THE THOUGHTS ROOM

Two red stripes

2022-04-11T08:44:00.000-07:00

It was the day after Ghana's general election and the country waited keenly for the election results which was expected to be announced 24 hours after polls closed. Being a journalist, and having taken part in two general elections, I was glad that probably for the first time, my colleagues and I would not have to spend days waiting at polling centres, monitoring TV and radio as we awaited the Electoral Commission Chair to announce the winner for the 2020 elections.

Well, our expectations were cut short when the 24-hour deadline set by the EC Chair elapsed. "Not again," I said to myself. I hadn't planned to sleep in the office this year so I went to work on December 7 in my jeans trousers, sneakers, a branded t-shirt, with no toothbrush or face towel to clean myself should need be.

I had no option. I had to sleep in the office while the results from some polling stations trickled in. It looked like a long 24 hours with no end in sight. As I waited, all I did was doze off intermittently.

I had barely eaten much but my tummy was bloated and the discomfort associated with it made it difficult for me to do any work. Worse of, my eyes were heavy from the lack of sleep from the previous night. My colleagues who had gone home the previous night started coming in to start the new day and having had no sleep or bath, I tried to keep my distance from them.

The 8th of December was quite a dull one since no one knew when the EC Chair was going to make the announcement. I tried to sleep but sleep eluded me. But anytime I tried to do some work I'd just doze off. My tummy was still bloated and this time it hurt badly, especially in my navel area. I wondered what the problem could be as I tried using the toilet several times to ease myself of the discomfort, but all to no avail.

I pulled through the rest of the day, barely eating anything as my stomach would not give me space to. This time round when night dawned, I managed to catch some sleep. I woke up to a very painful discomfort and that was when I advised myself to go home and have some rest.

The journey home was so difficult. The pain was intermittent and the 45 minute drive from my office to the house was like a five hour journey. I held on my belly as I drove, feeling nauseous and feverish. I decided to pass through a pharmacy to get a drug to ease the discomfort but when I got there the only thing I asked for was a pregnancy test kit.

We got married in August 2020 and although we had decided to hold on till after a year to start having babies, we changed our minds probably two months into the marriage. Funny enough, after reversing our decision, I was anxious every time my menstraution delayed and would get a pregnancy test kit just to be sure I wasn't overthinking things. And as much as I wished the results were negative, I was always disappointed when it was.

I had just checked at the end of November and it was negative and so I wasn't expecting anything different. Moreover, how I felt had nothing to do with pregnancy symptoms. I had probably over eaten or eaten something bad, I thought to myself. So why did I get the pregnancy kit instead of an antacid to ease the discomfort? I thought again.

"Well, there's no harm in finding out. After all it will be negative," I thought again.

I quickly rushed to the bathroom when I got home and quickly run the test. I wasn't anxious. I just waited only one red stripe showed on the stick. "I said it. I'm not pregnant," I said in disappointment to myself.

I would usually throw the stick away right after but this time I just left it on the sink. Maybe I was hoping the reading would change by some miraculous happening. It was possible. I had read that on a friend's blog. But I didn't wait. I just took a shower and had the needed rest.

But my mind raced and in my restlessness I went to the bathroom to check the stick. 😮It had two red markings. It was positive. I am pregnant.

WOW. I didn't know whether to be surprised or scream. I just didn't know what to do.

But truth be told, some part of me was sad I was. Another part, indifferent. And the other...happy I was. I didn't have to try hard. And I thank God for this gift.

Will your anchor hold?

2018-04-09T04:30:00.001-07:00

Will your anchor hold in the storms of life, when the clouds unfold their wings of strife?
When the strong tides lift, and the cables strain, will your anchor drift or firm remain?
We have an anchor that keeps the soul; steadfast and sure while the billows roll, fastened to the Rock which cannot move, grounded firm and deep in the Saviour’s love.

I have sang this hymn a countless times but yesterday, I got a clearer meaning of the words of this hymn.

Yesterday was one of my gloomy days. I felt as though the world was crashing down on me and for the first time I woke up from bed with a sense of loss and didn't feel the urge to go to church. It was so obvious from the look on my face that all was not well with me although I was physically fit.

My parents walked into my room; obviously worried because I went to bed very early the previous night and that was unlike me. They tried to get me out of my bed and encouraged me to go to church.
One thing my mum told me which echoed in my mind till the end of the day was "You never know what word might be preached today. God will speak to you."

Reluctantly, I got out of my bed, had a cold shower, picked a dress, and off I went to church. I wasn't my hearty self and I couldn’t pretend to be even though the word of God says “In His presence there’s fullness of joy”; in that moment I didn’t feel I was in His presence. I was in church because I needed to show up in church.

We had a visiting preacher and having listened to that man of God a couple of times, his theme always bothered on evangelism so I concluded there was no word for me today and I hardened my heart not to hear whatever he was going to say. I just wanted the service to be over and done with so I could go home and sleep. I passively participated in everything that went on in church; from praying, to singing, to even giving an offertory to God. That was how bad the situation was.

Then it was time for the word to be preached. Brother Keith, as we call him, mounted the podium and in what seemed like a shift from his usual theme on evangelism, he started talking about the greatness of our God and how on many occasions we have limited him in working in our lives. He anchored his sermon on Isaiah 40:8-18 and spoke passionately about God’s sovereignty and how He was aware of everything that occurred in our lives and is willing to set things right for us if, and if only, we would allow Him to. Then he spoke about how on many occasions Christians have idolised their troubles and for that matter impeded God’s restoration power. In a nutshell, he trumpeted God’s omniscient power.

I bowed down my head in shame as he preached on because that morning I had failed to make God great over whatever was troubling me. I had limited Him and idolised my problem. I had failed to trust in him and my faith had quivered.

Right after church, an elderly woman invited me over to her house for lunch. Although I had plans for the afternoon (which was to get home and sleep) I accepted her invitation. As we ate, “Will your anchor hold” played in the background and that was when the meaning of the song dawned on me.

My anchor (faith in God) had quivered and I was sinking. And why was that so, I had failed to see how great the God I serve is.

So what’s the import of my long narrative? You may ask.

It’s simple…the storms will come but your anchor would surely hold if you trust God and acknowledge His sovereignty.

So, yes, I left church with a message:

My God is great.

He’s greater than any challenge I may encounter in this life.

My God is sovereign; being the autonomous God that He is, he needs no consultation with anyone to make His promises to me yea.

My anchor would surely hold in the storms of life.

So I leave you with the last stanza of the hymn:

It [your anchor, faith] will surely hold in the floods of death,
When the waters cold chill our latest breath;
On the rising tide it can never fail,
While our hopes abide within the veil.

The prophesy that tore us apart

2018-03-14T06:38:00.006-07:00

It was almost 10 pm when I heard my phone ring. I had retired to bed very early that night. A lot had happened in the week and I just needed some good night sleep. Who could it be? I wondered. After all, the only person who would call at such an hour was not on too good a terms with me. Surprisingly, it was him. In a husky voice I answered the phone and listened to him.

The previous day, he had dropped me off at home and we had planned how we wanted to spend the weekend. It was my birthday that weekend. Being the good cook that he was, he offered to make me lunch. We had been planning that weekend for almost two months; from wanting to travel out of the city to having a party with some few friends. Plans kept changing because in the course of two weeks, we were at each other’s throat and we didn’t even know why we were fighting.

I loved the idea of a lunch date at his place. It would be the perfect atmosphere for us to iron out issues and put our differences to rest and pursue our plans of a future together. I looked forward to the day.

The next morning, I was in high spirits and just couldn’t wait for the week to end. I had earlier placed a request to go on leave for a couple of days; not particularly because of my birthday. After all, until the previous evening, I wasn’t even sure how I wanted to spend the day. Then as I sat behind my desk hoping to get some work done, my phone beeped. It was a message from him. He had cancelled the planned lunch. He said he had to attend to an emergency that day. He said it was a matter of life and death.

Well, I was disappointed but I feigned being ok. What was the emergency? His prophet had called to warn him of an impending danger. He said he was going on a wrong track and messing up his life and that he needed to set himself apart to pray for a week. Who was I to question the prophet and his prophecy?

He killed my joy in less than 24 hours. I pretended to be ok with his idea of staying away to pray but I wondered if that couldn’t wait and why it had to disrupt our plans for the weekend. But I said nothing. I swallowed it like a bitter pill and went about the day trying hard not to think about it.

So when his call came through after 10pm, I was surprised because after that message, there was dead silence between us. He took his time to explain to me what his prophet had said. There were so many questions I wanted to ask him; one being why my birthday plans had to be disrupted because of a prophecy. But I kept quiet. I didn’t want to sound selfish. It’s good to pray. It’s good to seek the face of God but I doubt God was excited about this.

The next day, I tried to assimilate the previous night’s conversation. Hard as I tried, it just didn’t make sense to me. I tried to stay away from him that day. I just wanted to be alone. Just then he sent a message. I chose to ignore him but I knew he wouldn’t stop sending messages. He sent another message and this time I chose to engage him in a conversation. I wanted to tell him how disappointed I was in him but I had to be careful in the way I put it across in order not to sound selfish. I wanted to say it in so many ways but I kept my calm.

He wanted to know why I was ignoring him that day but I made him aware I wasn’t ignoring him. I told him I didn’t want to interrupt his prayer sessions. I didn’t understand the kind of mess he said he was putting himself into and I was hoping I wasn’t part of the mess. I told him I was praying for him too.

The weekend finally came. I hoped he would change his mind. I hoped it was all a joke just to get my reaction to the bizarre prophesy and a serious time for prayer. I kept looking at my watch as the seconds turned into minutes and the minutes turn into hours. He was yet to call me. He had sent a text in the morning to wish me a happy birthday. At least he was thoughtful enough to send a message. I watched anxiously as the day passed by slowly. I hoped beyond hope that he would walk in to surprise me.

But I waited in vain. He never showed up. He didn’t call either. I ended up spending the day in bed; tossing and turning and hoping sleep would carry me away. Try as I did, I couldn’t sleep either. That’s when I took that decision; a decision not to look back. I decided to walk away; to walk away before he did. I chose to walk and I haven't heard from him since.

The other lady (finale)

2018-02-01T04:37:00.000-08:00

Araba had called him about four times that evening but Zack did not answer. He had told her earlier in the afternoon that his shift at the hospital would end by 4pm and that he would go straight home afterwards. It was past 6pm and she hadn’t heard from him and he hadn’t returned her calls.

She got home that night and after taking a shower she called him again. Still no answer. He couldn’t be asleep this early. It was unlike him. Even if he were with his friends he would send her a message but he hadn’t done that. She was getting worried. Could anything have happened to him? She didn’t know who to call.

She decided to call again. The phone rang and finally there was an answer at the other end of the line.
“Hello,” a voice said but it wasn’t the voice she anticipated.

She quickly hang up to check if she had called the wrong number. But it wasn’t. The voice at the other end was feminine. Could it be a nurse at the hospital? She asked herself.

She called again and it was the same voice.

“Hi, please may I speak to Zack?” she asked politely.

“Zack’s in the bathroom. I’ll let him know you called,” the lady told her.

“Ok…,” she stuttered.

“By the way, who should I tell him called?” the lady sought to find out.

“I believe my name popped up,” Araba responded in surprise.

“Nope, it didn’t.”

“Ok. Tell him to call the number that just called him,” she told the other lady.

She couldn’t believe what had just happened. Was it some kind of a joke? It had better be, she told
herself.

She called back after twenty minutes and the same voice answered at the other end of the phone.

“Kindly let me speak to Zack. It’s very important,” she told her.

“I told you Zack was in the bathroom. He’ll call you back when he wants to.”

“It’s more than twenty minutes since I last called. He should have been done by now,” she replied.

“I didn’t know you were checking the time, lady. Zack will call you when he wants to.”

“Kindly give the phone to him in the bathroom,” Araba requested.

“Who talks while in the bathroom? Moreover I’m using his phone.”

“The Zack I know talks in the bathroom so kindly give the phone to him,” she was gradually losing her patience.

The other lady denied her request and hang up.

Araba sat on her bed in disbelief. Who was that lady and what kind of effrontery did she have to pick his phone and talk to her in that manner? And what was she doing at his end at that time of the night?

These questions lingered on her mind as she tried to stay calm expecting Zack to call and have a good explanation.

Her phone rang and it was Zack but the voice wasn’t his.

It was the other lady.

“Hi, please who’s this?” Araba enquired.

“What’s your problem?” the other lady asked.

“I don’t have a problem. I’m only surprised cos it’s the first time I’ve called him for a lady to answer
his phone,” Araba stated.

“Point of correction. The lady on this phone is his girlfriend and I don’t know why you keep calling,” she told Araba rather cheekily.

“Ok. I didn’t know he had a girlfriend. He never told me,” Araba responded.

“Well, now you know. And I’ll advise you to stop calling my boyfriend. Don’t you think it will rather do you some good if you called your own boyfriend and spoke to him? Or better still, grab a cup of tea and go to bed. It will do you some good. Please don’t call this number again,” she warned her sternly and hang up.

What had just happened? Was it a dream? Was it a prank Zack was pulling on her? How could he, even if it were a prank? She lay in her bed sobbing, not knowing who to call or who to turn to.

The morning came early and she was expecting his usual morning message but it never came. She called him later in the day but he didn’t answer. She sent several messages but he didn’t reply.

She wanted to find out who the other lady was but he wouldn’t tell her. What could have made him do such a thing? What did she do wrong? She loved him and she honestly did. She did everything to make him happy so why couldn’t he tell her if he had any problem with her.

These thoughts kept running through her mind. Days passed and she didn’t hear from him. Another lady was in the picture. As to how true that was, she didn’t know and he wouldn’t say. Days passed.

She had barely had a good night sleep. Her eyes were reddened from crying and lack of sleep. Her face puffed up as though she was ill. She kept watching her phone hoping he would call her, hoping he would send a message at least to apologise. It could have been a mistake and she was ready to forgive him and let it go. She grew weary but she held on to hope.

Then one evening, unexpectedly, she got a message from Zack. It was a response to one of her numerous messages. She had wanted to find out who the other lady was. She wanted to know what she did wrong. She wanted them to deal with whatever problem there was as adults, as they always did. She just wanted answers.

She anxiously reached for her phone. She was hoping it was a good explanation to all that was going on. She unlocked the phone and tapped the messaging app. It was indeed Zack. He had finally responded to her.

It was the long awaited response but it read, “Please move on.”

THE END!

The other lady (Proposal gone wrong?)

2018-01-25T05:26:00.001-08:00

The date was at Araba’s house. She cooked dinner and waited for Zack to arrive. He was always on time but for this occasion. Had he forgotten? She thought to herself. She reached for her phone and immediately her gate swung open. It was Zack. He was carrying a huge bouquet of flowers.

“Happy birthday Araba,” he said and planted a kiss on her forehead.

“Thanks Zack,” she smiled taking the flowers.

She led him to the dinner table and after the meal they relaxed in the sofa to watch a movie. Araba lay her head on his shoulders and he wrapped his arms around her. She felt safe. She felt loved and most importantly, she was happy.

She was almost dozing off when Zack tapped her on the shoulder and told her he had something very important to tell her.

“I don’t know how to tell you this Araba. I don’t know how you are going to take it,” he said.

“What is it Zack? You are scaring me now.”

He reached out to his pocket and sat straight staring into her eyes. Araba was anxious. What was it he had to tell her and why was it difficult for him to say it?

“Araba, I love you. I want you to be my girlfriend. I want you to be the mother of my children. I want to spend the rest of my life by your side,” he finally uttered the words out.

Araba was dazed. She knew he would propose to her but she didn’t expect it this early. She didn’t know what to tell him. She just stared at him and she got him confused.

Didn’t she love him too? Zack asked himself.

“Araba?”

She startled. She was far away in wonderland. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“Zack…,” there was a long pause then she finally said, “I don’t know what to say. I didn’t expect this. Isn’t it too early to think that you love me? How sure are you? We’ve only known each other these past two months. It’s hard to believe what you are telling me.”

That was not the kind of reaction he expected. He expected her to jump in joy and say yes to his proposal. He was disappointed but managed to compose himself.

“I know how this looks like. But I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and soul searching and I’m sure about my feelings towards you. I know this has come as a shock but my feelings are true.

Nonetheless, I’ll give you some time to think about it. But I love you Araba. That, I know for sure.”

He rose to his feet and placed the ring he had bought back into his pocket. He left disappointed yet confident that Araba would make the right decision.

The next day he called her but avoided a discussion on the events of the previous night. He wanted her to think things through. He was not entirely disappointed at her reaction. It was to be expected especially when their friendship was that young.

A week passed and Araba had still not given him an answer. Then one afternoon as they were chatting on phone Araba informed him she had taken a decision.

“Zack, I love you too.”

“Awww…. I thought I was never going to hear that from you. You just made my day Araba. I love you.”

Their bond grew stronger with each passing day and soon they were talking marriage. A day never passed without a message or a call from him. They virtually spent the whole day together on phone.

He was the first person she spoke to when she woke up and the last person she said good night to.

The year was drawing to an end and Araba was elated than ever. She knew God would come through for her but she didn’t expect it to be this fast. Zack was more than she had asked for. He was caring,

thoughtful and hardworking; but one thing fell short. She wasn’t sure about his relationship with God.

Yes, he went to church occasionally and his only excuse for not being an ardent church goer was the nature of his job; but he had time to pray and he knew and understood the scriptures fairly. He also knew that salvation was important and he had made sure to accepting Jesus as his Lord and Saviour.

So far so good, she thought to herself. He made her happy and that was very important to her.

It was three months into their relationship and everything was perfect. There had been little misunderstandings here and there but they always managed to resolve whatever the problem was. The early morning texts were still Zack’s signature characteristic and even when they quarrelled, he made sure he always checked up on her the first thing in the morning.

That morning was no different except that they had not quarrelled. The week was nearing an end and everything between them was perfect as usual. He sent her a message and she replied. She even called later in the day to ensure everything was ok at his end.

Everything seemed perfect until she called him in the evening.

To be continued...

The other lady (Uncertainties)

2018-01-18T06:47:00.002-08:00

The evening was splendid and Zack left a lasting impression on Araba. They had a lot to talk about; from school to work, church and how odd it was for both of them to agree on a blind date and Araba wished time would freeze; forgetting she lived two hours away from The Grill and that she had work the following day.

Zack was a medical doctor. He was born in the country but had lived almost all his life in the United States of America. He had only returned to the country after his almost three year relationship with Emelia had ended. Emelia was also in the USA so he thought it a rather good idea to relocate to Ghana, find a job and concentrate on just that. The idea of dating was not part of his plan. He just wanted a different environment.

He had been in the country for close to a year and had reconnected with some friends from childhood; one being Joyce’s husband, Michael and that was the only reason he was part of the bridal party. He had no idea he was going to meet Araba. He didn’t even think of that possibility. But here he was, sitting with Araba, laughing and chatting the night away.

It was time to leave and Zack walked her to her car.

“It was nice meeting you Zack,” she said.

“Same here, Araba. Let me know when you get home.”

He reached out to hug her and as he leaned towards her, Araba froze in the moment not knowing what his intentions were. She closed her eyes in anticipation of what he was going to do. Zack drew closer and under his breath he wished her a safe journey home.

What? That was all? Araba thought to herself. He was a gentleman and he didn’t want to create the wrong impression. Nonetheless, she was beside herself with joy. The night was more than she expected. She smiled throughout her way home. Zack had left an impression she could never forget.

When Araba arrived home that night, she couldn’t help herself but reminisce what had ensued between her and Zack. It was next to nothing she had ever thought of.

Araba arrived at work late the next morning. She had slept off in the couch while musing over Zack. Her boss called to find out if she was sick since it was unusual of her. She got to the office and blissfully went about her duties.

She however forgot to call Zack when she got home. She reached for her phone in her bag only to see several missed calls from the previous night and even that morning. She quickly called back.

“Hi Zack, I’m sorry I didn’t call you when I got home. I guess I was too exhausted and fell asleep immediately I fell on my bed. I trust you are doing well.”

“That’s ok. I can imagine. I only wanted to be sure you got home safe and sound. I’m glad you are fine. I’ll have to call you back since I’m attending to a patient at the moment,” he told her.

“Sure, have a nice day,” Araba responded.

Wow, that was some kind of a conversation, she thought to herself.

The day ended and she hadn’t heard back from Zack. Or was he not impressed with their first night out, she wondered. Several thoughts run through her mind but she shrugged them off, hopeful that he would call her.

She retired to bed when she got home and just when she was done saying her last prayer for the day her phone beeped. It was Zack. He sent a message apologising for failing to call her back. He explained how an emergency took him away from his phone and how he was still at the hospital while chatting with her.

She heaved a sigh of relief and texted back saying she completely understood the nature of his work. They chatted for about thirty minutes and she went to bed.

Three months had passed since their first day and their friendship had grown even stronger. They shared their dreams and goals and recalled their painful experiences with dating and how they had both decided to take a break. But one thing remained for Araba; she didn’t want to sound desperate. She had found a friend in Zack.

But Zack wanted something more than just friendship. He had fallen in love with her. As much as he tried not to entertain the thoughts of romance, it just wouldn’t go away. The sight of Araba anytime they met was too tempting. He had tried kissing her once but he had to brush off the thought. What if she didn’t want him the way he did? He would have ruined their friendship. He thought.

He decided to discuss his feelings and intentions with Michael, presuming he knew Araba better than he did. Michael did not have much to say but to encourage him if he was very sure about his feelings for her. He picked his phone and texted Araba to set up a date. That weekend was her birthday and he wanted to surprise her.

To be continued…

Facebook Tales

2018-01-16T02:06:00.000-08:00

I met this guy a few years back. Like two years ago? I’m not so sure. He meant the world to me. He was nothing like I’d ever seen before. We would have long winding, unending chats. He would tell me of his escapades whilst growing up.

He was nothing like what he had been through. He made me laugh even at the most annoying thing. He would say “a couple that farts together, lives together” and although that sounded whacky, it ceased to be when he actually farted in my face.

How did we meet? On Facebook! Yes, on Facebook. I had heard of tales of people starting a harmless chat on Facebook and actually getting along after the first “date”.

I had no anticipations of romance though. All I wanted was his friendship. But it moved fast from that. Soon, we started spending time together. Soon, he started telling me tales of his failed relationships and all too soon, a simple “Hi” turned into an “I love you.”

I was shocked. Well, not really. I had fallen in love with him too. A day never passed without a message from him. We would video chat all day as though we had nothing doing. Each moment spent with him was worthwhile.

One tale I remember him telling me was a naked run he partook in while in university and he wanting to try a quickie at work. Yes, those were the silly things we spoke about. But he was brainy too and he gave good advice. But I doubt he took any of those advices himself.

His life was full of tales. Sometimes I thought him to be a mystery. He’d do the inexplicable of things; like hosting his friend’s ex-girlfriend in his house for a week. I loved him nonetheless cos I trusted him.

But it didn’t last long. The tales dwindled and there was nothing to sustain our relationship. There was nothing more to be said but for “Good morning, how are you?”, “Hi, what’s up?” and anytime I asked for a tale he’d retort, “I’m not a story teller”.

Soon, the scales fell off and the reality set in. It was just the tales that held us together and once there were no more, we started drifting apart. Soon, the “hi” and “hellos” also declined and there was no more to be said. He was gone. Or was I?

The last I heard of him was like a year ago but once in a while I open my Facebook messenger just to read those tales and smile to myself. It was worth the try though.

The other lady (The meeting)

2018-01-10T07:17:00.002-08:00

Start the read here if you missed the first three episodes

The other lady (1)

The other lady (2)

The other lady (3)

Two days passed and Araba had not texted Zack back. He had not texted either. She kept looking at her phone and anytime it beeped she anticipated it was him but it wasn’t. Had he forgotten about her so soon? She wondered. She dearly wanted to send him that message but she didn’t. She didn’t want to send a wrong signal to him. If he were serious about wanting to meet her again he would text or better still call her, she thought to herself.

All too soon, the clock ticked 5pm and it was time to leave work. She packed her stuff, picked her bag and phone; suddenly, her phone beeped. She quickly rushed to check who it was. It was Zack. He hadn’t forgotten about her. He hadn’t forgotten about his proposal to meet up with her again.

“Hey, are you busy this evening? How about we grab some dinner at The Grill?” he enquired.

She quivered in excitement. But she had to hold it. She was too zealous to meet him and be sure that it was the guy in the picture who seemed to be smiling directly at her. Her heart started racing. She didn’t want to seem eager for a date with him. It was the only reason she didn’t text back when she said she would. She placed her bag back on the table, took her seat and texted back.

“What time?”

“Now, as in after work,” Zack retorted.

“Ok. I’ll meet you there. I’m just clearing my desk. I should leave in about 20 minutes,” she told him.

She heaved a sigh of relief. He hadn’t forgotten about her after all. He was also probably busy, she said to herself and she was glad he got back to her. It had been more than eight months since she last went on a date. She didn’t know what to expect, especially since she wasn’t even sure who she was chatting with.

She got to The Grill at a quarter to six. The diner was ten blocks away from her office. She had frequented there a number of times with a male colleague at work. They tried to date casually but the fact that they both shared an office space made it an uncomfortable idea. Three months into the relationship, she called it off. Moreover, she was quite older than him and she wondered what people would say about her at work.

She pulled into the parking lot and took her time to touch up her make up. She wanted to look good on their first date, well, technically. She put her shoes back on, adjusted her dress and brushed her hair. She looked at herself in the drivers mirror and thought to herself, “This has to be him, God. This has to be him.”

She finally got out of the car and took a seat, then took her phone out to text him that she had arrived. Just then her phone rang. It was Zack. He wanted to find out if she had taken a seat. He had actually arrived five minutes earlier than her and was seated five tables from where she sat. He had watched her enter the diner and take a seat and all he could do was smile to himself.

Araba responded in the affirmative. He got up and started walking to her table. Araba’s head was buried in her phone in an attempt to hide her coyness. He pulled a seat and sat directly in front of her.

Araba raised her head not knowing who to expect; but she was right. It was that guy in the photograph who was smiling directly at her. He was tall, handsome, well built, and fairly light in complexion, had a clean shaved beard and wore a beautiful smile.

“Hi, I’m Zack.”

To be continued…

The other lady (3)

2018-01-02T04:06:00.000-08:00

Six months came quick and Araba had gotten more composed; not worrying about her relationship status and not bothered about what others thought of her. After all she was in no race with anyone. And although her circle of friends were all married with a child or two, she was convinced that her prince charming would come when she least expected it.

She had gotten so immersed in building her relationship with God that she didn’t even realize the year was nearing to an end with just three months away. But she wasn’t the only girl among her circle of friends left without a wedding band on her ring finger; Joyce was also unmarried just that she had a boyfriend to boast of.

She was at work one morning when her phone beeped. She picked it up and it was a message from Joyce. It was an invitation to her wedding which would take place at the end of the month. The month was August. The wedding was only a few weeks away. Accompanying the message was a request for her to introduce the chairman of the occasion at the wedding reception. How could she decline such a request? She happily agreed to show up and participate in making her friend’s day a memorable one.

The day finally arrived and Araba stepped out of her car in front of the church premises not anticipating anything. If it were before, she would have come up with all sorts of fantasies about meeting her knight in shining armour anytime she attended a wedding. Top among them was the part where the groom gets to tell the guests how he met his wife and she would fancy him narrating how the two of them bumped into each other at a friend’s wedding.

It wasn’t the first time she was attending a wedding and it sure wasn’t the first time she had a role to play at a wedding but this time it was a different feeling. She attended Joyce’s wedding with no expectations but for one; to enjoy every bit of the moment. And indeed she did. She left the reception ground fulfilled that she contributed to making Joyce’s big day a memorable one and she was glad she didn’t have to keep checking out who was checking her out.

Monday came so fast and the usual hustling and bustling in her life had resumed. Her schedule was so tight she even forgot to stay in touch with the outside world on social media. Just as that thought run through her mind, her phone beeped. It was a message from an unknown contact.

“Hi”, the message read.

“Hi…I’m not sure who you are,” she responded.

“Yeah, I know this might sound bizarre but we’ve actually met before. I’m Zack,” he texted back.

“I doubt that though,” she responded.

“You are Araba, right? We met at Joyce’s wedding. Well, technically. I was part of the bridal party.

We never actually got the chance to talk, but I got your number from Joyce.”

“OK Zack, how may I help you?”

“Well….I’d like to see you again. I mean, I’d like to meet you one of these days since we couldn’t really get to talk to each other over the weekend.”

Araba froze for a moment not knowing what to say. Was she dreaming? She tried recollecting which of the groom’s men she was chatting with since Joyce’s bridal party was made up of ten from each side.

“Erm… Zack, can we chat a bit later. I have to rush to a meeting. I’ll send you a message afterward.”

“Sure. I’ll leave you to work. Later.” He said politely.

But that was a lie. There was no meeting to attend. She was just rounding up things in the office and trying to leave early in order to beat the Monday evening traffic.

Who could this be? She thought to herself. She quickly rushed for her phone and went through all the photographs she took at the wedding, including that of the bridal party. There was one guy who stood out among the groom’s men. He was tall, fairly light in complexion, had a neatly trimmed beard with a beautiful smile. It was as though he was smiling right at her in that photograph. Could he be the one? Her heart was racing fast. She couldn’t believe what had just ensued between her and Zack. Fact is, she didn’t even notice him at the wedding.

“Jesus,” she said to herself. “Is this the way You chose to answer my prayer? When I least expected?” All sorts of thoughts started running through her mind and much as she tried to control her anxiety, she just couldn’t wait to get home to send Zack a message.

My testimony

2017-12-31T12:53:00.001-08:00

For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways, My ways, says the Lord (Isaiah 55:8)

In some few hours another year will come to an end. I know many of us started the year 2017 with so many hopes and aspirations, with several resolutions, with several promises to ourselves, to our families, to our parents, to our friends, and most importantly to God.

Many like myself may not have achieved the long list of wishes and desires we hoped for in the year but God has been good nonetheless. He’s been a faithful father even when we strayed like the prodigal son. And on the last day of the year as has been the tradition, many of us will troop into the House of God to show our appreciation for all He’s done and is yet to do and once again make some one or two resolutions.

Looking back at 2017, from January till now, all I can see is God’s goodness in my life. Yes, I may have had a tall list of items I wanted to achieve, top of them was to have a closer walk with God and spend more time with Him in prayer and least of them to read a new book each month. I tried. I put in efforts but for the last and I think I read some few pages of every book I came across (lol).

I remember this because I kept a journal for the first time as part of reminding myself of how close I was to achieving the long list of items; and every month, at least for the first quarter I noted everything that came my way; blessing or trial.

In January, God saved me from what could have been a fatal accident. In February, God brought a very important person into my life. In March, I was promoted at work when I least expected it and fell sick on my birthday which landed me in the hospital. That was all I put down. The other nine months I don’t remember and as hard as I try to recollect events of every month, I just can’t remember. That is not to say God didn’t do anything for me in those nine months. I believe He did, but I failed to note them down. And worse of all, that closer relationship I sought with Him, didn’t actually materialise the way I thought it would.

Honestly, when I started writing this, I didn’t know what I was going to write about. I didn’t know what my testimony was but God just reminded me that my failure to remember is not cause I failed to note them down. It’s only cause I took the rest of the months for granted. I thought it was just a normal routine for whatever happened in those nine months to happen. I failed to acknowledge that even waking up each day was a miracle. I was only looking out for the “BIG” events. But every morning, when I open my eyes and take in a new breath of life, that’s God’s reminder that He has just done a new thing in my life.

It doesn’t matter the long list of items we hope to achieve in the year, what matters is the life we have. That’s not to say that don’t have desires and wishes for the year 2018; but don’t be despaired if things don’t go as planned. Rather, acknowledge that God is faithful in everything.

The other lady (2)

2017-12-23T03:09:00.000-08:00

Hard as it was for Araba to move on following her breakup with Raymond, she was left with no choice. All she had was her life to continue with, a loving family and supportive friends. She also had a God to depend on. He had been her source of strength right from the beginning. There was no time to pity-party.

Her strength was admired by friends and family. They couldn't believe that she had quickly moved on with her life. After all what more could she do? She had to complete her schooling and she had to concentrate at work as she was still on probation. There was no way Raymond's impatience or decisions were going to stand in her way to success. It was difficult yet easy for her to quickly move on.

All too soon, her quest for a higher education had come to an end and she passed with honours. She had made her family proud, and more importantly, she had made herself proud. But her joy was cut short. She may have achieved all she had listed within the time frame she had made for herself but one thing was left. She was all by herself. There was no one to have those long winding, unending conversations with. There was no one she could gossip with, argue with and make memories with.

A year passed so quickly. And soon it was two years gone. Raymond had married his ex-girlfriend and had a child to his name. But what did she have? Only a certificate! Maybe she could have gone on with marrying him whilst pursuing her education, she thought to herself. Or maybe she could have deferred her course. Many thoughts ran through her mind anytime she was all by herself.

Soon she was sinking into a state of despair. She had a good job, she had supportive friends, she had a loving family, but one thing left her empty and she sometimes pitied herself for that. Friday nights with her friends were awesome. Spending time with her family after Sunday church service was great. Her weekdays at work was splendid, but her nights at home after her friends leave to their families and her aged parents retire to bed, leaving her staring into the white painted ceiling of her two bedroom apartment was awful.

It wasn't as though she wasn't a pretty young woman. She was smart too and every guy she met complimented her for that. But they didn't stay long; a month or two, the longest being about 6 months. She didn't understand why she couldn't have any meaningful relationship after Raymond.

Three years after five unsuccessful relationships, Araba resolved to stay single the following year. At that year's 31st December all night service, she prayed to God for strength. She resolved to invest her energies into building a stronger relationship with her Maker. It sounded like a good plan which wouldn't require so much effort after all she was an active member at church; being on several committees and being a lead vocalist in the church's choir.

Six months passed quickly and the results of her resolution were evident; going home after Friday night outs with her friends were no longer dingy and being all by herself when she had no where going were no longer depressing. She was looking better and feeling better and her co-workers wondered what may have caused the sudden transformation in her life. They thought it was another man. And of course it was but not a mortal.

To be continued...

The other lady (1)

2017-12-22T02:01:00.001-08:00

"Grab a cup of tea and go to bed. It will do you some good."

That was the response at the other end of the phone when Araba called him to catch up on the events of the day. She was however met with a female voice; and surprised at the first instance, she called his number again to be sure that she hadn't called a wrong number.

But she wasn't wrong. It was his number. The number she's been calling him on since they ever met. It's the same number she's been texting him on so who was the lady on the other end of the phone.

It had been a hectic day for Araba who had just started a small business to augment her monthly salary. Her busy schedule didn't give her the time to call him since after all he had also been busy with work and other stuff. The year was coming to an end and she was more than elated about it because the long holidays meant she would get to spend some meaningful time with him.

She had already made a proposal to host his friends for lunch but he turned it down politely with the excuse that he had to visit his mother. And even though she wasn't happy about the turn of events with regards to her proposal, she just let it slide.

Araba had in the past three years not been in any meaningful relationship after her three-year relationship came to an abrupt end. Raymond, her then boyfriend broke up with her and married his ex-girlfriend. His excuse? She was making too many excuses not to be married within the year he had proposed. They were not mere excuses, Araba thought. She had just landed a new job and had returned to school. She was one year through the two-year course and all she needed from him was some patience for her to complete so they finally tie the knot. But Raymond wouldn't take any of it.

He thought he had waited too long enough for her to achieve her long list of dreams and he had no more time to waste. There was this time he spoke passionately about how all his mates were married and had a child or two and how his mother always asked about when she was getting a grandchild from him. It was as though he was bowing down to pressure and Araba did not want to be pressurized into marrying him. She loved him though but she had to let him go. It was only a year till she graduated so if he couldn't wait for just one more year, he was free to go.

To be continued...

Dumsor: Inconsistent answers equals inconsistent power supply

2016-07-26T04:38:00.003-07:00

I live at Ashongman Estate in Greater Accra and for the past two days I have been living in darkness not because I have failed to pay my electricity bills but because the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has denied me that privilege.

Just when I heaved a sigh of relief on Monday afternoon at about 3pm, after staying in the dark since 9am on Sunday, the power distributor took back the lights few minutes after I r

etired to bed. But for the cold weather, I’m sure their act would have denied me a sound sleep.

I’m not sure if we are back to dumsor since the president has stated clearly that he will not declare our return to the inconsistent power supply that had plagued the nation since 2011.

Nonetheless, I sought to find answers. I called the ECG call centre and a sweet female voice responded at the other end of the phone. She gave her name as Bernice. I inquired why my electricity supply had been inconsistent since Sunday morning.

In her bid to satisfy my curiosity she made me aware that they were facing a technical problem at one of their substations from which my location is fed electricity. I asked further which substation that was and was told that the substation was at Trassaco. Still not satisfied with the answer I asked “which of the Trassacos” and the lady boldly told me that it was located at Legon.

I thanked her for the information but still not satisfied with the answer, I made another call knowing very well that another person would answer this time.

This time it was a male voice and he gave his name as Yakubu. I narrated my situation to him, and asked why my neighbourhood was facing that challenge. To my utmost surprise, Yakubu told me my lights were off because they were having a challenge at the Mallam substation.

Wait a minute! I thought Bernice told me that the problem was because of the situation at the Legon, Trassaco station? So why did Yakubu give me a different story?

Still not satisfied, I placed a third call, this time, my parents were wondering why I was wasting my call credit on ECG. “But I need answers,” I told them. My call has been answered and it was Amartey on the phone.

I narrated the situation to him too and his answer was convincing enough since according to him, the substation which feeds my neighbourhood had been faced with some challenges since Sunday. As usual I asked again, “which substation please, and where is it located?”

Your guess is as good as mine. This time he told me the substation was located at the District office at Kwabenya. Hmm…that sounded convincing enough so I had no choice than to swallow a bitter pill hoping that the problem would be solved sooner than later.

So now, who is telling me the truth – ECG or government? I believe the government will do us a great service if it made available a load shedding timetable to help us manage our lives. The untruths are just too many and like myself, I believe many Ghanaians are getting frustrated.

As for ECG, the least said about them, the better.

Wandering Thoughts: How do I reach the Ghana Police?

2015-09-30T05:21:00.001-07:00

Wednesday morning on my way to work, a tipper truck driver rammed the back my sister’s car and broke the tail lights. We were of course angry but calm in handling the situation. The driver, who was coming from the main Legon road, in his attempt not to give a “trotro” driver space to join the main road from the overpass, ended up smashing our car and also denting the side of the car I was riding in.

IGP, Mohammed Ahmed Alhassan

The first line of action was to call the police. Although we were close to the Legon Police Station, we couldn’t leave the accident scene because the police would have to come to the scene to collect information on how the accident happened and mark the area.

I picked my phone to make the call. But not sure of what to do after the police short code 191 gave me a busy tone, I went on to search for a police contact number on google. The first link which popped up was the police website, www.police.gov.gh/contactus. I scrolled down but couldn’t find the number to the Legon Police Station. What was there was the Accra Region number.

I dialled the number nonetheless. I was running late for work and so was my sister. A female voice answered from the other end of the phone. I requested for the contact number to the Legon Police Station and she asked me to call back in five minutes. I was surprised since I expected her to have the number available in a jiffy after my asking.

I hung up and called back probably in less than five minutes. I introduced myself as the lady who called earlier for the contact number to the Legon Police Station. To my utter disappointment, the lady responded, “Legon Police Station…We don’t have the number here ooo.” To that I said thank you and hanged up.

I did another google search, this time narrowing my search to Legon Police Station. The results this time led me to www.ghana.gov.gh/emergency-numbers. I heaved a deep sigh of satisfaction. The website had a tall list of various emergency numbers to various state institutions, including NADMO, the Fire Service and Ambulance Service.

I scrolled down and found the number to the Legon Police Station. I dialled the number quickly and this time I was speechless at the response from the other end of the phone. It was another female voice and this time she told me “the number you have dialled cannot be reached.” I thought it was my network provider playing games with me and so I called the number again and I had the same response. Even at the time of writing this piece I called the number again just to be sure it was probably my network provider. But no. I had the same response for the third time.

In the end, the driver of the tipper truck and my sister agreed to settle the matter without the police. We drove away from the accident scene and parked at the Okponglo bus stop to solve the issue.

The long and short of all this? Should this have been something more than a harmless accident, supposing a robbery attack, was this the kind of response I was going to get from the police in whom I have entrusted my security?

I don’t know about the effectiveness of the other service providers such as the Ghana Fire Service, the Ghana Ambulance Service, NADMO and so on. But I think it’s about time the Police Service became more vibrant, not in terms of their physical presence on our streets and communities, which I sometimes find intimidating, but in terms of reach.

The disservice I had this morning from the Accra Regional Police office was far from the best. Even if the lady didn’t have the number available, she could have gone ahead to ask what my problem was and if possible offer me an alternative. But no, she didn’t do that.

Now, I’m left to wonder if the Police Service even does regular checks on their land lines to ensure they are all active. Or has the mobile phone come to replace them?

Ghana Police, please come again.

Wandering Thoughts: Passport too we can't manage?

2015-09-17T01:41:00.003-07:00

Sometime last year I had to apply for a Ghanaian passport to enable me make a trip abroad. It amazed my work colleagues when I said I was going to the Passport Office at Ridge to place my application. They were amazed because they had expected me, as a journalist, to have had one by then.

The truth is I had tried but given up my chase for a passport in 2011 after a “goro boy” (a passport contractor) at the then Foreign Affairs Ministry near the Tema Station in Accra demanded GH¢50 from me to have my passport processed within a month. This was in spite of my buying an “express” application form at GH¢100 which promised or rather guaranteed that I got my passport in three weeks. I refused his offer. A friend took his word for it and had his passport in three months.

I kept the form nonetheless and later when I tried submitting it, I was told I had to buy another form because it had expired. I was less perturbed about getting another form at GH¢100 again since time was running out for me. I had read many complaints on Facebook and mainstream media over the frustrations some applicants had to go through to acquire a passport.

Less worried and hoping I wouldn’t suffer the same fate as they did, I headed to the Passport Office and got there as early as 6:30am. Let me note, before my trip I had placed a call to a friend to help me acquire the passport within three weeks and he told me to ask for one lady upon my arrival. He also asked me to get to the office early.

I did just that – going straight to the security point and asking to see the lady. (Take note that there was a long queue at the entrance of the office which was heavily guarded by policemen). I was told to wait a while and that she would come for me. After waiting for some time and with no sign of her, I placed a call to my friend and presto! ‘Our friend’ came for me.

I went through the process successfully, somewhat embarrassed at the process I had to endure to acquire a passport. The lady asked me to come in three weeks to check if my passport was ready. I headed back to the office excited at the prospect. Back at the office I couldn’t help but share my joy with everyone.

Soon the three weeks had passed and I headed back to the Passport Office to pick my passport. And there, sitting in wait for me, was a huge disappointment.

Here is what happened at the security check point.

Me: Please I’m here to pick my passport.

Security Man: Were you asked to come today?

Me: Yes. The lady who processed my application gave me this date to come and pick it up.

(At this point I picked out a piece of paper which had a serial number and pick up date written on it. I showed the paper to the security man).

Security man: It’s not ready. Go and come back.

Me: But I was told it would be ready so I should come today.

Security man: Madam, I said it is not ready. Go and come back. Don’t waste our time.

At this point I was getting frustrated and infuriated and asking myself how was this man supposed to know if my passport was ready or not? I then placed a call to the lady and she told me the same story. At this point I didn’t want to involve my friend again so I just left the premises disappointed and vowed not to go back there.

Be it as it may, I got my passport sometime in July after a work colleague intervened on my behalf. Even then, there was no normalcy. I had been told my passport number to confirm it was ready, however the security blockade played back the same “not ready, go and come” garb. At the end of the day though, I left with my passport in hand.

But why all this long narrative, you may ask.

Here is why:

Every day, scores of Ghanaians queue at the Passport Office just to get their “ticket to heaven”. I believe many travels have had to be abandoned because of the frustrations one has to go through in the process.

I acknowledge the efforts being made by the Director of Passports, Mr Alexander Grant Ntirikwa to bring sanity to his office. But I believe those reforms would fail if the main problem is not identified and solved.

On Wednesday morning, I heard Joy FM’s Kojo Yankson and his co-host, Nhyira Addo making a point that the best way to resolve the problems at the Passport Office was for it to be privatised. I beg to differ. I believe Ghanaians and for that matter the public service can effectively manage the affairs of the state if certain bureaucracies are removed.

After my experience at the office on two occasions, I came to the conclusion that the problem at the place was because it didn’t have any designated point of access. Immediately you get there, the first barrier you encounter is at the security check point. As I stated earlier after I was turned away on my first attempt to pick my passport, I was asking myself how the hell does this security man know my passport was not ready when he would not even place a call or cross-check from any database?

I believe that if the Passport Office was made open right from the security point (I know many will disagree with me on this point on the grounds that it is a security zone), with designated front office personnel to take application forms, sanity would prevail at the office.

Here is what I mean.

I walk into the Passport Office and directed by a security person to the appropriate front office to place my application.

The receptionist, well-dressed and smiling of course, takes my application form to process and asks that I wait. She completes the process and gives me a date for pick up.

I walk out of the premises saying thank you to everyone and I exit.

I return on the appointed date to go through a similar routine, announcing my business for being there. I get to the front desk office and the receptionist goes through a database to verify if my passport is ready. She picks it up for me and away I go. No excuses. If there was no need for me to go there because for some reason it was not ready, a simple SMS should have told me the night before. The same SMS could give me another date.

Seriously I don’t think this is beyond us, unless, as one of my colleagues puts his frustrations, systems are implemented in Ghana to exploit everyone, especially the poor and unconnected. I agree with him in this instance, for why else should we go through hell for simple “tickets to heaven?”

Ebola vaccine trial: Lead scientist offers to be used for test

2015-06-22T03:59:00.003-07:00

The lead scientist for the Ebola Vaccine trial in Ghana, Prof. Fred Binka has offered to volunteer for the clinical trial.

Prof Fred Binka

According to him, he would be delighted to be used for the vaccination trial if that will bring an end to the misconception about the trial scheduled to take place in the Volta Region.

Prof. Binka who is the Foundation Vice-Chancellor of the University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, said on Starr FM that “I have had a battle with the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA); I would be the first to take the vaccine. Because this is a political disease and maybe we have to find different ways of doing that. I don’t think I will be offering Ghanaians something that will be dangerous to them.”

“But if they can see that I personally can take the vaccine, I will be happy to do that. When this vaccine came to Geneva, the assistant WHO director took it and so there is no problem at all,” he said.

At a recently held sensitisation forum in Accra, Prof. Binka debunked speculations by a section of the public that Ebola was being introduced into the country.

He said the Ebola vaccine clinical trial to be conducted in the country could not cause Ebola.

Professor Binka said no vaccine had been brought into the country yet and corroborated the assurance that the trial would not put anybody at risk of contracting the Ebola virus should it be conducted in the country.

Background
The FDA earlier this month gave approval for the Ebola vaccine trial to take place in Hohoe in the Volta Region.

However, the Minister of Health, Mr Alex Segbefia suspended the trial following a public outcry.

He further called for more consultation on the proposed trial which was to be undertaken at Hohoe in the Volta Region.

Sodom and Gomorrah: Angry residents demonstrate over demolition

2015-06-22T03:30:00.000-07:00

Victims of last Saturday’s Sodom and Gomorrah demolition exercise took to the streets Monday morning to demonstrate against the Accra Metropolitan Authority (AMA).

Sodom and Gomorrah residents demonstrate over demolition

According to reports, the groups picketed at various spots including the Parliament House, State House, AMA office and the Agbogbloshie Market.

According to a report on Citi FM, the demonstrators numbering about 200 were trying to enter the Banquet Hall of the State House to draw the attention of the President to their plight as a result of the demolition which has left them homeless.

Another group, numbering about 1000 blocked the roads leading to the Agbogbloshie Market with burning tyres.

Describing the situation as chaotic, the Citi FM report said the police were on the ground trying to bring the crowd under control.

The angry youth say they have been betrayed and will vote against the National Democratic Congress (NDC) come 2016.

Background

The Accra Metropolitan Authority (AMA) last Saturday demolished hundreds of structures at Sodom and Gomorrah, rendering scores of people homeless.

The task force, with the assistance of the security forces, razed down the structures which were said to have contributed to the recent floods in Accra and stalled the execution of the Korle Lagoon Restoration Project.

The exercise was led by the Chief Executive Officer of the AMA, Mr Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije.

Some angry dwellers in the slum set fire to some structures that were not affected by the exercise while others whose shelters were the first to be demolished salvaged some items from them.

A few, however, were able to remove some of their belongings from their shacks before the demolition began.

Click here to read about evolution of Sodom and Gomorrah

Accra Floods: Prez directs DNA tests for unidentified victims

2015-06-10T05:58:00.002-07:00

President John Dramani Mahama has directed that DNA tests be conducted on the charred bodies of last Wednesday’s fire disaster to ease identification by family members.

He is, therefore, calling on families who are yet to identify members to visit the 37 Military, Police and Korle Bu Teaching Hospitals with DNA samples to confirm the identities of the deceased.

The President gave this directive Wednesday morning during the memorial service to sympathise with victims of the double disaster which claimed over 150 lives and destroyed properties worth millions of Ghana cedis.

The memorial service brings to an end the three days of mourning set aside by government in honour of the victims who died during the flood and fire that hit parts of Accra on Wednesday, June 3, 2015.

Addressing the congregation, President Mahama said, “Government has given authorisation for DNA tests to be conducted on the bodies from the disaster which have not yet been identified. This will allow families that are unsure of the fate of their members and those who yet to be accounted for will be able to bring DNA samples for confirmation can be made. With this official confirmation, claims can quickly be granted.”

The President who gave the death toll to be 152 said the names of the victims would be released to the public in due course to ensure that they are remembered eternally.

“These numbers are still provisional and we are hoping that we shall not find any more bodies,” he said.

He also urged Ghanaians to remember those recovering in the various hospitals in prayers.

“Let’s continue to pray for them to be healed. Let us keep them in our thoughts and prayers as they continue on their path on full recovery,” he said.

Let’s be grateful

Nonetheless, President Mahama urged Ghanaians to be grateful to God in the face of difficulties.

“There is much for which we should be grateful. Not least of all is our own lives. We have seen yet again, the unpredictability of life. Nobody knows what tomorrow will bring and no one is immune or exempt,” he noted.

Over 150 persons died on Wednesday, June 3, 2015 during a flood and fire disaster which hit Accra

Blame game

President Mahama also urged Ghanaians to exercise restraint in apportioning blame.

He admitted the fact that there was a lot of blame to be made. Nevertheless, he said, such discourse should be done to finding a lasting solution against another occurrence of such a disaster.

“When we list one by one, the various mistakes and failings that contributed to this catastrophe, I hope it is not for the purpose of pointing fingers but rather of making certain that something of this nature never again happens to our dear country.”

“Our conversations should not be centred on what parts government did or did not do but rather on what this government must and will do. We should not waste resources or time predicting when another disaster or flood will claim lives. Rather, invest that time in taking the appropriate measures to prevent the possibility of such an occurrence,” he added.

Appreciation

President Mahama expressed his appreciation to the security agencies for their dedication and fearless effort in the face of the disaster.

He also extended his gratitude to the numerous Ghanaians who risked their own lives to save others as well as the various organisations who have set up disaster relief funds intended to mobilise resources to assist those in need.

President Mahama's faux pas

2015-03-10T04:25:00.002-07:00

I have for some time decided to remain silent on issues, not because I don’t have a voice but I’ve come to realise that as human, anything you say will be interpreted in another way to suit the interpreter.

So when reports of discrimination against Muslims in the Western Region came into the public domain, I once again decided to stay mute.

But today, I’ve come out to speak on the issue because I think a big social blunder has been committed by the first gentleman of our land.

Although the issue seems to be dying out gradually (as has always been the case in Ghana), I still hold the view that our President made a big mistake giving a stern warning to heads of institutions who discriminate on the basis of religion during his state of the nation address in parliament a fortnight ago.

In his words, President Mahama said, “Ghana has enjoyed a long history of religious tolerance…Our constitution in Article 21(1) guarantees the freedom of religion and the freedom to express one’s religious beliefs…Heads of institutions must note this for strict compliance. Appropriate sanctions will be taken against any head of institution who acts contrary to the constitutional provision of our country”.

Yes, it is true that Article 21 (1) of the 1992 constitution guarantees freedom of speech and expression; freedom of thought, conscience and belief, which shall include academic freedom; freedom to practise any religion and to manifest such practice; freedom of assembly including freedom to take part in processions and demonstrations (and the list is endless). But it must be kept in mind that freedom is not absolute.

Therefore, your freedom ends where mine begins. And in that sense, how do we even distinguish?

The issue of discrimination is a thorny one which must be approached tactically.

My understanding of the issue from the Western Region is that these students were demonstrating against the abuse of their rights because they were being forced to attend church service in school.

I believe this issue could have been dealt with easily if our dear students were of the understanding that ALL school gatherings (take note of ALL) are compulsory for the sake of discipline.

And for that matter, if you find yourself in a Christian or Muslim institution, it is mandatory for you to attend such gatherings. Having this in mind, neither a Christian nor Muslim will see it as an imposition of another’s faith on his or hers.

This is why I see our President’s speech as a blunder because being the Commander in Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces; I believe he is aware that institutions are governed by rules and regulations which must be followed to the letter. Failure of which will lead to lawlessness.

I am glad that the National Peace Council and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) have been directed by the President to initiate a dialogue to foster an amicable understanding of how to operationalize Article 21 (1) of the constitution.

I wish they would see this issue from my angle and bring this matter to rest.

Ebola scare: Not all sanitizers can kill virus

2014-08-20T08:30:00.001-07:00

A Research Fellow at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Dr Kofi Bonney, has cautioned the public to be wary of the types of hand sanitizers they buy from the market as part of precautionary measures to prevent an outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus.

According to him, hand sanitizers come in two forms; one meant to kill only bacteria and another meant to kill all forms of germs including bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa.

Following the outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa, there has been a marked upsurge in the use of hand sanitizers for disinfecting the hands for fear of people coming into contact with the virus.

However, at a sensitization forum on Ebola organised by the Graphic Communications Group Limited, Dr Bonney noted that there was a need for the public to carefully read the labels of the sanitizers before buying them.

“Take your time to read what the sanitizers can do. Read the instructions and what they contain because the sanitizer meant for bacteria can only kill bacteria,” he advised.

Checks at the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) have shown that only 11 hand sanitizers on the market are recognised by the authority.

The brands of hand sanitizers that had valid registration with the FDA as of beginning of August 2014 were Sanigel, Clean Touch, Dial Hand, Samocid, Forever Hand, Steri-7, Carex, Fruiser, Purell, Bremed and High Baby.

I’m not obsessed with becoming President - Nduom

2014-05-23T07:24:00.000-07:00

The 2012 presidential candidate of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom says he is not obsessed with being the president of Ghana.

According to him, he finds fulfilment in contributing to nation building through the creation of jobs.

He said on Joy FM Wednesday morning that “I don’t have to be president of the Republic of Ghana to be fulfilled …This is time for nation building so I’m devoting myself to help the nation build. If it comes time for politics, well we will do it”.

"I’m doing work everywhere and I like what I’m doing…I am working in this country in a private capacity to help build the country and create job opportunities and in due course, I think the people of Ghana will get to know that I am not obsessed with politics, I am not obsessed with being in public office. I will continue to do what I need to do for the people of Ghana and for myself,” he added.

Dr Nduom, who is the chairman of Groupe Nduom, however, did not dismiss the desire to be the first gentleman of the country should Ghanaians vote the PPP in the 2016 elections.

He said, “I believe I have something to offer this country but it is up to the people of Ghana to decide.

If the people of Ghana decide as they did in 2012 that they will vote for John Mahama, they’ll vote for Akuffo Addo or someone else and not me, it’s their responsibility.”

He also dismissed the assertion that the PPP was a small party compared to the likes of the NDC and NPP, adding that the party was made up of technocrats who are willing to contribute their part to nation building should the PPP be given the mandate in 2016.

“People vote, if everybody in Ghana decides that tomorrow they’ll vote for the PPP it will win…There are lawyers, teachers, nurses, engineers who are part of the PPP…It will not always be NDC, NPP…The power is with the Ghanaian people, they will decide what they want to do in the future,” he said.

The 2012 presidential candidate of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom says he is not obsessed with being the president of Ghana.

According to him, he finds fulfilment in contributing to nation building through the creation of jobs.
He said on Joy FM Wednesday morning that “I don’t have to be president of the Republic of Ghana to be fulfilled …This is time for nation building so I’m devoting myself to help the nation build. If it comes time for politics, well we will do it”.
"I’m doing work everywhere and I like what I’m doing…I am working in this country in a private capacity to help build the country and create job opportunities and in due course, I think the people of Ghana will get to know that I am not obsessed with politics, I am not obsessed with being in public office. I will continue to do what I need to do for the people of Ghana and for myself,” he added.

- See more at: http://graphic.com.gh/news/politics/23322-i-m-not-obsessed-with-being-ghana-s-president-nduom.html#sthash.5kJnTm4a.dpuf

The 2012 presidential candidate of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom says he is not obsessed with being the president of Ghana.

- See more at: http://graphic.com.gh/news/politics/23322-i-m-not-obsessed-with-being-ghana-s-president-nduom.html#sthash.5kJnTm4a.dpuf

The 2012 presidential candidate of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom says he is not obsessed with being the president of Ghana.

- See more at: http://graphic.com.gh/news/politics/23322-i-m-not-obsessed-with-being-ghana-s-president-nduom.html#sthash.5kJnTm4a.dpuf

I have only one regret being president –Kufuor

2014-05-23T07:18:00.001-07:00

Former President John Agyekum Kufuor says he regrets not being able to provide a permanent solution to the Dagbon crisis which occurred during his tenure in office.

Perhaps being the only regret he had as President of Ghana, he said, “there was one event that I have had the occasion to tell the world and I pray to God that it wouldn’t ever happen again. The Dagbon crisis, it shook me to my foundations and I pray that it doesn’t happen again. And I pray that there will a permanent solution so that that traditional part of our country will find itself restored to harmony.”

The former president expressed these sentiments on Joy FM when he spoke on a range of issues following his retirement as the first gentleman of the state in 2008.

Ex-President Kufuor noted that he achieved great heights during his tenure, citing the country’s attainment of a middle income status in 2006 and the introduction of the National Health Insurance Scheme.

“The eight year period I was privileged to serve Ghana marked perhaps the period of the highest growth economically and socially. Ghana became middle income in 2006, we saw some of the highest growth points, production in cocoa for instance, national health insurance scheme…,” he remarked.

Retirement and love for politics

The former president said his love for politics has not given him the opportunity to take a rest as he ideally planned for his retirement.

“Ideally, I want to keep healthy and strong. [But]I love politics. It’s natural with me. I grew up with it and so I want to be in there and continue to be able to help my party to go into power and supposed my party were in power, I will want to be able to contribute to policy formulation and also occasionally to express an opinion behind the scenes,” he stated.

Ex-president Kufuor noted that on an average, he receives 30 visitors a day.

“In my retirement, I thought I was going to have perhaps a free and lesser burden period but I find out now because I’m not surrounded by protocol, I’m in a way exposed. All the many friends I made around the country and even from beyond Ghana come in on basis of good will and truly my nature is such that I cannot stop them from coming.

“And I find that my house has become like a town hall. Every day from morning to night I get visitors, many of them just drop in. they don’t come by appointment or anything, they just come.

Averagely, every day, not less than 30 to 40 people come from all over,” he said.

Sale of Ghana Telecom

On the sale of Ghana Telecom, the former president said he has no regrets taking that decision and if given the opportunity to do take such a decision again, “I will do it a hundred times for the betterment of Ghana.”

According to him, Ghana telecom was draining the economy because “it wasn’t efficient and it wasn’t competitive considering that there were other companies like MTN and Spacefon who were beating Ghana telecom in competition.”

Government in 2006 traded its 70% shares in the national telecommunications company to Vodafone International Holdings B.V. for $900 million.

'Ten colleges of education is a step in the wrong direction'

2013-08-09T10:22:00.001-07:00

The Forum for Education Reform (FFER) is calling on government to channel its resources to expanding infrastructure at the existing thirty-eight colleges of education in the country rather than forging ahead with its plans to establishing an additional ten.

According to the Forum, government’s decision to establish another ten colleges of education is a step in the wrong direction.

Speaking on Accra-based Joy FM, Retired Diplomat and Educationist, and member of the Forum, Dr K. B Asante explained that the Forum was not against government’s interventions in the educational system, but if government goes ahead to inject funds into the project, it would result in the dissipation of funds into “unnecessary areas”.

Members of the forum include Sir Sam Jonah; Chairman, Jonah Mining, Prof. Stephen Adei; former Rector of GIMPA, Prof. Seth Buatsi; formerly of University of Ghana; Mr. Kenneth Quartey, a businessman; Ms. Adelaide Ahwireng, Managing Director of Fio Enterprises and Mr. Franklin Cudjoe; Founding President and CEO, IMANI.

The rest are Mr. Kofi Bentil Vice president, IMANI; Dr. Patrick Awuah, President, Ashesi University; Mr. Israel Titi-Ofei Principal, SOS-Hermann Gmeiner, Dr. Tony Oteng-Gyasi, Managing Director, Tropical Cable Ltd;Prof. Addae Mensah former Vice Chancellor, University of Ghana; Prof. J. S. Djangmah, Former Director-General, Ghana Education Service; Dr. Lydia Apori Nkansah Lecturer, KNUST Law School and Dr. K.B. Asante, retired diplomat and educationist.

Government’s decision to build more colleges of education is to increase the intake of students who apply to the colleges but are denied access due to limited facilities, as well as roll out a new programme which will focus on early childhood development.

Disagreeing with government, “the forum believes that instead of building the ten additional colleges of education, it would be appropriate if government can do it much more cost effectively by expanding existing ones and not building new ones and secondly, do it with qualitative improvement,” Prof. Stephen Adei said.

Splendid idea but…

Prof. Stephen Adei, while congratulating government for making such a consideration by focusing on teacher education believes that “the method is not the best”.

In his opinion, funds should rather be channeled to making quality, education at the colleges of education.

“The idea of focusing on teacher education is splendid. What we are saying is that the method is not the
best,” he said.

“First of all, we have 38 colleges already. Of the 38, the average intake is 400 which can easily be expanded to take 800. That is, you can double the teacher training immediately without any infrastructure administrative overhead and so the government can go ahead and do it in a much more cost effective way,” he explained.

The forum also raised concerns about the distribution of infrastructure and opportunities for students in public institutions compared to those in private schools.

They recalled days when a child from a deprived town could climb the ladder and enter one of the best secondary schools and eventually get admission to the university.

Prof. J. S. Djangmah, a former Director-General at the Ghana Education Service decried the poor quality of education being offered at the public schools and called for an improvement at that level by employing teachers with post graduate certificates.

“The public school child is probably getting the worse of education and it should be something we should be ashamed of,” he noted.

K. B. Asante also opined that although teacher education was very important, there was the need for teachers to be knowledgeable in their areas of specialization.

Govt is on the right course

While commending the Forum for showing interest in the educational interventions being made by government, Deputy Minister for Education, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa argued that government was on the right course in improving infrastructure at the tertiary level by establishing the additional 10 colleges of education.

According to him, the new colleges would focus on special needs which have been neglected by the already existing 38 colleges of education.

“The proposals are not mutually exclusive, we can still expand access as we are doing now… but the new ten colleges are going to focus on an area which is neglected, that is early childhood development of our children,” he said.

Asked whether the “specialty” could not be created in the existing colleges, Mr Ablakwa noted that the necessity had arisen due to the deficit of teachers which he estimated at about 60,000.

He added that government would be rolling out a programme under the watch of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to improving infrastructure at the various existing colleges of education.

Scrambling to honour

2013-08-01T02:43:00.002-07:00

Dr Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, CEO-Accra Metropolitan Assembly

An event does not cease to be an event because the media choose to ignore it. Nor do the people and events highlighted by the media necessarily leave any marks on history. Mrs Indira Gandhi.

Thomas Carlyle has submitted that, “no great man lives in vain. The history of the world is the biography of great men”. There is also an Irish proverb to the extent that, “you have to do your own growing no matter how tall your grandfather was”.

President John Dramani Mahama did the honourable thing by ordering the Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive to rescind his scramble to confer honour on the late President John Evans Atta Mills, and for openly acknowledging that the act was a sad mistake arising out of overzealousness. But, the inordinate act could have been nipped in the bud.

Dr Alfred Oko Vanderpuije may have acted in good faith to reward Prof. Mills for bringing him from obscurity to popularity, as within the last four years, the little- known headmaster in the United States has become a household name in Ghana.

When he embarked on his misdirected adventure, no one called him to account, and that is how he was emboldened to attempt to obliterate part of our history, in changing names. Just as those who attempted to erase the name of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah from our history failed, so will Dr Vanderpuije.

The issue, however, is whether the government should not take responsibility for his overzealousness. And now that the Theodosia Okoh Hockey Pitch has been restored, what about the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium and the High Street?

We need to learn to demonstrate a sense of nationalism and nationhood. Definitely Prof. Mills deserves and merits national recognition, but that must come from new ideas and developments, but not to recycle old things and give them new names. The cost could be unbearable.

There are lessons for all of us to learn. The changing of names, for which expenditures have been incurred to engrave for solely political reasons, must not be tolerated since that could be cyclical. All it means is that, when one party is in power, all national assets are scrambled and appropriated. When another party takes over things are changed. When will such reversals end, and to whose benefit? How do we build certainty into our history and national records?

That was what happened at the 50th anniversary of the Brong Ahafo Region, where the bust of Dr Kofi Abrefa Busia was removed. Neither Dr Busia nor Dr Nkrumah has diminished in history because some spurious attempts were made to deny them their share of our national history.

When we had the opportunity to print GH¢2 notes, we thought we were downplaying the other five of the Big Six when we excluded them, but that has not dampened the regard that some Ghanaians have for them in their role towards independence.

What it means is that we have to act when it matters and not wait until things appear to get out of hand. The time has, thus, come for all of us to agree on transparent guidelines and the assignment of responsibility for naming national edifices and monuments.

Again, public institutions must not renege or sleep over their duties and obligations and allow impunity to triumph. For as things stand now, if the National Sports Council and the Ministry of Sports had spoken when the overzealousness of Dr Vanderpuije and the assembly sprouted in changing the name of the sports stadium, the crave would not have blossomed to the national hockey pitch.

And as for those assembly members who only see themselves as stooges and passive pliants, they must know that they are assembly members in the name and mandate of the electorate, not appendages of chief executives. They must be the ones who must bow their heads in shame. For if they had not been subservient, docile and impotent in the hands of the metropolitan chief executive, we all would have been saved the gargantuan embarrassment.

May we be thankful to God and Mrs Theodosia Okoh that she was able to withstand the dastardly act and, more importantly never allowed her voice to be silenced in defending what is right.

She saved all of us and forced the government to reverse an otherwise ill-willed decision.

Overzealousness must never be part of good governance based on the rule of law and due process. It is not an option for rationalism.

By Yaw Boadu Ayebofoah/Ghana

Theodosia Okoh 'annoyed' over hockey stadium renaming

2013-07-25T10:51:00.001-07:00

Mrs Theodosia Okoh

National hockey star, Mrs Theodosia Okoh has spoken vehemently against the re-naming of the hockey stadium in Accra after the late President John Evans Atta Mills.

According her, the name change was not right and that it has 'annoyed' her greatly.

“It is annoying me at the moment. When I was lobbying for the construction of the pitch he was then in class three. When I have gone ahead to do something which can be named after me when I pass on, now you say you want to name it after him because he has taken lead (dead). Is that how it is done?”, Mrs Okoh who spoke in the Fante language told Accra-based Peace FM, Thursday morning.

The 91-year-old is a hockey star who once chaired the National Hockey Association and also designed the Ghana national flag.

She was instrumental in securing the present site for the hockey stadium at a time the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) tried to take over the land for an expanded lorry station.

The hockey stadium had already been named after the octagenarian who currently lives at Kanda in Accra for her contribution to the sport.

Surprisingly, the AMA through its chief Executive on Tuesday announced it had renamed the stadium after late President Mills as part of the celebration of the first anniversary of his death.

A number of people including retired sports journalist and former Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr
Joe Aggrey have described the AMA's move as illegal and dishonourable.

They argue it was not right as the stadium had already been named and that changing the name was disrespectful to the illustrious woman who is still alive.

Expressing her sentiments Mrs Okoh told Peace FM the latest development has “annoyed” her.
Announcing the name swap, Mr Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije said the move was in recognition of President Mills’ achievements in hockey, particularly for ensuring the construction of the stadium just months after assuming power in 2009.

In an earlier interview also on Peace FM, Mr Vanderpuije tried to justify the renaming of the stadium, saying that although the stadium had been named after the late president, the pitch would bear the name of Mrs Okoh.

Asked how that would honour Mrs Okoh, Mr Vanderpuije explained that Sports writers would always be asked to make reference to the pitch as bearing the name of Mrs Okoh when filing match reports.

That, he said would ensure that Mrs Okoh would be remembered for the pitch, whilst President Mills would be remembered for the stadium.

When this was brought to her attention, Mrs Okoh had this to say: “I don’t want it to be named after me. If I wanted it to be named after me, when I went for the land for the construction of the pitch, I would have named it after myself”.

“But you said you are not happy about the fact that it is being named after the late president,” the host asked.

“Would you be happy if it were you? That you have built something for the benefit of the entire country and you hear that it is being named after someone because he is dead? Or they want me to die before they name it after me?” she retorted.

“Would you wish that if they had the chance they change the name?” the host further asked.

“I want them to change it. Is it because he played on the pitch that is why it is being named after him? And they are saying that he contributed to the hockey sport in the country. Where did he contribute; in his hometown or where? He was not there when I was doing it. He was probably in class one at the time,” Mrs Okoh said.

Mrs. Okoh, a lover of hockey, played a lot of hockey with old Achimotans and held many responsible positions such as the Deputy Chairman for the Hockey Association. Using her position as Chairman of the Hockey Association, she fought to ensure that the only hockey pitch near the Electricity Corporation in Accra was maintained and not replaced by a lorry park.