OPENOTHERAPY II: CURING AFRICA'S CORRUPTION CANCER

                       

       My last post was a diagnosis of the cancerous corruption that plagues the African continent and I promised to follow that with some proposed solutions for curbing the menace. In that post I highlighted three “pathogens” that induce corruption in Africa;

1.     The combined factors of power, wealth and greed.

2.     The unmitigated flow of poorly monitored foreign aid to corrupt African governments.

3.     Apathy and lack of political will for the fight against corruption resulting in very few prosecutions.

This post will not address this factors alone, it will go further to propose solutions for reducing this incurable cancer to its barest minimum and give certain guidelines on how best this goal can be achieved.

                  THE PROPOSED CURES TO CORRUPTION IN AFRICA.

         First on my list is increased commitment and political will to the war on corruption. Given the widely accepted notion (perhaps fact) that corruption is most endemic in the upper echelons of political and economic power, there is the need for African governments to be proactive and committed to combating it. Politicians and the legal apparatus are the custodians of whatever laws and policies countries devise so it is imperative that they themselves be committed to anti-corruption campaigns, if not, such campaigns will be mere facades, still-born campaigns that will never achieve the set goals. Our governments are best placed to spearhead the fight against corruption because they oversee both the financial resources and political powers of the state; a very lethal combination in the hands of the corrupt. It therefore follows through that getting our leaders to stay true to anti-corruption efforts will, at least, help check corrupt government and empower them with the moral right, legitimacy and clear conscience to enforce the campaign everywhere. The rot is most pronounced and massive at the top and the earlier this is addressed, the better it will be for African development. It would be very hypocritical for a government to preach zero tolerance for corruption when citizens are convinced it is what supports the lavish lifestyles of politicians. Citizens are more likely to support the fight against corruption if they are convinced political leaders, businesses and business magnates share that commitment and can be trusted to punish wrong and reward good. A street hawker on the streets of Accra once told me;

 “The rot begins at the top, we at the bottom do it to survive the system. We are not the bad ones, the leaders are. They are the ones starving us of our share of economic opportunities and forcing us to use foul means to make ends meet." 

Even though I disagree with his methods and reaction to the problem, to an extent, I agreed with his definition of the problem and I felt his frustration in every word he uttered.

        Second is the need for deterrence which ought to come in the form of the swift trial of alleged corrupt individuals and the imposition of severe punishments on guilty parties. Psychological research have proven the ability of the fear of punishment to induce deterrence, encourage compliance and discourage deviance. This knowledge set must be employed in Africa’s fight against corruption. At the moment, many individuals (mostly politicians and their cohorts) who are accused of corruption freely roam the continent (and the world) with little or no fear of formal charges and prosecution. Embezzlers who have siphoned and mismanaged public funds are shielded by their comrades in powerful positions while many people suffer for their selfish actions. African governments and the accompanying legal systems are slow and unwilling to punish corruption so this abhorrent practice has gained some normalcy in everyday life. The omnipresence of kickbacks and bribes and the political philosophy of “the fabled 10%” have become part and parcel of the business, administration and bureaucratic processes and failure to conform to these unwritten norms constitute grounds for unwarranted and manufactured delays and extensive red tape. The sad thing is, the public conform to these “customs” with little or no resistance.  People cite the threat of being blacklisted and sense of urgency as reasons for their defeatist attitude and powerlessness in the face of corruption instead of standing up to it. But we cannot fully blame them for having little trust in the ability of government to protect their interest and enforce discipline and transparency. That said, the law courts should be up and doing. The unnecessarily long remand periods and biases towards governments and politicians must be eschewed. Judges should be free, willing and able adjudicate cases and pass judgment without fear or favor. The purpose of the power of judicial review is to check the excesses of the executive and legislative arms of government and the judicial systems of democratizing African country’s must be willing and able to do so although this will, to an extent, be dependent on the government’s commitment to support the country’s anti-corruption campaign.

         Third, foreign donors and development partners ought to take measures to hold recipient governments accountable for all aid given them. It is detrimental to Africa’s fight against corruption for donor agents to simply pump resources to African governments without taking the proper steps to ensure that these funds are used for the intended purposes i.e. to accelerate relief and development efforts. It is rather saddening how African governments that are accused of corruption by their own people keep receiving aid assistance without proper monitoring of the final destination of these funds by the donors. It is time for Africa’s development partners to move away from the reliance on governments as middlemen and take resources directly to the target population. Many of the externally funded development programs in Africa have and are failing because much of the funding goes into the private offshore accounts of politicians and the pockets of corrupt project coordinators. The result is that very little positive impact is made in the lives of the poor and underprivileged who deserve help the most. Rather than relying on governments and project administrators, donor parties could either come in to directly supervise projects or only make financial commitments after the targeted projects have been adequately executed. Alternatively, resources could be converted from monetary to non-monetary assistance. For instance, rather than giving governments money to build schools, donor agents could directly employ contractors to build the schools. I understand that the dictates of sovereignty and national security could militate against this proposal but I believe there is the possibility of involving recipient governments in the development assistance process without allowing them assess to the economic resources. A key way to do this will be to give “in kind” rather than “in cash” assistance.

         In addition, there is the need for foreign governments to readily release illicit monies frozen in the accounts of corrupt African citizens. Many a times, millions in “black money” remain frozen in foreign bank accounts while the African countries they were stolen from remain neck-deep in poverty and relying on loans and bailouts to run their economies. I deem this “unethical” in the sense that such monies ought to be returned to the countries in question who are the rightful owners. The African Union’s Illicit Financial Flows Report of 2014 conservatively estimated that Africa loses about US$50 billion to corruption annually. Much of this jaw-dropping but lowly estimated sum lie in offshore accounts in Europe and America, either frozen by host governments or hidden and offering a steady supply of funds for the lavish lifestyles of Africa’s robbers.  Quite recently, I read a news article in “The Guardian” that stated that Switzerland will be returning a US$380 million loot linked to former Nigerian leader Gen. Sani Abacha to the country. I call for this to be emulated by all other countries, but as a precaution, these sums should not be wholly released to the current governments but rather used to offset whatever debts, loans or balance of payment deficits these African countries may have or used to directly finance infrastructural projects in the victim countries. I suggest this because I fear that returning these cash amounts to the source may end with their redirection into other (offshore) accounts. I know my African politicians all too well to risk that.

         Also, there is the need for governments- both in Africa and elsewhere- to check corruption among businesses and multinational corporations. In many instances, corruption in politics and business is perpetuated and facilitated by business organizations seeking to get their way. The undying desire to make profit pushes many organizations into the lobbying, bribing and blackmailing game and causes them to condone and engage in corruption. A lot of the “black money” supporting the lavish lifestyles of African politicians are from the dirty deals and kickbacks from businesses seeking to influence them. In the case of Africa, the lack of integrity and transparent government coupled with greed and weak institutions make it even easier for multinational corporations to corrupt our leaders. From oil, through precious minerals to even agriculture and industrial manufacturing, Africa’s abundant resources have attracted profit-oriented companies who are often quick to bribe their way into manufacturing and resource extraction. Examples for such corrupt deals abound.
        In 2008, German multinational Siemens was fined a record $800 million after it was found to have allocated funds totaling more than €1.3 billion ($1.7 billion) to help win overseas contracts from 2001 to 2007. The company’s charges included bribe-paying, corruption and falsifying documents. Similarly, in a 2008 investigation conducted by UK’s Serious Fraud Office, BAE Systems pled guilty to bribery in the award of contracts in Tanzania, South Africa and other countries and was fined the jaw-dropping sum of £286 million ($460 million). This is proof that corruption is not just an African problem, it is trans-continental, transcending state territories and continental divides. Africa must tackle the issue at home, but governments outside the continent must help in the fight or victory will remain elusive. Also, knowing that much of Africa’s stolen money ends up in offshore accounts in Europe and America, there is the need for foreign governments to check the flow of dirty money into their economies and expose and punish corrupt businesses based in their countries.

       Next, there is the need to educate the general public on the debilitating effects of corruption on our development and empower them to resist and oppose corruption in all its forms. The entire African population must be re-socialized to eschew corruption and value integrity and transparency in all dealings. The notion that “corruption is here to stay” must be erased from our minds and we must make conscious, consented efforts to “eradicate” corruption. The report of corrupt practices should become a fearless norm in our societies and the people must witness the trial and subsequent punishment of culprits. People should be bold enough to report corrupt individuals and trust the government to protect them and follow through on the allegations. Law enforcement agencies should also be educated, trained and properly supervised so they can take up their role in enforcing decency and integrity and perform them with utmost professionalism. Corruption in law enforcement agencies themselves is a key manifestation of the deeply rooted rot that bedevils the African continent.

      Furthermore, fighting corruption should be matched with the strengthening and resourcing of national institutions to make them capable of support the anti-corruption efforts. From national security agencies to the laws they work with, there is the needed for changes. Although African countries preach intolerance corruption, there seems to be very little laid down, well enforced strategies for its combat. Even the various institutions charged with stamping out corruption are often under-resourced (both financially and in terms of personnel), inactive, redundant and incompetent, or overrun by personnel who are either ineffective or outright corrupt themselves. Talk of the widespread extortion, bribery and corruption among the Police and Customs officers of African countries and the picture gets even grimmer. Misappropriation and mismanagement of state funds, embezzlement, favoritism and nepotism have rendered sensitive and vital public institutions inefficient while the contributions of the accompanied lack of effective supervision and monitoring have made corruption both easy to practice and to get away with. For many years, the Ghana Police Service has been voted the most corrupt institution in Ghana. If the law enforcers themselves are alleged to be lawbreakers, what legitimacy or moral right do they have to accuse and punish others for doing same? The shame is, similar stories exist all over Africa with law enforcement personnel and politicians cited as the most corrupt individuals. We have to overhaul our institutions if we want our laws to work effectively. If not, we will just be wasting time and resources.

           To sum up, corruption in Africa persists because for decades we the people have failed to stand up to it. Our institutions have failed to tackle corruption because we the people are not committed to its eradication and do not even give it the needed attention. For years we have condoned and validated corruption and have come to accept it as a “norm” of life. This misconception must be done away with if our fight against corruption is to be fought and won. What is lost is lost, but the present generation ought to rise and fight this canker that has perpetuated poverty and underdevelopment on a highly gifted and well-resourced continent. We owe it to ourselves as Africans and concerned humans to help eradicate corruption so that the millions whose lives are negatively impacted by corrupt practices can have access to the opportunities to live the better, improved lives they deserve. Many Africans die of disease and hunger because money meant for basic necessities like potable water, quality healthcare and food relief are siphoned by corrupt officials. It is our collective responsibilities as humans to help end their plight.

I AM JUST ONE OF COUNTLESS VOICES OF REASON, WILL MY PEOPLE HEAR ME AND PAY HEED??

 

OPENOTHERAPY: A DIAGNOSIS OF AFRICA'S CANCER OF CORRUPTION

           After decades of efforts by both internal and external stakeholders to help with the political and economic development of African countries, there is still much to be done to realize these goals. There is, sadly, very little the African continent can boast of in terms of economic growth though modest gains have been made in the area of political development. Obviously, political independence is now a given on the African continent, but the economic growth/ development that was expected to accompany it has eluded the continent until date. The continent is ravaged by the chronic economic disorders of unemployment, war, hunger, disease and extreme poverty and deprivation and lasting solutions to these problems do not seem to be anywhere near in sight. So why is a continent so blessed with natural resources, good climate plus lots of manpower so underdeveloped?

As a political medic, I have taken the time to analyze the underdevelopment problems of the continent in an attempt to find a cure for the continent’s chronic economic and political ailments.  I have read the literature, observed the symptoms, analyzed samples, performed the necessary tests and reached a plausible diagnosis. My diagnosis, Africa’s underdevelopment is the result of a cancer, a cancer caused by the polygamous marriage of the 3 deadliest political diseases known to man- power, wealth and greed- and worsened by its adulterous relationship with bribery. This cancer is a super-cancer, it is almost untreatable and can never be totally cured; this cancer is corruption. Yes, corruption; the unethical use of power and influence to gain or take unfair advantage of others and available resources and opportunities for personal gain.

Any literature on corruption in Africa soon becomes a cliché topic because the cancer is so common and so observable it has almost lost its abhorrence and is now even embraced, tolerated, condoned and accepted as a part of life, politics and business in Africa. But to accept this twisted and erroneous notion (which is itself a corrupted mindset) is to be defeatist in the face of a cancerous canker that is eating away Africa’s economic promise. In order to spur economic growth and win the fight against extreme poverty, hunger, disease etc. Africa must first tackle corruption because it is the main barrier to getting things right. But how do we do this? First, let us identify the factors that make corruption in Africa a widespread, endemic and terminal cancer. These contributory factors are not exhaustive, they are the key ones I have identified, there many others.

First on my list is the greed of the citizenry, both the rulers and the ruled. Corruption is endemic because it is everywhere; from the topmost echelons of political office to the bowels of the populace. At the top are the corrupt and corrupted “stomach” politicians who are not committed to the improvement of the living conditions and standards of the people but to amassing wealth to enrich themselves, their families and their cohorts. These demagogues see use political power as a stairway to riches and more power, an act fueled by their greed. They siphon billions of public funds into personal offshore accounts while infrastructural projects and policies remain either underfunded or totally ignored. Just recently, leaked reports revealed that millions of dollars in “black money” have been stashed in tax free HSBC accounts by African politicians and business magnates. At the bottom of the ladder are the “ordinary” citizens who condone these corrupt politicians and replicate their corrupt practices in their everyday dealings. It is a common African “norm” to use just part of designated funds and pocket the rest. In fact, many people will describe those who do so as smart and sharp while those who rightfully do otherwise are often labelled shallow minded and self-righteous. We praise corruption and idolize the corrupt and their ill-gotten wealth while we detest the honest and transparent because we see them as obstacles to our own corrupt “get-rich-quick” schemes. Greed pushes us to want more than we need and then some. We want it all but we want it all the easy way and that is why corruption is so attractive to us. Businessmen and women will bribe their way into the hearts and minds of politicians and bureaucrats, buying their bodies and consciences and making them their puppets.  From top to bottom, corruption is celebrated and guarded by its beneficiaries while opponents are vilified and promptly done away with, shameful.

Secondly, the unchecked excesses of Africa’s corrupt politicians are fed by the steady supply of foreign aid from the continents development partners. The vast majority of Africa’s political leaders and many of their government officials have either been ousted as corrupt or alleged against. Yet, what do we see, development partners raise funds to help combat the problems of Africa only to put these funds into the hands of these corrupt leaders. Financial assistance designated for relief projects like disease control, poverty alleviation and hunger relief end up in the private accounts of corrupt politicians because there is a disconnection between foreign donors and the actual victims they set out to help. With years of government to government relations has come a reliance on African government to be the mouthpiece of the people as well as the coordinators of all relief efforts. Due to the lack of channels of communication between the people and donor partners, African governments have become the indispensable middlemen and women who convey the problems and plights of the people to potential donors and humanitarians and, when the relief comes in, act as the distributors of relief assistance, or better yet, what’s left of it. A number of scholars of politics have written and spoken of how many African governments simply sit back, inactive, and wait on donor governments and agencies to pour in that aid money so they can misappropriate, embezzle and steal. To this end, Africa’s development partners are, whether knowingly or unknowingly, feeding into the cancer they are supposed to be helping to cure. Very little of the millions in relief aid ever really get to those who need it most, the largest sum is sucked up and lost in an elaborate maze of bureaucratic red tape, politics and theft. I hope that having said this donors will opt to deal with their beneficiaries directly rather than through governments because that is just counterproductive; it’s like doubling your cigarette sticks after being diagnosed with lung cancer and still hoping the disease goes away; you must be either incredibly steeped in faith or outright crazy. Donor governments and agencies are privy to the ostentatious and lavish lifestyles of corrupt African politicians yet many of them finance these corrupt regimes expecting that a still unfulfilled promise to eradicate corruption in Africa will be miraculously attained this time round. For decades we have been doing the same thing and expecting different results, that’s what Albert Einstein calls insanity. Poorly monitored and unaccounted external aid may not be causing corruption (at least not directly), but it sure it perpetuating it by dangling money before the eyes of our greedy, corrupt politicians and giving them a reason to launch at it. For the record, I do not advocate for an end to foreign aid to Africa countries. What I admonish is that donor agents should distribute all aid and relief resources directly to the target groups and subject the entire process to strict accounting, monitoring and supervision. As far as possible, politicians, state representatives and bureaucrats should not be allowed to act as middlemen and women for the process, that is how they get access to funds and rob targeted beneficiaries blind.

A third reason for Africa’s cancer of corruption is the fact that many known corrupt individuals are never formally charged and prosecuted let alone found guilty and punished for their dishonesty. There are countless known corrupt political figures and business magnates in Africa whose power and wealth insulate them from the heat of the law. Politicians live extravagant lifestyles but are not formally charged to declare their assets and source(s) of their wealth. Unexplainable wealth goes unquestioned, conflicts of interest and misappropriation of funds often go unpunished and the masses avail themselves as stooges of the corrupt, rich few because the culture of corruption has made them sycophants whose tongues are stained with the polish of the shoes of their corrupt benefactors. The “culture” of corruption I speak of does not refer to a “custom” of corrupt practices but to a socially accepted (although popularly undesired) habit of initiating, condoning and benefitting from the corrupt practices. Corrupt politicians rob their countries off wealth and opportunity and yet have the guts to seek the votes of the people in the next election because the people fail to realize that the power to effect changes is in their hands- on their thumbs, to be more specific. This lack of action in the citizenry could pass in totalitarian African states like Gambia where there isn’t much political freedom, but in the democratizing, politically open countries, this is just too sad to know. If citizens of African countries would stand up to corruption, oppose it and demand the prosecution and punishment of corrupt individuals, I believe it would help stamp out the cancer and set the continent on a much better route to economic development. 

Having identified the key factors behind corruption in Africa, I will next provide cures to the disease. My next post “OPENOTHERAPY II: CURING AFRICA’S CORRUPTION CANCER” will be on how Africa’s cancer of corruption can be addressed and overcome.

GHANA @ 58: CELEBRATE FOR WHAT??

           

               58 years ago today, on that warm Wednesday night, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah declared “…Ghana. Our beloved country is free forever.” 58 years on, this freedom is still in its infant stages although much gains have been made in terms of political freedom and stability. But with regards to economic growth, the country is left on the back foot. Decades of bad decisions, insipid leadership and poor resource management has left the country impoverished and clad I the shackles of poverty and underdevelopment. Every 6^th of March we celebrate our political independence for that is all it is; a celebration of our victory in the struggle to mismanage ourselves. Like a disobedient, rebellious child, Ghana made bad decisions in its youthful years and now, so close to retirement age, it still does not have enough to survive on. 

               For me, there is very little to celebrate for Ghana independence. I appreciate and hold dear the struggles and sacrifices of our forebears that won us our freedom, for me that is all I find worth celebrating. But when it comes to the progress made since then, I am afraid every little rejoicing I do feels a bit overdone. I cannot rejoice because our politics, with all the insults, corruption and biased, partisan deliberations, is far from mature. I cannot rejoice because human capital development and economic growth is stifled by unnecessary political debate, lack of political will and inefficient and ineffective policies. The country cannot even maintain a steady supply of energy to the people. Perennial gas/petrol shortages regularly cripple the productivity of the nation. The heck, we cannot even rely on our electricity supply. Homes, offices and businesses have lost their sense of purpose and direction because they are trapped in the dark, literally.

              Unemployment has become a growing problem in Ghana. Our population is rising steadily and schools are channeling more and more literates. Yet, businesses are operating at half capacity because they cannot afford to hire the needed labor. Productivity is falling due to factors ranging from unreliable energy supply and falling demand to embezzlement and misappropriation of funds. Many Ghanaians are playing the system, circling laws and economic principles trying to make ends meet while staying committed to living a life above their means. We all want the high life of fancy cars and mansions and we all want it now so we are living a million dollar life on a $100 paycheck. That’s nuts because it is unsustainable, no wonder people resort to bribery and corruption, illegal business and the “kalabule” tactics to support a life above their means.

              Ghanaians have been hit hard by the lack of economic opportunities and the difficulties of social mobility. Life at the bottom of the economic ladder is light years behind life at the top, a sign of the grave economic inequality that persist. At the top are the politicians and business magnates, many of whom made, and still make, a living of off the sweat, tears, ignorance and foolery of the masses. Gorging on the luxuries their wealth and power provide, they sit back and watch the deprived scrape around for sustenance, occasionally swooping down from their high economic heavens on wings of gold to make well publicized donations to a few underprivileged individuals when festive holidays, business advertisement and upcoming elections demand it. At the bottom is the collection of the underserved, underprivileged and the exploited masses, the custodians of the famed “kpa kpa kpa movement” and victims of the exploitative powers of the rich and powerful. Somewhere between the two extremes is the middle-class, a mixture of the educated and the nouveau riche which combines characteristics of the bottom and topmost groups, powerful and rich enough to exploit the poor but still subject to the influence and exploitation of the bourgeois class. A disjoint and a degree of competition and mutual hatred among these 3 classes has created a divided populace wary of the intentions of each other, fueling lasting distrust and robbing Mother Ghana of the unified front and coordination and cooperation needed for economic advancement. When Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah declared Ghana independent on March 6^th, 1957, he made a bold statement to the world,

“…the independence of Ghana is meaningless unless it is linked up to the total liberation of the African continent.”   

           58 years on, we have neither liberated ourselves from corrupt politics and chronic underdevelopment nor taken any purposeful action to do so. By not liberating our own selves beyond the freedom of independence, we have let our forebears and freedom fighters down, bigtime. We may have sought and found Nkrumah’s “political kingdom” but the economic kingdom is still notoriously elusive. That said, our independence is still meaningless, at least from the economic perspective. That is not to say our political freedom has been wholly achieved, we are still “governed” by conditions imposed on us by donor partners who fund our country’s misguided steps to economic development. In all fairness, not all of our problems are solely the fault of our successive governments. Sometimes, our governments are impeded by conditions they have to agree to in order to court development aid. For instance, it is now common place for the government to “freeze” public sector employment and state funded projects as a way of cutting government spending because a donor partner prescribes it. I do not know about you but to me that is neither political nor economic independence, although I also understand that the poor policies of government are partly to blame for our development woes and our readiness to go to these donors cup-in-hand. I am no time traveler and I do not know any necromancers who can help me hold a conversation with the many who sacrificed for our freedom. But I have major doubts they will be happy with how little Ghana has gained since then. In fact, I feel they will be disappointed and ashamed at how much we have run the country far away from and opposite to the high expectations they had for us. Ghanaians need a major makeover both in our mindsets and our actions. If we are willing and able to effect the needed positive changes, I guarantee Ghana will have a lot more to celebrate on the occasion of the countless 6^ths of March ahead.                                                                                                                                         

GOD BLESS OUR HOMELAND GHANA. GHANA, AYEKOO, HAPPY 58^TH.  

 

 

    

A STITCH IN TIME: ON THE RISING RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE IN GHANA

  

                  In a day and age where cross cultural and cross religious interaction has become a mainstay of international relations, it comes as big shame for me to read and hear about how sensitive and divisive religion still is in the domestic affairs of countries. One would think today’s world would accept the individual, religious and cultural differences of others and not result to twisted, bigoted attempts to force everyone to think, live, act and be like them. But the reality is, shamefully, very much as appalling. Many people do not seem to have learnt any valuable lessons from the pains and losses that the religious conflicts that cloud human history have inflicted on our collective consciences. As a Ghanaian I have always prided myself in the notion that despite having a diverse collection of religions, my country is devoid of religious intolerance and its component conflicts. In fact, I regularly chided our sister-state Nigeria for not learning from our level of decorum and civility. However, within the past week, this pure, concentrated, unadulterated sense of “Ghana-pride” has been watered down by news of religious intolerance in the nation’s education system. Intolerance which (I am embarrassed to admit) have long existed in our schools but were glossed over and ignored because they benefitted the majority and the minority never really had the freedom to oppose it.

          Hindsight, as we know, is always 20/20. Looking back at my childhood days in Ghana, I now realize the many instances where the religious freedoms of my Muslim brothers were curtailed simply because they made the “mistake” of enrolling in a non-Islamic institution. Outside of the Islamic “makaranta” schools, every education institution in Ghana, as I can recall, operated on Christian values. Public schools are still run like the Christian missionary schools many of them began as and Christian customs like “the Lord’s Prayer” and Christian hymns are compulsory rituals done every morning of every school day. In private schools, the trend is much worse since administrators and school owners virtually force their religious beliefs on teachers and students alike. It is not uncommon to come across schools in Ghana where morning assembly is a time to sing Christian hymns, say Christian Prayers and listen to a Bible sermon before school starts. In the vast majority of Ghana’s schools, one day in the week (most often Wednesday because it is mid-week) is set aside as a day of worship, (Christian worship that is) where students sing Christian songs, listen to sermons and pray all under the militaristic supervision of teachers who will not hesitate to whip you for non-participation. In this way, non-Christians (both religious and non-religious) are forced to either “Christianize” or change schools. Given that the overwhelming majority of schools are similarly “Christocentric” the only viable alternatives are to move to a school that practices your religion, stop schooling or enroll in one of the virtually non-existent and ridiculously expensive secular schools Ghana has to offer. Is this not unfair to religious minorities? Is this not an affront to the intellectual development and the religious and education freedoms of our future leaders? IT IS.

            I am a Christian who has attended public Christian missionary and “Christianized” private schools my whole life. I did not see why non-Christians (mostly Muslims) would want to attended the same Catholic and Presbyterian schools I attended and not want to engage in religious activities of the schools. I thought they were egoistic deviants who simply loathed the status quo and were ready to rebel against it even if it came at the price of their comfort and the skin on their butts and backs. I did not understand why anybody would not go to church if you get to avoid the pain of a wooden switch or plastic cane by doing so. But now I understand and agree to the decisions of these “activists”. They were the champions of a course that many other Ghanaians had ignored and pretended did not exist. Their opposition to forced religion were met with answers similar in meaning to “If you cannot stand the heat, leave the kitchen”. Many were told to abide or leave the school while many others endured the pain of the switch and/or the guilt of sitting through a religious session you do not even believe in. As per the constitution of Ghana, missionary schools have a right to exist and operate based on certain religious values, this means anyone who enrolls ought to be aware of the responsibilities and demands enrollment comes with. For me, this point of view is only valid if similar opportunities for inexpensive, quality education and academic excellence exist in Ghana’s public, secular institutions. As it stands, that does not seem to be the case. The vast majority of the renowned and esteemed Ghanaian schools (from the basic school to senior high school levels) are either missionary schools or “Christianized” public schools where religious diversity is seldom respected. This means that supporting this view will be to imply that people settle for comparatively lower standards of education and this is while discounting added problem factors like location/distance and cost.  

  But why should a universal right as basic as education be denied to people because they hold different religious values and beliefs? Why should one group’s beliefs be forced on all under the guise of laws and regulations? Is religious freedom not a universal right anymore? Is this what our forebears fought for? Is this what our founding fathers and mothers meant by “FREEDOM AND JUSTICE”? Certainly not. The present problem is the result of years of ignoring the problem. We have been condoning such blatant disrespect for religious diversity so long that we know feel it is the “norm” and anyone who voices out the reality of the matter is castigated for opening Pandora’s Box. Instead of admitting the problem and seeking solutions to it, we prefer to take the path of least resistance; dismissing the problem as irrelevant or non-existent and heckling anyone who brings it up into silence so we neither have to relive the guilt of our past nor make the effort to change things for the better.

Mother Ghana was born from a struggle for justice and the freedom to belong. She was born to liberate, to free and to become a symbol of hope, liberation and freedom for all of Africa. By not tolerating our own on the grounds of religious differences, we spit on the graves of those who died to make that dream a reality. Through our intolerance of opposing religious views and beliefs, we infringe on the rights of our brothers and sisters, stifle our hopes for progress in peace and unity and invite unto ourselves the demons of religious conflict. Ghana is applauded worldwide as an oasis of peace in a troubled continent, we cannot and must not let our childish attitude to religious differences taint that good reputation. Ghana is for all of us, we each have a huge stake in the peace and development it deserves to enjoy. Any form of religious conflict will only set us back and make our recovery and progress a more daunting task. Mind you, it will be very easy for any form of religious conflict to metamorphose into an ethnic conflict given Ghana’s ethno-religious demographics. If this should happen Ghana will face a long, bloody and violent armed conflict akin to what happened in the civil wars of Nigeria, Burundi and CAR. I do not wish such ill for Ghana or for any country that is why I find it prudent to point out this danger so we can nip the threat in the bud.

THE WAY FORWARD

           So far, the recent bad blood over religious tolerance has been non-violent and I thank all Ghanaians for that. But we cannot bask in that fake glory only to sweep the problem under the rug. It is about time we all discuss this issue and find lasting solutions to it to ensure that it never surfaces again. We need our religious and community leaders to lead discussions on how well the various religious and non-religious beliefs can coexist peacefully in Ghana. This what I think can be done.

First of all the freedom of religion provided under Article 21 of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution and in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights must be respected, protected and upheld. Public schools must be as such- public; open to people of diverse ethnic, cultural, religious and national backgrounds and not committed to the propagation and indoctrination of the beliefs of any religion. Public schools should be prosecuted for human rights violations if they force any religious activity or beliefs on people especially where students are beaten or punished for not engaging in “mandatory” religious activities. Any religious practice or custom enshrined in the rules and principles of public schools should be flexible enough to allow the exemption of individuals who do not share those beliefs. For instance, non-Christians should be exempted from Christian worship on campus and vice versa. Missionary schools that opt to diligently abide by their religious beliefs and teachings must identify themselves accordingly and be prepared to enroll only those who share their beliefs while all other private, secular schools must either be totally unreligious or tolerant and supportive of the religious diversity of their students.

 School administrators, teachers, supervisors of the Ministry of Education and students and pupils should be empowered and encouraged to report and to punish all forms of religious intolerance that occur in schools. Misbehavior like bullying and discrimination resulting from religious intolerance or bigotry must be discouraged through fines, suspensions and other sanctions including jail time. In addition, school authorities must be sensitized on the need to respect the diversity of students and the richness it brings to the school through education and training seminars and fora.

We have only one Ghana, let us focus on making it our dream home and eschew all acts of intolerance and violence that threaten the peace and sanctity Mother Ghana has enjoyed thus far. Ghana is a unified system and our religious differences are one of the many different parts that make that system work. To make all parts do similar things will make the system breakdown into diverse unusable parts so let’s stay united in our effort to make Ghana the paradise it deserves to be. GOD BLESS OUR HOMELAND GHANA.

 

 

DISSOLVING THE PROPAGANDA MACHINERY OF ISIS: WHAT THE WORLD CAN DO.

 

            The recent rise in reported cases of attempted ISIS recruitments and enlistments among citizens/permanent residents of America and its allied states has created a heightened sense of insecurity and fear around the world. Like all other peace loving people, I share this fear. However, I am of the view that this fear is not as much from the real threat of an ISIS orchestrated group or lone-wolf terrorist act as it is about the fact that it is successfully turning America’s citizens and friends into its foes. As unbelievable as it might sound, ISIS does not have an effective recruitment system, what they have is an elaborate, well-structured and well-oiled propaganda machinery. Through antics like the misinterpretation of Quranic texts, fear mongering, bullying and the gruesome tactic of televised mass executions, ISIS is able to project itself as more influential and powerful than it really is and through that is able to prey on the ignorance and fear of the masses. Terrorism has become attractive to the troubled, ignorant, rebel and misfit youth and ISIS uses its effective propaganda machinery to get such people to support, and even carry out its nefarious terrorist activities.

            In order to dissolve ISIS, its continuity must be halted by preventing the recruitment of newer members.  Without new recruits, the group will lose support and manpower and eventually collapse. A problem however, is that the consented global effort and collaboration needed to do this is currently lacking. While some countries show apathy to the fight against ISIS, others are genuinely hampered by political, economic, social and even religious factors making it difficult for the world to tackle the global threat of terrorism with the force it requires. But if we are able to significantly limit the recruitment of more ISIS fighters, the world will inch a step closer to dissolving ISIS and other terrorist groups like it.  I believe this can be done by weakening the terrorist group’s propaganda machinery, and this is my suggested approach to doing that.

            First of all, media companies should be more active in their reportage of the gains made by the allied forces. Successful anti-terrorist campaigns should be widely broadcast to show the world we are making huge strides in our war on terror. Successful opposition to the territorial expansions of ISIS should be lauded and applauded worldwide amid extensive media coverage to both inform the public and allay some of their fear and deter would-be ISIS recruits. ISIS prides on its ability to project dominance, so such an approach will be a huge blow to the ego of its leaders and will weaken the group’s position in the eyes of the radicalized few who revere them. It will also ramp up global support for the war on terror and boost the morale of anti-terrorist forces. While doing this, the media must also desist from projecting ISIS as a “Muslim” group. I suggest this because many Muslims have condemned the activities of ISIS as being against the tenets of Islam. This means the group is NOT representative of Islam and as such must not be presented as such. A terrorist group is just that “a terrorist group”, any claim to be fighting for a particular religion or course is just a cheap means to court support and coax some sympathy. Left to me, references like “Islamists” and “Muslim extremists” should be avoided in our media coverage since they only widen the religious divides that already exist today.

            Secondly, there ought to be more public, widely broadcast condemnation of ISIS from renowned and esteemed Muslim clerics and religious leaders. The biased and total misinterpretations of verses of the Holy Quran to justify terrorism is a big problem to Islam; a gross desecration of the Holy Quran and a dent to the peace Islam represents. It is therefore imperative for true Muslims to condemn the abuse and desecretion of the sacred teachings of Islam in war mongering and terrorism. Purposeful discussions on terrorism are derailed once it is turned into an anti-religious often anti-Islamic debate. Terrorism today has been made synonymous with Islam when the TRUE teachings of Islam prohibit everything terrorism stands for. This is the time for enlightened, learned, renowned Islamic scholars to give the world a differentiation between Islam and terror and a clear interpretation of what the Quran says about the murder of innocent people. Renowned and respected Muslim leaders and clerics like Mehmet Gormez (Turkish Cleric), Nabil al-Arabi (Arab League Chief) and Abdulaziz al-Sheik (Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia) have publicly condemned ISIS and terrorism and i recommended same from all others. Similarly, many Muslim groups around the world like the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) have done same but the very limited media coverage these public condemnations received means they barely impacted the anti-terrorism campaign and the Islamization of terror. But there is no reason to be quiet, all must condemn terror and join in the fight against it and the media must be ready to project our collective and individual condemnation of and opposition to it. The public fear and panic fanned by the media ought to be eased with a proportionate reportage of the gains the world is making against fundamentalists and terrorists.

            Third, individuals ought to be more accommodating of the opinions and beliefs of others. This is because recent reports indicate that many of the people who end up being radicalized by terrorist groups are often those who are distant from society for various reasons ranging from religious beliefs through misunderstood personalities to real or perceived oppression, racism, social isolation, stigmatization and/or abuse. I am of the opinion that ISIS uses issues like the misconceptions of Islam and racism to attract individuals who feel misunderstood and betrayed by a cruel society. If we accommodate others, they will more willing to discuss their problems and give society to right any wrongs we may have done them. If not, such people might resent society and may be more susceptible to radicalization since they may see it a s a means of exacting revenge on the society they are outcasts of.  The growing threat of lone-wolf attacks and the widespread threat of attacks on home soil are indications of how effective the Islamic State’s propaganda and internet recruitment has become.

            Speaking of the internet, there is the need for a closer monitoring of the various terrorist recruitment websites since they have become a very reliable recruitment source for ISIS. With the help of the internet and mobile communication, individuals outside ISIS controlled territories can now be reached, brainwashed and radicalized without ever being in face to face contact with representatives of this terrorist group. ISIS is a modern day terrorist group, they have successfully recruited well educated students and learned/skilled professional into their ranks. This means they have vast technological and technical capacities. A case in point is their recruitment of “Jihadi John” a college graduate with a degree in information technology and from a well to do family living in London. Through illegal activities like kidnapping for ransom, opium trading, human trafficking and the black market sale of oil and valuable cultural artifacts, the group is able to raise money to finance its terrorist operations both in the Middle East and elsewhere. I hope that the countrywide homegrown terrorism investigations announced by the FBI includes close monitoring of correspondence across terrorist websites since that could be a source of very useful information and tactical data.

Last but not least, the public ought to be extra vigilant and ready to report suspicious persons and behaviors to the police. The relationship between the national security agencies and the public has not been the best lately, but for the sake of the collective safety of America and its allies, we should be ready to help our security agencies fight terrorism. Terrorists live with and among us. As peaceful, private, concerned citizens, we are, strictly speaking, the first line of defense in curbing terrorism around the world. Our vigilance and close cooperation and communication with national security forces is a vital tool in our fight against terrorism and as such must not be overlooked. In our churches, mosques, synagogues, shrines, schools, markets etc., we should always be on the lookout for the suspicions or threats of terrorist acts.

I will end by stating that terrorism is NOT a problem with any religion. It is a problem with our society and its misplaced sense of duty, responsibility, tolerance and personal freedom. It is a global problem perpetrated by people of diverse races, religious /ideological beliefs and world views against an equally diverse collection of global citizens; the innocent victims. Terrorism is an abhorrent evil, tying it to religious beliefs and ideologies is a cheap way to garner support and seek justification.  It is therefore imperative for the world to unite and fight terror in all corners of the world and with full dedication, commitment and force. If we oppose terrorism and detest terrorists, it is time for us to stop paying lip-service to the war on terror and do our part to make this dream a reality. THIS IS MY CALL TO THE WORLD, WILL IT ANSWER??