The last two weeks in Asomdwekrom have been very interesting as various topics have been put on the plate for discussion. The debate rages on and we still continue to experience the rationing of power, popularly referred to as ‘dumsor’. We experience 24 hours off and 12 hours on. In other words, we experience more of the ‘dum’ than ‘sor’.
The Black Stars returned from Equatorial Guinea as the second best at the AFCON 2015 tournament. Immediately Hon Ayariga set foot on the shores of this country, his ears were inundated with calls from his compatriots to render proper accounts of the AFCON 2015 expenditure. Like a master ordering his slaves, he told me and my compatriots to shut our stinking mouths and stop asking ‘useless’ questions.
My gosh, how he was tongue-lashed! The thick-skinned Ayariga has however refused to budge. He gleefully smiled as he shouted from the rooftop that he owed nobody an apology. I wonder if he would continue with that posture in 2016, which is an election year.
We were still tongue-lashing Ayariga for his ‘do-no-ask-useless-questions’ comment when it became public knowledge that the man had bought a first division club. I suppose it is a wise decision, considering the fact that sports can be used in uniting the warring factions in the Bawku conflict.
That notwithstanding, the Hon Sports Minister must gird his loins to answer the ‘useless’ questions that he is desperately trying to avoid. We are still waiting to be told how much the country spent on AFCON 2015. Rushing to the House of Honourables to read only the AFCON budget after the tournament was not only amateurish, but stinky as well. For sure, I smell a torn and rotten umbrella!
Not too long after that, we heard rumours that Hon ‘Don’t-Ask-Useless-Questions’ had been sacked. “SACKED? That cannot be, because the President glorifies mediocrity and incompetence,” I retorted. I’ve so far been vindicated because as I write, the man is still at post gleefully showing his ‘krakye’ powers.
We witnessed the ‘Won Gbo’ demonstration which shook the very foundations of Accra. The main reason for the exercise was to express frustration and anger at the rationing of power to both domestic and commercial users across the country. It would be an understatement to say it sent shivers down the spine of the ruling government. Despite the President acknowledging its significance, his Minister of Power called it ‘a health-walk’.
Determined to stay fit for the 2016 campaign, another ‘health-walk’ dubbed ‘Ye Bre’ was organised in the Garden City. Like ‘Won Gbo’, the ‘Ye Bre’ demonstration brought the city to a standstill. Even those of us living outside the region felt the impact. As one leading Osono member said, “The Minister of Power should be prepared for more health-walks if he does not eschew incompetence.”
Abusuapanin, that we are in the season of secret tapes was once again amplified by the emergence of the Osafo Maafo tape. The tape purportedly had the voice of the former Finance Minister making ethnocentric comments. Though he is reported to have said the tape was doctored, the propagandists are just not ready to give him the benefit of the doubt. The new song on their lips is, “Osono is an ethnocentric party.”
Unlike the propagandists, I’m ready to give him the benefit of the doubt. If Zu-za could record doings and sayings of people in the privacy of their bedrooms, then I’m convinced that they can go a step further to doctor tapes in order to tarnish the image of their opponents.
I must, however, implore the leadership of the opposition Osono to be wary of their main political opponents. They must adopt Elizabeth Ohene’s posture of going into every meeting with the mind-set that someone would be making a secret recording of the proceedings. In an era where pens, wrist watches, belts and even buttons are used for recordings, one cannot be too careful.
The President was at the House of Honourables last week to tell his compatriots the state of the nation. Aside the brilliant delivery and the impeccable language, there was nothing to inspire hope. He virtually celebrated incompetence as he touted the mediocre and uninspiring performance of his government.
Mr President, being a member of the fraternity which persistently asks ‘useless’ questions, I would dare to ask a few: Have you been able to retrieve the ‘akonfem’ loot? What about the Woyome and Isofoton cowries? Sir, when will you stop splashing cowries on your cronies in the name of ‘capacity building’? And how long would you continue to gratify incompetence? Having failed to honour your previous promises, why should we believe you now?
While I wait patiently for answers to these ‘useless’ questions, I humbly implore my compatriots to continue asking questions, even if they are deemed ‘useless’ by officialdom. As Albert Einstein once said, “Learn from yesterday, live for today and hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop asking questions.” And I dare add: Even if they are useless questions.
See you next week for another interesting konkonsa, Deo volente!
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