VOLTA RIVER AUTHORITY OR VOLTA REVENUE AUTHORITY

Has the Volta River Authority, now turned from a power generation authority, into a power revenue authority? From Volta River Authority, into Volta Revenue Authority? Clearly in Ghana, a mere name change can be so expensive. When ordinary “Koobi” changes its name to Tilapia, it becomes very expensive.

Yes, our beloved Volta River Authority seems to have assumed a new status; a revenue authority status because each day, the only news I hear from them is how much more they want to extract from this nation, in the name of power generation. They claim to be generating power, and yet, each day in our various cities, the reality hits us; there is no power! We keep paying, but receive no power.

In Ghana today, it is one talk of a thermal plant after another. Each day, new thermal plants are being planned and cited. Various plants have been commissioned in the past year, and yet till date, no improvements have been noted. The situation is rather getting worse. Huge revenues are being pumped into power generation, and for what?

Quite recently, the Takoradi Thermal Plant was commissioned. Rather unfortunately, till date, nothing promising has been heard about its operations or functionality. What is happening with or to the newly commissioned Takoradi thermal plant? From all indications, Volta River Authority is dribbling around this issue. We are not being told much about its operations, and yet, we are being asked to pay more; pay for no service? That is the story of Ghana.

Volta River Authority is asking for increased tariffs, in order to serve us better; so they claim. What becomes the benchmark for better service, if all that we know of is disappointments? How are these tariffs going to be used? Is it to service our machines; most of them white elephants? Is it to add to their already overgrown salaries? Or as always, to feed the insatiable appetites of some people in some offices?

Let us learn to be serious as a people. Each day, taxes are taken from us; extorted perhaps, and yet, no account is given. People pay huge sums of monies as taxes or levies, each day, and yet, no remarkable development is attained or even sustained.

On our roads, monies go out as road taxes or levies, and yet, the poor nature of our roads is an unfortunate attestation. People pay water bills, but have no access to water. Huge monies are paid as communication taxes, and what do we get in return, poor communication networks. At our ports and harbours, this same trend of extortion persists. At our borders and checkpoints, it is the height of indiscipline and gross disappointment; from people we supposedly call our own. Not forgetting our tax-collecting police; junior Matthews’.

Is it then surprising, that our distinguished Volta River Authority, on grounds of their autonomy, is asking for outrageously increased tariffs? Increased tariffs, for power we do not have! They have turned into a revenue authority overnight. And as per the current development in this nation, their request, or better still as an authority, their demands, are being backed by a threat; a threat of worse services, as if their existing records, speaks otherwise.

In all this, Ghanaians sit and make no effort to correct the stench surrounding us! The stench that is gradually eating us all up! Instead of making all kinds of demands, let us also spend that much time, in correcting the ills in our lives. We need a change of attitude. This is a country, which is constantly making room for loss and wastage.

A newly commissioned thermal plant is not functioning, and yet, we are all silent. On this plant are all kinds of engineers, experienced as they may call themselves, and yet, their skills, knowledge, or experience cannot be applied to resolve the problems hindering their operations! And yet, they want increments! Our water supply and distribution system, after so many years of functionality, still leaves large rooms for all kinds of wastage. We keep complaining about water shortages, and yet, we are not looking at the root causes. Our roads are fast deteriorating and in deplorable states, but we do not question how our roads and revenues are being constructed or used, respectively. 

Who then speaks for us, considering the fact that most Ghanaians are reluctant to fight their own battles?

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

ONLY IN GHANA

Only in Ghana! Imagine a whole parliamentarian, screaming foul on national media. And I asked myself, what is his beef?

Apparently, his supposed HIPC fund had gone missing from the account. How was that possible, and why was the money sitting there in the first place. Apparently, as was his response, he was only saving the money for the next four or eight years, until it had substantiated enough for it to be used. A cock and bull story!

It was more interesting, when a couple of days later, other parliamentarians joined in the pandemonium, all threatening to boycott parliament. Indeed, it is quite remarkable, how these parliamentarians find a common ground on monetary issues.

Why the noise when we all know that the money would have been idle in the bank anyway? If it can idle for four years or even eight, as I heard that morning, I bet government can equally wait till four or eight years before disbursing it. What then would be the rationale for the funding anyway?

Only in Ghana!!! How can money, meant for development, be kept idle in a bank, simply because, a parliamentarian has decided that it is too small to be used so he could wait for at least, four, or eight years, should he be re-elected, before he uses it. According to him, that was the norm. He was not the only one.

What right does a parliamentarian have, to make such a decision? What happens, should he lose an election? What about his constituents? It means, for the entire period the money idles in the bank, nothing for his constituency! How was it possible for the account to be accessed by a non-signatory? Who takes the interest on the money? I need to be educated.

One thing was quite clear as I sat listening to this parliamentarian that morning. He had not thought about the repercussions of his statement.

Why should government monies sit idle, when there are dire issues to be addressed and resolved each day? People are hungry! People are sick and dying! School fees need to be paid! Accessibility to water supply is a hurdle! These are basic necessities that do not need thousands or millions. At least one single problem could be solved. And yet, our parliamentarians rather prefer to compound issues for a period of four or even eight years! Perhaps, it is convenient to wait until the political campaign seasons, before the money can be put to good use, as always.

Considering the utterance of this parliamentarian, his constituency would see no development, during the period that his funds are hibernating. What would he then be doing in his constituency, as a parliamentarian? He would only be showing up in parliament, to add to the numbers.

Such are the stories of several of our parliamentarians. They show up in parliament, but have no contributions to make. Each year, monies are handed out, but in the end, no tangible account is rendered.

In my final year in the university, for the school of engineering, our student president, did particularly nothing, for the whole year he remained in power. I remember participating in a solar power design competition, and even for us to receive our certificates of participation, proved futile! In the end however, a budget was exhausted. Millions had been spent! Like this young man, they usually, and almost always, find their way into government. Catch them young….

Ghanaians ought to be serious. Monies are sneaking out of government coffers each year, in the full glare of us all. We keep talking about judgment debts, corruption, embezzlements.

How do we put a stop to this canker? It is no longer news.

Yes, this parliamentarian had the audacity to openly scream foul and his colleagues joined in. That is the insult we receive each day. People steal from the nation, and then, parade them; from the mansions, vehicles, to several others.

Clearly, I am addressing a parliamentarian, but he is not the sole culprit. Like him, several others exist in our workplaces, and communities. We know them all. What have we done to put a stop to this nonsense? Within our various localities and offices, such are the realities.

Clearly, our auditors are still far behind because our money keeps disappearing each day. We keep on setting up committees to probe these cases, but in the end, what do we do with the findings?

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