocks until you grow a boil over there.”
Journalism is such a tricky profession or vocation or occupation or trade (whichever is applicable) that sometimes, some practitioners themselves do not know what it is that they are practicing. Journalism has no definition. Everybody is free to interpret it to suit their whims and caprices.
Journalism is a multi-faceted profession that seems to be simple but complicated; delicate but rough; difficult but easy; sweet but bitter; humble but tough; debasing but glamorous; monotonous but exiting; peaceful but warlike and hateful but loving and affectionate etc.
Journalism seems to be the only profession that is taken for granted in our part of the globe. In Ghana for instance, some people think that once they can speak, read and write some kind of English langue they are qualified to appoint themselves as editors-in-chief and practice journalism as they please. Of course, legal or medical professions do not lend themselves to that pleasure.
But one basic difference between a journalist and a doctor is that, when the latter makes a mistake, it is buried. On the contrary, when a journalist commits an error, the whole world will see it at once. Thus, journalism is a transparent profession as against medicine. For instance, if after a surgical operation a reckless doctor forgets the tools in the patient’s stomach and the unfortunate happens. You will have no choice but to pick up your dead relative for burial. Period! But if a journalist misspells the name of the President, it is there for all to see.
Journalism is also a profession or trade that can be learned on the job. In other words, one does not necessarily have to go to journalism school to practice it. And history is replete with some of the best and outstanding journalists who have never seen the colour of journalism classroom before in their lives. But they are practitioners in their own right.
One typical example one can cite here is the famous columnist of the Ghanaian Times Mr. Cameron Dodu. Even Komla Dumoh, the baritone-voice-Ghanaian-born broadcaster of BBC world news fame. These are just a couple of excellent Ghanaian journalism practitioners who might have not formally learned the trade in a classroom but on the job and they can, in all fairness, be described as icon of the profession in the true sense of the word. There is a saying that if your friend is more handsome than you, you better accept it and praise him.
I have cited these personalities to drive home a point that journalism is a unique profession in its own class that must not be compared with any other profession on this planet of professionalism. But that is exactly where the danger lies. Because it is a unique profession where one does not necessarily have to go into a classroom or a laboratory to be tutored how it must be practiced, if care is not taken the practitioner may find himself or herself on the wrong side of the law of defamation, or contempt of court or plagiarism.
This article is not meant to teach journalists how to do their jobs. But there is a popular saying in the Ghanaian society that because “wearers of batakali or smock are too many, one cannot tell the genuine Islamic practitioners from the fake ones.” Because there are many so-called journalists in Ghana today, it is difficult to distinguish genuine practitioners from the quack ones or swindlers. This calls for caution on the part of both practitioners and the consumers.
It is therefore, imperative for journalists themselves to embark on what may be termed as peer review mechanism. It pays to indulge in some kind of self-examination from time to time. In fact, if journalists are bold and courageous enough to be the first to criticize themselves whenever they go wrong, they will not feel offended when the public criticizes them. After all, journalists, like any professionals, can err and do err so what is the big deal. Journalists should never pretend to be angels with the holier than thou attitude. Journalists will gain more public confidence and command more respect if they condemn themselves in no uncertain terms when they hit below the belt. That is what I mean by indulging in peer review mechanism.
Since 1992, Ghana has conducted four successful general elections where a ruling government has lost power and peacefully handed the administration of the country to the opposition. Again, the table has turned and the ruling opposition in power has also lost power and handed over to the previous government in opposition. Thus, after 16 years of democratic practice, Ghana has become the icon of democracy in Africa. But it is too early for Ghana to be democratically complacent. The U K or USA democracies have been running for hundreds of years and must not be compared with democracy in Africa for now.
Nevertheless, if there is any single institution that has contributed in no small measure for this success story of democracy in the country, it is the Ghanaian media. For example, during the 1992 elections when the then opposition parties boycotted the presidential elections and there was no opposition in parliament, it took the Ghanaian media to single-handedly play the role of opposition to balance what was then described as rubber-stamp parliament.
Now, this author wishes to commend Ghanaian journalists for the role they have played in the success story of democratic practice in this country so far. He also humbly appeals to them not to do anything to destroy that which they themselves have helped to build over the years. Let journalists pause for a moment. Let them take three deep breaths; relax and see themselves in November 2012.
As the electioneering campaigns are at their pick, politicians will be at each other’s throat. Ghanaian politicians can do everything and anything under the sun, except to turn a man into a woman. Where will the journalist stand in this scheme of political “azonto dance?”
For Ghana to have very peaceful and successful elections once again, the journalist must practice journalism of love. What is journalism of love then? As the term implies, journalism of love is simply journalism of love. This is the type of journalism whereby the practitioner does not engage in hatred, viciousness, mischief, unnecessary sensationalism, and journalism of insult.
Journalism of love is the practice in which the practitioner will only write or talk about others as he or she will like others to write or talk about him or her. Journalism of love is the practice where the practitioner will endeavour not to deliberately fabricate, or concoct falsehood to tarnish the reputation of anybody regardless of their socio-economic, political and cultural status.
Journalism of love is the practice in which the practitioner will not pick pen and paper only to write a story knowing full well that, that which he or she is writing is not the truth. That he is writing to play one politician again the other. Or he is writing because one politician has influenced him in one way or another to do so to satisfy his whims and caprices.
Journalism of love is the practice whereby the practitioner will not mount a microphone in a radio or television studio and start castigating, agitating or provoking one ethnicity against the other. Or stoke up religious charcoal or firewood to set ablaze the tent of peaceful co-existence.
Journalism of love is the practice whereby the broadcaster will not go into a studio only to embark on a phone-in-calls exercise by asking his callers to demonize one particular political party for no apparent reasons. Or give the opportunity to party members of one political party to verbally assault other party members who are not present in the studio to defend themselves.
Journalism of love is a practice where the practitioner will create an equal platform for all politicians to educate and inform the electorate about their programmes for development; and for which reason they must be voted into power. In fact, the practitioner must even go further to encourage the politicians not only to say what they will do but how they will do it and the concrete impact their programmes and projects will have on living standards of the people .
Journalism of love is nothing new under the sun. All that has been said here can be summarized in one paragraph with this recommendation thus: “All media practitioners in Ghana are kindly requested to obtain a copy of Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Code of Ethics and endeavour to put into practical application, the spirit and letter of its contents from Article 1 to Article 17.”a And that is practicing Journalism of Love as we enter election year 2012. Period!
The writer is Deputy Director/Head of ICT at the Information Services Department
Journalism is such a tricky profession or vocation or occupation or trade (whichever is applicable) that sometimes, some practitioners themselves do not know what it is that they are practicing. Journalism has no definition. Everybody is free to interpret it to suit their whims and caprices.
Journalism is a multi-faceted profession that seems to be simple but complicated; delicate but rough; difficult but easy; sweet but bitter; humble but tough; debasing but glamorous; monotonous but exiting; peaceful but warlike and hateful but loving and affectionate etc.
Journalism seems to be the only profession that is taken for granted in our part of the globe. In Ghana for instance, some people think that once they can speak, read and write some kind of English langue they are qualified to appoint themselves as editors-in-chief and practice journalism as they please. Of course, legal or medical professions do not lend themselves to that pleasure.
But one basic difference between a journalist and a doctor is that, when the latter makes a mistake, it is buried. On the contrary, when a journalist commits an error, the whole world will see it at once. Thus, journalism is a transparent profession as against medicine. For instance, if after a surgical operation a reckless doctor forgets the tools in the patient’s stomach and the unfortunate happens. You will have no choice but to pick up your dead relative for burial. Period! But if a journalist misspells the name of the President, it is there for all to see.
Journalism is also a profession or trade that can be learned on the job. In other words, one does not necessarily have to go to journalism school to practice it. And history is replete with some of the best and outstanding journalists who have never seen the colour of journalism classroom before in their lives. But they are practitioners in their own right.
One typical example one can cite here is the famous columnist of the Ghanaian Times Mr. Cameron Dodu. Even Komla Dumoh, the baritone-voice-Ghanaian-born broadcaster of BBC world news fame. These are just a couple of excellent Ghanaian journalism practitioners who might have not formally learned the trade in a classroom but on the job and they can, in all fairness, be described as icon of the profession in the true sense of the word. There is a saying that if your friend is more handsome than you, you better accept it and praise him.
I have cited these personalities to drive home a point that journalism is a unique profession in its own class that must not be compared with any other profession on this planet of professionalism. But that is exactly where the danger lies. Because it is a unique profession where one does not necessarily have to go into a classroom or a laboratory to be tutored how it must be practiced, if care is not taken the practitioner may find himself or herself on the wrong side of the law of defamation, or contempt of court or plagiarism.
This article is not meant to teach journalists how to do their jobs. But there is a popular saying in the Ghanaian society that because “wearers of batakali or smock are too many, one cannot tell the genuine Islamic practitioners from the fake ones.” Because there are many so-called journalists in Ghana today, it is difficult to distinguish genuine practitioners from the quack ones or swindlers. This calls for caution on the part of both practitioners and the consumers.
It is therefore, imperative for journalists themselves to embark on what may be termed as peer review mechanism. It pays to indulge in some kind of self-examination from time to time. In fact, if journalists are bold and courageous enough to be the first to criticize themselves whenever they go wrong, they will not feel offended when the public criticizes them. After all, journalists, like any professionals, can err and do err so what is the big deal. Journalists should never pretend to be angels with the holier than thou attitude. Journalists will gain more public confidence and command more respect if they condemn themselves in no uncertain terms when they hit below the belt. That is what I mean by indulging in peer review mechanism.
Since 1992, Ghana has conducted four successful general elections where a ruling government has lost power and peacefully handed the administration of the country to the opposition. Again, the table has turned and the ruling opposition in power has also lost power and handed over to the previous government in opposition. Thus, after 16 years of democratic practice, Ghana has become the icon of democracy in Africa. But it is too early for Ghana to be democratically complacent. The U K or USA democracies have been running for hundreds of years and must not be compared with democracy in Africa for now.
Nevertheless, if there is any single institution that has contributed in no small measure for this success story of democracy in the country, it is the Ghanaian media. For example, during the 1992 elections when the then opposition parties boycotted the presidential elections and there was no opposition in parliament, it took the Ghanaian media to single-handedly play the role of opposition to balance what was then described as rubber-stamp parliament.
Now, this author wishes to commend Ghanaian journalists for the role they have played in the success story of democratic practice in this country so far. He also humbly appeals to them not to do anything to destroy that which they themselves have helped to build over the years. Let journalists pause for a moment. Let them take three deep breaths; relax and see themselves in November 2012.
As the electioneering campaigns are at their pick, politicians will be at each other’s throat. Ghanaian politicians can do everything and anything under the sun, except to turn a man into a woman. Where will the journalist stand in this scheme of political “azonto dance?”
For Ghana to have very peaceful and successful elections once again, the journalist must practice journalism of love. What is journalism of love then? As the term implies, journalism of love is simply journalism of love. This is the type of journalism whereby the practitioner does not engage in hatred, viciousness, mischief, unnecessary sensationalism, and journalism of insult.
Journalism of love is the practice in which the practitioner will only write or talk about others as he or she will like others to write or talk about him or her. Journalism of love is the practice where the practitioner will endeavour not to deliberately fabricate, or concoct falsehood to tarnish the reputation of anybody regardless of their socio-economic, political and cultural status.
Journalism of love is the practice in which the practitioner will not pick pen and paper only to write a story knowing full well that, that which he or she is writing is not the truth. That he is writing to play one politician again the other. Or he is writing because one politician has influenced him in one way or another to do so to satisfy his whims and caprices.
Journalism of love is the practice whereby the practitioner will not mount a microphone in a radio or television studio and start castigating, agitating or provoking one ethnicity against the other. Or stoke up religious charcoal or firewood to set ablaze the tent of peaceful co-existence.
Journalism of love is the practice whereby the broadcaster will not go into a studio only to embark on a phone-in-calls exercise by asking his callers to demonize one particular political party for no apparent reasons. Or give the opportunity to party members of one political party to verbally assault other party members who are not present in the studio to defend themselves.
Journalism of love is a practice where the practitioner will create an equal platform for all politicians to educate and inform the electorate about their programmes for development; and for which reason they must be voted into power. In fact, the practitioner must even go further to encourage the politicians not only to say what they will do but how they will do it and the concrete impact their programmes and projects will have on living standards of the people .
Journalism of love is nothing new under the sun. All that has been said here can be summarized in one paragraph with this recommendation thus: “All media practitioners in Ghana are kindly requested to obtain a copy of Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Code of Ethics and endeavour to put into practical application, the spirit and letter of its contents from Article 1 to Article 17.”a And that is practicing Journalism of Love as we enter election year 2012. Period!
The writer is Deputy Director/Head of ICT at the Information Services Department
Saturday, November 5, 2011
ECOWAS Science Journalists To Champion Africa’s Development Agenda
By Mawutodzi Abissath (Back from Abuja, Nigeria)
The significance of the philosophy of SANKOFA in Ghanaian folklore is more profound than the mere notion of going back to pick or fetch what one may have forgotten.
Indeed, the SANKOFA concept admonishes that if you forget something and you remember it, it is no crime to go back for it. But the caveat is when you go back to fetch that which you might have forgotten, you should not remain rooted in your seemingly comfort zone alone , but to turn back and continue with your intended journey.
Today, some modern sociologists are trying to debunk the notion that the media is the fourth estate of the realm after, the executive, legislature and the judiciary. In fact, some of these ‘latter-day- sociological-gurus’ have “nickodemously” downgrade the media from the fourth position to the ninth on the scale of 1-10 where 1 is the highest and 10 the lowest. They are entitled to their imaginations.
This author recalls vividly that in 1994, after the Rwanda’s genocide episode, the then Former UN Under Secretary for Peace-keeping, Mr. Kofi Annan, issued a statement in May the following year, in commemoration of the International Press Day and called on journalists worldwide to practice what he termed as “Preventive Journalism.”
Dr. Kofi Annan who later became the first black African UN Secretary General in 1997, reasoned that if Rwanda journalists had practiced Preventive Journalism the unfortunate genocide that traumatized the conscience of the world could have been avoided. This shows how powerful the media was considered by such an international man of global wisdom.
But the object of this piece is not to eulogize the media or vilify those sociologists who think the media is of no consequence to societal evolution as far as socio-economic, political and cultural advancement of mankind is concerned.
The purpose is to alert the suffering masses of the West African sub-region that their regional political body – Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has identified journalists in general and science journalists in particular as a force to reckon with when it comes to the development of the entire African Continent.
This writer wonders why it took ECOWAS almost 40 years of its existence to discover journalists as being one of the best partners in development for the prosperity of the continent. But as it is commonly agreed in principle, too late is better than never. The French will put it this way: “Mieux vaut tard que jamais!” Of course, some previous military governments had their own notion about the media. Thus some media practitioners were treated more as common criminals than development agents on our wealthy but poor continent.
Did you know that on 17 and 18 October, 2011, in the magnificent capital city of Abuja, Nigeria, ECOWAS made history that could be described as innovative in the development strategy of the African Continent? On those two memorable days, ECOWAS, in collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the Scientific, Technical and Research Commission (STRC) of the African Union Commission (AUC), organized a Science Communication Training Workshop for some selected journalists from the sub-region.
The workshop brought face to face forty (40) top-notch managers of communication training institutions, high level representatives of AU, ECOWAS, UNESCO and ECA, scientists and journalists for this innovative brain-storming event of capacity building. The workshop was under a broad theme of “Making Science and Technology Information More Accessible for Africa’s Development”
Without exaggeration, one can characterize delegates of the training workshop as ‘Commanders-in-Chief’ of development communication, who called for an emergency session to plot strategies to launch an attack on problems confronting Africa’s development. The strategy sought to deploy journalists as the first infantry battalions, who were armed with Science, Technology and Innovation as weapons to move onto the battle field. It was fireworks all the way! Intellectual and academic debates ensued.
Deliberations were frank amidst heated but friendly arguments of give and take. People spoke their minds freely without looking over their shoulders. Naturally, no genuine forum of journalists can flourish without some kinds of controversy. As a matter of fact, there was one topic on “Reporting on Controversies – Ethics in reporting science controversies”
Like other speakers, the resource person from Ghana expressed his views with passion. His area was to focus on the Ghanaian Experience as far as the deployment of ICT tools for development was concerned. With all humility, his presentation was one of those acclaimed.
He felt rather disappointed that Africa was crawling instead of flying on the developmental plane on this planet of science and technology. He could not fathom why Africa should be wallowing in abject poverty with all the resources at its command.
When he was challenged by a Professor from Nigeria that it was not totally correct to create the impression that Africa was not developing, he agreed with the view that something was being done. But he reminded the learned Professor of the natural resources such as gold, diamond, bauxite, uranium, oil and gas etc, with which the Continent was endowed.
He opined that if half of those resources were to be allocated to some other countries like, Singapore, Israel and others, the Continent would have been feeding, clothing and sheltering the entire world with ease.
At the end of it all, a comprehensive pack of recommendations were drawn up and adopted. An African Network of Science Journalists was launched and a ten-member (10) Steering Committee set up to ensure the implementation of the adopted recommendations.
Mr. Thierry Amoussougbo, Regional Advisor, ICT, Science and Technology Division of ECA, who chaired this gamut of ceremony of drafting, reading, adoption, nomination and inauguration of the steering committee, told members to live up to expectation.
Dr. Fackson Banda Programme Specialist Communication Development Division of Communication and Information Sector of UNESCO assisted Mr. Amoussougbo with his expertise in drafting of the recommendations. He did not mince his words at all when he told the Committee members in the face to “stop talking and work and work, and work,” he stressed.
Among other things, the recommendations were premised on the fact that, “Science, technology and innovation have served as the foundations of social and economic well-being since the beginning of human civilization.”
That Africa cannot meet its healthcare, water, infrastructure, education, employment needs, develop industries and overcome economic challenges without significant investment in science, technology and innovation.
That poor relationship which exists between scientists, research institutions and journalists tends to affect effective communication; adding that only effectively communicated knowledge could benefit individuals with the power and skills to put that knowledge in practical application.
Participants took special note of the tremendous efforts UNESCO is making in building science journalism capacity on the African continent. As to whether Ghana is taking advantage of these efforts is yet to be verified.
As part of the workshop programme, some of the representatives of the UNESCO Reference Centres of Excellence were given the opportunity to brief participants on activities of their respective countries. These countries included Niger, Guinea, Senegal, Burkina-Faso and Nigeria.
Workshop participants also commended the efforts made by ECOWS, ECA, UNDP, AU and other individuals and organizations for the realization of the programme. This workshop happened to be the first of its kind. Resources were limited and the organization had not been easy at all.
It is the noble intention of the organizers to extend this training programme to journalists of other sub-regions such as Eastern, Central, Southern and Northern Africa to galvanize science journalists to champion the development agenda of Africa by making science and technology information available, affordable and accessible to all.
First batch of journalists who benefited from the training workshop were drawn from Benin, Burkina-Faso, Liberia, Guinea, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda and Senegal as well as African Federation of Science Journalists, (AFSJ), USECO, ECA, ECOWAS and AU.
This writer will like to take the opportunity to call on Ghanaian journalists to embrace science reporting to enable them to benefit from the capacity building package UNESC has in store for media practitioners on the Continent. There is a need for ICT journalists in particular and science journalists in general to come together to form a solid national body and join the continental professional organization. It has been observed that apart from Nigeria, only French speaking countries are taking advantage of the science related training opportunities available.
It is also suggested that in future, some African millionaires like Moh Ibrahim and former African Heads of State like H.E. President Olusegu Obasanjor should be approached for sponsorships to supplement the efforts of ECOWAS for the advancement of the sub-region.
I have no doubt that some African industrialists and corporate bodies would be willing to support. ECOWAS has good intentions but its financial base needs to be strengthened in order to support journalists to champion the course of Africa’s Development Agenda.
Group Photograph of Participants at the Abuja Workshop
The Writer is Deputy Director/Head of ICT at ISD
Indeed, the SANKOFA concept admonishes that if you forget something and you remember it, it is no crime to go back for it. But the caveat is when you go back to fetch that which you might have forgotten, you should not remain rooted in your seemingly comfort zone alone , but to turn back and continue with your intended journey.
Today, some modern sociologists are trying to debunk the notion that the media is the fourth estate of the realm after, the executive, legislature and the judiciary. In fact, some of these ‘latter-day- sociological-gurus’ have “nickodemously” downgrade the media from the fourth position to the ninth on the scale of 1-10 where 1 is the highest and 10 the lowest. They are entitled to their imaginations.
This author recalls vividly that in 1994, after the Rwanda’s genocide episode, the then Former UN Under Secretary for Peace-keeping, Mr. Kofi Annan, issued a statement in May the following year, in commemoration of the International Press Day and called on journalists worldwide to practice what he termed as “Preventive Journalism.”
Dr. Kofi Annan who later became the first black African UN Secretary General in 1997, reasoned that if Rwanda journalists had practiced Preventive Journalism the unfortunate genocide that traumatized the conscience of the world could have been avoided. This shows how powerful the media was considered by such an international man of global wisdom.
But the object of this piece is not to eulogize the media or vilify those sociologists who think the media is of no consequence to societal evolution as far as socio-economic, political and cultural advancement of mankind is concerned.
The purpose is to alert the suffering masses of the West African sub-region that their regional political body – Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has identified journalists in general and science journalists in particular as a force to reckon with when it comes to the development of the entire African Continent.
This writer wonders why it took ECOWAS almost 40 years of its existence to discover journalists as being one of the best partners in development for the prosperity of the continent. But as it is commonly agreed in principle, too late is better than never. The French will put it this way: “Mieux vaut tard que jamais!” Of course, some previous military governments had their own notion about the media. Thus some media practitioners were treated more as common criminals than development agents on our wealthy but poor continent.
Did you know that on 17 and 18 October, 2011, in the magnificent capital city of Abuja, Nigeria, ECOWAS made history that could be described as innovative in the development strategy of the African Continent? On those two memorable days, ECOWAS, in collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the Scientific, Technical and Research Commission (STRC) of the African Union Commission (AUC), organized a Science Communication Training Workshop for some selected journalists from the sub-region.
The workshop brought face to face forty (40) top-notch managers of communication training institutions, high level representatives of AU, ECOWAS, UNESCO and ECA, scientists and journalists for this innovative brain-storming event of capacity building. The workshop was under a broad theme of “Making Science and Technology Information More Accessible for Africa’s Development”
Without exaggeration, one can characterize delegates of the training workshop as ‘Commanders-in-Chief’ of development communication, who called for an emergency session to plot strategies to launch an attack on problems confronting Africa’s development. The strategy sought to deploy journalists as the first infantry battalions, who were armed with Science, Technology and Innovation as weapons to move onto the battle field. It was fireworks all the way! Intellectual and academic debates ensued.
Deliberations were frank amidst heated but friendly arguments of give and take. People spoke their minds freely without looking over their shoulders. Naturally, no genuine forum of journalists can flourish without some kinds of controversy. As a matter of fact, there was one topic on “Reporting on Controversies – Ethics in reporting science controversies”
Like other speakers, the resource person from Ghana expressed his views with passion. His area was to focus on the Ghanaian Experience as far as the deployment of ICT tools for development was concerned. With all humility, his presentation was one of those acclaimed.
He felt rather disappointed that Africa was crawling instead of flying on the developmental plane on this planet of science and technology. He could not fathom why Africa should be wallowing in abject poverty with all the resources at its command.
When he was challenged by a Professor from Nigeria that it was not totally correct to create the impression that Africa was not developing, he agreed with the view that something was being done. But he reminded the learned Professor of the natural resources such as gold, diamond, bauxite, uranium, oil and gas etc, with which the Continent was endowed.
He opined that if half of those resources were to be allocated to some other countries like, Singapore, Israel and others, the Continent would have been feeding, clothing and sheltering the entire world with ease.
At the end of it all, a comprehensive pack of recommendations were drawn up and adopted. An African Network of Science Journalists was launched and a ten-member (10) Steering Committee set up to ensure the implementation of the adopted recommendations.
Mr. Thierry Amoussougbo, Regional Advisor, ICT, Science and Technology Division of ECA, who chaired this gamut of ceremony of drafting, reading, adoption, nomination and inauguration of the steering committee, told members to live up to expectation.
Dr. Fackson Banda Programme Specialist Communication Development Division of Communication and Information Sector of UNESCO assisted Mr. Amoussougbo with his expertise in drafting of the recommendations. He did not mince his words at all when he told the Committee members in the face to “stop talking and work and work, and work,” he stressed.
Among other things, the recommendations were premised on the fact that, “Science, technology and innovation have served as the foundations of social and economic well-being since the beginning of human civilization.”
That Africa cannot meet its healthcare, water, infrastructure, education, employment needs, develop industries and overcome economic challenges without significant investment in science, technology and innovation.
That poor relationship which exists between scientists, research institutions and journalists tends to affect effective communication; adding that only effectively communicated knowledge could benefit individuals with the power and skills to put that knowledge in practical application.
Participants took special note of the tremendous efforts UNESCO is making in building science journalism capacity on the African continent. As to whether Ghana is taking advantage of these efforts is yet to be verified.
As part of the workshop programme, some of the representatives of the UNESCO Reference Centres of Excellence were given the opportunity to brief participants on activities of their respective countries. These countries included Niger, Guinea, Senegal, Burkina-Faso and Nigeria.
Workshop participants also commended the efforts made by ECOWS, ECA, UNDP, AU and other individuals and organizations for the realization of the programme. This workshop happened to be the first of its kind. Resources were limited and the organization had not been easy at all.
It is the noble intention of the organizers to extend this training programme to journalists of other sub-regions such as Eastern, Central, Southern and Northern Africa to galvanize science journalists to champion the development agenda of Africa by making science and technology information available, affordable and accessible to all.
First batch of journalists who benefited from the training workshop were drawn from Benin, Burkina-Faso, Liberia, Guinea, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda and Senegal as well as African Federation of Science Journalists, (AFSJ), USECO, ECA, ECOWAS and AU.
This writer will like to take the opportunity to call on Ghanaian journalists to embrace science reporting to enable them to benefit from the capacity building package UNESC has in store for media practitioners on the Continent. There is a need for ICT journalists in particular and science journalists in general to come together to form a solid national body and join the continental professional organization. It has been observed that apart from Nigeria, only French speaking countries are taking advantage of the science related training opportunities available.
It is also suggested that in future, some African millionaires like Moh Ibrahim and former African Heads of State like H.E. President Olusegu Obasanjor should be approached for sponsorships to supplement the efforts of ECOWAS for the advancement of the sub-region.
I have no doubt that some African industrialists and corporate bodies would be willing to support. ECOWAS has good intentions but its financial base needs to be strengthened in order to support journalists to champion the course of Africa’s Development Agenda.
The Writer is Deputy Director/Head of ICT at ISD
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