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Blogs
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Justice under fire II
01 Sep 2010 | 08:40 AM
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| A lot has been said and done since Dr. Kwabena Adjei’s mad effusions about the judiciary. The magistrates and judges association (I didn’t even know there was such a thing) have made it clear that politics is often the last thing on their mind. They also told Kwabena Adjei off ... |
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IF...
26 Aug 2010 | 08:40 AM
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| A friend introduced me to Rudyard Kipling’s poem earlier this year. It’s a masterpiece and as I continue to ponder over the NDC’s needless attacks on the judiciary, I wish I had money to print Mr. Kipling’s inspiring words on cards to be distributed among all the judges in the ... |
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Justice under fire
18 Aug 2010 | 08:25 AM
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| There is no doubt that government needs to win a court case – and fast. So far, in its bid to justifiably prosecute officials of the Kufuor regime perceived to have engaged in corruption, the Mills administration has suffered more humiliation than any government can bear.
If it were a ... |
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Another piece of (useless) paper
17 Aug 2010 | 08:19 AM
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| After months of haggling, not to mention uncertainty and needless controversy, vice President John Mahama launched the national youth policy to great funfare at Elmina. Coming just a few weeks after the dismissal of Sekou Nkrumah, who had criticized the Mills administration for literally sitting on the policy, the administration ... |
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Premature Discharge?
12 Aug 2010 | 08:59 AM
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| It may be sheer incompetence. Or there might be a conspiracy most of us are unaware of. Either way, someone is not doing what he or she gets paid to do well. And that’s why we see people like Charles Wireko-Brobby and his uncle, Kwadwo Mpiani, smiling where they should ... |
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It takes one to know one
10 Aug 2010 | 07:12 AM
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| I was in the Joy Newsroom on Saturday evening when I heard John Kufuor condemning his successor’s record against corruption. He said that “corruption is becoming incarnate; we see corruption everywhere.” Immediately I heard those words, I turned to one of my colleagues and said: “look who’s talking.”
I knew ... |
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GUEST BLOGGER: On STX, who is being mischievous?
03 Aug 2010 | 07:14 AM
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| By Nana Ama Agyemang Asante
Somebody within the ruling NDC government has clearly gone mad. No, really. The party has announced plans to pursue the STX-Korea housing deal by sending the flawed contract back to parliament. Yes, it is the same $1.5billion for 30,000 houses that Imani Ghana warns will rack ... |
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GUEST BLOGGER: Criminal Libel By The Back Door?
29 Jul 2010 | 07:20 PM
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| By Rodney Nkrumah Boateng
It is common ground among many observers of Ghana’s media landscape that the quality of journalism in the country leaves much to be desired. The crass language, the inaccuracies, the downright deliberate lies and propaganda that pass for news are all a cause for great concern. ... |
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News sources and Confidentiality
27 Jul 2010 | 09:52 AM
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| Here is an excerpt from Broadcast News – Writing, Reporting and Producing, [Fourth Edition] by Ted White. It is on the issue of news sources and why journalists need to keep promises of confidentiality. Hopefully, it sheds some light on the recent issues.
The fastest way to lose a source ... |
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CHARGED: …But, no shakin’
26 Jul 2010 | 09:18 AM
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| Since the police CID decided to charge me with publishing false news with the intention to cause fear and alarm, there has been an outpouring of support and encouragement from people far and near. “We are behind you,” is a phrase I’ve heard a lot recently.
I’ve also heard a ... |
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CHARGED: AFP Report
25 Jul 2010 | 06:03 PM
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| Journalist charged after refusing to reveal sources
ACCRA, July 24, 2010 (AFP) - A Ghanaian journalist has been charged with reporting false information after refusing to reveal his sources to police, the head of the country's journalists association said Saturday.
Ato Kwamena Dadzie, acting editor of Joy FM radio, was ... |
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CHARGED: Statement from CPJ
25 Jul 2010 | 05:44 PM
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| In Ghana, police prosecute journalist with antiquated criminal law
New York, July 23, 2010—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Ghana’s attorney general to drop prosecution of prominent journalist Ato Kwamena Dadzie under the 1960 criminal code in an attempt to get him to reveal his sources.
The Criminal Investigations Department ... |
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CHARGED: Statement from Danquah Institute
22 Jul 2010 | 02:57 PM
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| The Danquah Institute considers as disappointing, dangerous and back-stepping the action that has been taken by the Police, in particular, in responding to Government’s directive to investigate the news item in which Joy FM quoted a source as alleging that council members of the Ghana Real Estate Developers Association were ... |
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CHARGED: Government Statement
21 Jul 2010 | 07:54 PM
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| The Ministry of Information has described as unfortunate statements attributed to the Ghana Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), National Media Commission (NMC), Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and others in the matter of the caution statement taken from JoyFM over the publication of alleged death threats.
A statement ... |
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CHARGED: Statement from CDD Ghana
20 Jul 2010 | 08:58 PM
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| The Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) wishes to express its grave concern over the arrest and formal charge yesterday of the Acting News Editor of JOY FM, Mr. Ato Kwamena Dadzie, for refusing to disclose the source of a story carried by his radio station on the STX Housing ... |
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CHARGED:... for sealing the lips
19 Jul 2010 | 08:50 PM
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| A few hours ago, I was charged with a criminal offence. It’s the same charge being faced by Nana Darkwa, who accused Rawlings of setting fire to his own house.
The state is charging me with the offence of publishing news “with intent to cause fear and alarm” after I ... |
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Sekou goes, Mills sends a message
19 Jul 2010 | 09:11 AM
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| President Mills chose the most inopportune time to sack Sekou Nkrumah from the National Youth Council. It would hurt him. But it puts him in good company. He’s just following the footsteps of his main political mentor, who happens to be none other than Kwame Nkrumah – Sekou’s father.
Sekou, ... |
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Get a mortgage, Mr. Rawlings
14 Jul 2010 | 08:59 AM
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| For years, it has been in the grapevine. Honestly, I never heard the Rawlingses deny the speculation that they had a mansion in East Legon. But they never confirmed it either! All they have done (or failed to do) and all they have said over all of these years suggest ... |
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After the floods, no charity
12 Jul 2010 | 08:54 AM
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| When the earthquake wreaked havoc in Haiti earlier in the year, the Mills administration didn’t waste time to demonstrate its generosity to the rest of the world. In a swift response to international aid appeals, the government donated three million dollars to help with the relief effort in Haiti. The ... |
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Pointless ‘Cantata’
11 Jul 2010 | 05:03 PM
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| It’s Sunday. I go to a friend’s house, switch on the TV and it’s already on the so-called “Station of the nation”. Then I see ‘GTV presents’… I hate to watch GTV but this time around, I decided to wait and see what’s about to unfold. The next slide I ... |
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Parliament can’t face Wayo
07 Jul 2010 | 07:38 AM
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| I believe Kofi Wayo is a true patriot. I don’t know many politicians who care about this country as much as he does. He’s a bit eccentric in his ways but you can’t do what he does without being a bit of a maverick.
This country needs people like Kofi Wayo ... |
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7 Reasons why Ghana is out of the World Cup
05 Jul 2010 | 07:30 AM
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| After surprising many skeptics, the Black Stars ended their fairly good run at the World Cup by losing to Uruguay on penalties. The defeat broke many Ghanaian (and African) hearts. I really pity all those who put all their emotions into supporting the Black Stars, expecting them to win the ... |
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No more predictions
28 Jun 2010 | 10:10 AM
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| It’s been a while since I sat down to write. I’ve been quite busy sorting a few personal issues out. But through it all, I’ve also been enjoying the World Cup and making the world realize how much of a lousy ‘pundit’ I am.
So, now it’s official. Football punditry ... |
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So much for austerity
16 Jun 2010 | 08:08 AM
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| Oh, Lord, my God, I guess I need to come and see you in the inner sanctum to understand why governments in Africa most often do things that will not make sense to their counterparts in the other parts of the world.
A clear example is the decision by my ... |
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A good start…
14 Jun 2010 | 09:05 AM
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| The Black Stars’ campaign at the World Cup got off to a good start in Pretoria, making me dread the possibility that I may just be forced to eat humble pie – yet again! It was a good performance against Serbia. Everyone in the team contributed their best.
Even Richard ... |
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GUEST BLOGGER: Why GES is Wrong About Mobile Phones
09 Jun 2010 | 10:00 PM
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| By NII MOI THOMPSON
Economic historians would tell you that the clash between technology and society is as old as mankind’s struggles over the millennia to meet his material needs. The inventor of the typewriter, for example, was violently attacked by calligraphers who felt their very livelihood threatened.
The list of ... |
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Any woman but her
08 Jun 2010 | 07:21 AM
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| Dear God, what is this I hear? She also wants to be president? What have we done to deserve this, my Lord?
You know, I am all for women empowerment and emancipation. I believe that our first female president would end up being our best leader, yet I hope to ... |
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LAUGH IT OFF: Dead Politicians
04 Jun 2010 | 08:24 PM
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| A bus of politicians is driving by a farm where a man lives alone. The bus driver, caught up in the beautiful scenery, loses control and crashes into the ditch. The man comes out and finding the politicians, buries them.
The next day, the police are at the farm questioning ... |
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No mobile phones on campus, please
03 Jun 2010 | 09:36 PM
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| Dr. Nii Moi Thompson must have been having a terrible day when he granted a radio interview to comment on the decision by the Ghana Education Service to ban the use of mobile phones on secondary school campuses.
His thoughts on the matter seemed distressingly porous.
He said the ban ... |
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BLACK STARS: A disaster waiting to happen
01 Jun 2010 | 09:16 PM
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| Like millions of other Ghanaians I just finished watching the Black Stars lose miserably to the Netherlands in an international friendly in Rotterdam.
It was an embarrassing 4-1 trouncing.
It’s the worst score line in recent friendly matches for any of the teams preparing for the World Cup in South ... |
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A world-beating squad?
31 May 2010 | 08:19 PM
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| After their surprise performance at the African Cup of Nations in January, I vowed that I will never underestimate the Black Stars again. This was after they had forced me to eat tray upon tray of some pretty unpalatable humble pies. The taste still lingers on my emotional palates.
With ... |
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Our first refugees
27 May 2010 | 09:34 AM
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| After years of proclaiming to the world that we are the most “peace loving” people on earth, we have ‘successfully’ produced our own batch of refugees. News reports suggest that hundreds of Ghanaians fleeing tribal strife in the northern territories are being housed in refugee camps in Togo.
It’s a ... |
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Danke, Berlin... Ich komme wieder
21 May 2010 | 09:59 PM
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| It’s been ten wonderful days of learning. I’ve learnt a great deal about Germany and its rich history, its politics, its people and their cultures. And I have also learnt so much about the countries of the 14 other bloggers I came to Berlin with. I now know about the ... |
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GUEST BLOGGER: Idiots for leaders?
20 May 2010 | 08:35 AM
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| By PHILLIP NYAKPO
Is it possible that the word "flag-bearer" is used more often in Ghana than in any other country on this planet? Very possible, I think, because Ghana's steady diet of bland politics will be incomplete without it.
But it is also possible that word might soon become less ... |
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POSTCARD FROM BERLIN III: The goatee feeling
19 May 2010 | 10:20 PM
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| After a few days of weakness, I am feeling much better now.
It wasn’t malaria after all and I don’t need ‘coartem’. The expert in tropical diseases was right. It was the cold temperatures that shook my bones a little and made me feel sick. Now, I know what it ... |
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POSTCARD FROM BERLIN II: No “ma-la-ria”
17 May 2010 | 07:12 PM
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| I had long forgotten that hospitals were supposed to be spotlessly clean with friendly nurses who smile and crack jokes and doctors who don’t walk around with superior airs. But a few days ago, I regained my sense of what a hospital should be. It all happened at the Virchow-Klinikum ... |
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POSTCARD FROM BERLIN: Ich bin ein Berliner
13 May 2010 | 09:37 PM
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| For the next ten days, I am going to be calling myself a Berliner. The German capital is a beautiful city. I love it. It’s well laid out, quite green in many areas even though there is a lot of construction going on.
I came in here from Frankfurt, where ... |
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RAWLINGS FIRE: More questions, still no answers
11 May 2010 | 08:52 AM
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| Once again, the Ghana National Fire Service has failed to miss an opportunity to demonstrate its inefficiency and incompetence. They have gained legendary notoriety for their inability to put out fires. And now they can’t conduct simple investigation to tell us the cause of a domestic fire?
A lot has ... |
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Cobwebs in my head: Finally, A vindication?
10 May 2010 | 10:31 AM
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| In the early weeks of the Mills presidency, I got embroiled in a needless argument with one of the president’s key henchmen, Koku Anyidoho. He didn’t take kindly to my suggestion that the Castle didn’t need a director of communications and a presidential spokesman.
He claimed that I had “cobwebs” ... |
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GUEST BLOGGER: Nana Ama Agyemang Asante on Matilda Asante
06 May 2010 | 07:25 AM
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| I was going to wait till I do something grand with my life and tell the world how much Matilda Asante, former news editor JOYFM, influenced my drive on the journey to get there. However, things have changed and I believe there’s no perfect time than now to tell Miss ... |
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Emasculating the vandals
05 May 2010 | 09:06 AM
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| The decision by the authorities at the University of Ghana to turn the Commonwealth Hall into a mixed-gender hall of residence has sparked more controversy than it deserves. Of course, the failure of the university to clearly articulate why it is taking such a decision has not helped.
It seems, ... |
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The policy fair: Another trivial pursuit
29 Apr 2010 | 08:08 PM
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| I was amused beyond hysteria when I heard that government was planning to organise a policy fair. I scoffed at the idea because it didn’t make sense to me. But I thought my opinion would change when the event got underway. Three days into the policy fair and I am ... |
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APPRECIATION: Matilda Asante – Friend & Mentor
27 Apr 2010 | 09:27 PM
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| Her steady hands, intelligent mind and elegant professional poise kept the vessel of the nation’s number one radio news team sailing in glory on the rather choppy waters of Ghanaian journalism for almost five years.
It wasn’t always smooth-sailing but even in the most difficult of times, Matilda Asante maintained ... |
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Deutsche ‘Bloggertour’
21 Apr 2010 | 08:46 AM
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| It was in February when I got a message from the German Embassy to meet with the deputy ambassador. At the meeting, the diplomat and his special aide told me about an upcoming programme for bloggers from around the world and asked me if I would like to attend.
They ... |
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Don’t touch my ‘chofi’
20 Apr 2010 | 07:45 AM
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| The decision by the Food and Drugs Board to outlaw the sale and consumption of turkey tails (popularly known as ‘chofi’) makes very little sense – if any at all. It’s completely uncalled for.
Yeah, we get it. ‘Chofi’ is fatty and could therefore be unhealthy.
But alcohol poses a ... |
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Needless presidential surprises
19 Apr 2010 | 07:43 AM
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| Mr. President,
You have sprung quite a number of useless surprises on us lately and I feel obliged to write and plead with you to stop wasting your time and ours. I hear that you have a lot more up your sleeves. Please keep them there. What we’ve seen so ... |
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DAGBON: Seeking justice, damaging the peace
14 Apr 2010 | 08:21 AM
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| When President Mills promised to bring those who killed Ya Na Yakubu Andani to justice, he picked up a very hot potato and bit more than he could chew.
The recent arrest of suspects and their arraignment before court is an indication that he is swallowing something he has not ... |
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DAGBON CRISIS: Justice in sight?
12 Apr 2010 | 07:52 AM
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| Just a couple weeks after the Andani royal family complained about President Mills’ apparent lack of interest in fulfilling his campaign promise to bring those who killed Ya Na Yakubu Andani to justice, scores of suspects were arrested. Many have since been set free and others are still in detention, ... |
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The NDC banditry must end
31 Mar 2010 | 09:14 AM
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| Enough is enough!
That’s what the ruling NDC should be telling its supporters who have been on the rampage for well over a year, demanding what they believe they are entitled to.
They have seized toilets and lorry parks, chased public servants out of their offices, forcefully taken over jobs ... |
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REJOINDER - TECHIMAN VRS ASANTEMAN: No one wins
25 Mar 2010 | 08:57 PM
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| We, the rank and file of the Asante Students’ Union (ASU), National Secretariat, Manhyia, wish to register our utmost discontentment and fury about the gross and naked disrespect exhibited by Ato Kwamena Dadzie towards His Royal Majesty, Otumfuor Osei Tutu II and the people of Asanteman.
We read with shock ... |
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GUEST BLOGGER: Abena Obi on the Telecom industry
24 Mar 2010 | 08:25 AM
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| President Mills,
Congratulations on such a masterful delivery of the state of nation address. Your lack of optimism was clearly shown and your inability to once again fill our hearts and minds with words that will kick the socks off our feet was made abundantly clear.
A few months ago you called ... |
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GHANA FIRST: No tribe, one nation
22 Mar 2010 | 08:05 AM
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| Over the past few days, I’ve heard and read from some misguided Ashantis who have threatened to kill me, claiming that I have insulted their chief by suggesting that his threat to kidnap the chief of Techiman was irresponsible.
Some of them warned that if I don’t apologise, I shouldn’t ... |
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EXCERPT: Pretending to be President
18 Mar 2010 | 09:33 PM
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| Jobs for the boys and girls
February 3, 2005
Countrymen and women, loyalists and opponents, I have already spelt out my plans for my second term on the Black Star Stool. I must warn you that things are not going to change much and so don’t expect too much from me ... |
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TECHIMAN VRS ASANTEMAN: No one wins
17 Mar 2010 | 09:24 AM
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| A monarch’s intemperate response to a senseless crime has raised tensions between two ancient tribes to boiling point – for the first time in more than a hundred years. For decades the people of the Ashanti and Techiman kingdoms lived their lives without thinking much about what the other was ... |
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JOSHUA CLOTTEY: Not losing guard
16 Mar 2010 | 08:43 AM
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| The days when boxing was used to assert national superiority are well and truly over. The earlier Ghanaians accept this fact, the better.
Years ago, Azumah Nelson fought as much for himself as he did for the nation. Anytime he jumped the ropes to enter the ring, he did so ... |
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The IGP’s concerns
11 Mar 2010 | 08:13 AM
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| Hello Mr. IGP,
I am sure you’ve taken your salary for this month. I am also sure that you’ve been having a lot of fun riding in a luxury car my mother’s ‘bofrote’ taxes contributed to buying and fuelling for you. You must be having a good time.
But, being ... |
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APPRECIATION: ‘Pretending to be President’
10 Mar 2010 | 07:44 AM
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| I’ve never shaken so many hands and signed my signature so often in just one day. That was the day my maiden book ‘Pretending to be President’ was officially launched. It was a launch like no other.
I didn’t want an official ceremony where the first copy of the book ... |
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BOOK REVIEW: Nansata Yakubu on ‘Pretending to be President’
09 Mar 2010 | 09:01 PM
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| Pretending to Be President is a book for everybody since we all are politicians. It’s also for persons with adept political tastes. This excellent storytelling has crafted a novel way of presenting contemporary satire, through an anthological method, constituting street theories of governance, conspiracies, expectations of citizens, realities of political ... |
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BOOK REVIEW: Klokor Okai on ‘Pretending to be President’
07 Mar 2010 | 11:44 PM
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| Agoo! Amee! Agoo! Amee!
I am the town crier sent to tell you that when a man learns to wash his hands, he eats with the elders. A pregnant son of the land has gone within himself and birthed a book; the elders say we must listen and learn.
Masterfully ... |
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SPECIAL INVITATION: Launch of ‘Pretending to be President’
03 Mar 2010 | 07:42 PM
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| I just took delivery of the very first copies of ‘Pretending to be President’. They look good and that means that all is set for my first book to hit the bookshelves in a few days. I am very delighted and humbled and deeply impressed by the quality of the ... |
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BOOK REVIEW: Farida Badwei on ‘Pretending to be President’
03 Mar 2010 | 08:51 AM
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| With his trademark wit and candour, Ato Kwamina Dadzie brings us a series of letters which reflect the musings of ‘The Excellent One’ – President J.A. Fukuor, president of Sikaman.
President Fukuor, having just won his second and final term in office, is smug ,feels somewhat invincible and just wants ... |
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BOOK REVIEW: Nana Ama Agyeman-Asante on ‘Pretending to be President’
02 Mar 2010 | 04:33 PM
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| I have just finished reading ‘PRETENDING TO BE PRESIDENT’, the first installment in the ‘most irreverent series’ authored by Ato Kwamena Dadzie. The book made up of a collection of letters by Ato’s alter-ego is a compelling look at the state of affairs in his country as is. The imposter ... |
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PRETENDING TO BE PRESIDENT: Ben Ephson's endorsement
02 Mar 2010 | 06:23 AM
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| Dear valued reader, It was a pleasure having Mr. Ato Kwamina Dadzie write, for a long time, a very popular column, LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT – J.A. FUKUOR in the Daily Dispatch newspaper.
It was read by highly-placed persons including Ministers of State and persons at the Presidency.
I had ... |
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REVIEW: 'Pretending to be President'
28 Feb 2010 | 09:57 PM
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| By Theophilus Yartey, 'BFT Lifestyle'
The rise and rise of Ato Kwamena Dadzie can never be merely put down to the fact that he is a fine radio personality with a penchant for lightening serious national issues. That would be a gross understatement of the potential of one of the ... |
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Slow is unsure
26 Feb 2010 | 08:09 AM
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| No doubt John Atta Mills is a man of good intentions. Most presidents are supposed to be good-intentioned, right? What separates a great leader from the good ones is the energy and passion with which they deliver what their followers want.
That’s why Kwame Nkrumah insisted on “independence now” whilst ... |
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Kudos, Arthur K
24 Feb 2010 | 08:43 AM
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| I want to congratulate Dr. Arthur Kennedy for his seminal book on why the NPP lost the elections in 2008. ‘Chasing the Elephant into the Bush’ was launched in Accra yesterday. Of course, I don’t agree with everything he says in the book. But he deserves to be commended not ... |
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REPRISE: Why the elephant is back in the bush
23 Feb 2010 | 11:08 PM
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| When the NPP lost the elections in 2008, I could have written a book on why they were kicked out of power. I am glad I didn’t. Instead, I wrote a short piece, published here on January 5, 2009, outlining in broad strokes why the NPP lost. I am glad ... |
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EXCERPT: Pretending to be President
21 Feb 2010 | 10:40 PM
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| Hotel President
May 24, 2005
The past few weeks have made me realize that it’s not easy to be a father. It’s even more difficult when you are in a responsible position. The Bible says that the iniquities of the fathers will be visited upon their sons. But in Sikaman the opposite ... |
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Silencing the ‘dogs’
19 Feb 2010 | 08:32 AM
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| The unseen hand that pulled several strings to ensure that Tsatsu Tsikata was unjustly jailed is at it again. This time, it’s working against a hapless commentator who decided to foolishly accuse former President Rawlings of setting fire to his own house.
In the absence of solid proof, Nana Darkwa ... |
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GUEST BLOGGER: KAM’s rejoinder to ‘coal pot fire service’
18 Feb 2010 | 08:15 AM
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| Ato, I just read your piece on the 'helplessness' of our fires service and I think it is a good piece. It touches on very important issues which must be tackled by our leadership and also individuals in our own small ways.
I agree with most of what you say, but ... |
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COMING SOON: ‘Pretending to be President’
16 Feb 2010 | 12:08 AM
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| Over the years, a lot of people have suggested to me to put my writings into a book.
Initially, I wasn't interested and I adamantly refused to publish. But after listening to some very close friends and some of the people I look up to, I came to the conclusion ... |
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Our coal pot fire service
15 Feb 2010 | 08:10 AM
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| I really feel very sorry for Jerry John Rawlings. I never thought a day would come when I’d feel this way about the former dictator. But watching the ruins of the house he has lived in for the past 20 years fills me with a mixture of grief, anger and ... |
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A demigod snubbed
11 Feb 2010 | 08:12 AM
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| Few members of the ruling National Democratic Congress joined the party to support an ideology. Most of them got under the umbrella because of one man. Since its formation the NDC has been nothing more than a personality cult, with this one man its demigod. He craves adulation, demands all ... |
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If
11 Feb 2010 | 12:15 AM
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| If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't ... |
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“Master of my fate…”
08 Feb 2010 | 08:35 AM
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| I watched an unforgettable movie over this past weekend. ‘Invictus’ should most definitely be one of the best movies I ever watched. Incidentally, the man playing the leading role in ‘Invictus’, Morgan Freeman, also plays the lead role in my favourite movie of all time – ‘Shawshank Redemption’.
In ... |
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GUEST BLOGGER: Adwoa Serwaa Bonsu on aid for Haiti
04 Feb 2010 | 07:11 AM
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| On Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 09:53:10 PM, a 7.3- magnitude earthquake caused massive devastation across Haiti. I only got to hear of it on CNN on Wednesday morning as I was preparing to leave for work. I was amazed and touched by the aid pouring in for the Haitians. ... |
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Baby Ansaba’s shameful confessions
03 Feb 2010 | 09:02 AM
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| I felt very ashamed hearing Baby Ansabah speak about how he deliberately published fabricated stories to make the then candidate Mills unpopular.
Ansabah (whose real name is Ebenezer Ato Sam) is the editor of the crappy ‘Punch’ newspaper. In his previous job as editor of the Daily Guide, Ansabah was ... |
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Ready to shame Lugard?
02 Feb 2010 | 09:41 PM
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| I just read this excerpt from a book written by Lord Frederick John Dealty Lugard. He is a former colonial master and a dormitory at Achimota School – Lugard House – is named after him.
“In character and temperament, the typical African of this race-type is a happy, thriftless, excitable ... |
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THE BLACK STARS: Shining again
31 Jan 2010 | 08:42 PM
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| It was their best performance in the tournament. Yet it was the performance that ended the incredible journey of a youthful, inexperienced Black Stars squad that had been written off by so many.
Having forced me to eat humble pie on more than one occasion over the past three weeks, ... |
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GHANA VRS NIGERIA: More than football
28 Jan 2010 | 09:03 AM
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| Two teams that had been written off at the start of the African Cup of Nations in Angola are just two matches away from lifting the trophy. But one must eliminate the other before the cup gets within reach.
At the start of the tournament a lot of Ghanaians, probably ... |
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APPRECIATION: My favourite teacher
27 Jan 2010 | 08:03 AM
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| As a teenager, who had just gained admission into St John’s School, I was confronted with all sorts of temptations. I had been a stubborn chap in basic school and in secondary school there was the temptation to take it to a different level. Waywardness beckoned. There were new freedoms ... |
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Reshuffling ‘Team B’
26 Jan 2010 | 07:51 AM
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| President Mills’ first reshuffle of his governing team took too long in coming. Now it has come and it’s left many people scratching their heads – or other parts of the anatomy below the waistline. What is the president thinking?
Having been criticized for fielding a second-string team, the president ... |
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Football-induced heartbreak
24 Jan 2010 | 11:00 PM
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| I am devastated.
I just can’t believe that la Cote d’Ivoire is out of the African Cup of Nations and Ghana is still in contention. I tipped our western neighbours to lift the cup and never in my wildest dreams did I see an inexperienced Black Stars squad to go ... |
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A humble pie from the Black Stars
19 Jan 2010 | 09:33 PM
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| I am eating a lot of humble pie tonight. I stuck my neck out and predicted that the Black Stars will be kicked out of the African Cup of Nations today. But they proved me wrong with a one goal triumph over Burkina Faso.
With that they’ve qualified for the ... |
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The Senility Prayer
15 Jan 2010 | 12:59 PM
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| Oh Lord, Grant me the senility
To forget the people I never liked anyway,
The good fortune to run into the ones I do
And, the eyesight to tell the difference
** I got this in an email from a friend and I thought I’d share. |
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The Cromwell Syndrome
13 Jan 2010 | 04:20 PM
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| In the 1990s death seemed to be having a good time grabbing one official of the PNDC junta after another at a certain hospital in London. The angel of death, it seemed, was lurking in the corridors of Cromwell Hospital, ambushing and capturing Ghanaian government officials who were admitted there ... |
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Birthday memories
11 Jan 2010 | 09:29 AM
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| At the beginning of a new week, I wish to express my appreciation to all those who made the end of the last week a happy and enjoyable one for me. Last Friday was my birthday and I was deeply touched by the kindness and thoughtfulness of friends – both ... |
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Opoku-Manu must go
06 Jan 2010 | 10:34 PM
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| Ashanti Regional Minister, Kofi Opoku-Manu, must have smoked some weeds before mounting the podium to address NDC supporters over the weekend. There are few other ways to explain the senseless speech he delivered, urging party supporters to resort to violence to resolve their differences. If he wasn’t under the influence ... |
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Terror draws near
05 Jan 2010 | 09:22 AM
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| The back-and-forth between Ghana and Nigeria over how Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab got on a plane he tried to blow up is all so typically African. Instead of attacking our problems headlong, we like to pass the buck and needlessly beat around the bush. The Nigerian government says the guy who ... |
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2010: Hoping for the best...
04 Jan 2010 | 09:03 AM
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| The start of the year gives each of us all a new opportunity to hope. Most of us, except the loony, suicidal few, are hoping that this year turns out better than the previous one. I have my own hopes. If all my hopes were put in a sack, it’d ... |
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Bonne Année
31 Dec 2009 | 09:32 AM
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| The year 2009 has been an exciting one on this blog. It wouldn’t have been so without your patronage. You take time off whatever schedule you have to come visit. For that I am grateful.
I am especially grateful to those of you who take even more time to generously share ... |
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TRIBUTE: No more 'domestication'?
30 Dec 2009 | 09:11 AM
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| When I last saw Dan Lartey, he gave me a very strong and firm handshake. He looked good. He looked healthy. He looked very young for a man in his eighties and if anyone had told me that he’d be dead in 12 months, I’d have told the person to ... |
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Joyeux Noël
24 Dec 2009 | 07:29 PM
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| Christmas is a special time to remember those close to our hearts.
Those who visit this blog are as close to my heart as any friend could be. We share ideas, engage in arguments, pat each other on the back, chastise each other, encourage ourselves, poke fun at ourselves and ... |
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Decongestion halted – or not?
23 Dec 2009 | 11:33 AM
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| The mayor of Accra, Alfred Vanderpuije, claims he has not received any instruction from the president to halt his decongestion exercise. That’s strange and throws up all sorts of questions.
First, who should we believe – Vanderpuije or the two state-owned dailies – Ghanaian Times and Daily Graphic, which reported ... |
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Decongestion halted
22 Dec 2009 | 09:04 AM
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| The mayor of Accra, Alfred Vanderpuije, has been going around churches praying for the success of his “decongestion” exercise. But God always knows better. So Vanderpuije didn’t get the answers he had hoped for.
Vanderpuije’s boss, the president, has ordered him to stop chasing and beating up hapless people whose ... |
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No sacred cows here
21 Dec 2009 | 09:07 AM
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| President Mills’ director of communication, Koku Anyidoho is being dragged before the privileges committee of parliament – for all the wrong reasons. The minority in parliament complained bitterly to the speaker that Anyidoho had insulted them in a radio interview.
“President Mills will hear but will not pay attention to ... |
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KINAPHARMA SWOOP: Police must apologise
17 Dec 2009 | 10:47 AM
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| I’ve often had suspicions about the ‘by-heart’ way the police sometimes does its work. Imagine officers raiding a place like Avenor and arresting about 300 people, claiming that they are all criminals. These may include include passers-by, hustling shoeshine boys, anyone with a screwdriver in his hand, pan latrine carriers, ... |
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Gone Mobile
10 Dec 2009 | 10:16 PM
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| It’s taken too long but finally, it’s here.
For those of you who like your internet on the go, this blog is now available on your mobile device. Just type in m.atokd.com on your mobile phone and you can access a scaled-down version of the site.
On the mobile site, ... |
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THE WORLD CUP DRAW: Kudos, SA
07 Dec 2009 | 07:36 AM
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| It’s almost impossible to take pride in much of what Africa has to offer. Until last Friday, I couldn’t readily point to anything that made me a proud son of Africa. But thanks to the stellar organisation of the World Cup Draw in South Africa, that has changed.
I am ... |
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A president under siege?
02 Dec 2009 | 10:51 AM
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| President Mills is under siege. No doubt about that. He has become such an easy target that an increasing number of people are baying to take a hit at him. What is most intriguing is that the heaviest hitters are people within his own party. The opposition can take a ... |
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BASIC EDUCATION: New language policy to fail
30 Nov 2009 | 07:55 AM
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| They say it is informed by research and that if it’s allowed to run its course, it could turn out to be one of the best educational policies the country has ever had. Teachers have apparently been trained to implement it and make sure that it attains the desired results. ... |
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GUEST BLOGGER: Ace Ankomah on Bawku 'strip show'
25 Nov 2009 | 09:34 AM
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| There are 2 developing news stories about the military and the law that should give Ghanaians grave cause for concern. The first is the story that 2 persons arrested in Bawku (the “Bawku Two”) were stripped naked and marched through the town. The second is the alleged absconding of one ... |
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Essien & co. must go
23 Nov 2009 | 07:52 AM
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| The Ghana Football Association is taking too long in arriving at a decision on what to do with three key members of the senior national team who went AWOL last week. Michael Essien, Sully Muntari and Asamoah Gyan failed to join other team members on a flight to Luanda to ... |
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More tales from the loo
20 Nov 2009 | 09:44 AM
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| Yesterday, I had a lot of fun talking about one of my favourite subjects – the toilet. How we do it. Where we do it and when we do it. It was World Toilet Day, in case you didn’t know and I had every opportunity to let ‘everything’ out. I ... |
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BUDGET 2010: Hard to beat ‘ecomini’
19 Nov 2009 | 07:43 AM
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| I listened to finance minister, Dr. Kwabena Dufuor’s budget presentation – mostly with rapt attention. There were a few occasions when I felt myself dozing off, especially at those stages when he drifted into calling out numbers that meant nothing to me. All those numbers make my head swirl to ... |
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Who let Goka out?
17 Nov 2009 | 10:16 AM
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| It’s hard to believe that Private Seth Goka, one of the three soldiers, standing trial for the murder of Alhaji Issa Mobila just got up and walked out of the military detention facility he was being kept in. He must have been helped. That’s my gut feeling.
Alhaji Issa Mobila, ... |
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Electricity Comes and Goes
16 Nov 2009 | 07:18 AM
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| I’ve had one of the most miserable weekends ever. Thanks to the ECG. They took out the power in Labone at 8am on Saturday. It was for a scheduled maintenance operation which was very widely advertised.
Power was supposed to be restored at 6pm.
It did come back on in good ... |
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APPRECIATION: Nelson Mandela gets his day
13 Nov 2009 | 07:44 AM
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| Nelson Mandela is the greatest African of all time. No one can top that. Even Kwame Nkrumah will have a hard time filling his shoes. Mandela is an angel and on the day he’s called to the yonder, the heavens will stand still to welcome him back home.
No human ... |
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AFOTEY-AGBO: Another “Team B” player?
12 Nov 2009 | 08:02 AM
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| A little over two months ago, Nii Afotey-Agbo, the MP for Kpone-Katamanso was criticising information minister, Zita Okaikoi, for failing to live up to her responsibilities. He made history. He was the most senior member of the ruling party to publicly criticise the information minister, whose ability to deliver began ... |
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GUEST BLOGGER: Abena Obi takes on Lamptey Mills
11 Nov 2009 | 09:36 AM
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| I am writing this article as a parent and a Ghanaian. All views represented below shall carry this tone and intent.
The Great Lamptey Mills case is one of several that will never find their way to the front pages of our newspapers or the front burner of our so-called radio ... |
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FALL OF THE WALL: Celebrating at minimal expense
09 Nov 2009 | 10:15 PM
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| The fall of the Berlin wall meant a big deal not just to the East Germans who earned their freedom with the collapse of the 96-mile concrete barrier. It also meant a big deal for the rest of the world. The iron curtain came down with the wall, marking the ... |
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Desecrating the mansion
09 Nov 2009 | 07:23 AM
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| John Kufuor won’t be happy. The mansion he built under heavy criticism is not going to be used for the purpose he intended. And according to the former president’s chief of staff, the Indian government – which provided money for the project – would also be peeved with the decision ... |
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GT-VODAFONE: What it means to 're-engage'
05 Nov 2009 | 12:03 AM
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| After all the noise, all that came out of the GT/Vodafone probe is a decision by government to “re-engage” the British multinational to ensure “compliance with the country’s laws”. What does that mean?
Well, simply put, it means government cannot reverse the agreement. It also means that despite all their ... |
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EDUCATION: All talk, no action
03 Nov 2009 | 09:12 AM
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| When I heard about the proposal for an ‘all parties’ forum to discuss educational delivery in Ghana I screamed an expletive. It was involuntary and it was out of exasperation. What the heck? When will government make up its mind and act with supreme urgency to fix our shambolic education ... |
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PETRO-POLITICS: Reality bites
02 Nov 2009 | 08:32 AM
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| Our hardships have just been increased by five percent and when we look around the only person we can blame is John Atta Mills. He promised to keep petroleum prices to the barest minimum. So why have petroleum prices been hiked? I can hear some government official blaming the increase ... |
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Big men on ‘trotro’
30 Oct 2009 | 09:10 AM
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| In a country where public transport is seen as a curse of the hustling and the impoverished, the decision by some ministers of state and MPs to use public buses (popularly known as ‘trotros’), was as unusual as it is significant – at least for them. They said they wanted ... |
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After the blaze...
28 Oct 2009 | 09:40 AM
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| It’s been exactly one week since a whole government bureaucracy (the foreign ministry) was razed down by a fire outbreak. Without the necessary equipment to put out the inferno, fire personnel looked on in amazement as the blaze caused havoc. The next day, the president and other top government officials ... |
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SPIO-GARBRAH: Unperturbed and still pissing in
28 Oct 2009 | 02:47 AM
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| I didn’t attend Ekwow Spio-Garbrah’s press conference but I was lucky enough to get the full text of this speech. It makes very interesting reading and I thought I should share. >>>
Let me begin by thanking so many of you from the media for finding time to join us ... |
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KOFI BOAKYE RETURNS: Breath again!
26 Oct 2009 | 08:15 AM
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| On the day he was recalled from forced leave, I had a very interesting telephone conversation with the new deputy director of police education, ACP Kofi Boakye. He was quite nice – and unexpectedly so and he wanted us to meet for a chat, so he could explain his side ... |
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Why Mo Ibrahim snubbed Kufuor
21 Oct 2009 | 09:53 AM
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| All throughout his presidency, John Kufuor felt he was the best thing that ever happened to Ghana. He also saw himself as one of the best leaders ever to come out of the African continent. That’s why he shamelessly decided to reward himself by spending our millions to buy a ... |
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Please call TB...
20 Oct 2009 | 11:19 PM
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| Apparently, the Nigerian Pastor, TB Joshua, gave coach Sellas Tetteh a few coaching lessons that helped him lead the Black Satellites to win the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Egypt. And being the publicity seeking type – the sort who never allows the chance to claim the credit pass by, ... |
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Recharging...
20 Oct 2009 | 12:41 AM
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| I’ve heard a lot of things said about why I have been off air for about two weeks. I meet people on the street who say they have heard that I’ve been sacked or suspended. Right here on this blog, someone has tried to spread a rumour that there is ... |
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Congratulating the Black Satellites
19 Oct 2009 | 01:37 AM
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| Beating Brazil at any level in world football is no mean achievement. And to walk over the stylish and hugely successful South Americans to be crowned world champions is something every nation on earth aspires to.
That’s exactly what the national under-20 football team, the Black Satellites, did at the ... |
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GT & VODAFONE: The 'inelegant' probe
15 Oct 2009 | 08:04 AM
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| Government has been groping in the dark for months, frantically looking for something to smear the agreement to sell majority shares in Ghana Telecom to the UK’s Vodafone. So far the fishing expedition doesn’t seem to be yielding much. That the Mills administration finds it necessary to publicly disagree – ... |
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Governmental double-speak II
13 Oct 2009 | 08:53 PM
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| I learnt something recently in a training seminar. The teacher said “more warm bodies do not necessarily increase productivity and efficiency.” He was right and the inconsistencies of the government’s information management team provides ample evidence: five different people (in different parts of the national capital) doing a job that ... |
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Governmental double-speak
12 Oct 2009 | 08:18 PM
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| What is the difference between the presidency and the information ministry? And what’s the difference between the presidential spokesman and the director of communications at the presidency? These are some of questions that have engaged my mind since John Atta Mills became president – especially with regards to his information ... |
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KOFI BOAKYE RETURNS: Waiting to exhale
08 Oct 2009 | 08:00 PM
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| Kofi Boakye is a happy man. He’s just gotten his job back as a senior police officer after almost three years on interdiction. He's not completely off the hook, though. A service enquiry is to be instituted to investigate his conduct, which resulted in the recommendation by the Georgina Woode ... |
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Move, Your Excellency, move – A Rejoinder
07 Oct 2009 | 03:57 PM
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| My very dear friend, Stan Dogbe, wrote a rejoinder to my article on the need for President Mills to move into the presidential palace. I’ve known Stan for almost 15 years, worked together and shared an apartment. There is very little about me that he doesn’t know and I consider ... |
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THE PRESIDENTIAL MANSION: Move, Your Excellency, move
05 Oct 2009 | 07:52 AM
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| Mr. President,
It’s my pleasure to welcome you back from the America. I get the impression that your ego was quite bruised by the fact that your drab address to the UN General Assembly was not broadcast live on state television. It’s just an impression but that’s the sort of ... |
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SPIO-GARBRAH: Pissin’ in & meaning well
30 Sep 2009 | 09:08 PM
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| First of all let me say I love the man Ekow Spio-Garbrah. I fell in love with him several years ago. In fact, I took the decision to go to journalism school after reading his profile in the Daily Graphic. I still have a cutting of that piece with me. ... |
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MABEY & JOHNSON: NDC’s porous defence
29 Sep 2009 | 08:05 AM
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| What does the NDC and its national chairman take Ghanaians for? That’s the question I’ve been asking myself after reading the party’s statement in response to allegations that some of its most senior members took bribes from UK construction firm, Mabey and Johnson. That statement signed by party chairman, Dr. ... |
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MABEY & JOHNSON: What will Mills do?
28 Sep 2009 | 07:25 AM
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| The government’s response was unsurprisingly typical.
“President Mills has become aware of a judgment in London, convicting a British company, Mabey and Johnson of and its directors after they pleaded guilty to making corrupt payments to certain Ghanaian public officials,” chief of staff, John Newman said in a statement.
“President ... |
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The awful stench of Mabey & Johnson
27 Sep 2009 | 10:10 PM
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| I am putting together my thoughts on this scandal and I thought I could share the details of the London court ruling with you. We have always suspected that these things happen, right? But, now, thanks to Mabey and Johnson, we have some proof – from as far back as ... |
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ENCORE: School feeding programme – Cooked up to fail
23 Sep 2009 | 10:09 PM
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| All the confusion surrounding the school feeding programme, compels me to reproduce an article I wrote about a year ago – a few months before I set up this blogsite. I really don’t get the point of the school feeding programme. I think it’s an utter waste of money.
I ... |
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LETTER TO OSAGYEFO: This is your Ghana
21 Sep 2009 | 09:57 AM
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| Uncle Osagyefo, you may be aware that I am not one of your great fans. I think your tyranny and your obsession with building one African nation, cost this country a great deal. On this day, which would have been your hundredth birthday, I want to join the millions around ... |
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Where is the “father to all”?
17 Sep 2009 | 09:52 AM
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| When President Mills promised to “be father to all” was he joking or he was just speaking ‘by heart’? Could it just be that he spoke without knowing what it meant to “be father to all”?
The moment the NPP lost the elections in 2008, many would have expected ... |
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Number one!
16 Sep 2009 | 04:02 PM
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| It’s really nothing to throw a party over. But I thought it’s an interesting piece of information to share with visitors that this blog is now officially the number blogsite in Ghana and on Ghana.
That’s according to the official ranking on www.afrigator.com, which tracks the performance of all blogsites ... |
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Adebayor did no wrong!
15 Sep 2009 | 03:38 PM
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| As an Arsenal fan, I was upset by the team’s loss to Manchester City over the weekend. Arsene Wenger’s squad played lousily and lost to a better team. I am taking the defeat in my stride, hoping that our team will do better in future matches and maybe, just maybe, ... |
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Fire 'em, Mr. President
14 Sep 2009 | 08:10 AM
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| Hullo Mr. President,
When the leader of a country tells his followers that he knows that he has bimbos and airheads in his administration, what does he expect the citizens to do? Laugh it off? Applaud his honesty? Or vote him out of power?
Mr. President, you are reported to ... |
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GROW UP OR SHUT UP: A non-response
13 Sep 2009 | 10:19 PM
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| All throughout the weekend, I’ve been getting a lot of calls and email from people asking me if I had seen this: news.myjoyonline.com/features/200909/35126.asp
It’s an article castigating me for raising questions about the competence of Zita Okaikoi, my poor education, my failure to learn from the likes of Komla Dumor ... |
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MWAAAH! – Kojo Antwi for your dancing feet
11 Sep 2009 | 08:05 AM
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| For years, Kojo Antwi has been moving hearts with his rhythms and rhymes. All of the popular songs he has released over a period of about three decades speak to the heart and move it in diverse, pleasant ways. On his latest album (titled ‘Mwaaah!’) Kojo is not just seeking ... |
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GHANA & NIGERIA: Who’s bashing whom?
10 Sep 2009 | 08:05 AM
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| “The volume of water generated in Ghana is not enough to flush toilets in Lagos State”. That’s a statement attributed to Nigeria’s defence minister, Godwin Abbe. He is also quoted as saying that “the number of teachers you have to pay salaries in the whole of Ghana is not more ... |
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The end of Exopa?
08 Sep 2009 | 11:21 PM
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| It might just be the beginning of the end of an empire. And it took just four tubers of yam to smash the glamorous empire of Ibrahim Sima to near-smithereens. The emperor of Exopa Modelling faces the prospect of a long term in jail after he was arrested for allegedly ... |
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BLACK STARS: The battle is done, now win the war!
07 Sep 2009 | 10:29 PM
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| I wish to congratulate the Black Stars for qualifying for next year’s World Cup in South Africa. Most importantly, I also want to congratulate the President of the Ghana Football Association, Kwesi Nyantekyi, for leading the team to two successful World Cup appearances.
Somehow, that man makes me think this ... |
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Zita turns to facebook
04 Sep 2009 | 09:56 AM
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| I was quite surprised when I got a friend request from a certain ‘Minister Zita Okaikoi’ on facebook. Initially, I thought it was a prank and so I just decided to ignore it. I wondered: “Even if she’s really the one, would she be so vain to add ‘Minister’ to ... |
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"Let my people go"
02 Sep 2009 | 09:39 AM
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| I would hate to go to jail. However, if I really need to give up my freedoms for a stint in jail, I hope I will not just be picked up and thrown there without trial and conviction. Sadly, that’s what is happening to thousands of Ghanaians across the country. ... |
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APPRECIATION: Otabil's exemplary leadership
31 Aug 2009 | 10:59 PM
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| I’ve been fantasising a bit today about Pastor Mensa Otabil, founder of the International Central Gospel Church. He’s been celebrating his 50th birthday today and I’ve been thinking about the man, his ministry and his impact on our society.
Very few will challenge the assertion that Otabil is one of ... |
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NKRUMAH’S CENTENARY: A looming flop?
27 Aug 2009 | 07:08 AM
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| It was half a year ago when President Mills told parliament that his government will like to see Ghanaians celebrating what would have been Kwame Nkrumah’s one hundredth birthday in a grand style. The president also announced his intention to set aside a national day of remembrance for Ghana’s founding ... |
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FAITH OR FOLLY: ‘Pastors’ washing the inner sanctum
25 Aug 2009 | 07:49 AM
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| Dear Pastor,
I’ve heard that different women come to you with all sorts of problems. Some of them are looking for husbands. Others want their husbands to be delivered from the bosom of other women, often nubile with double twin-peaks, the sight of which redirects the flow of blood from ... |
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Elephant steps worth following
24 Aug 2009 | 07:49 AM
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| The New Patriotic Party has definitely taken a bold step forward. For several months last year, they were singing “we are moving forward”. They were knocked off their tracks at the polls in December, but over the weekend they got themselves back on track and took major steps into the ... |
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GUEST BLOGGER: PAV Ansah on the risks of success
21 Aug 2009 | 07:27 AM
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| I’ve received numerous requests from people asking me to publish some of the writings of the legendary PAV Ansah. I am yet to get permission from the publishers of ‘Going to Town’, which is a compilation of writings but I am sure they won’t object to me reproducing the following ... |
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Following PAV Ansah
18 Aug 2009 | 07:19 AM
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| The Ghana Journalist Association has decided to name its top journalism prize after a great man – Paul Archibald Vianey Ansah. He is one of the four men who have shaped my philosophy of what journalism is all about. Besides PAV Ansah, there is Kwaku Sakyi-Addo, Kwesi Yankah (pro-vice chancellor ... |
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THE WEEK AHEAD: Akwatia, Asabee and BNI
17 Aug 2009 | 05:23 AM
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| By the end of this week, the people of Akwatia will know who their representative in parliament will be. It most certainly will not be deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Baba Jamal.
He knows that only a miracle will give him the Akwatia seat and that might explain why he has ... |
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Congrats to award-winning journalists
16 Aug 2009 | 10:29 PM
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| Under a pall of controversy, Kofi Akordor, a columnist with the Daily Graphic has been crowned journalist of the year. He also won the columnist of the year award with “from my rooftop” column in the nation’s most popular daily.
I congratulate him and all the other award winners, especially ... |
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LAUGH IT OFF: What is politics?
16 Aug 2009 | 05:18 PM
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| One of Joy FM’s newsreaders, Dzifa Bampoe, shared the following joke with me. She didn’t write it herself. Someone sent it to her by email. She just couldn’t stop laughing after reading it and when I asked what had gotten her in stitches she unselfishly decided that I deserve to ... |
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GJA AWARDS: A stain on the glory
14 Aug 2009 | 07:34 AM
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| I don’t think I will ever win a journalism award in this country. It would be nice if I won one but if I look at the path my career has taken, I know I won’t ever get a journalism diadem. So when someone close to me is nominated for ... |
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At last, BNI gets a reprimand
12 Aug 2009 | 07:49 AM
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| For years, the BNI has been all brawn and no brain. It is one of the most unintelligent intelligence agencies in the world. For an intelligence agency, its officers tend to behave like brutes with little or no common sense. This might be the year when some sense is knocked ... |
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Stop the NDC bandits
11 Aug 2009 | 07:33 AM
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| From Ashaiman to Tamale; from Bibiani to Asuagyaman and from Cape Coast to Nima, supporters of the ruling NDC have been flexing their muscles demanding that it’s their time to rule and so they should be allowed to take charge of everything – from bus terminals to public toilets.
It’s ... |
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Reforming the reform of the reforms
05 Aug 2009 | 11:25 PM
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| President Mills and members of his administration came to power with their minds made up: Kufuor’s reform of the educational reforms needed to be reformed. It was in their manifesto that the extra year Kufuor added to the duration of the secondary school programme should be done away with. And ... |
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ASABEE’S VACATION: How about the monkey sanctuary?
04 Aug 2009 | 09:28 AM
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| Steven Asamoah-Boateng (also known as Asabee) is determined to get out of Ghana and the BNI is determined to keep him in. For the second time in as many months, the former information minister, his wife and kids have been stopped from travelling.
The first time, they were not even ... |
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SHOOT-TO-KILL: Are we safe?
30 Jul 2009 | 02:45 PM
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| The police administration insists that there is no official directive for officers to shoot and kill suspected armed robbers. That’s hard to believe, especially after the IGP decorated and rewarded the officers who recently gunned down 12 suspected “armed robbers” in Kumasi.
Within a space of less than a month ... |
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ERIC FRIMPONG: His very sad story
29 Jul 2009 | 10:07 PM
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| I read this story last night and I felt very sorry for this young man whose future has been destroyed (or almost) by an incompetence of law enforcement agents and judiciary offer in America – of all places. It’s a pretty long piece. But it’s worth the read. I am ... |
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GUEST BLOGGER: Nkrumah-Boateng on Adamu Daramani
29 Jul 2009 | 09:52 AM
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| The (soon to be ex-?)MP for Bawku Central, Mr. Adamu Dramanu, seems to be going through a number of legal tussles as he seeks to cling on to his seat. On 16 July 2009, the High Court ruled that he could no longer hold on to the seat because he ... |
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TAGOR & ABASS: Riding on ‘the ass’
27 Jul 2009 | 09:23 AM
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| Until last Friday the saying that “the law is an ass” was exactly that to me – a saying. But thanks to a preposterous ruling by the three appeals court judges in the case of Kwabena Amaning and Alhaji Abass, I now know that the law, indeed, is an ass ... |
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GHANA@50 PROBE: A shamefully slow start
24 Jul 2009 | 07:27 AM
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| From the circus we were treated to on the first day of the public hearings of the commission probing the utter waste we called Ghana@50, it appears that it might take another 50 years for the panel to finish its work. I would be long dead and gone by then. ... |
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EX-GRATIA NONSENSE: Good job, Mr. Yamson, but...
22 Jul 2009 | 08:00 AM
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| Most Ghanaians didn't need a committee to help them come to the conclusion that there was something fundamentally wrong (and almost criminal) about the package ex-President Kufuor was going to retire on. We all knew that he didn't deserve two houses, six cars and an ex-gratia of more than 400,000 ... |
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APPRECIATION: President Mills’ sensitivity
20 Jul 2009 | 04:37 PM
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| Mr. President,
I just wanted you to know that you are turning out to be the most humane and sensitive president we’ve ever had in Ghana. You may not necessarily be the most competent (you will need to do a lot more to prove your competence). And you are definitely ... |
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PRESIDENTIAL JOURNEYS: Needless welcome retinue
19 Jul 2009 | 10:15 PM
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| So the president travels abroad for a few days. He has been away for just about four days. Upon his return, there is a whole retinue of ministers, special assistants, presidential aides and protocol officers waiting at the airport to welcome him.
Why should government officials – including the vice ... |
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RAWLINGS & KUFUOR: Ship ‘em off to America!
17 Jul 2009 | 07:25 AM
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| Rawlings and Kufuor hate each other’s guts. That’s a fact. Rawlings acknowledges it and even though he says he “cannot tolerate” his successor, he insists that he is “working on that”. Whatever that means. Kufuor, on the other hand, appears to be in denial. He says there is no bad ... |
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COURTROOM BATTLES: NPP-1, NDC-1
15 Jul 2009 | 10:00 PM
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