‘The article below is written in response to, the Salaga MCE Hon. Mohammed Tamimu and MP/Savanna regional minister Hon. Saley’s attempts to prevent their political Opponents from assisting in the Covid-19 fight in Salaga Municipality.
Salaga undoubtedly is one of the oldest and famous towns in Ghana by history but one of the most deprived towns in Ghana by statistics.
At least, history has taught us how there was an already established market in Salaga as far back in the sixteenth century, where; kola, beads, ostrich feathers, animal hides etc. were traded.
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History has also demonstrated to us the role of salaga market as a centre for the slave trade in the eighteenth century.
It is, therefore, shocking to note and unpleasant to admit that on the back of all these historic evidence available to us, there is nothing special and appreciative about Salaga today. Salaga has long lost the link of a normal trend that has characterized many early civilized communities.
Where we started as a people should have served as a solid foundation for sustainable growth and development. But no, our leaders have long lost the script and ought to be seen for who they are.
Salaga is still behind when it comes to water and sanitation, road infrastructure, education, health and many other social and economic conditions that are so dear to us.
For instance, Salaga is still grappling with annual water crisis notwithstanding the overwhelmed volumes of water bodies that have surrounded us, i.e. River Dakar at Kalande and Volta Lake at Mankango, which by all standards are close to Salaga Township.
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Our major road networks, i.e. Salaga-Tamale road, Salaga-Mankango road, Salaga-Bimbila road, Salaga-Kpandai road and Salaga township roads can only be described as death traps which have so far claimed many lives and are more deadly than the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Surprisingly, they have become stocks in trade areas for all politicians during the electioneering period on the back of which they get our mandates. Yet, nothing tangible is being done about it after all.
The poor performance we record in our BECE and WASSCE as a municipality, and the low ranking we score in national school ranking, and of course all the other developmental challenges that have engulfed us as a people, are all testament of decades-old political leadership failure we are faced with as a people.
A clear case of a regrettable and unfortunate incidence in this 21st century in the midst of all the problems we are facing as a people, and of course, in the midst of this unfortunate reality that is facing the global community, the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an attempt by people in authority to still behave as though they were demigods and that every other person must succumb to their directives and hold them high.
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Our leaders are supposed to be pragmatic in finding long-lasting and innovative solutions and redefining a new order of leadership that could create a beneficial effect on us and not politics of suppression and suffocation that they seek to do.
This is the first time in my life I am learning that a philanthropic offer and an intention to donate life-saving essentials by well-meaning stakeholders could be observed with a political microscope.
A development which I found as very disappointing and unfortunate especially at this time that we need everyone on board devoid of political, tribal and ethnic considerations in our resolve to win the fight against COVID-19.
All of us and indeed every one of us has a stake in this fight and people must get that clear. This is not the time for people to exercise their discretionary powers granted to them by our own thumbs, and of course which has a lifespan, to undermine or belittle any person’s effort to offer a helping hand in enhancing this fight.
The COVID-19 is eating deep into the very fibre of our social and economic lives and we must admit and up our games in the fight.
The government cannot do it alone, considering our needs and means as a country at this critical time. As such, the government in its own wisdom saw the need to setup COVID-19 fund to get everybody involved, especially people with the financial muscle to assist in the fight.
This has since seen donations trickling in from Individual philanthropies and corporations.
We have also seen people and corporations donating items like PPEs, sanitizers and food items to health facilities and vulnerable people in the society.
What we have not seen is the sort of approval or an advice process that a donation has to pass through and by who before it is accepted.
I rest my case.
By: Awal M.Tanko
Source: EducationGhana.net
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