Occupying The Flagstaff House: foolhardiness, anarchism and incendiarism

I have followed the trend - FB, twitter, whatsApp - and noticed the social media momentum gathering on this lost cause masterminded by faceless characters.

They have sat behind their computers to invite Ghanaians out on the 1st of July to illegally occupy the flagstaff house lawns - the seat of government - in protest or demonstration and dramatization of the suffering of the poor masses under the JM government.

Citizens have the right to assembly, yes. But that assembly must be within the law. No government in the world will tolerate the occupation of its seat of government by incendiary citizens and anarchists.

Things are truly hard in Ghana today, yes. I am feeling it more than some of the characters leading this lost cause. But and so what? Aren't we the same people who voted for this government? Didn't we have an option? Don't we have another option in 2016?

Or do these incendiary characters - who by the way and surprisingly includes some NDC members - suppose that Egypt is better off today under a military dictatorship after using anarchy to reject their so - called Non - performing Democratic leader?

Did we not have similar situations in the past under various leaders? Under President Kufuor, this nation degenerated to a point that poor trotro drivers were put into prison for violating traffic rules. Some drivers under Kufour were forced to kiss corpses at the 37 military hospital mortuary. Water became more scarce than petrol to the point that we introduced the "Kufuor gallons" in Ghana. Under all these bizarre situations nobody occupied Kufour's Presidency. We demonstrated everywhere in Ghana. Yes, I joined the WAHALA Demos personally. We did it from region to region. Nobody attempted or even contemplated on occupying the Presidency because we knew better. We love Ghana.

Why now?

Is it just a matter of demonstrating unhappiness and sufferings to the President? And occupying the lawns of the Presidency is the most prudent tactic? How about law and order?

Even under the military government of Chairman Rawlings, nobody in their right senses attempted to occupy the castle under worse circumstances. University students who once attempted to present a common petition to the castle met a brutal force that saw no repeat of such recklessness.

I think the organizers of this incendiary event are simply foolhardy. They even claim to have support from Europe for this event. Yes, they got the BBC to discuss it. The faceless and cowardly leaders are still not bold enough to disclose their identities, yet they expect well meaning and reasonable Ghanaians to join them on this misadventure.

I personally don't take these characters behind the planned occupation of the seat of government seriously. It is very easy to sit behind a computer or even on your phone and incite anarchy. It is a totally different ball game getting people out to join you in lawless acts. If the organizers were indeed that courageous to defy the public order act and the public force, they should have had the courage to show their faces by now. Why are they still wearing masks?

What difference do these guys intend to bring to the situation in Ghana with the flagstaff house occupation that cannot be realized through civil deliberations or demonstrations on the streets?

Do they actually believe that the President and his appointees will suddenly become better governors after the illegal occupation? - that is if they are ever allowed to occupy the lawns - which I double doubt. Or do they intend to forcefully remove the democratically elected President from power because they think he is not performing well?

Let the characters behind this reckless organization to occupy the seat of government be very clear on their minds, and not to be confused - not even for a second. Their intended action is very serious with regrettable consequences.

They may end up making noise about police and military brutalities under a democratic government when the security agencies carry out their lawful duties by forcefully getting rid of, or arresting the intended law breakers.

However, the people's government, legitimately elected and mandated to rule for four years have the constitutional mandate to protect the sovereignty of the state and the general will of the people.

I therefore call on the security agencies not to renege on their constitutional duties but to enforce the supreme constitution of Ghana come tomorrow - despite what anybody or group of bodies will say.

I call on all peace loving and civil citizens to ignore the call to go out and occupy the seat of government. We have chosen the rule of LAW and not of MEN. The rule of law must reign supreme.

SaCut Amenga - Etego

Aspiring Propaganda Secretary (NDC)

Can You Imagine?

Ghana is really changing indeed! I recently met this maiden. She is beautiful on the outside. I mean standard beauty. She is smart above average. She is charismatic. She is independent. Her attitude is tolerable. And her company is fun. She is a great decoration. However, there is a problem. She insisted on introducing me to her business man father. I hesitated, as i usually do with these sorts of requests but she was adamant. Eventually, i obliged. Now here is the bomb. The man introduced himself as a future father - inlaw. What?? Just now?? I think he got manipulated by my beard and quickly thought I would be a great husband! By the way, his house is an edifice. The man spoke lavishly. In fact, he is a braggard! In less than 30 minutes he told me of all his gargantuan worth. I was amazed at the speed at which he was going.. He then proposed to me to marry his daughter or not waste her time. He was stern. May be he wanted to intimidate me. He added, that he knows i don't have money but a bright future. Therefore, he will gimme aid to marry his daughter. The 'aid' will come in the form of a house, a highly priced car, and some cash. He wants a societal wedding! Shocked by his proposal, i asked him why he will do such a thing - considering that his daughter is capable of winning the heart of any man without inducement? And then he said, ' i hear you are famous. You have prospects and political connections. My daughter will be secured with you'. 'well, this sounds like a bribe, in anticipation of future considerations', i said. 'yes, i don't have money. I don't have a house. And yes, i only own an old fashioned rickety car but this your proposal sir, has made me feel even cheaper'. My 'father - inlaw' was not impressed with my response..so he asked me to go and think about it. Let me confess; I don't love his daughter. Help me think about it!

An Apology Of A Propaganda Secretary

I have received so many telephone calls from many young political animals in the past couple of months. All of them asked me the same question " Is it true you are running for NDC national Propaganda secretary"? 'Yes, I am considering running for the deputy position', I will say to them on the phone. 'Why not the main position? Who else can do it better than you in our generation', They would ask? I confess; that question gives me a smile. Why not the main position?? Why deputy?? Many of my friends have said to me that they cannot see any new generation political activist, well abreast with old and new media communication skills, more capable of running a propaganda secretariat for the NDC than I can. What a challenge! Unbelieving of my friends, I decided to embark on the onerous task of finding out if indeed there aren't more qualified people capable and committed enough for that strategic office of communication than I. I began by asking what basic skills are required to run a propaganda outfit. I found three most important: writing skills, speaking skills, and scheming/networking skills. Writing skills are crucially required since the mass media - print, broadcast, web portals, new social media etc - provide the channel for propagandists to disseminate their information. Speaking skills cannot be done without since the propagandist will need to substantiate what he writes through voice speech. Scheming/ networking skills form the foundation for propaganda since the propaganda scheme of the political opponent is laced with malice and demands an above average mind operating in the third dimension to be able to decipher and counteract appropriately. PROPAGANDA IS A BLOODLESS PSYCHOLOGICAL WAR that aims at either totally annihilating the political opponent or repairing the lethal impact of the political opponent's Propaganda machinery. And this WAR is not for weak hearts or unprepared minds. Besides, it takes a certain thinking to be able to align your propaganda war forces in scattered patterns, and to undermine the minds and psychology of your opponents. So: basically, these three qualities combined, the propagandist only need the full support of the party machinery to be effective. On this score, I dare say that, in the past five years, Propaganda within the ruling party has been so ineffective that a certain government and party communications team has taken over propaganda work, and they do so at their abysmal best, to no positive effect. Still in my quest to find the most qualified candidate for the December congress, I first looked within the office. The current secretary, Richard Quashiga (Hon) abandoned his post two year ago to join the legislature. He will excel at his new job provided that legislating is easier than propagating. I double doubt that anyways. The first deputy, Hajia Laadi (Hon), followed her boss to parliament as MP for Pusiga. With two Party propaganda officials now in parliament, there remains one deputy propaganda secretary Solomon Nkansah. Naturally, Mr. Nkansah feels like a heir apparent to the main position of Propaganda secretary of the ruling NDC. After all, he is the lover boy of General secretary Asiedu Nketia. He is also the god - son of "uncle Ato", one of the richest men in Ghana today and NDC kingpin. Unfortunately, god - Son - ism really does not bear propaganda fruits for a political party wanting to maintain power. I have never read a single piece of article authored by Mr. Nkansah as deputy propaganda secretary for the past four years. Mr. Nkansah does not even operate a Facebook account - not because he does not want to but because he lacks the know - how in such hi-tech areas. And I know it for a fact. On this score of writing/hi - tech networking skills, he is counted out in my books. On speaking skills, Mr. Nkansah specializes in speaking Fante. I cannot imagine that speaking eloquently in Fante can really propagate party policy or program to the entire nation, since Fante is not a lingua Franca. That also provides a deficiency in him. As for the third dimension thinking, it requires writing and speaking skills to manifest. Without the first and second skill, the third does not manifest at all. I know that It will not be pleasant in the ears of Mr. Nkansah and his surrogates, what I am writing here. However, it is the truth: that he is woefully unskilled and unqualified at this moment for the position of national propaganda secretary of the NDC. And Supporting him is tantamount to endorsing mediocrity. And since I am not in the mediocrity business, I disapprove of him. Having cast him aside in the analyses, there remains no one in the current office until elections are held in December 2014. What I don't understand is why so far, we have had people opt to run for the two deputy propaganda positions but no one seem BOLD enough to challenge the hegemony of the ruling national executive. And since I don't understand it, I opt to be different. I have written and published in the past seven years, over a hundred feature political pieces of articles, news paper columns, press statements and conferences, youth manifestos, not to mention new social media publications and constant blogging. These does not include my unpublished manuscripts. Again, taking the words of my friends, not as flattery, they tell me that I am an adroit writer when I try. I am not such an excellent speaker, but with practice, I can manage. And if what some people say I have an "evil genius" is anything to go by - what ever that means - then I believe I can think in the "third dimension" and translate that into writing and speaking propaganda. Besides, as a media man, I am strategically positioned to align more prudently with the conveyors of propaganda. Since the daunting investigation have yielded no suitable candidate - both capable and committed - to run effective and results oriented propaganda for the ruling NDC, I am left with no option but a moral mandate to take up the challenge and contest the ultimate position to prevent a mediocre propaganda outfit totally incapable of matching the opposition NPP boot for boot in the next general election from emerging. We can do better. I will do better. Amenga -Etego Akaabitono SaCut (Aspiring National Propaganda Secretary, NDC) www.sacutamenga-etego.blogspot.com — with Larry Gbevlo-Lartey and 20 others.

Seriously Speaking

Yes, I am seriously speaking. We live in a society in which human rights have been ursurped by dogs. And who are they that have transfered the rights of man to dogs?? Dogs nowadays don't feed on crumbs of bones like we saw growing up. It is men who now look for crumbs - but to no avail. The rich and powerful - of course! Who else? Aren't they the ones who champion the social gospel of Christ? And don't they occupy the front seats in the church at congregation? Akin to the pharisees? Yet these are the people who have taken away the fundamental human rights of the poor to food.. Not only that, these rights have been transfered to dogs. And yes, that is what is envoke. Rich and powerful people keep a 'foreign dog/s', feed them on a foreign meal at a dollar price per day - a cost relative per day capable of alleviating hunger in large communinal house holds for a week in Ghana. Well, these days there are rationalising but untenable arguments about security etc. Of course, the rich man has the right to protect himself, his family and property from intruders with all the dogs they want. However, the rich man has more to fear from hungry neighbourhood mobs whose rights to food has been transfered to watch dogs. The hungry masses are the ultimate threat to the rich and powerful. And even though the beastly dogs may protect them -for a while-after eating the fat crumbs - animals have never been able to tame man in the course of history. Therefore, ultimately, dogs can never protect man from man's machinations against man. This makes the security argument an illusion. What is sad about this 'popular culture' is how unaware, or rather more appropriately, how unconcerned or indifferent, rich people are about what destruction it is they are doing to the human society - the elevation of so - called pet - animals above poor people. Let me just remind all the rich and powerful people - lawyers, doctors, bankers, politicians, business men, pastors, con men, artists, journalists, foot ballers etc etc - that if they ever die any where in the absence of their family, or friends, their well fed dogs will have no role to play. The poor starving neighbour may give them a burial or even a police report. Better still, since the rich have become obsessed with their own funerals, and since funerals are all about human numbers to dignify them, let the rich men and women be aware that Dogs - foreign or local breeds - do not attend funerals. Again, they will need the poor miserable masses to make up the numbers for their final dignity - that's if they have any left at end of their greedy lifes! It's a shame!

If only we could learn from the Chinese people!

We are a funny people here. sometimes, we are almost like clowns. To make it worse, we don't even realize it. Yes, we Ghanaians, if not Africans! ...And yes, think deeply! We laugh and mock, sometimes, we even display disdain towards the Chinese people and their global cultural brand. We can't even attempt to deny it. For instance, we here regard any piece of article originating from China as 'cheap' - and in our 'civilized' minds, 'cheap' is inferior...cheap is bad...not for us. We hardly appreciate any gift of Chinese origin - even from our loved ones. It is not uncommon to hear some people say to you ' I need you to buy for me a gadget for my birthday or for Christmas, but I don't want a cheap Chinese brand'... In fact, we make effort to avoid any product - Chinese. For us, such Chinese products are only for those who cannot afford the 'NATO ITEMS' or the 'superior popular cultural products' - the poor folks! If we are not clowns, then we are confused. How can we here in Africa reject cheap substitutes from China and clamor for Western items, only to have the Westerners themselves scrambling for cheap Chinese goods? Have we hesitated for a second, to ask ourselves why President Barack Obama will make an extra effort to be in good terms with the Chinese leader at a time when Hong Kong is a tight ally of Moscow, Washington's cold war enemy? In my books, it is because the Chinese have succeeded in making themselves indispensable to the global village with a global Chinese brand - the cheap and affordable brand. No nation can do without the Chinese. China will, if it already hasn't, take over the world political - economy in the present future. It all started from a Chinese cultural revolution that was begun several years ago by their visionary and culturally conscious leaders. The attempts at cultural revolution by the Chinese failed severally but with persistence and clarity of mind from the Chinese leadership and people, they made it. The Chinese succeeded in making anything they ever need - and more - in China. But what are we doing here in Ghana? In Africa? we are naively mocking at cheap Chinese goods, and yet, even our matches we use to light up fire in our kitchens come from Indonesia. Even as we wallow in our chronic poverty, we still feel pretty expensive in our minds. Double sadly, we are happy about our 'choice' and content to be stuck as 'universal consumers' of other people's goods with alacrity - including of course, the same Chinese goods we reject when we think we can afford alternatives from America and Europe - insofar as they are not priced 'cheap'. How much more naive can we become? If only we could learn from the Chinese cultural revolution, we would be way ahead of our time, and we would have a global cultural identity! Amenga - Etego Akaabitono SaCut - The writer is a multi - media political Journalist, ghost writer, broadcaster & political communicator

Ghana at 57 - let's see our leaders in the mirror not on the Television

At 57 I see Ghana's biggest problem is a cultural one. The 'dominant society' has a grotesque grip on our minds. We have an identity crisis..not everyone will agree - of course! Our lives are driven by the 'popular culture', which obviously is a different people's 'national culture' packaged and delivered on the platform of globalization in a so - called liberalized new world market order.. It now seem at 57 that the founders of our nation took no concrete steps to protect our cultural heritage, and carve a national cultural identity . If that were done, perhaps, Ghana will be exporting things of culture, of value, rather than being perpetual importers of all things including other people's national cultures. The protection and promotion of Our national culture and identity was disregarded at the foundation of our nationhood. It now even seem to some that our problems as a nation are insurmountable insofar as they are linked to our 'borrowed culture' or acquired tastes. How can we for example, expect the Ghana cedi to appreciate when we don't eat our own locally produced rice in our homes - less 'they' call us 'uncivilized'? Who are 'they'? The 'dominant society'. Pop culture says those who wish to be seen as 'cool' are those who eat so called perfumed rice from Texas - USA or from Thailand in the absence of the American brand. Sadly, at 57,we don't even agree among ourselves as to what exactly our problem is, as a nation. Some prefer to blame our leaders. Yes, blame them all you can, they are also victims. My solution is that at 57, we must demystify leadership. We must stop looking for leadership on the television or the radio. You can only expect misdirection from a prostitute mainstream media that serve as the vehicle for the same values passed on to us by the western style dominant society. When I think about it, if I can't lead myself, who can lead me? Leadership starts from the individual directing his own thoughts..his own tastes..his own actions..his own choices.. At 57, Let us see our leaders from the mirror, not the TV. Happy Independence Anniversary to all my compatriots! Be a Black star where ever you find yourself on the planet at this moment of truth. Amenga - Etego Akaabitono SaCut - a political journalist, broadcaster & ghost writer.

The Hostility Of Cairo

I was one of those lucky fans, but also courageous Ghanaians who dared to enter into Cairo Tuesday 19th November 2013 to cheer our national team the Black Stars in that final encounter which qualified Ghana into the 2014 FIFA WORLD CUP in Brazil. There was so much talk about insecurity in Cairo prior to the game. With a military government in place there after the overthrow of the Democratically elected president this year, It seemed to our minds, or at least, to my mind, that we were going into a rowdy city. Cheerfully, It was not. Well, we went into a quiet city. Even though we the fans were asked to report at the Kotoka airport here in Accra at 12:00 midnight, all the process at the Kotoko airport lasted between that time and 5: 30 am Tuesday morning. Imagine such a long night standing between siting, talking and walking. We finally took off with a chatted Egypt Air flight lasting six hrs to Cairo. It was like sitting in a bus from Accra to Bolgatanga, so long and boring at some point. When I first sat in the flight,I said to myself, well, Egypt is better than Ghana, at least, in that they own a national career. I imagined how Much government of Ghana was paying the Egyptians to carry us on their own plane from Accra to Cairo and back to Accra, simply because as a nation, we have failed woefully in managing our own national career which was established by our forebears and collapsed because of a lack of discipline on the part of our political and business leaders over the years. So lets say that I began that journey with some thoughts of Lamentations for Mother Ghana. There were all categories of fans. Some called themselves GOLDEN AGE SUPPORTERS UNION, JM SUPPORTS BLACK STARS, APSU etc etc. there were also some of us who were unlabeled. I went to Cairo as a journalist. We arrived in Cairo airport at mid - day to be welcomed to Egypt by the smell of Tobacco all over the place. Cairo is definitely a smoking city. And if what we witnessed in Cairo is anything to go by, Egypt is a smoking nation. Almost every airport worker was smoking tobacco in the open. Cairo airport even have 'smoking rooms' where workers and travelers can seclude themselves and cloud themselves in tobacco smoke. At the airport, one Ghanaian supporter was detained briefly for entering into Cairo without a valid visa. How he managed to do that remains a mystery. Refreshingly, there was a free WiFi here at the Cairo airport which enabled me to post one photograph on my Facebook wall to announce our arrival to Cairo that afternoon. The buses were waiting outside of the airport. With a suit - wearing driver accompanied by suit - wearing security man with a walkie - talkie in hand, each bus was supposed to be secured. We were instructed by the security man in each bus to close all curtains and not attempt to look outside the bus. Our curiosity to see the streets of Cairo did not allow some of us to strictly adhere to that sort of instruction. I tried to look as the buses moved in a convoy. I noticed too many construction works and excavations going on in Cairo, or at least, along the route that was taken by our buses. The landscape had the semblance of a desert. The driver pulled over at a hotel named Le Passage. We the supporters were again instructed by the security man on the buses to remain seated. Of course, we obliged. Soon, food was brought into the buses. Each one for a box of assorted food and fruit. In addition to rice and chicken, there were vegetables and pastries. I had a piece of banana on my plate. Something was missing and everyone noticed it - water. These desert warriors don't play with water. When we loudly demanded water, it took the security man on the bus not less than ten minutes to give us a hostile response of '' no water, only food, no water''. He was very stern in his demeanor and gesticulation. I couldn't understand. I needed water much more than I needed food that afternoon. On the top of my voice, I shouted out ' Is this how you welcome visitors to Egypt? First thing we give to visitors in Ghana is water. Give us water now or take your food'. That shout only worsened by thirst as I didn't even get a glimpse from the security man in response. He ignored us completely, then I remembered that we are not in democratic Ghana where people can demand their due - there was a military government in - charge of Egypt. So with solid food in the stomach without water, we headed for the 30th June stadium which also is a military encampment. There were more soldiers than there were fans. Apart from the guns in their hands, almost all those I saw also had cigarettes in their hands. Cigarettes must be the cheapest thing in Cairo. Even journalists were distracted from their work by the cigarettes in their hands. At the entrance, a friend of mine dared to borrow a cigarette from one Egyptian security man. ' Can I borrow a cigarette' ? He requested whiles stretching his hand. And here comes the rude awakening. ' You want cigarette? Bring money' responded, the Egyptian man, unwilling to part with a free cigarette to a Ghanaian visitor. My insistent friend decided to give the Egyptians a lesson on hospitality. 'You have to welcome me to Cairo with a free cigarette ' he said whiles stretching his hand to receive one. He got it finally, accompanied by fire to light, it took us into our stands. Here, we saw a couple Ghanaian supporters holding some bottles of water. They bought each bottle for US$7. Water is Gold on this desert called Egypt. Of course, some of us couldn't afford it - even if it was sold in Gh cedis. Understandably, our energies were low at the stadium. Our voices too sounded horrible considering the dry throats we used. Determined to cheer our black stars, we still tried to put up a good performance but these desert warriors won't let us. With laser lights, they beamed into our eyes offensively - and they did it without apology. If they were not pointing it at our players on the field, they were on us the supporters on the stands. It was so irritating, you have no idea. The hostility of Cairo was coming to it's peak. I am sure you saw it on on television. With US$ 1m winning bonus promise from the military government determined to hold on to power by any means necessary, the Egyptian players put up their best performance. As we cheered, we debated the US $ 1m. Could these power usurpers, who we are told, have been denied funds by their American friends and allies, really afford a million dollars for each Egyptian player if they beat Ghana by more than 5 goals to qualify for Brazil 2014? or were the soldiers just yapping?Some of us argued that their promise was just a populist move - one of those discredited communist inferior tactics usually employed by soldiers everywhere to get the support of the masses. The Egyptian military rulers knew that it was near impossible to beat the black stars of Ghana with so many goals to qualify them for Brazil World Cup. Nevertheless, that tactic employed by the military regime went as far as energizing the Egyptian football players beyond reasonable doubt. According to what I saw on the pitch, their formula was ' If you miss the ball, don't miss the man' and they had a timid referee to give them back up. Unfortunately for the Egyptians that day, God was a Ghanaian. Sending us back home after the game wasn't such a daunting task for the Egyptians. We left the military stadium at about 10 pm under full military protection and direction straight to that same hotel where we got lunch without water earlier in the afternoon. This time, we were allowed to disembark and walk into the hotel where assorted dinner - and of course water for the first time since we arrived in Egypt - was waiting for us. Just imagine the stampede from thirsty and hungry foot soldiers turned black stars supporters who were asked to serve themselves. Many foot soldiers headed first for water - naturally. Others went for food without knowing it's names or tastes. That seemed like a recipe for disappointment. One foot soldier after loading his plate with tasteless junk food came to sit by me. Upon his first attempt at tasting the food, he turned round to ask me ' what food is this' ?....but amazed by his unreasonable question, I asked him why he didn't ask that question before fetching the food. He left immediately to replace. Whiles here, I gulped at least 5 gargantuan glasses of water, plus, there was another free WiFi to power my iPad which was now full of interesting pictures from Cairo which I wanted to share with my social media friends. I took advantage immediately. This other guy had been so famished without water the whole day he decided to harvest water from the various tables after dinner. He carried with him two empty bottles, and from where he got those bottles, I don't know since the Egyptians did not serve their water in bottles. As he harvested, he got to a table near us but occupied by Egyptian security men. He found a glass full of water. The owner, a security man, had gone for more food. As he emptied the glass of water into his bottle, the owner returned and caught him in the act. The Egyptian was uncharitable as he grabbed the glass of water with anger and replaced it on the table to the disappointment of the Ghanaian foot soldier. Visibly angry at the very provincial act of the Ghanaian soccer fan, the Egyptian security man began an amusing narrative to all his colleagues who were willing to listen and laugh off the night. Such a worthy ambassador of Ghana! I felt ashamed as a Ghanaian witness. Anyways, the Ghanaian ambassador to Egypt, Alhaji Said Sinare who welcomed us into Egypt in the afternoon was also at the Cairo airport that night to give us a goodbye handshake as part of his diplomatic routine after late dinner. When I got into the returning flight, I concluded that Cairo was undoubtedly hostile to us. May be hostility is their nature but who knows, it could have been out of their envy over us going to Brazil at their expense. A desperate man is capable of anything including hostility. What ever be the case, we had the last laugh. I say ayeekoo Black stars! Brazil, here we come. And hopefully, the Brazilians being half Africans and not Arabians, we may come home with a better story of hospitality to tell come next year. Amenga -Etego Akaabitono SaCut - The writer is a political journalist, broadcaster and ghost writer.