Giving thanks for another year....made it to 42 and so grateful to you God. Certainly would not have done this without you. You have given me the patience and guidance to go through the mill of life which has its ups and downs but thankfully I have had more ups than downs.
This is definitely going to be one of my best years and I am embracing it. My verse for my birthday is Psalm 31:1-5
Tuesday, 21 April 2009
Tuesday, 16 December 2008
The Run Off
The election run off in Ghana is gathering momentum. On Sunday 28th December we shall return to the polls and vote once more. This time we shall only be voting for the presidential candidate as on Sunday 7th December, we voted for both the parliamentary and presidential candidates. Unfortunately none of the presidential candidates could get the 50 plus 1 per cent to indicate a clear lead, hence the second round.
Both presidential candidates of the NPP and the NDC have began campaigning to rally more votes. This is a special time for Ghana as the two main political parties have served 8 years in government. However the incumbent party, the National Patriotic Party (NPP) are hoping to continue for another 4 years with their presidential candidate Nana Akuffo Addo. The previous government which was ruled by the National Democratic Congress (NDC)and its flagbearer, Prof. John Atta-Mills,(former vice president) are itching to come back to government as they claim the NPP have not done all that they said they would for the citizens of Ghana.
The electorate will be the deciding factor in this battle between the two opposition parties and the rest of the world, is keenly watching Ghana as it has been the leading star in the multi-party democratic process on the African continent.
The first round of elections were held in relative peace and we are hoping the run off will also be held peacefully. Ghana is proud of its multi-ethnic population though in certain quarters they like to think otherwise. All in all, Ghanaians want peace and this election should be seen more as a "battle" of wits and skill than a "do or die" process.
Personally I wish Nana Akuffo Addo the best of luck as I believe in his agenda for Ghana. Good luck Nana...we are certainly moving forward!
Both presidential candidates of the NPP and the NDC have began campaigning to rally more votes. This is a special time for Ghana as the two main political parties have served 8 years in government. However the incumbent party, the National Patriotic Party (NPP) are hoping to continue for another 4 years with their presidential candidate Nana Akuffo Addo. The previous government which was ruled by the National Democratic Congress (NDC)and its flagbearer, Prof. John Atta-Mills,(former vice president) are itching to come back to government as they claim the NPP have not done all that they said they would for the citizens of Ghana.
The electorate will be the deciding factor in this battle between the two opposition parties and the rest of the world, is keenly watching Ghana as it has been the leading star in the multi-party democratic process on the African continent.
The first round of elections were held in relative peace and we are hoping the run off will also be held peacefully. Ghana is proud of its multi-ethnic population though in certain quarters they like to think otherwise. All in all, Ghanaians want peace and this election should be seen more as a "battle" of wits and skill than a "do or die" process.
Personally I wish Nana Akuffo Addo the best of luck as I believe in his agenda for Ghana. Good luck Nana...we are certainly moving forward!
Thursday, 13 November 2008
The Ability to Forgive
To be able to forgive is something we urge our young children to do. As a young Christian growing up, one hears about how we are blessed when we are able to forgive. However as we leave childhood and enter adulthood it seems as if we are less reluctant to forgive; or rather we find ways of telling ourselves in what form or conditions we should attach to the act of forgiveness.
When you forgive, the burden you carried is no longer on your shoulders...it frees you up and you can move on with your life...and the most beautiful thing is when you can look at the person who caused you so much pain and say to them" I FORGIVE YOU". However when you try and tweak the framework that governs forgiveness, then you are not doing the right thing. We seem to think that the "little" things are easier to deal with but coincidentally, as we grow older, the acts become more serious, more complex and sometimes inexplicable. Such was the situation I found myself in three weeks ago when I was faced with a serious, complex an inexplicable situation which indeed was a big test for me. My ability to forgive was being tested and those were the longest and hardest three weeks I have faced in my life but I am glad to say I was also able to pass the test!
No matter what one goes through, just remember the good Lord is on your side and will take you to the rock which is higher than you when you think you cannot cope.
When you forgive, the burden you carried is no longer on your shoulders...it frees you up and you can move on with your life...and the most beautiful thing is when you can look at the person who caused you so much pain and say to them" I FORGIVE YOU". However when you try and tweak the framework that governs forgiveness, then you are not doing the right thing. We seem to think that the "little" things are easier to deal with but coincidentally, as we grow older, the acts become more serious, more complex and sometimes inexplicable. Such was the situation I found myself in three weeks ago when I was faced with a serious, complex an inexplicable situation which indeed was a big test for me. My ability to forgive was being tested and those were the longest and hardest three weeks I have faced in my life but I am glad to say I was also able to pass the test!
No matter what one goes through, just remember the good Lord is on your side and will take you to the rock which is higher than you when you think you cannot cope.
Tuesday, 5 August 2008
A Woman for Vice President
Hello everyone,
I received this email from a dear friend and I will like to share it with you all! If you are in agreement just post your comment on this blog!
Dear Friends,
I write to ask for your support in a delicate matter. In recent days, there has been much discussion in the media about the suitability of women for high positions generally, such as that of vice-president with specific reference to Hon. Alima Mahama for vice president.
Some of the objections that have come up have little to do with her competence for the position. As a psychologist, I understand that these objections may have something to do with discomfort for a woman taking on a role traditionally reserved for men. I also understand that this discomfort is expressed in ways that often make many women fearful of rising to the tops of their professions. Please join me in fighting this. Today it may be Alima, but tomorrow, it will be you and I as we rise to the very best that we can be.
Kindly email back if you have ideas about how we can fight this in the public domain. For instance, would you be willing to call up the media or write in support of women in leadership generally, or specifically for Alima. Radio is the most effective way of spreading information. Could you call up a coalition of which you are a part to support her? Could you get your local group of women (e.g. women's fellowship, women in your work place) to show support? Please think about this quickly and act. Please email me as soon as you can.
You know of course that she is emminently qualified for the job: lawyer, Harvard, Legon, Wesley Girls, etc. Mother of a son in law school, and yes, once married. Development work, Deputy Minister of Local Government, Minister of Women's Affairs, etc, etc.
Please let's do this for the cause of women.
Angela L. Ofori-Atta,
Clinical Psychologist/lecturer
Former Deputy Minister, MMYE.
I received this email from a dear friend and I will like to share it with you all! If you are in agreement just post your comment on this blog!
Dear Friends,
I write to ask for your support in a delicate matter. In recent days, there has been much discussion in the media about the suitability of women for high positions generally, such as that of vice-president with specific reference to Hon. Alima Mahama for vice president.
Some of the objections that have come up have little to do with her competence for the position. As a psychologist, I understand that these objections may have something to do with discomfort for a woman taking on a role traditionally reserved for men. I also understand that this discomfort is expressed in ways that often make many women fearful of rising to the tops of their professions. Please join me in fighting this. Today it may be Alima, but tomorrow, it will be you and I as we rise to the very best that we can be.
Kindly email back if you have ideas about how we can fight this in the public domain. For instance, would you be willing to call up the media or write in support of women in leadership generally, or specifically for Alima. Radio is the most effective way of spreading information. Could you call up a coalition of which you are a part to support her? Could you get your local group of women (e.g. women's fellowship, women in your work place) to show support? Please think about this quickly and act. Please email me as soon as you can.
You know of course that she is emminently qualified for the job: lawyer, Harvard, Legon, Wesley Girls, etc. Mother of a son in law school, and yes, once married. Development work, Deputy Minister of Local Government, Minister of Women's Affairs, etc, etc.
Please let's do this for the cause of women.
Angela L. Ofori-Atta,
Clinical Psychologist/lecturer
Former Deputy Minister, MMYE.
Monday, 4 August 2008
Rising Prices
WOW August is here already....you know the way time flies these days it is amazing. Went down to my local grocer Auntie Maggie and gosh have prices gone up or what? It's just amazing how a couple of weeks ago, smoked fish was 60 pesewas and now it is 70 pesewas. The Daily Graphic, Ghana's most read daily paper, also shot up from 50 pesewas to 70 pesewas!
For those of you reading this, Ghana had it's monetary currency re-denominated (what a mouthful) and we have gone back to the days of coins and paper money. The New Ghana Cedi is almost at par with the US Dollar...though many will argue it's 96 pesewas to the Dollar.
Anyway whichever way we may wish to look at it, the price of food has gone up and this trend the economists tell us, is going to go on till we get an injection of cash into the system. Yes the dreaded saga of Vodafone buying Ghana Telecom is what some economists have said will help boost the economy for us. That is the money obtained from selling 70 per cent shares of the nation's telecom provider.... Yes possibly but they can do that without adding the fibre optic from Volta Com. Voltacom is a subsidiary of the Volta River Authority and they were to provide various telecoms services using the fibre optic link which runs from the south to the north of the country. Unfortunately, their ideas have been discarded by some idiotic policy maker who has only dollar signs in his eyes!
I have been angered at the way some of these policy makers have been very foolish about this deal. I am not against a sale but it is the modalities of the agreement that I have a problem with! Oh and that reminds me, would it not have been a better option to have just sold the mobile and the internet subsidiaries? Media convergence is the buzz word but I do not think that some of these 'so -called' policy makers even know that that means.
Well sale or no sale, my local grocer is going to give me more grief when I go around the corner again next week. Wish me luck!
For those of you reading this, Ghana had it's monetary currency re-denominated (what a mouthful) and we have gone back to the days of coins and paper money. The New Ghana Cedi is almost at par with the US Dollar...though many will argue it's 96 pesewas to the Dollar.
Anyway whichever way we may wish to look at it, the price of food has gone up and this trend the economists tell us, is going to go on till we get an injection of cash into the system. Yes the dreaded saga of Vodafone buying Ghana Telecom is what some economists have said will help boost the economy for us. That is the money obtained from selling 70 per cent shares of the nation's telecom provider.... Yes possibly but they can do that without adding the fibre optic from Volta Com. Voltacom is a subsidiary of the Volta River Authority and they were to provide various telecoms services using the fibre optic link which runs from the south to the north of the country. Unfortunately, their ideas have been discarded by some idiotic policy maker who has only dollar signs in his eyes!
I have been angered at the way some of these policy makers have been very foolish about this deal. I am not against a sale but it is the modalities of the agreement that I have a problem with! Oh and that reminds me, would it not have been a better option to have just sold the mobile and the internet subsidiaries? Media convergence is the buzz word but I do not think that some of these 'so -called' policy makers even know that that means.
Well sale or no sale, my local grocer is going to give me more grief when I go around the corner again next week. Wish me luck!
Wednesday, 2 July 2008
Proud to be Ghanaian
Just read about a young wrestling contender who is originally from Ghana but is now pretending to be a Jamaican because unfortunately no-one knows about Ghanaians doing wrestling. SHAME ON THIS CHAP!!! for the love of show biz he is denying where he is coming from and pretending to be something else. His mother even said to him that his cousins back in Ghana will be watching him and will be wondering why he is choosing to be from another country.
It also shows his ignorance of the Jamaican people as some of them actually are Akan..that is those who are known as the Maroons were orginally from Ghana then called the Gold Coast and still practise the traditions they brought with them from Ghana. This includes the naming of children and other traditional bits.
Well it is his perogative but honestly anyone who denies his/her roots need to have their heads checked!! Pity as Ghana is known for brilliant footballers such as Michael Essien, Stephen Appiah and Abedi 'Pele' Ayew of old! Not forgetting Junior Agogo, who happens to be an old family friend.sssh don't tell anyone!
So to Kofi Sarkodie-Mensah shame on you S-H-A-M-E!!!!! You should be proud to be a GHANAIAN!!!!
It also shows his ignorance of the Jamaican people as some of them actually are Akan..that is those who are known as the Maroons were orginally from Ghana then called the Gold Coast and still practise the traditions they brought with them from Ghana. This includes the naming of children and other traditional bits.
Well it is his perogative but honestly anyone who denies his/her roots need to have their heads checked!! Pity as Ghana is known for brilliant footballers such as Michael Essien, Stephen Appiah and Abedi 'Pele' Ayew of old! Not forgetting Junior Agogo, who happens to be an old family friend.sssh don't tell anyone!
So to Kofi Sarkodie-Mensah shame on you S-H-A-M-E!!!!! You should be proud to be a GHANAIAN!!!!
July
The month of July for me has always been associated with the long vacation, what we call summer holidays in Ghana. It's the month for lots of birthdays, weddings and acting silly.
In Ghana, July is one of the months that one can still get quite a bit of rain and it is much cooler to visit this dear country of ours around this time of the year. Lots of festivals going on from regattas to yam festivals; it is as if the entire countryside comes alive with a myriad of colours bursting from every corner.
It is also the time when most of the expatraites living here tend to go away for their summer holidays and thus business though still brisk in the industries such as hospitatlity, tourism etc. slows down for commercial activity. Well somewhat but not all together before someone decides to challenge me on that score.
July is for making plans for the rest of the year like I am doing currently. I am using this time to re-strategise my business and do things that I have wanted to do for ages...like a television programme I dreamed up a few years ago. I think this year will be the best time to put my script to the screen and educate the good people of Ghana, especially the youth.
July is also the time when we celebrate International Women's Day and part of my programme will be directed at the young ladies who are in various areas; whether tertiary education, working as trainee managers or in adminstration, sales support, information technology...the list is endless but it will be to empower them and to make them aware of what is out there for them.
More for July in the next few days....
In Ghana, July is one of the months that one can still get quite a bit of rain and it is much cooler to visit this dear country of ours around this time of the year. Lots of festivals going on from regattas to yam festivals; it is as if the entire countryside comes alive with a myriad of colours bursting from every corner.
It is also the time when most of the expatraites living here tend to go away for their summer holidays and thus business though still brisk in the industries such as hospitatlity, tourism etc. slows down for commercial activity. Well somewhat but not all together before someone decides to challenge me on that score.
July is for making plans for the rest of the year like I am doing currently. I am using this time to re-strategise my business and do things that I have wanted to do for ages...like a television programme I dreamed up a few years ago. I think this year will be the best time to put my script to the screen and educate the good people of Ghana, especially the youth.
July is also the time when we celebrate International Women's Day and part of my programme will be directed at the young ladies who are in various areas; whether tertiary education, working as trainee managers or in adminstration, sales support, information technology...the list is endless but it will be to empower them and to make them aware of what is out there for them.
More for July in the next few days....
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