Oil: Can Ghana escape the “Resource Curse"?

Feature Article on gahanweb.com:

Leaving a legacy of Transparency in Ghana’s Oil and Gas Industry

Extracts:

" (...) It is an undisputable fact that in the circles of oil and gas exploration, there is little evidence that past oil exports and petrodollars have made enormous contribution to the welfare of developing countries. In Nigeria, 40 years of petroleum exports (about $340 billion earned) have not helped raise standards of living but rather exacerbated conflicts; Gabon, sub-Saharan Africa’s fourth biggest oil producer and the world’s third biggest provider of manganese still has an estimated population of 1.5 million living below the poverty line. Chad is no exception in this regard.Obviously, this means that Ghana needs to proactively consider certain basic issues because the logic behind these calamities in other resource-rich countries is easy to understand. The country should not be obsessed with the notion of ‘fairly distributing oil revenues to all Ghanaians’ when the framework to ensure the equitable oil revenue distribution does not exist. It is interesting to know that the major issues behind the failures of resource-rich developing countries all boil down to “corruption”. If corruption is the yardstick to be used to assess the severity of “Resource Curse”, then definitely Ghana is not so exceptional to elude the grips of the “Devil’s Excrement”. It is against the backdrop of the upsurge of corruption in resource-rich countries especially in the developing world, that the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) was launched in September 2002 to encourage oil and gas companies to publish the payments they make to the governments of countries in which they operate.This article, therefore, seeks to draw the attention of Ghanaians, civil society groups and the Government to the spell of “corruption” that has beclouded the benefits of oil and gas explorations by drawing lessons from other African countries, our close allies. Again, to devise measures that can be put in place to nip this canker in the bud. So, the sixty-four thousand dollar question still remains ‘can Ghana leave a legacy of transparency for petrodollars to be an economic salvation?’"
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A bus ride in Ghana

"I had been late in getting a ticket at the Government Transport, and as most of the schools in Cape Coast were re-opening on the same day, tickets had been hard to come by. The next best thing, I thought, was to go on a big Neoplan bus. One hoped and prayed, if somebody had invested so much money in purchasing a bus, that they might have invested in getting a good driver. And hopefully, one who would not have taken a quarter bottle of akpeteshie just for the road. "
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Mehrparteiendemokratie westlicher Provenienz nicht geeignet für afrikanische Vielvölkerstaaten?

America Needs To Apologize To Ghana
(>> Feature Artikel auf Ghanaweb.com)

Auszüge:

“When our late president Nkrumah decided after a careful deliberation that, Ghana with both her multi-ethnicities and tribes would be better served under a one party system, strong was the objection to this notion. This notion was considered undemocratic. To many people, democracy meant multipartyism. However, little did they understood that multipartyism in a multi-ethnic country like Ghana, if not careful, could lead to civil unrest or war. Especially, if these various ethnic tribes and groups are divided by ethnic status-due to wealth and power. Therefore, to prevent the country from such an undesirable fate, it would be best if the country didn't vote at all. But instead of voting opt for a government, which would prioritize the collective interests of all Ghanaians-irrespective of their ethnic background or tribe.
(…)
Today Ghana's multipartyism, more than anything else, is ethnically driven and centered. The people vote for political parties, which they have either a tribal or ethnic affiliation. This type of voting can never have the best interests of the country at heart. And why? you ask. It's because, this type of voting promotes unnecessary ethnic illusion of power of one ethnic group over the other. For instance, we all do know that most supporters affiliated with the NDC party are mostly non Akans. It could also be confirmed that most Akans tend to vote for the NPP party. This trend, should it continue, could lead us into civil war one day. And all because, this form of ethnic division, if provoked by politics, could dump the country into an inferno. Hence, the need for the coalition of all the various political parties in Ghana under One absolute party, which would prioritize the best interests of every child of Ghana. Because really, a people divided are more or less defeated.“

Online-Kommentar (einer von über 100):

“Some of our people are concerned about the "few" who were jailed or died during DR NKRUMAH'S days but easily forget or stupidly ignore the "millions" who benefited.

They have forgotten that America enjoyed centuries of free African labour before adopting democracy. That Britain, Spain, Germany, Italy, Japan, Soviets, Korea, China, Malaysia, Singapore were all at one time dictatorial entities before they laid the foundation for their current status as industrial or economic and financial power houses.

Was it democracy when we were in slavery or was it democracy when we were under those colonial exploiters?

If we don't get smart and forge a new path based on our own doctrine of governance then we shall continue to wallow in abject poverty, diseases, illiteracy, under-development and under represented whilst our human and natural resources continue to enrich other nations.

DR NKRUMAH was for a highly developed GHANA/AFRICA with a powerful, respectful and influential voice on the world stage supporting the voiceless around the world.

Think of how many millions have been condemned to die out of poverty and diseases and wars by the west to further their political aspirations.

The name KWAME NKRUMAH was a nightmare to the west and some of our useless people.”

Ich lass das einfach mal so stehen und jeder kann sich seine eigenen Gedanken machen. Die Wahlen in Afghanistan lassen grüßen!

Pressefreiheit: afrikanische Staaten überholen Europa

"Eine Reihe von EU-Staaten wurden damit in diesem Jahr von Staaten mit parlamentarischem System in Afrika - Mali (30.), Südafrika (33.) und Ghana (27.) - sowie in Lateinamerika - Uruguay (29.) und Trinidad und Tobago (28.) - überholt. In einigen europäischen Ländern seien Medienmitarbeiter auch vor körperlichen Angriffen nicht sicher, so der Bericht. In Italien seien mafiöse Gruppen und in Spanien (44., vorher 36.) die ETA für Gewalt und Drohungen gegen Medienvertreter verantwortlich. Auch auf dem Balkan dokumentierte Reporter ohne Grenzen (ROG) Fälle von Gewalt gegen Journalisten: So wurde in Kroatien (78.) der Eigentümer und Marketing-Direktor der Wochenzeitschrift "Nacional" bei einem Bombenattentat getötet."

Zum epo-Artikel >> Rangliste der Pressefreiheit: Vorreiterrolle Europas in Gefahr

Wallraff: Afrika den Affen

Rauswurf und rassistische Parolen

"Dabei begegnete Wallraff offenem Rassismus, noch häufiger aber verdecktem. „Europa den Weißen, Afrika den Affen“ rief man ihm nach. Aus einer Kneipe wurde er mit der Begründung herausgeworfen: „Wir kennen uns hier alle. Dich kennen wir nicht. Verstehst du? Ende!“ Eine Wohnung oder Arbeit zu finden stellte sich ungleich schwieriger dar, wenn auch in den meisten Fällen der Grund für eine Absage ungenannt blieb. "

Ich habe eine gemischtrassige Tochter, da weiß ich, wovon der Mann redet!

weiter zum vollständigen Arikel auf >> Focus-Online

Is Ghana Becoming A Neo-Colonial State?

Das frage ich mich auch schon lange (und das gilt nicht nur für Ghana). Zum Glück stellt diese Frage aber ein Ghanaer, der übrigens schon älter ist und die letzten Tage der Kolonialzeit noch aus eigener Anschauung kennt. Einige Auszüge aus seinem Featrure-Artikel im Daily Graphic, der größten Tageszeitung Ghanas, vom 12.10.2009:

"The question may take many aback. But on reflection even the small minority who bask in the comforts of foreign largesse would feel a little uncomfortable at their subservience to foreign minor officials. (...)
As I settled down to put these thoughts to paper, a Member of Parliament was commenting on the rehabilitation of Makola market at Ga-Mashi. He said ‘preliminary plans were ready and approach would be made to foreign investors’. I felt salt. 'Can’t we think of doing something for ourselves'? I said to myself. The mind-set should be saved from gathering more cobwebs.Ghana is not a poor un-influential country which must beg to survive. (...)
I was informed that when an ambassador or High Commissioner of a donor country wanted to contact the President, she or he takes the handbag or briefcase and storms into the castle. The envoy walks in when he or she likes. (...)
In so far as we plan our budget expecting subsidy from outside, we would be on the road to neo-colonialist status. Should we mobilise the public to work and suffer a little for a brighter future? Or should we ride in four-wheeled air-conditioned cars and stay in 10-star hotels while those who know the state of our backyard laugh at us?

There is something in pride. Self-reliance breeds confidence. Let us resolve to live within our means while we build the country. Others cannot do it for us. We alone can do it. We resort to the begging bowl and high commissioners of my son’s age will treat us as scum."

Thank you, Mr. K.B. Asante!

>> zum vollen Artikel im Daily Graphic

EL: Der Hass auf den Westen

"Der Hass auf den Westen. Wie sich die armen Völker gegen den wirtschaftlichen Weltkrieg wehren"

Jean Ziegler, einer der profiliertesten Globalisierungskritiker, stimmt in seinem neuen Buch ein Loblied auf Evo Morales an. Morales habe "einen historischen Bruch mit der kannibalischen Weltordnung vollzogen und dem Westen eine bittere Niederlage zugefügt". Mit Menschenrechten argumentiere der Westen gerne dann, wenn es seinen Interessen nütze, ansonsten schaue er über Menschenrechtsverletzungen gerne hinweg. "Diese Doppelzüngigkeit - der Westen redet ja immer im Namen der ganzen Menschheit, im Namen universeller Werte - diese Doppelzüngigkeit, die ist nicht mehr erträglich für die Völker des Südens. Seit mehr als fünfhundert Jahren beherrschen die westlichen Länder den Planeten. Dabei stellen die Weißen nur dreizehn Prozent der Weltbevölkerung. Die Weltordnung bringt einer großen Zahl von Männern, Frauen und Kindern des Südens unsägliches Leid und neue Demütigungen. Auch sie nährt den Hass auf den Westen." Einen Hass, den Ziegler nicht prinzipiell als destruktiv empfindet - er könne durchaus konstruktiv genutzt werden. Er schärfe das politische Bewusstsein, den Blick auf das Unrecht. Und könne in diesem positiven Sinne ein identitätsstiftendes Nationalgefühl hervorbringen.

Courtesy Joachim Jahnke: Elfi's kritische Presseschau