WAGGING A WAR ON INDISCRIMINATE SPITTING

In most cities worldwide, authorities are finding ways and means of combating the occurrence of diseases  especially among  children. Various policies have therefore been drafted and implemented in order to curb the incidence of diseases especially sanitation related, since these are preventable. Since children are the most vulnerable, efforts have being heightened to speed up the process of disease prevention especially in our schools hence the school hygiene and sanitation campaigns by several national and multinational governmental, educational and health-related institutions.

In Ghana, the same efforts are being put in place to combat sanitation related diseases. For some reason, all attention has been drawn to waste disposal and treatment since it is a major and visible cause of diseases. In this country, there is however one possible cause and a major threat which has escaped the attention or focus of our sanitation officers and although several people have often noticed and complained about this, nothing seems to be done about it especially in line with public education. It usually fills people with disgust!

Early in the mornings and also at other times of the day, we often see, jump over, walk over or avoid several trails or spots of spittle or saliva and phlegm on our roads in our towns or vicinity  and most especially on  tarmacs in our central business districts. People shamelessly commit such atrocities on our roads and environs.

Clearly, these are unwanted bodily fluids carrying several disease causing organisms and bacteria being discarded around, carelessly! As expected, these contain contaminants which have their own adverse health implications. We often talk about orally transmitted and airborne diseases caused by bacteria and other equally harmful pathogens e.g. whooping cough,  etc. These can be found in these saliva and phlegm which are deposited around.

Airborne diseases refer to any diseases which are caused by pathogenic microbial agents and transmitted through the air usually by inhalation of infested air containing these disease-causing organisms. Airborne diseases which effect humans get discharged through coughing, sneezing, laughing or through close personal contact. These pathogens (virus, bacteria or fungus) ride on either dust particles or small respiratory droplets and can stay suspended in air and or are capable of travelling distances on air currents.

In general, airborne diseases usually infect nasal passages and lungs first; hence symptoms related to these like cold, cough, flu like symptoms, fever, and a feeling of being ill may persist. Along with that some airborne diseases can present with symptoms of rash or bleeding spots on the skin. Many common infections can spread by airborne transmission at least in some cases, including: Anthrax (inhalable), Chickenpox, Influenza, Smallpox and Tuberculosis. We know of the harmful effects of these diseases including the fatalities.

Although in combating diseases emphasis has been placed on refuse and other waste products e.g. urine and excreta, saliva and phlegm are also potential threats to our health especially children who go playing on our roads and streets, in our neighbourhoods and even our direct home environments, picking up all sorts of things along the way including harmful bacteria, virus and fungi.

In as much as we lay emphasis on the proper disposal and treatment of refuse and other waste products e.g. human excreta, it is about time we begin to take into consideration the effects of saliva and phlegm on our physical well-being  Simply washing the hands and covering the mouth when sneezing can decrease the prevalence of contracting an airborne disease but the best remedy is to prevent and campaign against indiscriminate spitting on our streets and surroundings.

Aesthetically, it is not pleasing at all and makes our environment quite displeasing especially during the early mornings when one has to meander through several trails of saliva and phlegm particularly at our various lorry stations. Most often, the men are the guiltiest. It was a normal and common sight to see pregnant women and the elderly spitting around but these days whether young or old, male or female, no one seems to mind. Even on our roads with the moving traffic stream, it is common to spot drivers and passengers alike in moving vehicles, stretching out their necks to discharge a mouth load of spittle or phlegm sometimes to the displeasure of innocent pedestrians who get splashed with these discharges. Imagine all the contaminants! That can be really annoying and traumatizing! Those directly affected by this menace are our innocent children as usual, who crawl or walk around picking up all sorts of things they find as they move along.

Just as in other areas extensive public education has been done in the past in correcting certain ills in our society, extensive public education and sensitization should be done about the indiscriminate spitting and disposal of phlegm. The public should be made aware of the possible health implications of this rather unfortunate practice. Our policy makers ought to also draft a bill as has been done in other areas, that will give out punishments to anyone caught spitting indiscriminately.

Let us learn to be conscious of our actions. Whatever we do or fail to do affect us all. If the public is being educated on the proper disposal of refuse to ensure a clean and healthy environment, spittle and phlegm are not pleasing substitutes.

Anna Esi Hanson (nnhanson2@yahoo.com); esociocomm.blogspot.com.

THE GHANAIAN WORKER AND WELFARE

People create jobs in order to apply their knowledge and skills for the betterment of society. People also seek employment in order to make a decent living in taking care of themselves and their families. Collectively, employment serves as a public good rather than a private good. In all this, we can tell that there are varied reasons for which people work. For some, it is for the experience and for others, it is for the money. Some people also just take delight in working and hence, their motivation is just in the pleasure of working.

According to the Abraham Maslow theory of needs, job satisfaction or dissatisfaction is as a result of financial rewards and the conditions at work. Hence for someone, if the pay is good but the conditions at work is bad, there is no satisfaction and hence productivity is low. Others also have complete disregard for the conditions at work as long as the pay is good. The conditions at work in this case refer to the logistics provided or available that would enable the easy and swift execution of tasks at the work place. Most workers however, are not fortunate enough to obtain any of the above measure of job satisfaction. The salaries paid in a lot of companies within the country are woefully inadequate and the conditions at work, is nothing to write home about.

In Ghana, it is often a common thing to find a lot of work places especially in the government sector in poor conditions, almost abandoned. The offices lack adequate infrastructure, furniture and even equipment. Consequently, workers in such places report to work without doing any meaningful work. Some also just stay at home and would rather not come to work. With regard to the working conditions in the private sectors especially in the construction and manufacturing companies or institutions, the concerns are usually much graver. This is because as the name suggests, the private sectors operate just as they like without much regard to the welfare requirements for their workers since they are usually not subjected to public scrutiny as in the public sectorss.

Over the years and as is common these days, various workers welfare societies and groups have sprung up to fight for the rights of workers at their work places and to ensure that their concerns are addressed as much as possible in terms of their salaries, working conditions and other entitlements. All these are with regards to the fundamental rights of all individuals and in conformity to the accepted standards of living. This article is to tackle the welfare of Ghanaian workers especially in the private sector since my research into some work places in Ghana has necessitated this.

In the more structured institutions in Ghana both private and public, most workers know their fundamental rights and also, their rights at work as employees. Workers in the sector have received some form of education and usually, higher. Subsequently, workers in such institutions work within their rights and at the end of the day, ensure that they enjoy their full benefits and entitlement. The management in such institutions is also very circumspect in their dealings with their workers for fear of the consequences.

In the less structured institutions especially in the manufacturing and construction industry in Ghana however, the situation is most often the reverse. Most workers in this sector have complete disregard for their rights and entitlements. They have no knowledge and are completely ignorant of these. The management in these sectors does as they please. Workers in these areas are punished and even sacked for the least provocation whenever management feels like without any benefits. The working conditions for workers in these sectors are sometimes really unpleasant and demeaning since these sectors usually deal with the unskilled labour and at times the semi-skilled labours that usually have no knowledge about their rights at their workplaces, they suffer unwarrantedly.

A visit to some private institutions in this country would find workers who are subdued to poor or harsh working conditions without any benefits. These workers usually operate under highly hazardous or risky and life-threatening conditions with low safety measures and provisions and sometimes, without adequate insurance if any. For some, the basic welfare requirements like potable water, toilets and urinals, food and even accommodation are not provided. Those who are also fortunate to enjoy these do so, at times under dehumanizing conditions. These workers are sometimes abused verbally and non-verbally. For the female workers, it is the usual and expected cases of sexual harassment.

Although in all institutions, workers union and welfare groups or societies have been created to negotiate and ensure that workers in the various industries enjoy their full benefits, most of the leaders in these societies are themselves workers in the various companies and hence it becomes a conflict of interest. Consequently, instead of fighting for the interests of the workers, they rather fight for their personal interests for fear of losing their jobs. These so-called workers welfare society leaders look the other way whenever the rights of workers in their companies are being infringed. Some even side with management and work against these unfortunate workers. Any worker who insists on his or her rights is victimized ultimately by a sack or termination of appointment without any warning or benefits. Most often, the uneducated workers suffer the most. What then becomes the rationale for setting up these workers unions and welfare societies? Must workers be subdued to dehumanizing conditions at work simply because they are in need of employment? Must workers submit to all forms of disrespect just because they want to make a living?

This is the sad reality in our country today especially in the foreign-owned companies and institutions in this country. Workers endure all forms of humiliation in these work places and simply because the government has not got much say in the affairs of these institutions, they do as they well please. The irony of this whole situation is the fact that all this is happening under our very own noses.

It is time for the government to take a critical look at the activities and the operations of the private institutions or companies within the country. We can all attest to the immeasurable contributions of this sector to the economic growth of this country especially in the field of employment but again, that does not give them the power to operate freely. The government has a role to play in ensuring that the working conditions of worker in these institutions are humane. Those very guilty of this are the foreign owned companies especially in the areas of construction and manufacturing. Although we all applaud the government’s attempt to ensure a good relation with these countries, it should not be done to the disadvantage of the ordinary Ghanaian citizen. Ghana is our only country. Ghana belongs to us all and so her citizens should be treated right. What our workers sometimes submit to at their work places will be unacceptable in other countries should conditions be reversed.

Our civil society groups and organizations together with our worker’s union and welfare groups owe it to all workers in the country of ensuring that their interests are served at all times. A lot of workers are operating under inhumane conditions but are obliged to put up with it since they have no choice. They need to make a living. In the attempt, a lot of workers have fallen ill, some have been mamed, and others have ultimately lost their lives due to their working conditions. This should not be allowed to continue. This is an appeal to all groups and societies within the country and beyond, who are responsible for ensuring and securing the welfare of workers.

In the past, various media groups and individuals have done a lot of investigations on the operations of some organizations within the country and have made remarkable and life-changing discoveries. I believe our media owe it to all of us to continue in their strides in the field of investigative journalism. Most of the time, whenever the media visit various organizations, they only interview the management. Of course, the wrong pictures are usually captured! I challenge our media to get the facts from the horse’s own mouth. Talk to the ordinary worker or labourer and get the facts just as they are. The bitter truth! That would serve the interest of the workers. That would be in the country’s own interest.

We cannot do without our industrious workers. We cannot do without our illustrious sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters. We need every manpower and labour there is, for the development and progress of our nation. It is high time the Ghanaian work enjoys much safe working conditions in his or her work place. Workers are valuable resources to the development of every nation and should be treated as such.

                                    

THE FORGOTTEN ROAD USERS: THE MOTORCYCLISTS

Sometime last year, I almost lost an acquaintance in a motorbike accident. This was in the Upper West Region. A couple of days later, I called an aunt working in Wa to make an enquiry on the progress being made in her school. Upon enquiring about the wellbeing of the schoolbus driver, the reply was; ‘he’s dead.’ When I asked of how he died, it was by a motor bicycle. This year, I took a trip to Wa to visit the school and exactly the next morning, we were greeted with the sad news of the death of the father of one of the little children. Apparently He died in a motor accident the previous evening. This was someone who had personally picked up his child from school the previous day. When I visited the school, some furniture was needed so I inquired about the school carpenter, a very promising young man in his late twenties, only to be told of his passing through a motor accident. Whiles going through the school album, two male parents were indicated as deceased. As usual, motor bike accidents. The list is endless!

This story is just based on the statistics from just one school, an early childhood center to be exact. This shows how real and serious, the issue of motor bike accidents is claiming the lives of promising citizens, breadwinners and most importantly, parents of young children in the northern parts of our country. Yes, a lot of children are being orphaned through the occurrence of these accidents! Are we prepared to take responsibility for this fast growing numbers? Absolutely not!

Rather unfortunately in Ghana today, when people talk about road accidents, all attention is drawn to vehicular accidents. This might be the case for southern Ghana. When it comes to Northern Ghana however, the number one cause of road accidents and death is motor bicycle accidents. Just last year, a lot of people lost their lives as a result especially youngsters. Our promising future leaders!! Last year’s executive meeting of the National Union of Ghana Students claimed the life of an executive member through a motor accident. These are only a few cases that occurred in the upper West Region, Wa. There are similar incidents occurring in the other two Northern regions of the country.

A visit to Duayaw Nkwanta district hospital in the Brong-Ahafo region of the country and other regional hospitals in northern regions will both confirm and sight countless cases of accidents involving motor bicycles, referred from these regions. Ghastly accidents indeed!

Currently in Ghana, a faction of people is calling for the use of motor bicycles, popularly known as ‘Okada’ as an alternative means of transportation. This is in light of the constraints in our transportation system and also increasing traffic streams. That is not a bad idea. The question however is: Are we prepared? Are we prepared for the consequence; the associated crimes, accidents, casualties, fatalities, etc?

It is a common sight to spot several motor bike riders without any helmets. For those who wear these helmets, it is usually one at a time. Either the rider wears alone or the passenger alone wears. It is rather on a few occasions that two people get spotted with both wearing.

For most of these motor bike riders, another problem is the law. Most of them act like they are above the law or there is no law governing their movement and operation at all. A large number of these riders like over speeding and have no regard for road signs and other traffic control devices. It is at times really scary to watch some motor bike riders make impossible over takings and meanders in thick and moving traffic streams. That has been the number cause of accidents and associated death of many motor bicycle riders and sometimes innocent pedestrians including other road users.

In the southern parts of the country especially in the big cities some people are advocating for the use of motor bicycles as an alternative source of transportation considering the current loopholes in our transportation system. Already, some are in business. It would be rather unfortunate if this is allowed considering the associated risks. A lot of vehicular accidents that occur are fatal with some escaping with ghastly injuries. When it comes to motor bicycles, it is almost always fatal be it a motor-bicycle collision, motor-motor collision, motor-vehicular collision, motor- human collision or even motor-animal collision. How then should we allow and expect it to be legalized as an alternative source of transportation?

Security-wise, there is a huge risk involved in the use of motor bicycles especially for commercial transportation. The probability of any form of attack is usually high with no better chances of escape. In fact, some unscrupulous people have been using motor bikes to attack, rob and commit all sorts of crimes since it is easy to meander through traffic and avoid being arrested on them. How then must we endanger ourselves by considering the use of the motor bike?

Although on our roads, all motorists have been advised to be cautious, the same measure has not been given to motor bicycle riders. Most motor bike riders move around without any license and helmets. Very often, they are allowed to slip through easily by our traffic and other law enforcement agencies. All focus has always been on vehicular movements. Well, it is now the time for the motor bicycle riders! We are losing quite a relatively alarming number of people through motor bicycle accidents just like vehicular accidents.

The main source of transportation in the northern parts of the country is the bicycle and the motor bike. Yes, almost each household owns one, if not both! That is a good, easier to use and a relatively cheaper alternative means of transportation. However, we ought to careful! We have to save our people, and the time is now! A lot of precious lives have been lost over the years. A lot more are being lost each day. We owe it to ourselves to be careful on our roads. We owe it to our families to be cautious. We need them. They need us. Our nation needs us. Our law enforcement agencies owe it to us to help us ensure our own safety. Ghana needs us to be strong and alive.

Arise Ghana youth for your country! We need to stay alive! Stay alert on the road!

THE TAXPAYER AND THE TAX

I cannot quite remember the exact time and date when construction of the western region’s cultural center began but I can recall that even in my senior secondary school days, the structure was still under construction. That was about seven years ago and clearly considering the stage at which the structure was in, it might have started a couple of years before that. From the little information I gathered, that would be about ten years and even beyond. Yes, the structure has been under construction for about ten years and up till date, has not been fully completed.

In Ghana, we have a culture of abandonment when it comes to the construction of state-owned and funded structures. When governments commence work on the construction of various structures and are unable to complete during their tenure of office, that becomes the end of that story. The structure sits there for years notwithstanding the stage of construction. Several structures and projects have been abandoned with some near completion throughout the country and although people talk about it, nothing seems to be done about it. Although the current government has made an effort to correct this, the issue still needs to be addressed.

Construction of the western region’s cultural center started years ago and till date, construction has not been completed. The facility has been used over and over again in its uncompleted state and no one seems to care. Huge sums of monies have been paid as fees for the use of the place and yet, no one knows where these monies have been channeled to. Various politicians, governmental, and non-government agencies have all patronized the premise for various functions but no one has cared enough to pursue and ensure that construction of the structure is completed. Gradually, the signs of failure of the structure can be seen. Aesthetically, it is not pleasing since the painting works among others are obviously unfinished.

In structural engineering and consequently, in the design of structures, a structure has a proposed design life and when construction has been completed, it is expected that the particular structure functions adequately as was designed. When that does not happen, we say the structure has failed. Clearly with the progress of construction factoring the exposure conditions, it can be said that the western region cultural center is headed for failure. If the project is not completed, this structure would fail in a few years to come, short of its design life.

We can attest to the state of some regional cultural centers within the country notable the center for regional culture in Cape Coast, the Kumasi cultural center, the National Theatre in Accra, among others. All these are completed projects which attest to their aesthetic beauty and functional responsibility.

In the construction of all state or public facilities, the tax-payer’s money finances all these. Are we then being fair to the ordinary tax-payer and ourselves if we fail to pursue and ensure the completion of all projects set out for our collective interests? Picture the ordinary citizen who has to pay tax out of the meager salary of his or her labour; are we being fair to ourselves if monies deducted as taxes are not being put to good use?

Throughout the country, the remnants of abandoned structures from the past can be sighted at in various regions and locations. These include schools, hospitals, housing facilities, offices, factories and several others. A visit to these places would reveal facilities in perfect conditions from several decades. It is often ironic to sight an uncompleted structure within the confines or on the compound of a congested facility e.g. a school, hospital, etc. Often times, we ask ourselves why these structures have been abandoned or who is responsible but have no answers.

On our roads, we often sight several toll booths that have been positioned at various sections to charge vehicle owners as road user fees. These monies are supposed to be channeled towards the maintenance of our roads but what do we often see? Several stretch of deplorable roads harbouring a lot of potholes, perhaps manholes. Is it then surprising when we encounter road accidents although it is common for most people to blame drivers for any road accident that occurs.

As citizens, we ought to be involved in every activity that takes place and always seek to ensure that our interests are served at all times. Instead of spending time on unnecessary details in our political domain, we ought to monitor the activities and progress of any state-owned project within our jurisdictions and even beyond. As citizens, it is our right and also, our responsibilities to ensure that our limited resources are utilized efficiently and effectively at all times for the growth of our nation and our own selves.

Several state-owned factories in good conditions have been abandoned and yet we often and constantly complain about unemployment and even talk about ways of solving this problem. Several schools and hospital projects have remained unfinished and yet we complain about congestion and unavailability and even made plans of constructing new ones. Several road projects have been abandoned and yet we complain about the poor nature of our roads and are even planning of constructing new ones. How ironic!

Even in our various churches and religious affiliations, this same trend exists. The congregation constantly pays taxes in the form of tithe, collection, harvest monies, fundraisers, and several others but does not directly benefit from them. People struggle on a daily basis but always manage to pay their tithes diligently as an act of faith for these monies to be squandered anyhow in the end. In our churches can be found the poorest of the poor without any helper. The sickest of the sick can be found without any one to provide medical assistance. The homeless of the homeless can be found without any one to provide shelter. The most naked of the naked can be found without any one to provide clothes. The hungriest of the hungry can be found without any food. What is religion all about? What is the focus? Should religion not be a way of life? Instead, in our churches these days, we find greedy spiritual leaders who only think about enriching themselves. All they do is to constantly demand more from the congregation who barely has enough. Where all the monies being collected day in and day out, especially on our worship days? Where does the tithe go? Would these contributions not be put to good use if channeled at improving the lives of worshipers? Our churches should also be accountable! Charity begins at home!

Our politicians and opinion leaders owe it to us to ensure the smooth and timely execution of each project they set out to achieve. We ought to keep to our words. Our politicians make promises all the time without actually understanding the meaning and gravity of whatever words come out of their mouths. It is high time we learnt and understood that we are bound by whatever we say. We shall all make accounts at the right time. Posterity will surely be the judge! Let us learn to be responsible and accountable.

What then becomes the essence of paying taxes or tithes if our monies are not being utilized efficiently and responsibly? Is it even necessary to keep on paying taxes? If paying tithe in church is an act of gratitude to God, would it then not glorify Him the more when the money is put to good use in improving the life of someone?

JOB HUNTING; THE HURDLE.

For most young people within the country, unemployment has become the bane in their lives. The sole aim of education as the key to employment and job creation has only become a mirage. This is the sad reality of our times.

In the wake of this new reality, some unscrupulous people have taken advantage of this and are using it to their selfish advantage. These days, the worse kinds of crimes are being committed in our formal institutions within the corridors of the so-called legitimate businesses by the so-called honourable people.

A visit to several institutions both private and public would reveal that bribery and corruption is now the requisite skill required by applicants in the pursuit and securing of jobs. On the panels usually set up for various job interviews, a number of applicants have been asked shamelessly to pay bribes to these panelists to secure their chances of gaining employment and in some cases, to gain employment. Some unfortunate applicants upon payment of these bribes, however, fail; they fall victims to various scams!

This problem is most visible in the oil and gas industry today, in our beloved country.

Within the last couple of months also, several training programmes have commenced to provide training for people in the oil and gas sector. With all the tales surrounding the lucrative nature of the oil and gas sector, several people naturally apply for these short-term and supposedly job-oriented training. The problem is that, most of these agencies have no accreditation and are operating on their own. These institutions or people usually charge huge sums of money as fees in lieu of the training and promise their customers of possible employment in the oil and gas sector to no avail. This is the new form of fraud currently being perpetrated within the country.

A lot of recruitment agencies have also sprung up to serve as agents for the unemployed and in search for jobs. In return, these agencies demand percentages from the salaries of their clients, usually over a period of time. The truth is that, these percentages are usually rather on the higher side. As expected, some recruitment agencies have liaised with some companies who provide them with information on vacancies. Subsequently, these agencies in return pay some percentages to their internal sources within the various companies who provide them with the information on the vacancies. Consequently, the ordinary and innocent applicant who ventures into any of these companies without the services of any recruitment agency does so at his or her own loss. They would be told of no vacancy although a vacancy exists!

Another issue of grave concern and especially linked to various job advertisements is the issue of experience. A critical examination of some job advertisements in our news papers and quite recently on the internet indicates that for most companies, persons without any working experience or for others, persons with experience less than two years, five years, and even ten years have nothing good to offer. Most companies these days request for people with experiences that span three years and above. What becomes of the beginner? Do our young people these days not deserve any chance?

As for the female job seeker, the story is different. A date for a job! These days in Ghana, the males cannot be left out considering how fast things have changed. A lot of young female graduates and diplomats fall victim to unscrupulous employers, usually to no avail.

Is there any hope at all for the jobless? Job searching in Ghana today has become a herculean task! Those who fail to consider themselves as potential Hercules’ have in the end resorted to all kinds of means to an end. Is it them surprising to encounter several robbery cases, and even prostitution with the resulting accompaniments? Can we therefore blame them completely?

In various institutions both public and private, there are several individuals who have reached retirement and are yet reluctant or unwilling to vacate their positions. Ultimately, the relatively younger generations who are in need and in search of employment are unable to find any since there are no vacancies. How then do parents expect their children to gain any employment when they fail to vacate their posts at their various jobs upon reaching retirement? This is the basic law of Karma.

On our streets, electronic media, and even on our individual lips, people constantly scream about corruption and how much this is affecting us as a nation. We easily blacklist and even shortlist various institutions, agents, and agencies that could be labeled as corrupt. As expected, politicians are always the ones usually rated as such. The truth however is that, we are all guilty of this very sin!

Currently in Ghana, a lot of people cannot find jobs as a result of several factors. Among these include ethnicity and tribalism, gender, appearance, social status, religion, political affiliations, nepotism and favouritism, among others. One way or the other, we are all guilty of one of these. Let us look beyond these inhibiting and limiting factors, factors we have personally created, and give more appreciation to quality; examine what a person can actually offer rather than looks and other unnecessary considerations.

Let us learn to help one another unconditionally! This is our nation. A nation’s pride lies primarily in her human resources. Let us encourage the youth to take possession of their destiny; the destiny of our nation. We need to empower our youth to be pro-active and responsible. For some people, the first step of being responsible stems from the activities assigned them at work. May God have mercy on us all!

OUR CURRENCY; THE CEDI OR THE DOLLAR

The pride of a nation is not only in her people but in her way of life; her culture! This culture can only be defined through her dressing, her language, her food, and her beliefs, among others. Like all nations, this pride is also exhibited in the form of some national totems. Ghana like all nations has her national flag, the national emblem in the form of the Coat of Arms. Although we have several languages, English has been adopted as the formal national language as a result of our colonization by the British, in order to make communication especially internationally, easy. Also like all nations, Ghana has her own currency, the cedi and this is what is used locally for various transactions. Hence for all types of trading, the Ghanaian cedi is the form of exchange be it the exchange of goods or the exchange of services.

In recent times however, and rather increasing at an alarming rate, the cedi is being substituted for the dollar. Although other currencies like the pound sterling and the euro have also been recognized as some medium of exchange in the country, the American dollar seems to be the number one choice. This has gone on to the extent that people have become bold enough to request that certain payments be made in dollars.

A couple of weeks ago, I was told that a colleague who had been searching for accommodation for quite some time had finally found a place. I was however shocked and disappointed when a few days later, I got the information that the owner of the house had actually and shamelessly requested for payment to be made in dollars. The person did not request that the equivalent of the money in dollars be paid in cedi. No! The owner of the house requested that the cedi be converted into dollars and then paid! This is happening in Ghana these days! How far would we go as a nation and as a people, in the name of globalization, modernization, urbanization, among others?

A look around us shows the extent we have gone as a nation in the name of being trendy. Some of our people have lost their language, way of dressing and perhaps cultural identity in totality. Most citizens cannot even sing the national anthem or recite the national pledge. Within this country are people who cannot even narrate the stories of our past; the story of the struggle for our independence, our national heroes to even talk about singing our local songs. On the contrary, the country is now filled with people who know more about the facts or the histories of other foreign nations especially the western world. We now pride ourselves in the knowledge of the western countries than our own history. Sadly enough, our educational system in itself has been structured to lay emphasis on knowledge acquisition which dwells solely on the events and findings of the western world.

As if that is not enough, our own leaders are encouraging all this. Would any western country ever adopt our currency as a mode of exchange? Your guess is as good as mine! How do we expect the value of the cedi to be appreciative if we are not even using it as a medium of trade in our very own country? We are currently all crying about hard times and the decreasing value of the cedi when we ourselves are fueling all these things.

A visit to some parts of the city of Accra would reveal that the medium of exchange being adopted these days is the dollar. The latest addition to that list is the twin city of Ghana. Sekondi-Takoradi! Gradually, the western region is becoming the worse culprit! All in the name of the oil-find, people within this region especially house owners have become greedy overnight. A lot of house owners have driven away tenants just to make room for foreign investors. Consequently, these house owners are charging crazily insane amounts of money as rents on their buildings to the extent that the ordinary Ghanaian living in the region especially Takoradi, can no longer afford to rent a simple room. Where do we expect our citizens to live if they cannot afford a simple accommodation? On the streets? Shamefully, and sadly enough, the foreign investors themselves are complaining. The charges on the accommodation are way too much! We talk about Ghana being a middle-income country but our current situation is saying otherwise. How do we expect the country to develop if we are driving away and even discouraging foreign investors? People are only becoming cheap! They are taking undue advantage and hence failing to reason.

We are all complaining about the tough economy when we are actually the ones responsible for the hardship in the country. Look no further next time, when you are looking for a reason to complain or when you are looking for someone to blame for the hard economy. We are all to blame! In as much as we blame our politicians for sometimes encouraging all these, let us not forget that on our own, we are all politicians! We play our own politics all the time without actually realizing it. Our actions and inactions has its own effects on our environment, our economy, our own selves, and most importantly, on the nation.

If we are gradually making the dollar, pounds, euro and other currencies as a medium of trade in this country, we should all be prepared for the hard times ahead. Anyone who recommends trading locally with another currency apart from ours should very well be prepared to weep when he or she walks unto the street or the market to make a purchase. The cedi is our local currency. It should be our pride. It should be treasured. We should be ashamed for not valuing it and rather devaluing it. Should we not do away with the cedi and only trade with the dollar? We might as well as endorse colonialism...

Published: Daily Graphic (10^th November, 2011).

RENT REGIME FOR SMALL-SCALE BUSINESSES: THE DREAM KILLER

Over the years and rather increasingly, people have been advised to take up entrepreneurship as an alternative source of employment. This is primarily as a result of the unavailability of jobs. Also with the rapid increase in population accompanied by widening markets, there has been an increase in demand for goods and services. The existing structures are therefore unable to meet the increasing demands and hence loop-holes in the system. In schools, as part of the educational reform programmes, students have been taught to be self-reliant and to take a more practical approach to whatever knowledge they acquire. Consequently, entrepreneurial programmes have been introduced as part of the course work for students especially in our tertiary institutions to enable them create employment for themselves after school. Even in the non-formal environment, entrepreneurial ventures are at the maximum in the areas of food production, livestock rearing, trading, among others.

Entrepreneurship is therefore increasingly becoming a great source of employment for many individuals especially of the younger generations. This is a lucrative endeavour. Currently in Ghana, entrepreneurship in the area of small-scale businesses accounts for a larger proportion of the nation’s economy in the form of taxes. Although people have ventured into this field of employment creation, there are however scores of challenges that is hampering the growth of most small-scale businesses in Ghana. For these reasons, most people prefer not to go through all that trouble. Although people, both home and abroad, have been encouraged to go into entrepreneurship as a mode of job creation, a few have been able to make their marks. Several young businesses, over the years, have closed down. Various reasons account for these failures.

In Ghana, there are no clear policies governing the operation of small businesses and so it becomes a battle between the informal and formal sector for survival. Most small-scale businesses become targets for revenue, usually attracting a lot as tax. In the end, this affects the capital foundation of these businesses since the profit margin becomes really thin and in most cases, it becomes a loss.

Starting any business involves some form of capital investment. For most young businesses, which are just making their first entry into the Ghanaian market however, the cost of operation is usually unfriendly or unbearable. Duties paid on imports by most young businesses do not make it profitable since there is no tax-exemption for these young businesses. There are several young businesses in the country that hardly make any earnings or income but are being forced to cough up monies as income taxes at the end of the day. How does one pay income tax if there is no income? We pay income taxes on our income. In the case that a business makes no income, where does that money come from? The money being invested in the form of capital? Are we being fair to the ordinary citizen? Are we being realistic?

Over the years, several agencies including the Association of Ghana industries (AGI) and the private sector, have called for tax-exemption for a minimum number of years for small-scale businesses during which time they can develop to their full term until such time that they can comfortably pay their taxes but this has fallen on deaf ears. The small-scale businesses continue to suffer!

The cost of infrastructure and supplies is also increasingly becoming a saddle for most small-scale businesses in Ghana today especially in the major cities. For the well-structured and more formal environments who realize enough profits at the end of each day, the issue of property tax is no headache. However, for the small-scale or young businesses who cannot afford their own premises, this is another setback. The monies being paid as rent on structures housing small-scale businesses is overwhelming. Ultimately, this goes to increase the costs of operation and hence, no profit is realised at the end of the day. Can any business grow under such conditions?

What most people fail to realise is that, when it comes to small-scale businesses, there is always the difficulty in accessing money as capital especially if being started by an individual. Most young businesses have no access to or usually find it difficult in accessing loans or credit from banks. Access to our local markets is also a huge problem in the sense that most people in Ghana prefer foreign goods compared to those produced locally. The low patronage is also attributed to the lack of support by the government in the form of access to loans or grants, tax exemption for young businesses, proper legislation concerning the operation and promotion of young or small-scale businesses especially by local entrepreneurs. How then can a young business survive? Even in the area of governance, the same trend exists. Most of the major contracts are continually being issued to international markets. What becomes of our local businesses? Oh Ghana, awake!

Considering the hell most young businesses go through in Ghana, could it perhaps be a plot to cripple the young businesses who serve as competition for the well-structured and more organized institutions? Is it a ploy to kill the entrepreneurial spirits of citizens?

What most people fail to recognize is the fact that small-scale businesses form the backbone of the nation’s development since a greater proportion of the citizens in the nation fall under this sector of the economy particularly in the areas of petty trading, among others. Small businesses ultimately become competitions for large firms. This is because small businesses have wider markets, are less formal and so reach a larger populace of varied economic classification. Most entrepreneurs and small businesses seek to provide more alternatives based on what exist on the market.

Entrepreneurship is all about creativity and innovation and so entrepreneurs need to be encouraged. It is high time the government draws up policies that would encourage the growth of small-scale businesses, and most importantly, entrepreneurs. There should be clear rules governing the amount being paid as taxes on income, raw materials, property and several others. Our financial institutions should be more charitable and tolerant to small-scale businesses by providing them with easy access to loans and other credit facilities.

We often talk about teaching a person to fish rather than providing the fish (spoon-feeding). Are we being real? Are we being truthful to ourselves? If we keep crippling small-scale industries in Ghana, we might as well prepare for the consequences. We should then brace ourselves for perpetual spoon-feeding!