WHY IS PARLIAMENT EMPTY ??

So I'm watching local television this afternoon and like I always do, I'm constantly flipping channels. No, I don't have a short attention span and I don't think local stations are horrible. I just love to fully enjoy the benefits that multiple choice offers.

I chanced upon a new channel, GTV Govern - love it! I think the channel is dedicated to parliamentary proceedings - perfect! now we actually have eyes in parliament and can "see" for ourselves what our parliamentarians are up to - if only they showed up to work!

Yes! Actually, No! the chairs were empty! in some shots, I could count on one finger the number of MP's seated. No wonder they are always looking for reasons to boycott! they just do not want to show up for work! Where are they and what are they doing that is more important than the business of making laws which is why people queued for hours on end to get them elected so that they could have representation in the process?

When NPP MP's boycotted the vetting process, I was upset. I felt short changed. I felt deceived into believing that parliament will have a minority which is "Oh! so important" in the democratic process of governance. Now I'm upset because it feels like the whole process is a joke, well, at least to the MP's because they cant even be bothered to show up!

There's this belief or perhaps joke that there are parliamentarians who just sit in parliament and contribute NOTHNG all year round. The joke's on us apparently, because we should be grateful for those MP's who at least show up and sit through it, if for nothing at all, they will scream "yeah yeah" at the end of the day! 

I don't know about you, but i'm keeping an eye out for my MP every day! It's time to mark attendance. If you cant be bothered to show up for work in an air conditioned, chauffeur driven, fuel paid for, state of the art vehicle being provided you by the state for your work, I cant be bothered to queue for hours in the scorching sun to vote for you! Stay at home and over indulge in whatever precious thing is keeping you from parliament! Simple!!

AFRICA IS NOT FOR SISSIES

Last thursday was a particularly hectic day. Went from one office to the other in meetings that simply left the throat dry from over exertion - too much talking.
By late morning, I was hungry and tired. It didn't help that I was seated in one of the offices of KFC Ghana - my thoughts were centered on spicy juicy chicken.
And then something on the desk caught my attention. It was a carving of the African map and underneath it was the inscription - "Africa is not for sissies".
My host was on the phone but he noticed my fascination with his carving and got off the phone for a few seconds to say " yes, Africa is not for sissies" to which I replied with a nod, a smile and "true" muttered ever so softly.
These words saw me through the day, the week and perhaps will see me through the year.
Africa is indeed not for sissies! Think about it ...
In our part of the world, nothing works as it should. Structures? institutions? - non existent or all over the place, leaving most things to individual discretion and (good) judgement ... which is asking alot of a system which is still aspiring to understand itself. We do not have the discipline needed to exercise discretion and good judgement, we NEED the structures and institutions.
Simple and mundane things like getting on a bus, buying food, going through registration processes (on campuses, at the National Service Secretariat ...) are a struggle - literally! (I'm talking physical fights).
Education - the frustration and confusion in the system (medical school, law school ...) ...
Or perhaps trying to get a job or worse, trying to establish your own "company" ...
It beats my mind that today, in 2014, giving birth (procreation - nature at it's very core) is still a matter of life and death for a sizable number of the population.
The cost of living is high ... salaries are low ...
How does one survive, not to talk of flourish in these parts? Not by complaining, that's for sure.
Survival of the fittest. That could explain the corruption. I refuse to accept that as the only way.
One has to be fit to survive, yes! It's why we have to keep pushing and knocking and learning and teaching and going the extra mile ... that must be the way!
There has to be a way because this our place, our Africa, it aint for sissies!