Finally, a Niche!

 

Finally, former President Mahama has found a common niche with President Akuffo-Addo, the IMF! However, Mr. Mahama considers Vice President (VP) Bawumia and Finance Minister (FM) Ofori-Atta failures, hence, unqualified for IMF negotiations (Graphic online, Jul - 02 – 2022). Mr. Mahama’s contempt is misplaced; credit precedes criticism.

The VP who has introduced digitization to Ghana, appreciably formalizing the economy, bringing much needed convenience and expedited services to Ghanaians, is not a failure. Similarly, the FM who has handled finance for six years, widening access to secondary education, who paid public service workers for the nine months they did not work during COVID-19 lockdown, fed numerous low-income earners, increasing public service wages alongside, cannot be a failure. He cautioned the TUC in early 2022 that the state could ill-afford the wage increase demand, since 60 % of the national funds go into salaries.

The duo that ingeniously rolled out the Nation Builders’ Corps concept, engaging a backlog of unemployed graduates, cannot be failures. The concept pushed into various sectors, a cross-section of graduates who could not be employed by the Mahama Administration, due to IMF employment freeze, because they received allowances, not salaries. The engaged experienced financial relief, received technological training and industrial experience.

Digitization has propelled a strong programme in Information Communication Technology for learners, especially girl education. Additionally, the VP has initiated a sophisticated entrepreneurship laboratory for (youth) skill acquisition, alongside short- and long-term skill development programme for various trades. Utilizing national funds for currency in human resource development is not a failure. Indeed, fiscal issues could have even been better handled, shortcomings contributing to current economic crisis, but that is a painful dent, not failure.

Mr. Mahama has more in common with President Akuffo-Addo than the former apparently realizes. When Mr. Mahama converted six polytechnics to technical universities (TUs) in 2016, he stressed the urgent need for competency-based training. Logically, his administration supplied industrial equipment and machinery for practical instruction.

However, his grave error remains neglecting to engage grassroot polytechnic stakeholders to ascertain impediments to hands-on training. Else, he would have realized the endangered status of hands-on training due to systemic marginalization of technicians. The polytechnic system had failed to develop a career path for technicians. Consequently, they divert for progression. Though TUs received machinery and equipment, persistent scarcity in technicians obstructs the nurturing of competent graduates for industry.

If the TUs had fulfilled the mandate for competency-based training, President Akuffo-Addo’s policy of One-District: One Factory could have been smoothly rolled out, strengthening national manufacturing base. A competitive manufacturing sector could have strengthened the Cedi, improved sustainable employment, opened avenues for new joblines and commodity export, which might have improved the nation’s GDP and effectively hold the IMF at bay.

To wit, policies initiated by the Executive must be rolled out by stakeholders – public, private and consumers. Stakeholder profligacy implies that excellent policies, birthed by huge investments, remain dormant, and funds cannot be recouped. Sinking national coffers roll to the IMF. Which stakeholders are breathing fire on the Vice President and Finance Minister, which torch is being branded by Mr. Mahama? Ironically, the IMF believes in the country’s leadership (Daily Graphic Jul.7, p.22).

Common Fault

One major governance drawback of both Mr. Mahama and President Akuffo-Addo has been their failure to operate meritocracy. Consequently, sycophancy has smeared both regimes, yielding, in Senyo Hosi’s candid summary, “PR stunts filled with untruths, financial malpractices and sub-optimal governance just to sustain personal interests and footsoldier fleeces.”  (Jul - 06 – 2022, graphic online).

Excellent pragmatic policies have been initiated in the past six years, but a saturated environment of nepotism, indolence, opportunism and wastefulness, rapidly erodes the impact. The human capital needed to bolster the economy for innovation, mostly, believe they are entitled to wealth and privilege, alarmingly missing the willpower that propels societal progress. Such sing, pray and boast whilst Ghana regresses.

Synergy
Synergy might salvage not only the economy but Ghanaian dignity. The constant dancing with IMF implies – in the Akan language – akͻhwisεm (national) wastefulness, an abhorring reputation, as Miss Elizabeth Ohene has so succinctly captured it (Jul 6, 2022 Daily Graphic).

Shirking repulsive materialism, regressive debates, fanatism for diligence is required. Halting the commercializing of education for human capital is necessary. Pursuing quality education to impact the intellect for astuteness would refine. Human capital with emotional intelligence, a high sense of moderation and duty, plus community sense, could halt the wasteful attitude.

The nation has enough for everybody’s needs but not enough for the majority greed. Choices and consequences! Assertiveness spirit, commitment, perseverance, good humour, diligence might make us commit to humans, not vain wealth. Discipline, fenced by moderation and conscientiousness, might aid us to bid eternal farewell to the IMF at no. 18.

 

Joseph Mgimba: Inspiration for the Industrious

 

Heard of Mgimba? He is the Ugandan man who has made a fortune selling cockroaches to China. He discovered this peculiar culinary habit of the Chinese – fried cockroach stew – and started growing cockroaches. Neighbours who observed him harvesting thousands of cockroaches poured scorn on his endeavour. Now a millionaire, Mgimba was interviewed on BBC recently. A word to Ken Ofori-Atta and the boss of the Ghana Export Promotion Centre is enough.

That was a PS to the columnist Enimil Ashon’s article in the June 24^th, 2022 edition of the Daily Graphic. Researching Joseph Mgimba yielded a short article affirming that “he trains and sells cockroaches for a living”. I perceive three significant implications in Mgimba’s story:

 

Acumen at Work

That some unprogressive Chinese have descended on Africa like hungry scavengers is evident from their participation in illegal mining, culminating in the destruction of potable water and affable lands – Ghana. In some African countries, unscrupulous Chinese are spearheading donkey poaching, having desecrated the elephant species for ivory. Thanks to conniving, unethical indigenous businesses, Chinese junk goods have flooded the Ghanaian market, with deplorable implications.

Amidst skewed business relationships, Joseph Mgimba symbolizes a hand of industrial competition. For a change, Chinese money is coming to Africa, not as a soft loan but as revenue earned through African ingenuity. An indigene, evidently astute, has successfully studied the Chinese eating habit to set up a thriving culinary business with that community, thus, making complete nonsense of that individual Chinese bigot’s ignorant claim in Malawi that Africans have low IQ. On the contrary, Africans can be just as industrious as the Chinese, but we are respectful.

Lessons from Mgimba

Joseph Mgimba’s novelty must not remain an isolated case. Africans have been streaming to China for higher studies in recent times, most returning with terminal degrees. If they exercised Mgimba’s kind of astuteness, a cross-section of African industry would be servicing Chinese needs. Then, we could gradually balance the investment scales through acquired knowledge and skill application.  It is never too late though.

Enimil Ashon threw Mgimba’s novelty at the court of the Finance Minister and Director of Ghana Export Promotion Centre, but he should have cast the net farther. In fact, he should have forcefully hurled the inspiring story and implications at the teeming unemployed. This diligent, shrewd Malawian is cashing in on a needy situation, a business gap, ready to get his hands dirty, as opposed to many unemployed Ghanaians, especially, the youth, forever waiting for government to employ them, so that they can get all dressed up and go sit in an office.

Look, the Industrious Mgimba                                                                                          
Consider Mgimba’s courage in convincing himself to commence his unusual business. Imagine the effort it must have cost him to go on tedious rounds, first acquainting Malawian neighbours, friends and families, even strangers, of his weird concept, probably informing them of his plan to collect cockroaches from their not so clean spaces. Imagine the thousands of hours he must have spent on his rounds, detecting and strategizing to catch the slippery insects alive. Consider the creativity it must require to breed/train cockroaches, feed them and ensure their safety in enclosed spaces, considering that they are free rangers.

Imagine Mgimba’s tenacity in defying neighbours' scorn in relentless pursuit of his business target. Imagine the resilience he mustered to convince himself of his sanity and business potential, and one would sadly realize that those are the very qualities lacking in many unemployed Ghanaians, especially the youth, who glorify riches but abhor diligence. One sad consequence of the current propensity of many contemporary Ghanaian to get rich quick is that they would never experience Mgimba’s sense of achievement, which endows an individual with the most glorious and dignifying feeling, emanating from accomplishing an arduous task.

Conceiving an idea and strategizing to turn dream into reality remains a human triumph. Out of such daring dreamers come innovation and adaptability. Such ones have a keen sense of observation which drives them to smell opportunity from afar and muster courage to grab opportunity. Such do not wait for government or connections to offer them unmerited jobs. Rather, they study for adaptable skills and explore opportunities. Joseph Mgimba is worthy of emulation, because he epitomizes determination.

The good news is that the knowledge and entrepreneurial skills Mgimba needed to propel him to his current position are within reach of young and old. Through the Skills Development programme run by vocational centres, technical institutes, NVTI and technical universities in Ghana, literates as well as illiterates can access flexible 21st Century vocational training for sustainable, innovative and adaptable job creation competence. For the truly determined, the target is the globe, not China, but the price is hard work

Leadership in Ghana: A Concept in Crisis

 

During one community elections, three young adults visited me; we had the exchange below:

Would-be-contestant: I want to contest the … position; what advice do you have for me?

Me: You should have told me that you have identified this or these challenges, which you plan to help your community with, so what is your plan?

All three people: No one spoke; they just stared at me. (I realized that they had no plan and were clueless about leadership.)

Me: You go, look around and identify one or two major challenges. Brainstorm ideas and come back and share with me. I will advise as necessary. (They never came back, so I thought they had given up.)

I was away on the day of election but returned to meet the celebration. I almost swooned when I saw the community leader elected – the non-starter who had sought my advice. I had not realized that the position in question was the topmost one.

My enquiries revealed that the election had been purely territorial, not about qualities or vision. Voters were just happy to vote for someone from their side of community. Logically, the community lost in so many ways under that visionless leadership. Upon serious reflection, it hit me that many Ghanaians leaders are clueless about leadership.

One course I thoroughly and absolutely enjoyed teaching was Executive Communication, part of a professional programme at NIIT. I loved the course for its rich content and broad treatment of the concept of leadership. Learners were helped to understand that leadership is not about a person but about qualities such as loyalty, courage, commitment, determination, integrity, enthusiasm, empathy, vision, collaboration, humility and initiative, to name these. Leadership is about protecting and preserving national legacies and natural resources for all generations.

Leadership is about possessing a vision which others might not even begin to contemplate and having the knowledge and willpower to translate the vision into achievable goals that ordinary citizens can pursue for progress, obstacles notwithstanding. Leadership is the ability to mobilize human resources and motivate them to utilize natural and other resources effectively for sustainable benefits. Leadership is harnessing available human energies to maximize community efforts and productivity. A leader who can do that must be an empathetic listener, read vigorously and analytically, critically observe others and collaborate respectfully, speak to create harmony in order to persuade others to act. A true leader strives for excellence, so leadership is service.

Indeed, leadership is hard work, which begins after the contest is won. Again, upon reflection, I realized that it is the opposite in Ghana. Here, one works hard during election campaign to mobilize supporters who can convince people to vote for a contestant, because s/he might be rhetorical or good looking or belong to a geographical area or possesses wealth. Once a contestant jumps the election hurdle successfully, s/he can relax, enjoy hefty service conditions, feed close associates and let the system run itself down. Merely being elected earns one a title of good deed, whereas in other communities, a leaders must excel to earn a title. Since election success is a reward in Ghana, what else is left to motivate a leader to work hard.

Leadership is not just about the leader but also about the people being led. Leaders can afford complacency when followers are satisfied with crumbs. The latter swallow lofty promises only to be shunned after elections. Often, the electorate complains of politicians who change their phone numbers after they have won an election. Instead of going to the people to mobilize them for fruitful works, the elected shun the electorate. Many a Ghanaian leader leaves fully air-conditioned official house for the official air-conditioned vehicle – leaves the air-condition on when they have to consult or shop enroute – works from air-conditioned office and back to the house, leadership in luxury. The beneficiary followers neither see nor hear nor speak evil.

Because many Ghanaians know and accept this warped sense of leadership, a true, innovative, determined, and assertive leader who collaborates, serves by putting community first and utilize resources effectively to pre-empt waste, becomes an adversary. That leader is derided rather than commended for loyalty and commitment. The constant reward for such committed leaders is painful isolation. Yet, such possess grit and maintain their focus on humanity. Though exhausted, they trudge on to protect citizens and national legacies, the combined strength of the committed few balancing the outrageous strength of the delinquents to keep nation going, setting precedent, and giving hope to the dedicated few.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Organic Concept in Agriculture: Broadening Perspectives

 

On Wednesday, May 25, 2022, the Agriculture Minister spoke about the high cost of inorganic fertilizers vis-a-vis Government’s constrained purse. He shared that the Ministry is considering organic compost as alternate, stressing financial potential: Organic products have significant market advantage over inorganic ones and enjoy better patronage in Europe. Organic composting is a welcoming idea since a lot of food exported from Ghana fail to meet safety standards of Europe due to overly concentration of chemicals.

In rolling out such ideas, governments usually rely on research institutions and industry. Logically, the Minister mentioned Zoomlion, which is running a compost Plant in the Greater-Accra Region. Other regions have also initiated the concept, so it is appropriate that the Ministry would adapt current practices to solve emerging problems. A media person sought the reaction of a compost expert from Zoomlion.

In a typical Ghanaian fashion, the expert readily enumerated the challenging factors of the plan. He mentioned that composting is capital intensive, and it is not feasible to get the amount of biodegradable waste required for such high amounts of compost. He concluded that the Government must find means to keep importing inorganic fertilizer. Indeed, the Minister had only implied a reduction in patronage.

The Bigger Picture

A more enthusiastic expert would have perceived immediately the numerous benefits that his company stands to gain from the idea, the basic being increased production, which would entrench his own employment and position. Zoomlion would engage more hands to staff the regional branches that would necessarily emerge to feed the grassroots, thus, reduce unemployment. Demand for compost would rise, and higher sales might translate into better remuneration.

Additionally, a national organic compost programme would promote safe and effective waste management. Research has revealed that 60-65 % of waste generated in Ghana is biodegradable, some placing it at 70 %. To wit, with innovative and effective mobilization skills, Zoomlion could ensure a sustainable, frugal supply of waste materials throughout the year. Best of all, such a plan would reduce by the same amount the mountains of waste besieging our communities.  

The primary step in plan implementation would be a national orientation in layered waste segregation to aid systematic composting. Inevitably, knowledge in composting would spill over to vermicomposting, sensitizing children and youth to different faces of agriculture. Organic composting would promote best gardening practices, nurture topsoil to yield healthy food products for gardeners, possibly increasing knowledge and interest in agriculture.

If the Government initiated the plan and Zoomlion became a leading stakeholder, the company would stand a great opportunity in securing international collaboration. South Africa, Australia, UK, Europe and the US have developed excelling organic waste management industries which yield tons of topnotch compost for domestic and export purposes. Established entities might collaborate with Zoomlion and other local companies to transform the agricultural and biodegradable waste sectors into sustainable manufacturing and income sources while enhancing food safety. Government could also invite such entities to establish in Ghana to boost local efforts.

Environmental Benefits  

The landfills across the country do not constitute just an eyesore but also degrade the environment. US Environmental Protection Agency affirmed in 2021 that landfills and other sources emit methane, a greenhouse gas which accounts for about 20 % of global emissions, trailing carbon dioxide. Complacent Ghanaians claim that waste generation in the country is not significant enough to contribute to global warming. Yet, China and Nigeria are among the eight countries responsible for all anthropogenic methane emission. Considering the flooding of Chinese manufacturing, operations of Nigerian entrepreneurs, and proliferating landfills in Ghana, methane recovery is a necessity.

A collaboration with foreign organic waste entities would likely include technologies for methane recovery for profitable energy utility. Again, such a move would imply creation of new job lines to reduce unemployment. Ironically, there is existing skill for methane recovery and utilization, but neither research institutions nor industry is harnessing such skills, wasting potential human resources. A compost programme could reverse the unacceptable situation.

A laudable idea, already yielding multiple benefits in other communities, has been conceived by the Ministry. Collaboration from research institutions and industry would, not only bloom the idea but also broaden the bases enough for grassroot participation. It is time experts applied acquired knowledge to solve community, national and global problems. Could they fulfil expectations?

E-Levy: Another Victim of Ghanaian Alliterate Culture

 

On Thursday, May 5, 2022, whilst topping my mobile wallet –not e-levied – a conversation ensued between the vendor and another client:

Client:(Sternly) I am withdrawing money from my account; don’t you dare tax me even one Cedi!
Vendor: Withdrawal from your account does not attract e-Levy.
Client: (Smiling) Really, no e-Levy?
Vendor: No. Transferring money to another person’s wallet attracts e-Levy, not your own withdrawal. (Vendor and I chorused): You are fighting what you do not even understand.

The exchange reminded me of two national policies that suffered ignorant antipathy: At the maiden plenary session of the 2007 Educational Review, the Director of Curriculum Review and Development Design, now NaCCA, lamented that the Religious and Moral Education subject was not impacting moral values of pupils, focus on religious issues notwithstanding. A lengthy debate in the succeeding sessions culminated in the consensus that rather than teach/learn values in isolation under one subject, moral values should be worked into all the subjects. Social Studies would tackle religious issues.

The Director’s logic still resonates with me: Market women knock inwards the bottom of measuring tins for grains, short-changing customers. Scales are also adjusted to cheat customers. In a pragmatic discussion of addition or percentages, teachers could explain that a tampered tin or adjusted scales do not give expected value for money – Dishonest. All subject areas, including English Language, worked assiduously to incorporate moral and cultural values into lessons, also managing social-emotional learning. It was a strenuous effort to render education practical.

The Reviewers never expected the hue and cry that greeted the first draft syllabus over the removal of Religious and Moral Education. The most vociferous protest came from the Churches. Apparently, the Review Committee and the sitting Government were antichrist to dare remove such a subject. Through all the pontification, however, I gleaned that they had not read the syllabi. The superficially about subject removal, disregarding rationale and replacement effort, was numbing.

The subjected was reinstated; paradoxically, pupil morality has continued to dip to the lowest ebb. Eighteen years later, we are harvesting increasing basic school alcohol/drug addiction, materialism, immorality culminating in teenage pregnancies, unplanned births, unnecessary curtailment of girl/child education, and a perpetuation of female dependency and poverty statuses. Could we, possibly, have done better with the original 2007 curriculum draft?

The Comprehensive Sex Education concept yielded another national hollow ruckus from the uniformed. One Monday, I was meeting four professional groups, so I sought learner perspective. Their only apprehension was the open discussion of sex, arguing it would arouse children’s curiosity. I explained it was purported to open discussion on sex, sensitize children, among others, about being touched wrongly, even by parents, potentially raise assertive children to resist/reduce child molestation, promote responsible attitude towards sex. I asked who had read the document. No one in four tertiary professional groups had read the document, yet they were condemning it.

The dialogue above starkly reminded me that we are treading the same alliterate route with E-Levy, so I ask ALL adversaries: Have you read the document? If any antagonist, like the client above, has not read and understood taxed items, exemptions, what is the moral grounds for heightened antagonism? Sheer antipathy to taxation – civic responsibility?

Residents who have embraced superficiality are not interested in adjustments for genuine human resource development and empowerment. If we treaded a literate course, all radio and TV stations would devote an hour each day to explain the E-Levy through knowledgeable tax personnel throughout 2022. Pressure groups and Ghanaian think tanks would collaborate with the NCCE and Ghana Revenue Authority/Ministry of Education/Adult Education/the Media to simultaneously design grassroots education and critique the process to straighten Government.

A literate Ghana would be critically poring over the tax details for responsibilities, exemptions, potential for national economic sustenance. An analytical Ghana would be scrutinizing the digitization process GRA is utilizing for fair taxation, the savvy of ICT personnel involved, the competence and integrity of communication service providers/Momo operators, the technological knowledge/infrastructure they have for competent services. We have responsibilities! My question to each stakeholder: Have you read the E-Levy document?

The Mirror

 

If Charles Dickens were here and he considered a world ravaged by a pandemic, a compounded global aggravation due to a war launched by a narcissistic personality determined to prove his superiority complex, regardless of who gets hurt, thereby, raising the avalanche of humanitarian crises amidst global warming, migration, increasing poverty and hunger, he would definitely label our days hard times. However, if he aptly summed the mentality of many Ghanaians determined to reap where they had not sown, always expecting freebies from government, upholding a chronic stance of dependency, he would brand our days embarrassing times.

The Executives and Finance Minister ought to pat themselves on the shoulder for compelling Ghanaians to confront our inner selves. The E-Levy concept has become a mirror which has forcefully thrown back at Ghanaians their true substance. It has been insightful, sometimes sadly humorous, observing the reactions of politicians, academicians, advocacy groups and ordinary Ghanaians through the tax debate. The psyche emerged cherishes dependency and floors dignity.

My mathematics has never been strong, but I could hold my own in logic and general knowledge whilst in school. Therefore, I know that governments maximize taxes from endeavours highly patronized by the populace. Even the argument of the proposed rate being on the higher side was frail because taxation is not arbitrary. Earnings and expenditure –financial obligations – determine payment and/or benefits of exemption. Taxing per earnings cushions citizens in low-income brackets.

Of course, a National Identification system would enable the National Revenue Agency (GRA) to track residents’ financial standing, but the National Identification Authority (NIA) totters, digitization notwithstanding. Consequently, the GRA cannot faithfully widen the tax bracket for fair assessment and taxation. If government had cracked the whip and made the NIA worked assiduously to complete the identification process before the bill was introduced, it might have yielded a desirable transparency, smoothening the process. The image that emerges in the mirror does not flatter the Executive.

Parliament, especially, the opposition had a legitimate duty to debate the bill for equity and fairness. The strange aspect was the opposition’s rejection of an inevitable tax bill. If the current government had not introduced the bill, a future government would have due to the increasing patronage of electronic transactions, potentially reducing banks’ businesses. If government does not tax that line of service, how would it recover slipping revenue? If I fathomed that, then the opposition definitely was savvy, so the rejection threw me. Even so, it was hugely interesting to watch the shifting positions of rejection, stakeholder engagement, rate reduction.

The opposition’s argument of protecting the masses was the most controversial, if not downright cynical. The most effective way to defend the masses would have been to plug the corporate exploitative holes to give ordinary Ghanaians value for money. Communication Service Providers might easily top the list of corporate exploitation in the country. However, the extent of exploitation is a conversation for another day. Sadly, Parliament squandered a huge opportunity in tightening regulations to ensure quality communications service to citizens. Consequently, the image of the opposition law makers in the mirror is equally unflattering.

Ghanaian academicians can prove a hindrance to progress when giving recommendations to government. With tongue in check, one academician implored Ghanaian to accept the bill in order to save the economy. He also advocated a check and balance: A commission which would oversee the total revenue per a tax season and pragmatic utilization of the funds. That recommendation really flipped me upside down! Knowing the stupendous amounts that constitutes allowances for commissions and national committees in Ghana, if government accepted that recommendation, the commission’s allowances would suck whatever revenue would emanate from the levy, negating the initiative. That was the most unflattering image in the mirror, the academician.

The cacophony of massed voices yielded a horrifying hydra-headed image of dependency mentality, overshadowing a glowing image of diligent ones who put nation first, protect resources and pay tax to support the economy. Ironically, that marginal group keeps the national boat afloat. Each one of us must conscientiously search the soul to align self with the appropriate image for refinement.

Yet Another Season of Strikes

 

Advocates of the lame defence that the only language governments of Ghana understand is strike miss the reality that a strike could also represent workers’ simplistic way of securing a financial objective. There is some validity in the argument that Ghanaian politicians receive extremely high salaries, whilst the ordinary worker shouldering the economy is tossed a meagre salary, hence, what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. Indeed, one cannot defend the reality that an economy that struggles constantly also supports some exorbitant wages. Non-politicians also enjoy mind-blowing salaries. Sadly, some public organizations, struggling to fulfil their core mandate, would defend high salaries, even fulfil extravagant service conditions, diverting limited funds from where it belongs, then compromise and/or neglect primary service.

Paying taxes is a civic responsibility, but since we are in the strike season, perhaps those of us in the small bracket of the country’s taxpayers should also embark on a strike to protest the unfairness of shouldering more than our fair share of Ghana’s financial burden for many a cheat who earn and pocket entire income for extravagance. Ironically, the penultimate group understands that governance is hinged on taxation. Without ordinary people’s taxes, governments will not be able to provide services, so we earn and pay our taxes – low or high.  

I have scanty knowledge about determining wages and salaries, but my gumption tells me that certain perilous jobs attract higher remuneration – not that any amount can compensate loss of life. Some services are lifesaving so performers must be motivated to prioritize public life, not short-change society. Organizations consider current living conditions and remunerate commensurately. Some jobs come with multifarious roles, so duties and associated stress guide remuneration. The fact remains that every line of service contributes to the overall development of a nation. To wit, determining wages/salaries is a painful, complex antagonistic task; little wonder that there is constant dissent. It is humanly impossible to satisfy all employees at all times, strength of economy notwithstanding.

Workers’ strike has become a channel, sometimes, utilized by Unions in Ghana to circumvent constructive dialogue and realistic negotiations, effectively clouding current reality. It is increasingly a weapon for legitimizing the appalling spirit of entitlement rising among contemporary Ghanaians. The spate of strikes is alarming because service provision does not improve with wage/salary augmentation. Service continues to slip. All sectors are lamenting the high cost of living and increased taxes, but equal attention is not given to low productivity.

That strikes/protests have become an escape route for some rhetoricians might be deduced from some protests staged to counter initiatives with potential for strengthening the autonomy. Sometimes, the counter advocacy makes one shudder for the future leadership such represents. Subjectivity effectively stamps out the environment for critical analysis of wage/salary negotiations, the most frightening being the silence on long-term implications.

The entire world is besieged by overwhelming challenges, some camouflaging cataclysmic shrouds: Climate Change threatens existence, COVID-19 pandemic keeps nations on tenterhooks, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine has deepened global troubled waters. Such occur amidst rising unemployment, porous skills of graduates, deepening poverty, food security threats and alarming crime rate in Ghana, to mention these.

Yet, one hears about increase in wages/salaries only, in a country which paid public sector workers full salary during COVID-19 lockdown. The stock-cushion for increment without the commensurate productivity is rapidly eroding due to exponential population growth, rising illiteracy rate, porous skills which culminate in low, and/or cheap productivity, which thus compromise industry’s global competitiveness. For how long can a frail economy support such liabilities? But many Ghanaians will sing, pray, play the blame game and go on strike, rather than critically analyse actions and consequences.

It is time Unions targeted high productivity for fair, sustainable wage/salary increases. Demand technological hands-on training to strengthen industry. Compel systems to utilize digitization to sprint education and industry to 21^st Century production capacity. Urge workers to utilize resources effectively. Condemn Ghanaian dependency mentality. Implore workers to embrace genuine knowledge and skill acquisition, diligence, and professionalism for dignity. Prompt workers to eschew mediocrity, strive for excellence. In short, Unions must negotiate holistically!