My Kings, Government and Academia of Ghana

I write this piece in the hope it will awaken us all in our conduct as a people. My family lost my beloved father about 9years ago. However, we were bequeathed with 50acres of arable land. I had then just graduated from the university but practically had no skill in farming. However, my stepmother was around and besides I had more than ten siblings to help out. The decision arrived at, was to seek strategic partners, in the traditional management setup known as do-and-lets share (ye ma yenkye) to develop the land. We were unable to get only one strategic partner, with know-how and labour force or technology, but three different partners. These strategic partners, farmers in this instance were to use their human and technology (local cocoa farming implements) to develop the land into a cocoa farm. Though my siblings were younger, they are eventual shareholders of the cocoa farm and the arable land. And I think it was prudent on my part in agreeing to such a deal, which is common practice among our folks in farming areas.

Now the insanity arises, when our kings and government has to manage our timber and mineral resources on our behalf. In our kings and government dealing with similar situations i.e. developing and managing the natural and mineral resources on behalf of the citizens in business transactions with foreign nationals, they kowtow to what is called royalties; a real naive ness in conduct and practice in business transactions. I think such behaviour or conduct may be acceptable in the colonial times (ba gyim bre) and even that under the compulsion of guns, but not this era. Is it not only proper that we (nationals in the particular community) be considered as partners or shareholders rather than only our kings and government being doled out some meager amount called royalties? I do not know but I call on the honourable minister in charge to come out with the criteria for deciding the royalties and who is it for and how they are dispersed. My dear countrymen, my simple stance is; let?s end abruptly all the contracts on mineral and natural resources signed under the royalties system and opt for shareholding system. A shareholding system, that entitles individuals in the said communities to shares in the mineral and natural resources. Our people and communities have been raped and robbed sufficiently enough. We must not wait till the fate and happenings of Nigerians in the Niger delta become our portion. I remember the pathetic story of a foreigner who complained of attempted robbery after chartering a taxi to and from Obuasi, the road was un-Obuasi, the fame of the gold mined from this city. My comrade selfish intellectual mangers and opinion leaders, please let?s for once fight for the good of all our people. There is no need to rush to lease out these lands to supposed investors under the present royalties system. Remember, if not harvested or mined presently, it still remains for our unborn generations. Further, as the years go by, their value appreciates.

It need be clear to our kings and government that natural and mineral resources and lands are not their private properties but that of every descendant of the community. It is unfortunate that there are no legislations mandating every descendant of the community to the resources in the land, though they are to be judiciously and prudently developed and managed, not only for the present but for unborn generations. This had been the practice in our traditional setup as every family was entitled to a farming land. Subsequently even when lands were being sold out for residential development purposes, families previously farming on them were allocated some for similar reasons. The first fallout was when the proceeds from such sale of lands were not judiciously used to develop the infrastructure and social amenities in the communities. It has been erroneously held that the lands and resources belong to the kings. Hence the poor infrastructure and landscape development in many emerging communities, though the proceeds from land sale could have been used to develop the communities and create the needed environment for business and investment. In either way some chiefs and communities have been savvy enough to register some developments with proceeds of their mineral and natural resources.

Here in comes the part of the academia, in developing the equipment, legal instruments and human resource for us to do these prospecting, mining, harvesting, refining, processing and marketing of the natural and mineral resources. At worst at present, we may buy the technology or use Reverse Engineering to acquire the needed equipment. I hope the government will do well to lay the policy framework for all stakeholders in our resources. Even as other areas of study are important, strengthening and optimizing our potential areas will do us much good. These resources will have to leave the shores of Ghana as finished products and not in any other state. The rural banks are potential strategic partners in this venture to enrich our people and develop our motherland. We have to ensure that at least 50% of profits from such investments are spent or invested in the country and not exported as at present. The years past of Anglogold, and similar foreign firms including banks operating in Ghana is the clear case for us to take our destiny into our own hands. Unless my fellow countrymen will want me to believe that God blessed us with all these resources knowing very well we cannot manage them for the good of all, then let our kings, government and academia awake from the long slumber. I am by this calling on all Ghanaians to help protect, develop and manage our mineral and natural resources for the present generation and beyond.

Proverbs 13:22a ?A good man leaves an inheritance to his children?s children:?

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