Babies are naturally known to have taste for everything liquid because they do not have the teeth to chew hard edibles. A baby with sharp teeth is used metaphorically in this context to indicate the overwhelming corrupt practices that has engrossed our nation in recent years.
This is an undisputable fact as there are enormous stories every single day and these politicians seem much comfortable in drying the coffers of the nation to a total nothing. It is how ever sad to realize the Ghana of today, the nation that critical minded leaders fought at the expense of their lives, toiled and ensured we have a nation like what we boast of, a nation which had solid foundations but now the finishing is deteriorating, a nation coupled with self-centered leaders and a corrupt administration, a nation filled with leaders who wish to make themselves and family rich regardless of impoverishing the ordinary Ghanaian, God is watching, Babies with Sharp teeth.
These chronicles even get juicier and one can only wonder if these babies with rather infamous SHARP TEETHS learned to bite into our precious resources both natural and human by learning from the trade from their respective dads. Not satisfied with our money, they seemed to have had bites on our precious damsels. Sarkodie would say, “lecturers, moaketua en sh€i nkonda na yaa sii”. But it suggests as though it isn’t only our educationist who have been tempted into having a pay-day from below the waist as our first gentlemen seem to have transcended beyond these boundaries. (Ezekiel Young’s piece).
But the bottom line is, Corruption in this country has being prevalent and this is really crippling the nation financially. The corruption started from when Mr Odoom in a 17 point allegation accused the Sports Minister, Alhaji Muntaka Mubarak of widespread corruption and misappropriation of funds. And then to Hon. Dzifa Attivor and the bus rebranding saga, the Ford expedition gift to the president, the two cars and a house from the president to Madam Akua Donkor and finally the persuasive means to bribe reverend professor Martey. Ghanaians pay tax and vote for people to freely misappropriate these taxes.
It turned out that the Metro Mass Transport buses were branded by Smarttys Management and Productions Ltd – owned by actress Selassie Ibrahim – at a ridiculous cost of GH¢3.6 million even before the Ministry of Transport secured approval for the whole transaction.
According to pressure group OccupyGhana, the infamous GH¢3.6 million bus branding deal was concluded some two clear months after then Minister of Transport, Dzifa Aku Attivor, had given the contract to Smarttys before the ministry wrote to the Public Procurement Agency (PPA) for approval for sole-sourcing, which is in clear breach of the rules and regulations pertaining to procurement by the government or state institutions.
The former minister was recently in the news asking the people of the Volta Region, stronghold of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), to retain the party in power in order to save her from going to jail if the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is given the mandate to rule the country in the November elections. A detailed pro-forma invoice for the re-branding of the buses, has revealed that stickers on each bus cost Ghc11, 000.
The pro-forma invoice dated 17th July 2015, and signed by the Accounts Officer of Smarttys Management and Productions and copied to the Ministry of Transport, put the total cost of branding for each bus at Ghc30,420.00. Sins and corrupt practices in this nation are pardoned by mere resignation which justify the wrongs and later painted to make it seem right. After the corrupt practices and knowing very well that she the former minister belongs to the party ready to wreck and torment the nation, she abusively pleaded the Voltarians to retain her party to avoid the NPP from imposing justice over her very corrupt behavior, this is to say, she is aware the party she belongs to do not work with the laws of this nation and even if the laws are used, they are abused to suit individual and selfish interest of the few privileged. I can tell you, in politics, these babies with sharp teeth can even chew iron and break into smaller pieces and still have the teeth unhurt.
Ghana’s big six were not given the name “big six” because they were good at war or neither were they good at using their intelligence to double cross Ghanaians of their hard earned monies. Dr,Kwame Nkrumah and the rest of the freedom fighters after independence never awarded contracts which led to the gifting of a Ford expedition like what happened in this country when the President collected the Ford Expedition gift from a Burkinabe contractor. If this is not bribery, then I wonder the name to call it. Governance of today has become a medium through which the hungry persuades, connives and gains power to fill his bank accounts overseas, his pockets, cater for the girlfriends, family and closest friends and nothing for the nation even if it takes the tax payer to eat ice block and groundnuts for supper. Am very sure, those who sacrificed their lives for the nation we now live in would grief in their graves regarding how their babies are chewing every joint that should have held the nation strong?
Furthurmore, they have lost it totally now giving away state funds to party sympathizers including Madam Akua Donkor. Now, our leaders have made it quite clear that people like Akua Donkor are more important than the unemployment canker this nation is battling with, Madam Akua Donkor is much more important than the basic humanitarian and social Amenities required in places like Amedzofe town, Asukawkaw town, Adaklu District, Drovukope in Akatsi South and Nyitawuta village.
Research has revealed that Madam Akua Donkor has consistently made it clear on most media platforms that due to how charitable, kind and caring President Mahama is has given her One Mitsubishi Pajero, one Mitsubishi L200 Pick Up and a four bedroom apartment at Sakumono Estates aside the many goodies he has given her in the past for her continues support of him.
Our further checks revealed that the total value of the 2 cars and the house is 786,000 Gh Cedis
Breakdown of the cost of the gifts
1 USD=4Gh Cedis
Four Bedroom apartment at Sakumono Estates =478,000 Gh Cedis
Mitsubishi Pajero =$55,000
=220,000Gh Cedis
Mitsubishi L200 Pickup =$22,000
= 88,000Gh Cedis
Total = 786,000 Gh Cedis
Moreover our research in the Volta region has also revealed that majority of towns in the region are very much in need of basic stuffs such as CHPS compound and potable drinking water.
As a result majority have to travel long distances for medical assistance and also for clean water or depend on rain water or water from polluted rivers for their drinking, cooking and bathing.
The break down and total value of the demands of some of the areas we researched at are as follows;
Cost of one borehole =12,000Gh Cedis
Cost of one CHPS compound 180,000 Gh Cedis
Adaklu District current source of water is Tordze river (polluted)
Number of boreholes needed 10, 10×12,000=120,000
Drovukope in Akatsi South
Current source of water is rain water or water Agbedrafor which is 30 kilometers away
Amedzofe town
Number of boreholes needed is 10
10×12=120,000
Asukawkaw town in the Biakoye constituency current source of water is Asukawkaw river(polluted)
Number of boreholes needed is 8
8×12,000=96,000
Nyitawuta village in Anlo constituency source of medical assistance, crossed river Anyanui to either South Tongu constituency or Anlo constituency
Solution: one CHPS compound in the village,
Cost of a CHPS compound is 180,000Gh Cedis
The total value of all the projects needed by these five areas is equal to 660,000 Gh Cedis
ANALYSIS
A comparison of total value of item given to Akua Donkor about (786,000) and that of the total cost of the project needed by this five towns (660,000) to help better the lives of the thousand Voltarians and non Voltarians living there shows that Akua Donkor gift alone is far expensive that the cost of all the projects needed in this towns.
All this is to ensure that one person is bribed and made happy to pull a greater number to support and vote for a party forgetting state resources are abused to their selfish advantage. God is watching, babies with sharp teeth.
Those who disagree with professor Martey’s verbal outburst on national issues must understand Presbyterian tradition which is older than any political party in Ghana. To play devil’s advocate, even if he belongs to a political party, it is his constitutional right. Presbyterian Church is historically an offshoot of Calvinism. Calvinism is a reformist protestant movement built on the philosophy of John Calvin. The Presbyterian Church has contributed immensely to the education system of this country as majority of the schools belongs and were built by this church which includes Presec-Legon,Training colleges, Nursing training schools, Presbyterian University college and many others. I don’t know the truth politicians want to seal Professor Marteys mouth from voicing out, so they go to his house with fat envelopes with bribe worth US$100,000.00 (equivalent to GH C397,000.00) and again promises him of a house at Trasacco with swimming pool and a four wheel drive.
His movement or society can at least boast of a Presbyterian school in every region and such achievement undoubtedly surpasses that of any political party who takes money from the consolidated fund and the nations coffers. This money that they wanted to offer as bribe can open businesses for the unemployed graduates and/or solve issues regarding basic amenities needed in the rural areas, they think less of the nation, their pockets and self-interest matters to them most Ghana is not a poor country, it is the richest considering our naturally endowed resources. These monies are been exploited by the few privileged mistakenly voted into power to make the tax payer grieve over his own decision to have voted.
To conclude, lets realize how better this nation would become if all these state money are channeled into productive ventures to promote employment and boast our GDP. I will speak today, speak tomorrow till our leaders realize they are taking tax payers for granted. Babies with sharp ironic teeth, God is watching.