The breakdown and loss of our state owned enterprises

......crying out for socialism: the way out…

How did Kwame Nkrumah as the founder of Ghana get this unpopular in the conscience of Ghanaians?

The past years of numerous governments after the overthrow of the socialist government of the founder of the country has been plagued by the breakdown and loss of a number of state owned enterprises, which we currently have Tema Oil Refinery at the slaughterhouse of our reactionary government, National Democratic Congress in the evil fight against our own country. The government must put a stop to the sale of state-owned enterprises. In the case of the Tema Oil Refinery, how can the government propose the sale of the oil refinery to the private sector few years after discovering crude oil on our land?

This makes the case of the influence of Nkrumahism to Ghana’s Development is very crucial. Nkrumahism is defined as the beliefs, practices, policies and ideologies of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. Why are Ghanaians finding it very difficult to resort to “SANKOFA” which is very wise in this situation of crisis upon the country? We all know only fools do not change their minds when they find out their approach to success keeps on failing.

Socialism is when the state legitimately exercises the sole ownership of all activities. On the platform of socialism, Kwame Nkrumah established many State Owned Enterprises (SOEs). The state was made the legitimate owner and the distribution network of all goods and services whiles private investments into State Owned Enterprises were recognized and encouraged. The private enterprises that were doing well were nationalized into state property to aid its efficient and effective buildup. For the development of the country, Nkrumah was set to forge ahead with his elaborate plans of communism, socialism, and Nkrumahism.

I ask why Ghana should not be a socialist state when the State is losing all its enterprises and few individuals are amassing wealth in its irregular and absurd form. The establishment of a socialist state will help to breakdown the intensity of social stratification and encourage free and fair social mobility between the social classes. The State must own and control legitimately all the enterprises and individuals “invest” in them that is how we get out of the mess we created by going against the foundation of the country.

Kwame Nkrumah’s “Relevant 'Model” stated that we shall measure our progress by the improvement in the health of our people, by the number of people in school, and by the quality of their education; by the availability of water and electricity in our own towns and villages, and by the happiness which our people take in being able to manage their own affairs. The welfare of our people is our chief pride, and it is by this that governments will ask to be judged. Governments must make non-profitable activities like clubs, alcoholic drinks, smoking and many more in the state very expensive and subsidise the costs of productive and profitable activities especially Education, health services, utility and amenity bills, social housing system leading to PROGRESS. This is the LIGHT.

This relevant model exposes the failures of the country caused by reactionary governments who come into governance operating on capitalism. Education, utilities and amenities, health issues all concerns the social environment and its inhabitants which the socialist political party in the name of Convention Peoples Party tackles and activates. I ask how governments can govern people when they are not tackling the problems of the people. For example, in the field of social amenities 69 percent of the Ghanaian society does not have toilet facilities, so appalling which shows the ugly situation the country is in.

The relevant model propounded by OSAGYEFO KWAME NKRUMAH suggested the improvement health, education, energy sector as our “measurement of progress”. Currently, this is the exactly the main sectors suffering breakdown in the country so definitely after 47 years of the overthrow of Nkrumah’s government and his ideologies as the foundation of Ghana which wisely needed to be continued or built upon by the past governments following his overthrow and till date we are still fighting village problems. This links us up to the “national development plan” which must be influenced by civil societies, oppositional political parties and many more to ensure that health, education, energy, utility and amenity solutions are embedded in our national agenda.

National development plan must be a general development plan linked or in connection to the agenda of the country irrespective of the government in power which overrules all political party agendas, and I know very well Ghanaians would love to resort to Ghana’s Seven Year Development Plan 1963/64 – 1969/70 BY KWAME NKRUMAH. The public sector comprising of state owned enterprises requires a whole development package. I believe the way out of Public-Private partnership problems is first, improve on the public sector in ways of management and administration to upgrade the public sector towards the road to “Socialism”. There must be limitation of the profit oriented operations through strict laws and regulations and the exercise of our tax laws governing the private sector to ensure equitable distribution of resources in the country. The capitalists will never be equitable in the distribution due to their personal interests standing in the way.

The government must review the State financing in terms of Budget funding in Public sector, the relational Contracts between the public and private sector and the critical selection of private sector partners. The government must ensure proper consideration of the risks and benefits of the Public-Private Partnership in Economic Crisis, National Development Debt and Delivery system. There must also be revolutionary way of thinking in how to provide Public Service through improved structures in which “Stakeholder Support” is the best we can do for the private sector which is all embedded in the socialist principles.

MR. EMMANUEL OSEI-POKU

POLITICAL SCIENCE STUDENT.

UNIVERSITY OF GHANA, LEGON.