AFRICAN TELECOM PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

BY Mawutodzl K. Abissath

SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2000.

GHANA, the psychic centre of Pan-Africanism that ignited the independence taper for the total liberation of the African continent in 1957, has set into motion the electronic revolution of the new millennium for Africa, once again.

On Thursday, March 23, 2000 at exactly 17 hours, within the Chambers of the famous Accra International Conference Centre, Ghana's Minister for Communications, Mr. John Mahama (MP) brought to a close, proceedings of a three-day second African Telecom Summit, the success of which was beyond the imagination of its organisers themselves.

As a matter of fact, the African. Telecom Summit is a private sector initiative. And the Spectrum International Limited headed by Madam Mavis Ampah Sintim-Misa which has been organising this Summit in collaboration with the Ministry of Communications must be commended for their vision, ingenuity, foresight and initiative which is slowly but firmly placing Ghana's name on the global telecommunications map of the world.

The very first of the African Telecom Summits took place in March, 1999, here in Accra and brought together about 250 delegates from the continent. One concrete achievement of that summit that comes to mind was the establishment of a continental, body of telecom professionals, christened African Telecom Think-Tank' (ATTT).

Its "chief objective among others was to serve as a vehicle to provide tangible ideas and solutions that would accelerate the development of'<telecommunications infrastructure in Africa. Without exaggeration, one can opine that so far, so beautiful.

Amazingly, this year's Summit marvelled everybody when in the midst of uncertainties, it 'recorded almost 400 participants made up of ministers of communications, from Congo, Madagascar, Liberia and Ghana, as well, as telecom operators, regulators, computer scientists, Internet' Specialists, communications technologists, equipment suppliers, investors, business tycoons, and of course, consumers, without  whom nothing could flourish anyway. Furthermore, the Accra Summit attracted telecom experts from America, Europe, the Middle East and beyond as well as some giant multinational telecom and satellite organizations such as INTELSAT, INMARSAT and others who presented 40 papers covering a wide spectrum of topics relevant to the telecommunications industry in Africa.

It was held under the theme: Convergence and Globalisation: The Impact on African Telecommunications. Surprisingly, the conference hall was charged with a combined vibrations of anxiety and ecstasy, as speaker-after speaker mounted the podium to justify their inclusion in the Information Technology the emerging industry of the 21st century. To be frank, most African speakers were charged with the spirit of Pan Africanism and spoke as if they were possessed. One young delegate from Senegal spoke with vigour and power.

Another one from Kenya spoke like a leader of a revolution. In. fact, African speakers warned the advanced nations pot to 'play any tricks or conspire to marginalise Africa in the global economy as far as communications technology and electronic revolution are concerned.           

Dr. Nii Quaynor of the Network Computer Systems of Ghana, summarised the feelings of Africans when he described some attempts being made to deny Africa the allocation of its own interconnected computer number (IP number) that will enable the continent to have direct access to Internet service globally as another form of imperialism.

Dr. Quaynor could not understand why a continent of over 780 million human beings should not be represented on the Internet Corporation for Assigned Numbers and Names (ICANN). Be it known that' African communications experts' eyes are red and no one must stand on their way as they struggle to leap into the Information and communications Age, At the end of it all, summit delegates came up with a resolution with the following recommendations and suggestions among others:

First, the delegates expressed profound gratitude to Ghana Government for its hospitality and for making Accra available for the hosting of the conference. Participants recommended that the Spectrum International and the Ministry of Communications must ensure that the African Telecom Summit should be maintained as an annual event. They reasoned that, so far, the summit is the only Telecom Conference in Africa, organized by Africans for Africans and attended by African ministers of communications, Policy Makers, Regulators, Operators, Investors as well as consumers without excessive protocol fanfare.

It was further recommended that the Ghana Government through the Ministry of Communications must write an official Report on the Telecom Summit to the OAU to be circulated to member states and other telecom-stakeholders on the continent."

That African Governments must give support to the African Telecommunications Union (ATU) for it to play an advocacy role that would compel African leaders to create a conducive regulatory environment for telecommunication industry to flourish on the continent.

It was suggested that in future, African Telecom Summit organizers should invite Regional and Sub-regional  economic groupings such as the OAU, ECOWAS, SADEC, as well as Civil Society and Women organizations on the continent.

 Long Live African Telecom Summit. Long Live Ghana!

The author works with Information Services Department (ISD) abissath@gmail.com

NB: This article was first published by the Daily Graphic, Saturday, May 20, 2000.

                       

AFTER PREMIER BLAIR'S VISIT TO GHANA

By        Mawutodzi K. Abissath

Thursday, February 21, 2002.

Do you realise that the world is becoming a 'born-again' since September 11, 2001? That was the day one man in the person of Osama bin Laden engineered the use of ordinary passenger planes to be deployed as deadly weapons to bomb the World Trade Centre in America.

As you know, America is the capital of the world (UN Headquarters is based there). Therefore, he who attacks America attacks the world. And the world shall never be the same again.  On the other hand, Friday, February 8, 2002 will go down as the most sparkling day in the political history of modern Ghana. That was the day the Rt Hon Tony Blair (MP) became the first British Prime Minister in the 21st Century to address a Ghanaian Parliament after over 40 years of political independence from colonial Britain.

That day Ghana’s Speaker of Parliament, the Rt Hon Peter Ala Adjetey was beside himself with joy. He hit his chest, cleared his throat and characterized Parliament as the power of House of Democracy in Ghana"! he proclaimed, And I loved that ! Ghanaians must be proud of themselves, for, their majority and minority honourable members in the Power House are not doing badly at all. But they must not forget some of us when they land on the Mercedes paradise!

But it was most refreshing, fascinating and captivating to hear the British Prime Minister speak on the "New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD)".

Apart from his natural command over his native language English, the clarity of his voice, his self-confidence and the authoritative posture he adopted, made Mr Tony Blair a striking orator.

He demonstrated his total conviction that NEPAD is the last drop of blood needed to revive Africa from its myriad socio-economic coma.

In fact, his speech did not only hold most parliamentarians spell-bound, but man honourable members in the  House that day unconsciously kept ,their jaws ajar and their faces glued to the face of Tony throughout that particular session. When the august visitor was done, everybody including "General Mosquitoe” took a deep breath of satisfaction. The scene in the Power House was like the day the Master Jesus fed 18 million Ghanaians with a ball of kenkey and two pieces of fried fish. It was like a miracle.

But nobody remembered to take along a finger of plantain and "koobi" to the floor of the House to show to the Prime Minister. It would have been fantastic!

On a more serious note, it must be admitted that Mr Blair's message for Ghana and Africa on NEPAD was crystal clear. He said the New Partnership for Africa’s Development is not a question of the rich dishing out aid to

the poor.

Rather, the new concept calls for an equal opportunity for trade, investment and genuine development process between the advanced nations and the slow-moving countries so as to ensure shared prosperity and collective security.

Mr Blair spoke like an enlightened soul, or a prophet, or a mystic, or a philosopher, or all of the above. In today's world, he said there is no such a thing as a nation that can stand alone, shut off from its problems and its difficulties and crisis. "Today, we are all in this together," he declared.

This was exactly how the Creator intended the world to be. So that when America is bombed Ghana is bombed.

When Ghana is HIPC, Britain must be HlPC, too. But, what is the actual situation today. Because of man's greed and selfishness, we live in a world where some people are filthily rich and others pitifully poor. Why?       

Prime Minister Blair expressed grave regret that aid to the developing world is still used to sweeten commercial contracts or tied to the purse of goods from donor countries. Mr Blair seemed not happy at all that issues affecting the developing world are labelled differently such as "aid here, trade here, investment there, conflict revolution here", etc.

According to him, NEPAD, must be a comprehensive plan where the developed and the developing nations will have obligations to assist and support one another in all human endeavours be it on trade, aid, investment, conflict resolution, health, education, good governance and so on.      

Mr Blair was not enthused about the way the potential of Africa was being handled. He stressed the need to ensure that the NEPAD initiative was not turned into a mere "handout but as a programme that will help Africans themselves.

"NEPAD must not create dependence but should create sustainable independence so that the relationship between us is no longer one of donor and passive recipient but one of equal partners working for the shared prosperity of all of us in the world. “This is at the heart of the African partnership", he told the applauding Ghanaian Parliamentarians.  His praise for Ghana's democratic progress so far, especially the peaceful and transparent manner in which the last elections were conducted and the transfer of power from one Government to another.

In fact, he said that even though some people may not be happy for losing power, Ghanaians must be proud of themselves for having demonstrated that they prefer democracy to dictatorship.     

The Prime Minister also commended Ghana for the bold and courageous decision to adopt the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (RIPC) initiative. He consoled the country that very soon the G8 Summit will reach a decision point and the resources needed will be released to enable the country resolve its social problems in the area of health, education, and wellbeing of ordinary people. He used the occasion to announce a £600 million development package for Ghana.  This is commendable.

However, this writer wants to suggest the following for concrete implementation of NEPAD initiative. All African debts to advanced nations must be cancelled individually.  All stolen monies saved in European banks by corrupt African leaders must be released immediately and sales of fire arms and all kinds of weapons by industrialised nations to African countries must be suspended indefinitely.

What Africa needs to develop are agricultural implements to cultivate the fallow arable lands to feed themselves as well as to have access to scientific and technological education in order to move forward with the rest of the globe.

The author works with Information Services Department (ISD) abissath@gmail.com

NB: This article was first published by the Daily Graphic, Thursday, February 21, 2002.

AFRICA IN THE WIRELESS WORLD 

By Mawutodzi K. Abissath

Friday,  June  16, 2000.

DO you know the new name of our planet? Once upon a time, this part of heaven was just known as the world. The communications technology turned it into a global village. Now, the global village is called THE WIRE-LESS WORLD, thanks to mobile communications technology.

Latest statistics released by an authoritative US-based communications technology organisation called Strategies Group, indicates that by the end of this year, there will be 600 million wireless users. Already, there are over 385,000 wire-less Internet subscribers, and it is estimated that by the year 2005, wireless-e-commerce service alone, will attract 43 million subscribers.

There will also be 500 million mobile phones in operation by 2003 with 85 per cent of all phones shipped in the USA alone. And by 2006, 25 million people will be using what is termed as wireless web portals in America.

Right now, it is reported that. 7 million people do receive data over wireless Internet devices, and that by 2003, this figure will be expected to reach 25 million.

Furthermore, another American-based organization - Yankee Group, also hinted that in five years time, the number of US mobile data users will reach 20 million, of which 1.5 million will use what is referred to as a dedicated mobile connection. Again, it is estimated that nearly 50 per cent of all cellular users will be using data in some form or another by 2010 and above all, the world market for mobile commerce will reach US $200 billion by 2004.

As a layman, the purpose of this piece is to alert Africans, especially African communications experts that something is happening in the Information and Communications Technology front. Wireless technology is shaping the way the world communicates. African telecom experts must not allow the continent to be marginalised. African communications experts must stand up and be counted.

 Africa must mobilize itself and take its share of the $200 billion world market for mobile commerce earmarked for the year 2004.

May I take this opportunity to suggest to all African telecom operators, especially those in Ghana to take advantage of the forthcoming "PCIA Global exchange" exhibition scheduled to take place in McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois, USA, in September this year and learn something. This is one exhibition that is expected to bring together over 18,000 visitors from 75 nations.

All human beings and organizations that matter in communications technology will be there to justify their inclusion.

AIl world's leading carriers, Internet service providers, telecom operators, software developers, wireless voice, Interactive Messaging and Wireless Data providers, Broadband technologists, distributors and corporate end-users will be there to compare notes and exchange new ideas. The PCIA Global Exchange is where the WIRE-LESS WORLD will converge.

Will Africa be in the Wireless World?

The author works with Information Services Department (ISD) abissath@gmail.com

NB: This article was first published by the Daily Graphic, Friday,  June  16, 2000. 

POLIO AND THE BIBLE

By Mawutodzi K. Abissath

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2000. 

Ghana is such a free country that some Ghanaians are misusing their freedom to trample upon the rights of Ghanaian children. And the Holy Bible is the weapon these selfish people are employing to kill the innocent children in the name of religion.

On Wednesday, January 26, 2000, the National Commission on Children (GNCC) launched this year's State of the World's Children Report at the Golden Tulip, here in Accra. The official launching of the Report, which is said to be published annually by the UNICEF to focus on efforts being made to address issues affecting the welfare of children and to monitor the progress being made to improve their lot throughout the world, was performed by the Hon. Minister of Communications, Mr. John Mahama (MP).

As expected, Mr. Mahama used the occasion to remind the august audience that apart from the usual six childhood killer diseases including Polio, Whooping-Cough, Measles, Tetanus, Yellow Fever and Tuberculosis is the latest and the most dreadful incurable destroyer is the stubborn HIV/AIDS which has no mercy for children at all. He drew people's attention to the fact that in his 2000 Sessional address, the President made a particular reference to the HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases and gave a hint as to what government would do to tackle the epidemic in the course of the year.

In most cases it is the untoward behaviour of some adults who indulge in uncontrolled sexual intercourse here and there like pigs which give HIV/AIDS to the innocent children any way.

One inhuman treatment adults have been meting out to children, which Hon. Mahama lamented about was the cruel mobilisation and recruitment of children who are forced to engage in nonsensical ethnic wars and conflicts in some parts of the world. Most of these child soldiers do not even know why they are fighting in the bush.

And they get killed "by heart".  As a matter of fact, in some conflict zones in Africa such as Angola, Congo, Sierra Leone, Burundi and Rwanda, etc. displaced children and refugees are often seen with wooden beds, straw mattresses, urine pots and cooking utensils, on their heads roaming in the jungle day and night under scorching sun or torrential rains, heading to unknown destinations.

How pathetic? During the Sierra Leonean civil war, children were reported to have been forced by rebel soldiers to join their ranks to fight government forces.

Here, little boys were forced to snuff dangerous drugs such as cocaine and heroin and smoke wee or marijuana, upon which guns and other deadly weapons were thrashed into their tiny hands to shoot and kill human beings.

As for little baby girls who could not walk to the war front, their tender writs were chopped off like carrot and whatever happened to the pieces of their palms and fingers, only Jesus knows. What crime have such innocent children committed to be subjected to such cruel and barbaric treatments at the hands of adults in this world of peace and love?

In Ghana, although the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child has been ratified and the Children's Act (560) of 1998 has been promulgated whereby the nation is under obligation to protect and promote the rights of children in the country, some unscrupulous citizens take delight in causing unnecessary hardships and suffering to children leading to their untimely death.

One typical example is that in January this year when the Polio Immunisation Programme was launched, some so-called Christians who are more church-goers than anything in a certain village in the Ho District in the Volta Region took cover behind the Holy Bible to prevent their children from being immunised. It took the courage and determination of the Ho District Chief Executive, Capt. Nfodjoh to mobilise the police to force those Holy- ghost-possessed church members to let their children have drops of the polio vaccine into their mouths. Capt. Nfodjoh deserves commendation.                   

But I wonder if Jesus will open the Heaven gate to those self-proclaimed Christians. Is it not unfortunate that in the year 2000, which is supposed to be a magic year of health for all, some ignorant people are using the name of Jesus and the Christian Bible to commit crimes against the Ghanaian Child?

The author works with Information Services Department (ISD) abissath@gmail.com

NB: This article was first published by the Daily Graphic, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2000. 

USE OF ICT IN GOVERNANCE

By Mawutodzi K. Abissath

Daily Graphic, Monday, June 19, 2006

Always remember this African proverb: 'Death does not book an appointment.' Therefore, you must be ready to respond to its call, whenever and wherever, as you go about your daily activities.

Technologies upon technologies have come and gone in human history. The industrial revolution, for instance, just to mention one, came and passed without much effect on Africa in particular. 

But the Information and Communications Technology ICT) came and the very fibre of human existence from birth to death is being called to order.

This explains why mankind is now living in a world of e-this', 'e-that', 'e- here' and 'e-there'. In fact, as far back as in 1999, one South African Minister for Communications, calculated that the rate at which the lCT was riding the world, 'If you do not dot com, you will be dot dead'. Ghana can be said to be one of the countries in Africa that has seen the light as far as lCT and its upshots are concerned. Ghana has recognised the fact that to be able to compete on the global market, her agriculture dominated economy must be transformed into a service-sector economy driven by high value-added information and knowledge-based technology.

In other words, nations that are dominating the world economy today are not only depending on agriculture or natural mineral resources, but on information and communication technologies.

One concrete thing that Ghana did in that direction, which was commendable, was the formulation of what is known as Information and Communications Technology for Accelerated Development (lCT4AD). This policy document can be accessed on the Ghana Portal www.ghana.gov.gh.

The focus of this article is on Portals and their place in e-government strategies globally. But give me a moment and I shall be right back as electronic journalists will put it. In Ghana, the overall objective of the ICT4AD is 'to engineer an ICT-led socio-economic development process to transform Ghana into a middle income, information-rich, knowledge-based and technology-driven economy.' I am quoting from E-Ghana Project document prepared by Ghana's' Ministry of Communications.

That the priority focus areas of the ICT ICT4AD Policy has 14 pillars. These include Accelerated Human Resource Development; Government Administration and Service Delivery; E-Government; Private Sector Development; Export-oriented ICT Products and Services Industry; E-Agriculture; Globally Competitive Value-Added Services Sector Regional business service and ICT hub and Deploying ICTs in the Community.

The others are: E-Health - promoting National Health through ICT; Rapid ICT Infrastructure Development; Regional and District Scientific and Industrial Research capacity development; Legal, Regulatory, and Institutional Framework; Local and Foreign direct Investment Drive in ICTs and Facilitating National Security and Law and Order.

It is important to inform the people of Ghana and beyond that to ensure that this ICT4AD and the entire preceding components are implemented; the government has set up a body or agency within the Ministry of Communications to do the job. It is known as the Ghana Information and Communications

Technology Directorate (GICThD). This information was disclosed by Mr Kwadwo. Anyane-Yeboa who addressed participants drawn from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) who benefited from a recent one day seminar on E- Governance at the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in lCT, Accra.

That seminar which was jointly organised by the Ministry of Information and National Orientation and the Ministry of Communications and sponsored by the International Institute of Communication and Development (lICD), based in the Netherlands, was aimed among other things, to educate and create awareness among government workers to-understand basic e-governance concepts; to be familiar with the use of ICT in governance in general and above all, to examine examples of National Portals and electronic gateways and their roles in e-government strategy as against ordinary websites.

Two expatriate experts in Portal Development served as resource persons alongside their Ghanaian counterparts who took participants through the programme. It was there that the basic difference between portals and websites was explained to participants. Simply put, a web portal is a website that provides a starting point, a gateway, or portal, to other resources on the Internet or an intranet. Intranet portals are also known as "enterprise information portals. Thus, a portal is an aggregated and integrated website connected to other websites.

A portal which is a collection of websites is larger and bigger in terms of website. Let's say that individuals and organisations can have websites but nations or states can possess portals.

This is why the Government of Ghana Website is referred to as Ghana Portal. It is the mega-electronic- gateway to Ghana as far as the World Wide Web (www.com) is concerned.

Without exaggerating, one can affirm that Ghana is on course when it comes to the establishment of a National Portal. Even though the current National Portal is still in its basic stage in terms of scope and content, it has classified Ghana among the nations that possess National Portals.

This is crucial because until April 2003, when HE the Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, formally launched the Ghana Portal, within the premises of the then Ministry of Information and Presidential Affairs, our beloved motherland did not have anything that could be referred to as an official website of the Republic of Ghana.

Fortunately, the government has put measures in place to upgrade technologically and enhance the content management of the current National Portal as part of a holistic E- Ghana Project. Prof. Jonas Amoapim, Director, GICThD, who presented a paper on E-Ghana Project at the seminar for MDAs, enlightened participants about the e-Government strategy for Ghana.

For example, he disclosed that Ghana will be connected to a national Fiber Optic Backbone leading to establishment of other backbone networks such as metro backbone network, rural network and national data centre and so on. With all this infrastructure in  place with the support of the World Bank, the National Portal would be enhanced whereby the Ministry of Information and National Orientation through its operational wing, the Information Services Department (ISD) will maintain and sustain its traditional responsibility for the general content management of the Portal of the Republic of Ghana.

Besides the provision of government information, the Portal would be positioned to deliver other vital public services online that will be provided by other agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, and the Land Title Registry and so on. Prof. Amoapim gave other economic gains Ghana stands to benefit from the E-Ghana Project in terms of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and local ICT business.

He explained that the service market worldwide is estimated to be $728bn by next year. In fact, according to him, by 2007, the global BPO market will be $173bn.

That capturing five per cent of BPO would yield Ghana $8.65m. This strategy will also transform Ghana into a prime-destination for BPO, which will encourage the development of ICT business in the country, he stressed. No country that is serious about embarking on knowledge-based economy will fail to place premium on its National Portal Canada, Singapore and the United States of America are leading on the world league table of National Portals.

What is worthy of note is the fact that they started their journey not today Singapore for instance, started its e-Government strategy over 25 years ago. The Singapore Government slogan is: "Any public service that can be provided electronically must be provided electronically."

Ghana must take its current National Portal seriously and make it the heartbeat of the E-Ghana Project and in less than 10 years or so, Ghana will boast of an enviable Portal in West Africa if not on the entire continent.

The author works with Information Services Department (ISD) abissath@gmail.com

NB: This article was first published by the Daily Graphic. Monday, June 19, 2006

CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF STOOLS

By Mawutodzi K. Abissath 

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2 -WEDNESDAY, SEPT.8, 1991

Ghana is a small but culturally rich country of 18 million people on the West Coast of Africa bathed by the Atlantic Ocean. When the first Europeans set foot on the soil of this part of Africa they saw that gold was virtually like ordinary pebbles that could be collected on the river banks.

This explains why the place' was then baptised the Gold Coast. And when Ghana was Gold Coast, gold cost nothing. As a result some of the richest kings of the Gold Coast actually adorned themselves with inestimable values of gold ornaments, especially on festive occasions.

Ghana is endowed with magnificent traditional festivals such as "Aboakyer", "Homowo", "Hogbetsotso", "Kundum" etc. celebrated annually throughout the country.

These festivals actually depict the  depth of the cultural heritage of the people of Ghana which leave foreign visitors and tourists spellbound. But today, it must be admitted that gold is a scarce commodity and so expensive that some modern Ghanaian Kings or chiefs cannot even afford a small gold ring to decorate their little fingers.

The story is told of one of the richest ancient Kings, who lived by one of the largest rivers in the country. One day the' King had what could be termed a psychic experience during a brief meditation on the bank of the river. In that meditation there was an unmistakable revelation that the noble King was to embark on a journey of no return. He was also to visit the kingdom of the ghosts, where gold was not one of the  requirements to be a King.

When the "mystic" King awoke from his seemingly blue study, he quickly gathered together his three sons and said: "Beloved sons of my bosom, sooner or later I shall no more be with you; I shall have to embark on a journey of no return, but as to where precisely, I cannot tell. He went on, "while I am away, my kingdom ought to be governed all the same".

Then he brought out some royal regalia and told his three children: "Here are my headgear, made of gold, my sandals, made of gold and my stool,  made of wood. Take one each of your choices and rule when I am no more", he ordered. Without much ado, the eldest son picked up the golden headgear; the second rushed for the golden sandals, leaving the wooden stool for the last son, who like a beggar, had no choice. Seven days after the distribution of the royal paraphernalia to his sons, the King slept and never woke up again.

He had crossed the river into the Great Sea. Another seven days after the King's transition, another King had to be installed, according to customs. So the kingmakers summoned the three sons of the departed King and told them that according to customs and tradition he who has the stool is destined to be the next King and he shall be ens-tooled.

There again, the last son had no choice but to be ens-tooled as his father's successor. His eldest brother's headgear was collected for his head; the second son's sandals transferred to his feet and on his wooden stool he was authorised to sit and a new King he became.

Indeed, in Ghana, the stool constitutes the foundation of chieftaincy. In other words, without a stool no installation of a chief can take place in many parts of Ghana, especially the southern part of the country. In the North, the Skin plays the same important role in the elevation of chiefs. The stool in Ghana is equivalent to the throne in England. And it is the importance and value of stools and skins that give rise to the adoption of a stool or skin name by every newly installed chief or queen in Ghanaian society. 

          

It is worthy to know that besides its real meaning as a wooden seat, the actual significance of a "stool" is to denote the office of a King or Chief for  the Akans and he Ewes, as well as other ethnic groups in southern Ghana. For instance, the Ashantis, one of the major ethnic groups in Ghana, reputed for their rich traditional culture heritage, the Ashanti Stool is called  "Asante Akondwa". The Ewes call theirs " Fiazikpui".  This simply means the same as saying the "English throne".

Furthermore, in Ghana, we have terms such as 'Stool Land', 'Stool Money' or 'Stool Farm" meaning the land, money or farm attached to the chieftaincy or kingship of a particular kingdom or traditional area. This is a property for the current ruler as he has charge over it while in office. When the ruler passes away, the incident is referred to as, "the Stool has fallen".

It is relevant to explain that there are basically three kinds of stools in Ghana. They are the domestic, ceremonial and ritual stools. Unlike the ceremonial and ritual stools, ordinary stools are usually unadorned or decorated. Ghanaian ethnologists find it difficult or even impossible to establish a chronology for stools although it has been presumed that "they were probably invented to serve the needs of the increasingly complex society, which evolved in Ashanti and other ethnic groups in the nine-teenth century". (Ghana Museums).

Ritual Stools for many years, clans have had stools which were linked with personalities or even deities and spiritual status of their owners and were cleaned before any major ritual involving individual clans or households. Examples are what is known as the "Adae rituals" or soul cleaning ceremonies, referred to in the local dialect as "Kradware" which takes place among the Akans.

Again, shrines of gods were placed on stools in which the seat was supported on a carving for example, a "crocodile with a mud-fish in its mouth" depicting the amphibious nature of the deity in the world and yet out of it".

As a matter of fact a stool is thought to receive some spiritual element from its user, and the' Ashantis often explain their habit of tipping stools on their sides when not in use as a precaution against a stray bad spirit (sunsum bone), possibly from an executed person or an accident victim entering the stool.

Ceremonial Stools the Akan or Ewe chief in Ghana, the stool is the most important item of his regalia. The ceremonial stool is the focal point of the national culture.

In the Ashanti region of Ghana, for instance, the "Golden Stool" is more important than the Asante King himself as a person is. This was demonstrated in practical  terms when one of the Ashanti Kings known as King Prempeh was exiled by the British in 1891.

History has it that in 1891 there had not been any rebellion when the said Ashanti King was exiled to the Seychelles. But when the British Governor Sir Francis Hodgson ventured to sit on the "Golden Stool", the Asante uprising of 1900 occurred in reaction to what was seen to be an act of sacrilege.

In Ghana, as well as in other parts of Africa where chieftaincy exists, ceremonial stools are the prerogative of kings and other high ranking persons. Some are handed  down from one chief to the other, but at some places a new one is commissioned when a new king assumes office. When a major ancestral ceremonial stool is taken away in war by an enemy, it means the state has lost its independence. A chief is ens-tooled and destooled by the ceremonies around the Great Stool.

Furthermore, ceremonial stools like the linguist's staff of office, are used to communicate to a gathering. For example, when a chief sits on "Obi-te-obi-so" (someone-sits-on-the-other) stool, it signifies that that chief is superior to others at the gathering or meeting And when many ceremonial stools are assembled, the user of "Obi-te-Obi" Stool is the supreme ruler.

As a matter of fact, ceremonial stools are often adorned with 'gold or silver strips, bells, belts, beads, cowries, fetters and amulets. These beautiful art objects attached to them do not only add to their cultural .values but to the spiritual powers of the owners of the stools as well.

 In Ghana today any foreign dignitary or diplomat who visits the country or finishes serving his duty tour and pays a farewell courtesy call on the Head of State, that person is presented with a traditional stool as a symbol of reverence arid authority. The importance of stools in the traditional leadership therefore, cannot be taken for granted.

The author works with Information Services Department (ISD) abissath@gmail.com

NB: This article was first published by the Daily Graphic in September. 1991

TELECOM SECTOR MAKES PROGRESS

By Mawutodzi K. Abissath

Saturday, June 10, 2000 No. 147931. Price   ¢800

IN the 20th Century, when: Ghana was Gold Coast, gold, cocoa and timber were regarded as the economic saviours of the country. But today, at the threshold of the 21st Century, one can brag without fear of exaggeration that the telecom industry of the nation is the rock upon which Ghana can build its economic development infrastructure.

In other words, for Ghana to progress and prosper economically in the new millennium, it must invest in knowledge and skill rather than gold and cocoa. This knowledge and skill is what is technically known as Information and Communications Technology.

If you tell your 15-year-old child that, just about five years ago, there was only one place in Accra, called the P & T External Section where any human being in Ghana who wanted to speak with someone abroad ought to go, the child will look at your face with open mouth. Even then, you would have had to book your call for at least three days or more in advance.

As for obtaining your own phone line in your private house, you would need to be on the waiting list for at least ten years. If you are fortunate, you would get your phone in 20 years’ time. If you are not lucky, you might cross the great sea into the other side of heaven before it would be your 'turn to be connected,

However, today, your five-year-old child, even in your absence, can pick up your phone, either fixed or mobile and call his classmate in Kasoa and tell him: "Hello, Kofi; Mum has bought Fanta, for me; will you drink some?" Today, you can receive a call in your bathroom from your cousin in Japan that he has remitted you something you must go and collect at the Ghana Commercial Bank.

Today, a student in Bolgatanga Secondary School can call his mother at the Keta Market that he needs some Keta Schoolboys and gari. 'Today, an, investor in Chicago in America can communicate directly with a Paramount Chief at Amedzope and inquire about tourism potential of the Amedzope mountains, etc. Even though we still have a long way to go as a nation, we should not take this progress in the country's telecom industry for granted.

Records show that Ghana's telecommunications sector restructuring programme started in February 1997, with a principal aim at increasing private sector participation in the establishment of modern communications infrastructure and the provision of a variety of services.

According to telecom experts, the strategy adopted by the government was the creation of two major nation, all operators, namely Ghana Telecom and the Western Telesystems Ghana 'Limited (WESTEL) following the sale of 3D per cent share of the then Post and Telecommunications Corporation (P&T).

Government still has 70 per cent shares for future use for the benefit of the nation. Statistics indicate that as at 1994, Ghana could boast of only 5,000 telephone lines. This means that after almost 40 years of independence since 1957, when the nation's population hit almost 18 million only less than 10 million people had access to telephone facility. Thus, with the privatization of the telecom sector, the two national operators were tasked to increase telephone lines from the 5,000 to 50.000 by the 'year 2000. Telecom experts term this as increasing telephone penetration from three to over 10 percent of the population.

It is reassuring to learn that, as at the time of writing this piece, Ghana Telecom and WESTEL have managed to increase tele-density to nearly one per hundred as compared with about four per 100.0. of the population in early 1997, according to the Telecom Adviser to the Minister of Communications. Ghana Telecom and WESTEL have also increased access to telephone service through the availability of thousands of paid-phones provided countrywide 'since 1997, and 1999 respectively. It must be explained that WESTEL actually started operation in 1999.

Another telecom company which has been .licensed by the National Communications Authority to operate as a national operator is Capital Telecom. What is unique about Capital Telecom is that it is mandated specifically to provide telecommunications services to the rural and underserved communities in the country. So far, its services delivered to the - southern sector of Ghana is covering five regions including Western, Central, Volta, Eastern, and Greater Accra.

Besides, the above-mentioned fixed telephone operators, there are three major - cellular mobile telephone operators who have contributed a great - deal to make Ghana's Telecom Sector-an enviable one. They include Millicom (Gh) Ltd., operators of Mobitel, Scancom Ltd. Spacefon, and Cell Tel Ltd. operators of Celtel phones.

On Wednesday, May 17, 2000, when the World Telecom Day was celebrated throughout the world, almost all of these telecom operators both fixed and mobile under the coordinator ship of the National Communications Authority mounted an exhibition within the premises of the Ministry of Communications as part of activities marking the Day.

It was amazing to know that apart from providing telephone services to the public, some of these telecom operators have been engaging in tremendous charitable development projects and goodwill services that deserve emulation. It is relevant to mention that Ghana Telecom and WESTEL are mandated to opera CSM Mobile Services and before long; Ghana Telecom will take off and rural Ghana will not be the same again. 

         

Even though the focus of this article is on the telecom industry, one cannot fail to mention in passing the wonderful work the private sector in the Information Technology IT in general is doing.

According to the Telecom Adviser to the Government, in spite of relatively limited access to computers, the Internet services providers in Ghana today are doing a wonderful job. Data telecom operators in the country cannot be ignored for their contributions towards the advancement of the telecom industry. And if one should attempt to broaden the communications sector in its entirety to rope in the print and electronic media, the story will be different.

The simple truth is that communications has influence on economic development, supports manufacturing and agriculture, helps to promote export, projects tourism, attracts investment and facilitate banking, health and education.

Having said this it must be pointed out that, for Ghana's telecom industry to do better than what pertains today, there will be a need for the regulatory aspect of the industry to be handled professionally to create an environment of peace, harmony and trust. But Ghana's telecom experts, technologists, scientists and engineers must also not be satisfied with mere importation of foreign communications equipment only.

They must be creative and endeavor to manufacture simple telecom gadgets at affordable prices for rural dwellers to improve upon their economic development.  In his World Telecom Day message to the world this year, the UN Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan stated: "In the new millennium, let us make telecommunications the engine of development and integration that it can be. Only then can we capture the promises of globalisation while managing its adverse effects."

The author works with Information Services Department (ISD) abissath@gmail.com

NB: This article was first published by the Daily Graphic Saturday, June 10, 2000.