“Its a been a long day, without you my friend, and I will tell you all about it when I see you again”. These are the words of Wiz Kalifa ft Charlie Puth.

January was undoubtedly, a wonderful month, as it is the first month of every year, with 2018 been no exception, as was declared by most religious leaders across the globe. Some  declared the year as; 'a year of success', 'power', 'determination', 'fruitfulness', 'year of the Lords', among others.

Everything in this country appears to have been politicised, making life difficult nowadays. Political opponents see each other as enemies whenever public discourse and ideas are been challenged or debunked. It has come to a point where gulping of water, attending of public events and even coughing are been attributed to politics.

As a result of this, majority of the citizenry find it difficult to partake in national issues for the fear of being victimised nor bring up their 'workable' ideas to help push a society or move the country forward. This is very disturbing!

It's high time we desisted from such 'partisan politricking' as well as moving away from poor attitudes in order for our society to flourish.

But I think Citizens and Leaders are both 'faulty'.

Take a critical look at this;

A nurse, who's supposed to attend to sick patients will be tweeting, whatsapping, facebooking or probably shaking the head and twisting the body as if he/she has finished a fasting session just to shoot a mini video on SnapChat or Instagram during working hours.

Financiers of Institutions will connive with 'others' by adding Zero's to a proposed budget, hoping to share their profits accrued at the end.

Favorites and family members with no/less knowledge nor qualification/experience in relation to a job or position will always be paraded and kept in offices by their "Bosses".

Journalists, who're supposed to report on issues affecting the nation would 'Chok for one corner' and patiently seek for 'Soli' with their conscience ignoring the plights of the citizenry who needs immediate attention. Others will go in for 'Soli' and pretend to be Holy in the sight of Men.

'Those' in charge of church offerings will always exercise their mathematical prowess by subtracting and adding coins/notes which will eventually end up in their pocket.

Workers will falsify reports to get their hardworking colleagues fired from their post with no tangible reason. Those contesting for positions with others will do everything possible to 'cut them off' by spreading and championing rumours, as well as falsehood in order to dent the reputation of their opponents.

'Citizens', expected to act not like spectators, will secretly take monies out and overlook problems affecting the society at large. These people have been ployed to defend and 'polish up' the bad policies of leaders to make them look good in the sight of people. Interestingly, they're willing to voice out and highlight the mishaps affecting the land, but since their conscience have been 'crippled' with some 'coins' and kheebabs, they're barred from doing so. What a pity!

CEOs and Business owners will seek to take advantage of their position and sleep with innocent ladies before employing them. This situation has made it difficult for good jobs to be executed. Poor Ladies who fall for such antics, probably because of their income status, wouldn't be willing to work hard upon securing such jobs.
Others will use their offices as 'Mini Hotels' conducting 'body operations' on women who visit them.

Most Leaders will comfartably sit somewhere and plan on how to dupe their people or probably meet and drink 'Beer' with tax payers' money. They keep diverting resources into their 'pockets' without bothering about the welfare of their people. If you're a leader and fond of deceiving your dependents, remember your cup will be full one day.

It's always disappointing and disheartening listening to periodic heated but baseless political propaganda on the airwaves. Contributors know the truth yet they'll never speak it out. Just a few media platforms do tackle issues which hinder the development of our country and I commend them for that.

Even with this, finding solutions to these problems after discussion is also another headache.

There are countless actions which impede the growth of our country, and such actions mustn't be encouraged, if we're truly serious to make life easy as a nation.

We shouldn't hesitate to criticise our leaders and also put them on their toes to work, they've been chosen to serve and not to be served. As we put them on their toes, we ought to also check and be mindful of our attitudes as well.

Societies will be governable if its people change their bad attitudes and work for a common goal.

Subordinates shouldn't be "allergic" to the truth. We must be bold when speaking the truth.

"Kanawu, eye kyen se wo teetee"

May God instill in us, discipline and honesty, for an effective nation building.

© Nambe Patrick - Ghana Institute of Journalism, Accra.

Dear President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo,

I have been compelled to write to you in such a short time since I last wrote. Today, I will be very brief. My decision to be brief is not because I do not have much to say, but I am writing with anger and disappointment at your behaviour, your vice, and your ministers of state.

Our elders have advised that a man should not speak when he is angry. But I cannot keep quiet over this serious issue which has put you and your ministers at your irresponsible worst, so I will mitigate any harmful effects of my words by keeping them short.

Mr. President, since afternoon, I have been watching you, your Vice-President and what appears like an entourage of all your cabinet and 110 ministers at the funeral of the late queen mother of the Asante people. This week, this is the second time you and your Vice President have found time to mourn with Otumfuo and Asanteman. I don’t have any problem when you have the time to be at the funeral every day of the week. Apart from showing respect to the dead and honouring custom, Asantes are the largest ethnic group in Ghana so it makes political sense to be seen at the biggest gathering of Asanteman when it matters most.

But there is something I find very irresponsible, to put it mildly, about your visits to Kumasi this week. It is your failure to visit the students and teachers of Kumasi Academy. Eleven students of that senior high school have died in the last 8 months. In the past one week, four students of that school have died while about 16 of them have been hospitalised. The most worrying part of it all is that pathologists, medical doctors and health professionals say they do not know the cause of the death. They say the disease is yet to be diagnosed and it may be the first of its kind.

Harrowing television footages of distraught parents and traumatised students running around the campus, like a flock that has been attacked by bees, should not only worry us, but alarm us. There are close to 3000 students in that school and nobody knows what will happen next. We don’t know who else is living with the strange sickness.

Mr. President, the least you could do as the father of the nation is to spare at least five minutes of your time to address the students and help calm them down as school authorities and health personnel try to convince them not to go home for the fear of spreading the unknown disease. Elsewhere in the civilised world, the nation would have paused and paid attention to Kumasi Academy and call for external support in order to save the lives of the young ones. But it is sickening to admit that we don’t value human lives here and your attitude has confirmed it.

When the seven students died after the first disease outbreak in the school in March this year, the school appeared more interested in planning its 60th anniversary celebration than taking steps to safeguard the lives of the remaining students. Last week, when two of the students died, the school downplayed it. In the words of a source, “the school did not want the death to mar the anniversary celebration that was happening over the weekend so we hid news of the deaths.”

Mr. President, you were in Kumasi Academy for that 60th Anniversary programme last weekend, but your speech did not mention the deaths. I don’t blame you because my sources say the school authorities hid the news about the deaths from you. Elsewhere, the deaths and hospitalisation was enough reason to call off the celebration of the anniversary. This week, after the 60th anniversary event, two more students died and many more were rushed to the hospital.

The mysterious deaths at Kumasi Academy have been the main news item on all media platforms that matter in this country. Granted that you did not know about the deaths last week, can you also say you have not heard about the deaths this week?

Or are you telling us, through your attitude, that the death of 11 students in 8 months is not big enough to attract your attention and that of your ministers while you’re in Kumasi? The Minister of Education, I am told, was in Kumasi but he has not visited the school. The senior minister and all those who matter in your government are all in Kumasi, fighting hard to be recognised at the big funeral. But Kumasi Academy is yet to catch your attention.

Your excellency, going to Kumasi Academy will not automatically stop the deaths. But it will be a psychological boost to the students and the health personnel working to determine what is killing the young men and women of our republic. It will show that we are a serious nation with serious and responsible leaders. It will show us that at least our leaders value human lives. It will show the children that their leaders care about them. It will help boost their sense of patriotism.

I’m sure if a lunatic had gone to an American senior high school and gunned down five students, you would have gone on Facebook and Twitter to show your support. Why are you quiet when your own are dying? I left high school not very long ago, so I still remember the trauma that greeted us for months when one of us died. In their case, they have buried 11 students in eight months. Their school has not been fumigated. What would qualify as a national emergency centre seems to escape the attention of all who matter in our country.

Mr. President, exactly a year ago, millions of Ghanaians queued to vote for you. A majority of those people were young people. Some of them do not have big names. They are not prominent enough to attract you to their funerals, but when they die in groups, it should concern you.

If you can find time to be in Kumasi two times this week and spend hours sitting at the final funeral rights of the late queen mother, then you surely have enough time to spare at least five minutes to speak to the young men and women of Kumasi Academy. You surely have enough time to assure them, their teachers and parents that the nation cares about their plight.

Anything short of this is an act of irresponsibility on your part and on the part of your key sector ministers who should have been there. It is not too late to do what is right.

Until I come your way again,

This is Manasseh Azure Awuni. I am a citizen, not a spectator!

Source: manassehazure.com

Recognized as a great man and a Pan-Africanist, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah led Ghana to independence on March 6,1957. Under the late John Evans Atta Mills' governance, his date of birth was marked as a statutory holiday regarded as "The Founder's Day". Today marks his 108th birthday.

Embedded in the celebration of the day is celebrating/hailing Dr. Nkrumah as a Pan-Africanist who propelled the "Self-Government Now" campaign which conscientized the Gold Coasters on the need to strive for self-governance.

In this recent times, there's been lots of controversies surrounding the celebration of the Founder's Day. There's been suggestions that, the 21st day of September if observed as a holiday, should be  "The Patriots' Day" or "Founders' Day" not the Founder's Day as Dr. Nkrumah was a member of "the Big Six" who equally deserves the honour. Others argue it should be maintained since Dr. Nkrumah led the group.

However, the current government, the Akufo-Addo-led-administration has issued an executive instrument to rename September 21 "Nkrumah Memorial Day", and he has proposed a legislation to designate August 4 as Founders' Day. Well, that is yet to be debated on in Parliament.

Others also regard the celebration of the day to stifle development. Speaking to some students at the Ghana Institute of Journalism yesterday, the day can be singled out as a commemoration for Dr. Nkrumah without being declared a statutory holiday. According to them, no special activities come off on this day to usher the country into further development. Various schools, public and private sectors take the day off which stifles progress of the nation.

Should September 21 be regarded as a holiday? Or do we rebrand it to Founders' Day or the Patriots Day as been proposed?
Well, bring in your thoughts and comments.


Your Social Commentator,

Esther Nkrumah Amoah.

Today, unlike in the past, we are entertained in commercial buses. Music will be blaring, while we get to watch local and foreign movies. The question we've failed to ask is: Are TVs in trotros for our viewing pleasure or distraction?



You don't need to strain to see television sets tugged in trotros if you public transport. The revolution has caught on with all drivers that vehicles with little space for passengers have TVs.

Whiles the motive might be good, I'm convinced TVs in trotros is a distractive tool that encourage the drivers to overspeed on our roads.

Though there are no figures to show the contribution of TVS to road accidents, there is no denying the danger are likely to pose to other road users and passengers.

Though it is unlawful to install television set on dashboards, no law prevents the installation of it in public transports. This has offered the pleasure to vehicles without enough space to also install television in their cars at the expense of passenger comfort.

Regulations 189 of the Road Traffic Regulations provides said, among others that a person shall not use or operate a television monitor or a similar device on the dashboard of a vehicle while the motor vehicle is in motion.

It beats me how it is possible for them to install television sets in their vehicles, yet they forget to create comfort for their passengers. It is easy to sit in public transport and feel the flesh of the next passenger close to yours.



How is this possible?

As though on cue, almost all sprinter and 207 buses have TVs but there is no room to accommodate the legs of passengers the space is shared with spare tyres, gallons and other spare parts which create inconvenience for their passengers.

The simple reason for the installation of the television sets is to prevent passengers from interfering with drivers.

Driving needs critical attention and focus but the TVs help them to the do the opposite. It is the job of drivers to ferry their passengers to safety. TVs prevent the drivers from picking unusual noises from their vehicles and in their environment which could lead to road carnage in the future if not checked.

This is why passengers have to be extra-vigilant to monitor drivers from over-speeding and reckless driving.

Law enforcement agencies such as the police have a role to play here. They must ensure that vehicles which have TVs on their dashboards are punished since the act flouts the law.

Safety on our roads is neither the sole job of the police nor passengers. It is a job for all Ghanaians - government, security agencies, National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) and Parliament.

Let's be safe and insist on safety.

Source: Forgive Francis Amedeka

Unlike Nursing, perceived to be a noble profession with passion, will power and commitment, our current crop of nurses seem to destroy that tag.



Majority of High School leavers now 'throng' into banks and/or Internet Café(s) for the yearly NTC admission forms, purposely not for anything else but to 'swerve' the issue of unemployment and also smile to their respective banks for monthly allowances. That's not a bad idea tho!

Meanwhile, these very students wouldn't be apt enough to work for the country right after completion from NTC, as they 'graciously' throw away the 'oath' that binds them to be professional Nurses with integrity. They feel 'bossy' and most at times reluctant to work whenever they get the chance to be posted to any of the Health Centres in this country.

Let's all conduct an inquisitive check into the various hospitals across the country and monitor the attitudes and work ethics of these nurses, it's very very poor. Some nurses are highly disrespectful, while others can't even give an injection nor give a brief info about dosing. They've eventually turned health centres into 'perfect studios' for selfies and groupies. Anaa me'boaa?

Just a few nurses prove their hard work, and even with that, they seem to work write 'lots of eyes' are on them.

But hey! Good nurses do exist, Yes! And there's no argument on that. They should keep it up.

To be frank with everybody, the calmness and patience of a nurse when speaking to Patients who visit health centres could soothe their pain, and even 'cure' off their sickness that very moment, but these nurses seem to care less about that. They speak anyhow to patients when they're chanced upon, and lots of Patients are dying slowly because of this prob.

I've witnessed an interesting but a rather sad event where nurses were 'dodging' from being called to assist and also 'dress up' a poor patient who had been wailing due to a deep cut on her leg. It's interesting because, they swiftly 'vanished' into thin air, and sad because, they were actually running away from their duties. So, who are these nurses deceiving?

This is evident to know and understand that, our (current)generational nurses are been forced by the Parents or guardians into the NTC, when they rightly know that, the passion for the job, from these kids isn't there, and not even Usain Bolt' can even catch it for them when he's alled upon.

If you're a High School Graduate, and you know very well that, the passion and commitment for this profession isn't available, don't hesitate to pick an NTC admission form, so as to protect the 'poor' souls in the near future. Don't waste your fees if you're not ready to work well as a Nurse. Take your time and follow your passion, and don't be 'forced' into a profession which you're not interested.

And as a Nurse, if you're being tagged as a worker with poor work ethics and human relations by those around you, then take your time and refrain from such attitudes.

On a more serious note, the directive given by government to minimise the intake of students into NTCs is in the right direction, and I don't think this decision was solely made to solve the 'tussle', when it comes to the payment of allowances for students as always promised during electioneering period. I applaud the government for that, this will go a long way to positively help the entire nation at large, as government struggles to employ Nurses across the country.

Let's face reality, and not politicise this issue.

"Nursing is a noble profession, we want quality of services, not quantity."

If you disagree with me, let's have an intellectual discourse.

- Nambe Patrick (August, 2017)

Personally, I have chanced upon the video of Rashida Black Beauty on a Facebook page, highly 'unladylike' and I'm unenthused about this current crop of development where people crave for fame by doing something 'spectacular' to their followers and/or fans.

However, I sense and believe that, this widely shared video of Rashida could be black mail and calculated attempt to 'punish' as well as dent her 'publicity' which she gained, after the incident with her EX boyfriend which hit the media some few months ago.

Judging from the video myself, it looks like an old one, there's a vast difference considering her stature in the video and that of her current physique upon her fame.

Honestly speaking, Rashida at the first place recording herself is condemnable and shouldn't be encouraged by all and sundry.

Again, it should also serve as a wary to our fine ladies who fancy sharing their nudes with their supposed boyfriend(s) for the sake of love. Most ladies are secretly doing that for the of fear losing their relationship. It's highly uncharacteristic to do that, and what kind of love is it at the first place for people to prove their worth and affection to their lovers through the exchange of nudes?

Unfortunately, this video has really gone viral, as most people, including prominent media enthusiasts have picked it up. Let's try our best not to recirculate the video, and also halt the harsh criticisms and backlash which is been unleashed on her.

In the mean time, I would be waiting for Rashida to release an official communique with regard to this video and her reasons for doing that, since my early assertions might be wrong.

I wouldn't be surprised to see or hear Entertainment Shows across the country using this unfortunate incident as a review on their show tomorrow. I feel sad for Rashida!

Social media has become a powerful tool, which can make and unmake people at the same time. Let's be cautious and circumspect with the kind of content we share on daily basis.

"We can all be famous at a point in time but just a one second of mistake can erase the respect and admiration which have been earned from people. Let's be conscious at all time!"

—

Nambe Patrick is my identity, and I am a student at the Ghana Institute of Journalism.

© Nambe Patrick (July, 2017)

What could be wrong with typing “Amen”? Nothing, I thought, until a friend warned me about the consequences of doing so. I decided to share this information with the readers of Bright Side.

If you are a regular Facebook user and someone who feels compassion for the suffering of others, you have surely noticed those publications that say things like “ I know you won’t ’Like’ this photo because I’m sick“ or ” Type ’Amen’ to heal me.“

I was one of those people who felt bad when seeing the “ Keep scrolling if you’re heartless” types of posts until a friend alerted me to the scam behind it.

There is no life that can be saved with a “Like“ or illness that can be cured by typing ”Amen”: you’re doing this to show your support. But, despite your good intent, by doing that you’re very likely to be helping Facebook spammers make some easy money.

These types of manipulative posts are designed to trick or exploit people into liking, sharing, or commenting, which in turn results in the page accumulating followers. The creators of the page then spread malicious publicity, viruses, and scams. They also keep your data and know where you live, your date of birth, and your email, which could be used to hack your account.



When you share these posts, you’re actually doing real harm by increasing their popularity. Because when this happens, the page owner earns money using a stolen image of a suffering animal or a sick baby whose family has no idea it’s being used.

So next time you feel bad for not sharing one of these posts on your wall, keep in mind that your “Like“ and ”Amen” won’t save any lives. It will only help a bunch of heartless people fill their pockets.

Source: brightside.me

BE CAREFUL NOT TO SELL YOUR CONSCIENCE OVER A BOWL OF INDOMIE.

We live in an era where the Voice of the Voiceless' becomes silent in our society.

Those who are supposed to push up their voices and agenda also tend to forget about them, when they start sipping 'expensive' drinks or probably get hold of Offices with Air-condition.

They begin their 'dubious' operations with smiling faces but later greet their people with frowning faces right after securing high official positions.

We also live in an era where the honest people, eager to speak the truth are always tagged as threats, as others are sidelined from attending major activities in our society.

They do their very best to criticise and carry their messages across without fear. But, it's just a few of who are able to resist pressure from the public.

I'm still trying to figure out how people and why who are vocal in our society, tend to backslide with the truth after a period of time.

It is rather laughable to find out that, those who backslide with the truth are been persuaded by the very people who are in the centre of criticisms for not doing the right thing in our society.

There are instances where leaders of the various Pressure Groups in our Institutions, who are quick to comment on issues become mute right after series of close door meeting(s) with 'those' been criticised.

They go there to sell their conscience, as well as negotiate and take huge sums of money in a bid to cover up real issues from the sight of men.

Others are been lured with small amount of money and used as 'Boy-Boy' to paint 'people' black, as well as flood the system with lies so as to cover up the truth.

All these events aren't helping the nation as a whole.

Speak the truth always, and don't be deceived by the cunning poli-tricsters who will only 'break bottles' with you at the initial stage and 'dumb' you later on.

You're always free to criticise whenever you have a clear conscience.

Selling out your conscience for favours wouldn't give you peace, but it will definitely dent your integrity at the end.

—

Nambe Patrick is my identity, and I'm a student at the Ghana Institute of Journalism, Accra.

© Nambe Patrick