Editorial:WHO WILL DELIVER GHANA FROM NDC AND NPP?

There is too much poverty in the country: in the cities and in the countryside, two-thirds of Ghanaians live on two dollars a day. That is very bad indeed for a country that has exported gold, diamond, timber and cocoa for decades.

There is too much corruption in the country: in both major political parties NDC and NPP; and in the police and immigration service; at Tema and Takoradi harbours and Kotoka Airport, and at CEPS; importers,exporters and travellers are suffering. In the universities, polytechnics, nursing and teachers’ training colleges sex is traded for grades and money is exchanged for admission. Many female students are victims.

The illiteracy level in the country is very high: Close to 30% of the adult population cannot read and write. Unemployment is very high too. Unofficially it hovers between 25 and 50%. Many of the youth have no jobs and have resorted to activities such as armed robbery, prostitution, hawking and other social vices. Graduates from our universities are without jobs either and many are doing their best to live in poverty.

In many homes basic facilities such as water and toilet are absent. Many people in our cities and towns are without quality and quantity of water. In some communities, residents have to live without water supply for weeks if not months.

In most of our rural areas people live in mud houses, roofed with raffia leaves. They are without electricity, water and social security. In the cities people have no mortgage; they face high renting and utility bills with poor services. Power cuts is everywhere in the country, yet every month the minister of energy receives millions of cedis for not providing the people with the energy thy need.

Farmers have no access to tractors and fertilisers and have to plant using cutlasses and hoes during the planting and harvesting seasons. Even when tractors are imported for them to use the corrupt politicians always hijack them. The farmers have no access to irrigation facilities and if nature fails to provide them with water then they are doomed.

Poverty is driving more and more children into the streets of Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, Ho, Tema and many others. Children serving as head potters are visible everywhere in the country. They are selling ice water, coconut, plantain chips and other hawking activities. They are sacrificing their education to find food for themselves. Majority of these kids have no place to call home. They sleep in the street and wherever they can. Some of them were born in the street, have been raised by the street, taught by the street, protected by the street but many of them have been subjected to abuse by the very society that has the responsibility to protect them. The MPs, the president, the vice president and their ministers drive by: some of them even stop to buy the stuff these children are selling without asking question why these children who are supposed to be in school and be trained as future leaders are on the street selling.

There is entropy of infrastructure decay in the country: break down of the rail sector, energy shortages, poor roads, poor and inadequate housing, inadequate water and sanitation delivery systems. There are no proper waste management systems. The traffic jams and pollution in Accra, Kumasi and elsewhere are unbearable.

There is food shortage everywhere and prices are beyond the reach of ordinary Ghanaians as a result malnutrition is increasingly affecting most of the children especially in the rural areas.

Most hospitals are without essential medicines and medical staff is in short supply in most health institutions. Patients sleeping on the floor of hospitals due to inadequate beds are a common feature in our hospitals. The minister of health says there is no money for medicines but every month taxes are paid to his government and we cannot tell where the money goes.

We have been told that Tema Harbour is being raped by men working with the president. Those at the helm of affairs are doing their best to loot as much as they can for themselves leaving Ghanaians to suffer. A case in point is the corruption allegations levelled at members of both the NDC and NPP.

Ghana has not modernized at all. 53 years after independence we still carry things on our head; wash our clothes with our hands and our women still carry babies on their back. They are all signs of where we are as a nation. Quality of life is very low. Life expectancy is just 57. Young men and women are dying from diseases that ought not to kill them. Poverty and the heat from the sun have turned beautiful young ladies into old one. There is walling and gnashing of teeth in every home. Out of sight out of mind a woman has to poison herself and her five children a sign of poverty, desperation, frustration that the NDC and NPP have helped institutionalised in the country. “It has now emerged that Georgina Pipson, the 31-year-old mother suspected of killing her five children at Gomoa Nyanyano near Kasoa in the Central Region, poisoned them with parazone, a powerful, corrosive detergent.
The Children are Kwaku Osae Asante 11, Nana Yaw Asante 9, Angel Akua Asante 6, Kofi Asante 4 and Esi Asante 1.” Source: myjoyonline.com, Tuesday, 05 Jan 2010.

Nothing is manufactured in the country not even bicycles let alone tractors, cars, computers, mobile phones, dish washers and heavy equipments that help nations to develop. We are a nation that depends on what others in Europe, North America, Japan, Korea, and Chinahave used and thrown away. Our economy is littered with used computers, used pants, and used cars things that most Ghanaians cannot do without because of poverty. In all this we have had presidents and their ministers who were paid huge salaries and bonuses to help develop the nation but only ended up impoverishing the people.

NDC and NPP have been promising to build castles in Ghana, yet people are living in mud houses. We cannot even device plans to help our farmers to increase food production. We have not recognised that the cutlasses and hoes they have been using since the time of slavery and colonialism cannot help us to move forward as a nation.

Water pollution and poor sanitation is everywhere in our cities. The people of Teshie and Nungua are using the sea and the coast as places of convenience because they have no access to toilets. In Accra the Korle Lagoon and the Odaw River have been polluted so much so that there are no living organisms in them. The stench in our cities is awful. Illegal dumping of waste is everywhere. Apart from being eyesores these dumps have also become breeding grounds for flies, cockroaches, mosquitoes, rats and mice; and cause odour problems, water pollution from runoff, and air pollution from burning.

In many of the country, for example; Sewerage is almost non-existent, with only a portion of Accra, Tema, Kumasi and few regional capitals enjoying piped sewerage services. There is no centralized wastewater treatment system in most of the cities and households and commercial premises generally have no onsite flush latrines. Within Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, Tema and most of the cities and towns the absence of waste infrastructures has led to a situation where solid waste sometimes remain uncollected for weeks, and is unhygienically burnt and disposed; indiscriminate dumping of waste is creating health problems.

There are few cities and towns with reliable piped water supply. Many residence of Accra do not have access to frequent supply of good drinking water and many households have to resort to extreme measures to be able to cope. In short, the infrastructures to deliver water to the people are either not existing or their capacities are too small to support the growing demand. The water situation in the rural areas is even worse. In the three northern regions people have to walk several miles in order to get water. As a result, people are not able to live healthy lives due to poor water quality and dwindling accessibility.

Rawlings and his P(NDC) spent 19 years joking with Ghanaians and the problems facing them. For better part of his 19 year reign Rawlings busied himself with celebration of June 4^th and 31^st December anniversaries than the welfare of Ghanaians. There is nothing remarkable in the country that can be associated with his 19 year reign. The SSS now (SHS) that he brought to Ghana has been a failure. Students still do not have access to textbooks close to two decades after it was introduced. Kuffour and his NPP also spent 8 years talking more and doing little.

The NDC and the NPP are toying with Ghana's secondary school system: 3 years for NDC, 4 years for NPP meanwhile they are busy sending their children to be educated abroad leaving Ghanaians to suffer from their selfish and ill thought-out policies. Nkrumah built universities and the current NDC and NPP leadership enjoyed it for free. During their time it was one student to a room, free breakfast, lunch and supper. But go to Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University of Ghana and Cape Coast University and see the condition of our students. Four students are packed in a room meant for a student and that is when a student is even lucky to have his/her name short listed by the authorities. Students in these institutions are studying without electricity and other academic facilities that produce high quality of graduates. As for the University of Development Studies the little I say about it the better. The neglect ofGhana’s tertiary institutions is illustrated in a news report by Ghanaian Times headlined: “Water Shortage: Experts Coming from S. Africa" which reported that:

"Experts from Ballest-Nedam, the Dutch company that installed the control panel at the intake pump station of the Weija Headworks are expected in Ghana on Thursday morning from South Africa to help repair the machine. This follows the inability of local experts to get the damaged electronic equipment fixed for the pump to function again”, Source: Ghanaian Times, 09-Feb-2010.

Another news item reads: "Straight-talking Charles Kofi Wayo has poured scorn on engineers working at the gutted Tema Oil Refinery, asking if they qualify to even be called engineers when they cannot manufacture common bolts and have to wait for three months for foreign expertise to fix the minutest of problems. "If you have engineers there why is it that one small bolt you have to wait for a white man two, three months. You can’t even make your own bolts…You can’t even tool anything down there, even gasket - common gasket when it blows, you shut down the RFCC and stuff like that so where are the engineers? Where are the engineers? Source: www.myjoyonline.com, Thursday, 21 January 2010.

The simple truth is that our students are not able to invent neither do our experts able to repair even broken machines. We cannot blame our universities for failing to produce high quality graduates and experts because they have mounting resource problems. The Universities lack well trained lecturers. They lack modern facilities such as state of the art libraries, laboratory simulation facilities, studios, computers, projectors, internet facilities, constant energy supply and books. They lack them because the NPP and NDC governments have failed to invest and build the infrastructures needed to deliver 21^st century education. As a result we have to import the equipments and books from countries that have done their home work well and have invested heavily in education notably in science and technology.

Ghana has been a leading gold exporter for decades and we have been selling gold at the international gold market for decades yet ordinary Ghanaians do not know where the proceeds go. Ghanaians cannot even buy products made from gold. No one in Ghana except the corrupt NDC and their equally corrupt NPP rivals who know where the proceeds go. Now they are happy that we have discovered oil and are seriously strategising to steal so Ghanaians will continue to live in poverty again. Ghana is a leading cocoa exporter but where does the money go? Rawlings couldn't give a straight answer when he was asked. Kuffour couldn’t give a straight answer either. Are we able to even buy chocolate for our children in a country which is the world’s biggest exporter of cocoa? We continue to receive grants from rich countries in the global north but the politicians and their business friends are not allowing it to have impact in the country.

Hundreds of loan agreements have been signed and billions of dollars have been received by our governments (Rawlings and Kuffour and now Mills) and we are paying heavy interest fees for it yet Ghanaians cannot trace where the money has gone, how it was spent or the projects it has been used to complete. We only hear of the loan agreements and the interests we are paying but not the money.

For the past 28 years Ghana has been governed by two main parties: the ruling National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party but it is no point arguing that both parties have been the cause of Ghana’s economic demise. For decades they have toyed with Ghana’s economy, its infrastructure needs: energy, roads, rail lines, education, telecommunication and health.

Frustration, hopelessness and desperation can be found in the face of many Ghanaians. Since Nkrumah was overthrown in 1966 Ghanaians have been without a true leader. A leader who will provide jobs for the youth; a leader who will provide infrastructure for the economic take off, a leader who will transform Ghana's railway sector into viable transportation industry; a leader who is a problem solver and not just arm-chair president.

Come 2012 NDC and NPP politicians aided by some corrupt media practitioners will come with the same pack of lies, deceits, pledges and promises and with smooth words: vote for us and we will do this and that but once they get to parliament they cannot even put a bill together to solve some of the problems. Once they become ministers they cannot even formulate policies let alone implement one. Ghanais poor today because of NPP and NDC who have no idea how to turn the huge natural resources into goods that will benefit Ghanaians. For 28 years both parties have mismanaged Ghana.

Ghanaians are suffering not because we are poor in terms of natural resources. We are poor because those entrusted with the management of the nation have sought create wealth to benefit themselves at the expense of the poor majority who live in 18^th century conditions. We are poor because we have of bad political leaders who are interested in getting power without using the power to help develop the nation for all to benefit. Those entrusted with the management of the nation are simply visionless. They love to drive in convoy at the expense of the nation yet have no idea how to help Ghana become a food sufficient nation. 53 years after independence we still import rice from China and India and there is no sign that the importation will stop soon.

It is so sad that the leaders who came after Nkrumah have done very little to add to the foundation he laid. I don't know what would have happened to Ghana had Nkrumah not built Akosombo dam. I don't what would have happened to Ghana had Nkrumah not built Tema city and the harbour with all the infrastructures and industries such as VALCO. Nkrumah spent 9 years from 1957 to 1966 doing all these landmark projects, Rawlings and his PNDC spent 19 years selling what Nkrumah built and where did the money go? The Asia Tigers (Taiwan, Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore) took the same 20 years wasted by Rawlings to turn their countries around. Ghanaians would have been better off than they are now if the PNDC/NDC leadership had used the 19 years judiciously.

Rawlings and his P(NDC) couldn't even maintain the things Nkrumah developed let alone adding some to it. Rawlings and his bootlickers had to allow them to decay because they did not have any idea how important those things were to the economy of our country. Kuffour spent 8 years selling Ghana Telecom and he cannot tell us what he used the money for. He thought Mo Ibrahim would give him 5 million dollar reward for managing Ghana to benefit himself and his circle of friends but Mo Ibrahim was smart.

If Nkrumah had been alive he would have turned the oil find into jobs for Ghanaians to enjoy; he would have used it to build houses for the poor in the country; he would have constructed another Akosombo dam to solve the energy crisis facing the nation; he would have developed and modernise the railway sector to ease the congestion facing our cities.

Can Mills save Ghana? Well his style of governance shows that unemployment and many of the woes he came to meet will worsen. He has not shown any clear policy direction as what he wants to do or achieve for Ghana. He would be best remembered for his penchant for silence and dithering when major issues need to be addressed. Can President Mills emulate the extraordinary leadership of Nkrumah and save Ghana from its current economic quandary? I doubt it. President Mills has been in power for over a now year and has not found his feet yet, though his ministers are enjoying tax payers' money, driving Land Cruisers while fishermen have no premix fuel. His government is so pathetic that it has become a laughing stock in the country and even within the NDC. Has Mills been able to practice what he preached during the elections?

Will NPP's Alan Kyeremanteng and Akuffo Addo save Ghana? I don't think so because they are part of the same wagon that has not delivered to Ghanaians. No wonder both of them think the only way they can serve Ghana is to be president and have been quarrelling since the NPP primaries.

NPP and NDC share one common characteristic: both parties rely on lies, deceits, bribery, and corruption to win votes while doing nothing to improve the social and economic situation in the country. That is why for the 28 years that both parties have governed Ghana standard of living continue to fall and every statistics either official or non-official is in the negative. Both parties like to share the nation’s resources among themselves and their peers forgetting the ordinary Ghanaian who stood in the sun to elect them. Rawlings and Kuffour and their NDC and NPP could not use proceeds from gold, timber, bauxite, diamond and cocoa to develop the nation and there is no doubt that both parties have contributed immensely to impoverishing the people with their short sighted, ill conceived and vote buying economic policies. If Ghana is going to be a nation for all her people then there is the need for a leadership that will aggressively implement policies and programmes that will transform the nation from its current economic predicament; a leadership that will mobilize all the resources in the country to develop Ghana for all its citizens to benefit.

Such leadership cannot be found in the NDC and NPP and that is why it is important for Ghanaians to consider voting for independent candidates or parties that have the track record of laying the foundation for Ghana. Ghanaians must sit up and must be cautious of the people they vote for in 2012 otherwise they risk living in poverty for another four years.

By Lord Aikins Adusei

(politicalthinker1@yahoo.com)

Ghana:Do we have to vote for NDC and NPP in 2012?

By Lord Aikins Adusei Previous presidential and parliamentary elections had always been a contest between the ruling National Democratic Congress and the opposition New Patriotic Party with minor parties such as Convention People’s Party and PNC playing the role of king makers. There is no doubt that the 2012 elections will be a contest between NDC and NPP and many in the country who are very passionate of NDC and NPP will go heaven and earth to defend them even to death whether or not they have access to water, electricity, jobs or not. However it is abundantly clear that these two major parties which have ruled Ghana for most of her 52 years of independence have woefully underperformed and have failed to deliver Ghanaians from the tentacles of poverty. In short these parties have shown beyond all reasonable doubt that they do not care about the plights of Ghanaians. NDC ruled Ghana for 8 years and NPP has also done the same but did any of them help to make Ghana a developed country? Did any of them solve the unemployment and housing problems in Ghana? How about electricity, education and health? Look at the poor nature of roads in Ghana. Do we deserve that? Can Ghanaians recall anything extraordinary that the NDC did before it was replaced by the NPP in 2000? Or anything remarkable that the NPP did before it was replaced by the NDC in 2008? And since taking office more than one year ago has the NDC done anything tangible to alleviate the suffering of Ghanaians? Any person who has been to Europe, Asia or America can say for sure that both major parties have not done much for Ghanaians. Look at the state of Ghana's manufacturing sector. What do we produce? Close to nothing. What do we do with the cocoa that we produce? Don't we export the raw beans for peanuts? How about the gold and the diamond and the many minerals we mine? Aren't they exported to Switzerland and Dubai before Ghanaians go there to buy the wedding rings and bracelets to sell to us? Computers, cars, mobile phones, fridges are made in Europe, Japan and the US and they are affordable there but Ghanaians cannot buy common chocolate even though the vital raw material which is cocoa is produced here. And the same is true about gold and diamond. We cannot buy products made from them even though they are mined right here. Look around yourself and see if any of the goods you see are made in Ghana. I mean the mobile phones, computers, televisions, cars and all the flashy things that Ghanaians are crazing for. It is sad to note that almost all the raw materials needed to build these phones, cars, plasma TVs, camcoders, satellite dishes are obtained from Ghana and other African countries. Has the NDC or the NPP helped us to build any of these things? No. The reason why we are unable to convert these rich natural resources into finish goods to benefit ourselves is the poor manner in which the NPP and NDC have managed our country. Don't forget it is government that must take the initiative, provide the necessary environment and policy direction and resources for a strong manufacturing sector to take root. Look at the policies of both major parties and see if they can even put Ghana on the level of Korea, Taiwan or Hong Kong in the next 20 years. Ghanaian business men and women are frequenting Dubai and China importing every good you can think of. Investigate to find out how the Chinese and the Koreans did it and whether any of the parties can help Ghana do the same. Didn't the NPP throw the NDC Vision 2020 Document that was supposed to make Ghana a middle income country into a dust bin? And do you think the NDC is going to implement Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy II (GPRS II) prepared by the NPP? This is the politics that has brought us no development but unemployment, poverty, hunger, misery and hopelessness and divisions. So do they care, I mean NPP and NDC and do we have to vote them in 2012? Look at the state of Ghana's infrastructure: energy, roads, harbours, telecommunication, health, education, rail system, market and airport. What are the records of the two major parties on infrastructure? Have they been able to add anything to what Dr. Nkrumah built? Haven't they even neglected the few that Nkrumah built to decay? If you think I am not making any point just look at the state of our railway sector. Most of the tracks have been left to rot to the extent that there are no train services in many parts of the country which once relied on that vital means of transport. For decades that sector received no investments and no modernisation to the extent that it now takes about 10 hours to travel by train from Kumasi to Accra, a mere 200km. Compare that with a train service in Japan where it takes one hour to cover more than 270km. Despite having the advantage of being cost effective, cheap, reliable and business friendly 11 years of PNDC rule plus 8 years of NDC and another 8 years of NPP did not help the rail sector and our country except turning former poor soldiers and politicians into billionaires at the expense of our nation. After 52 years of independence and more than 28 years of (P)NDC and NPP rule our trains still run on engines that are 50 years old. NDC and NPP have neglected Ghana's infrastructure needs for years, yet we have forgotten that no nation can develop without investing in infrastructure and technology. That is why Democratic Republic of Congo has every mineral you can think of yet it is one of the poorest in the world. That is why Malaysia, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong have developed and that is why President Obama is talking about building US infrastructures because they are the engines that run the economy. You cannot export if you do not have harbours and airports to support it. You cannot attract tourists if you do not have airport, hotels, well developed roads and other infrastructures that support it. You cannot move goods from centres of production to centres of consumption if you do not have roads, rail lines and inland water infrastructures to deliver it. You cannot supply the industries with doctors, architects, bankers, lawyers, planners, engineers, teachers, nurses if you do not have the educational infrastructure to deliver it. And you cannot run an efficient and vibrant economy if you do not have the energy and telecommunication infrastructures in place. Look at the state of Akosombo dam. Ghana is shut off anytime it refuses to rain yet we have had parties and their political leaders who have promised us so much yet have delivered so little. Ghana has been experiencing serious disruptions in the energy sector for years and no political party has seen any wisdom to solve it. As a result factories are folding up and are laying off workers and we are waiting for nature to help fill Akosombo Dam before we rectify the problem. Will these do nothing approaches to problem solving help our nation? What are we doing with the abundance of sunshine in the country? We have not taken advantage of it, have we? We have sunshine 365 days and we have not tap into solar energy which is cheap and more reliable than hydro. In a situation that mimic problem facing the entire African region, the Finnish president on a visit to Nigeria in March 2009 asked, “Nigerian people have so much sun and wind, why don’t they use it for the generation of light for cooking and every other thing”? She queried, and added that “we do it in Finland for our renewable energy”. Source: www.dailytrust.com, 12 March 2009. The sad story is that Finland and most of the nations in Europe are locked up for most of the year by cold winter but take advantage of the short summer to convert the little sunshine they receive into solar energy while here in Ghana we have sunshine most of the year but do nothing with it. Dwindling rainfall has limited the ability of Akosombo dam to produce the needed energy to support the economy. It is another indication of the useless institutions that we have and lip service paid by the various political parties and their leaders to Ghana's development. There is entropy of organised traffic disorder and inefficient transport management system, poor public transport service in Accra, Kumasi, Tema, Koforidua and many major cities in the country. Road transport in the country is dominated by rickety trotro and accident prone taxis and buses. Many travellers travelling in our cities have to endure huge delays due to traffic congestion. In the evening between 5pm and 8pm travellers from Accra to Teshie-Nungua spend not less than three hours in traffic in a journey that should take them less than one hour and in the morning suffer the same fate. Those going from Accra-Circle to Achimota and Ofanko, and Accra-Circle to Legon and Adenta undergo similar traumatic experience. But the NDC and NPP governments that have ruled Ghana for most of her 52 years existence as an independent nation have done very little to ease the situation despite persistence protest by the people. The NDC and NPP and their so called policy makers have refused to solve the traffic problems in the country because they drive in and around the country in four wheel drives assisted by dispatch riders and sirens and therefore do not experience the difficulties that ordinary Ghanaians go through daily. Look at the state of the agricultural sector. How many of our farmers have their own tractors and farming equipments to produce beyond the level of subsistence? Virtually all the important equipments needed to make the agric sector viable and productive have to be imported and how many of our farmers have their own resources to buy even the basic machinery to expand their farms? Today after 52 years of independence our farmers still depend on nature for water for their economic activities despite the availability of irrigation technology and what has the NDC and NPP done so far to help them? Aren't they still using cutlasses and hoes to plant and harvest their crops, technology our forefathers used before they were enslaved and colonised? Aren't they still relying on nature to plant their crops in this 21st Century? Aren't we still importing rice from India and China after nearly 53 years of self governance? We cannot even feed ourselves after 17 years of NDC and NPP rule. Where are the food sufficiency policies of the two major parties then? What are the many directors at the ministry of Agriculture who enjoy fat salaries and bonuses doing? Although we are in the 21st Century yet our farming practices indicate that we have still not moved beyond the 19th century. Fishermen are always faced with the constant shortage of premix fuel despite the pledge by both parties to help them. This is the more reason why we continue to hunger even though rich soils abound in Ghana. It is common to hear Ghanaians say that 'Malaysians got their palm fruit seed from Ghana'. Well Malaysians use the oil they get from the palm fruit as fuel for a number of engines including cars, something they accomplished through research and we what do we use the oil for? It is sad to say that Malaysia got independence about the same time as Ghana but they have made great strides economically, while we have been marking time courtesy NDC and NPP. While the rest of the world is moving forward scientifically and technologically we are still marking time because of corruption, poor leadership, poor governance, and bogus agricultural and economic policies, politicisation of every national issue, tribalism, ethnicity and military incursions into our social, economic and political life. If Agriculture which provides us about 35% of our GDP is bad, then can our educational sector upon which the development of the nation rest be any better? Aren't the NDC and NPP toying and playing politics with our secondary school system. The SSS (now SHS) was a three year programme when it first started. When the NPP replaced the NDC in 2001 they changed it to four years and now the NDC is considering reversing it to three years. Who are they fooling? Is it not Ghanaians, our economy and the future well-being of students who are going through these ill conceived education policies of NDC and NPP? Is the entire educational system anything to be proud of? Just look at the world ranking of Universities and see where the first university falls. Of the about 9,760 Accredited universities in the World, Ghana's prominent universities including University of Ghana and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology only managed to place 5,702 and 6,703 positions respectively in the World University Ranking. Even in Africa, our own backyard they only managed to secure 43rd and 63rd positions respectively. (Source: topuniversities.com/2008) Can we afford to develop the nation with ill-prepared graduates not to mention the millions of illiterates and semi-literates who roam around the cities and countryside? Dr. Ave Kludze, a Ghanaian born top NASA Scientist in a rebuke of our leaders and our education system said in an interview with the CNN "no empire has ever achieved greatness without technology and the earlier the leaders realise this the better". He later told BBC that, "But where African schools have a problem, is that they focus heavily on theory, whereas [universities in the west] focus on the practical - solving real world problems.” Source: bbc.co.uk, Thursady, 12 February 2009. It is abundantly clear that our education system is not producing the architects, engineers, planners, bankers, lawyers, doctors, teachers, social workers, nurses and the scientists that we need in the 21st Century. That is why every major architectural and engineering activity in Ghana is undertaken by foreigners and foreign companies especially from USA, Japan, China, India and the European Union. An illustration of how bad the situation is was captured in a news report by Ghanaian Times headlined: "Water Shortage: Experts Coming From S. Africa" which reported that "Experts from Ballest-Nedam, the Dutch company that installed the control panel at the intake pump station of the Weija Headworks are expected in Ghana on Thursday morning from South Africa to help repair the machine. This follows the inability of local experts to get the damaged electronic equipment fixed for the pump to function again. Mr Stanley Martey, Communication Manager of Aqua Viters Rand Limited, disclosing this to the ‘Times’ yesterday said AVRL was in touch with other experts in London and Holland for support in getting the engine to operate”, Source: Ghanaian Times, 09-Feb-2010. Another news item reads: "Straight-talking Charles Kofi Wayo has poured scorn on engineers working at the gutted Tema Oil Refinery, asking if they qualify to even be called engineers when they cannot manufacture common bolts and have to wait for three months for foreign expertise to fix the minutest of problems. "If you have engineers there why is it that one small bolt you have to wait for a white man two, three months. You can’t even make your own bolts…You can’t even tool anything down there, even gasket - common gasket when it blows, you shut down the RFCC and stuff like that so where are the engineers? Where are the engineers? Source: www.myjoyonline.com, Thursday, 21 January 2010. The simple truth is that our students are not able to invent neither do our experts able to repair even broken machines and experts have to be brought from elsewhere. We cannot blame our universities for failing to produce high quality graduates and experts because they have mounting resource problems. The Universities lack well trained lecturers. They lack modern facilities such as state of the art libraries, laboratory simulation facilities, studios, computers, projectors, internet facilities, constant energy supply and books. They lack them because we the NPP and NDC governments have failed to invest and build them; we cannot build them because the curricula have not prepared our students to build them. As a result we have to import the equipments and books from countries that have done their home work well and have invested heavily in education notably in science and technology. In many of our universities, Polytechnics and secondary schools lecturers/teachers are still teaching students the same way the 19th century academic institutions taught forgetting that we are in the 21st century. The same notes given a final year student four years ago are still being given to first year students with no addition or subtraction. Lecturers cannot write books for students because they do not have the resources to carry out research that form the basis of any academic material. Whereas students in advanced countries get their hands on books immediately they are released those in Ghana have to wait 4 years or even more to get the same books. What is more the academic facilities including libraries are in a state too appalling to describe. Not a single of our universities can boast of a million volumes of books in their libraries. Even the few text books that they have are so old that information contained in them are useless. Very few books have been published by Ghanaians. Due to this most students have to rely on the notes that lecturers give them. In Kwame Nkrumah University of Science Technology as it is in many of our higher institutions of learning students do not have access to proper accommodation, food and shelter. Room which once housed one student at KNUST officially houses four students and that is when a student is lucky to have his name shortlisted by the authorities. This is state of our universities and the little I say about our Polytechnics and secondary schools the better. And who do we blame other than NDC and NPP governments that have received billions of dollars in loans, grants and taxes and yet cannot invest some of it to develop and transform it into our education sector. Nothing get discussed in the country without NPP and NDC die-hards injecting politics into it and Ghana has paid a huge price as a result of that. Our higher institutions found themselves in this bad situation because for decades the NDC and NPP have been talking left while walking right playing politics with anything that matter to the nation. The streets of Accra, Kumasi and other major cities in the country are swarmed with children selling ice water, bread, chewing gums and anything that can be hawked. Children head potters are visible every where in Kumasi, Accra, Tema and Koforidua, a clear manifestation of the misery and hopelessness that the NDC and NPP have brought to Ghanaians. These are the children who are supposed to be in the classroom and be trained as future leaders but have to abandon the classroom and scavenge for food because the NPP and NDC do not care about them. When they drive in their expensive tax-payers' Land Cruisers do the NPP and NDC MPs, ministers, Vice Presidents, the Presidents and their advisors see the children who live, sell, and are taught by the street in Accra, Kumasi, Tema, Takoradi and Koforidua? Do you know why NDC and NPP keep toying with Ghana's education? Because they want to keep the people in darkness so no one will rise up to challenge their corrupt and useless administrations. Ask the President or his vice or their ministers where their children are schooling now and you will understand why they don't give a damn about SHS, Poly or University education. Their children are schooling in expensive universities in Europe and North America. And as to how they pay for those expensive fees your guess will be as good as mine. When their children finish their education overseas they stay there and work. They only return to Ghana when there are big contracts where they would make millions of dollars for staying away and doing nothing for the nation, and what do the poor Ghanaians who could not travel to study outside and had to pass through God knows what get? Nothing - no contract, no retirement packages, just poverty. Our research institutions have achieved very little because they are underfunded and the researchers do not have the expertise and the facilities to carry out any meaningful research. A case in point is Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) located at New Tafo in the Eastern Region. Despite decades of its existence we still export raw cocoa beans for peanuts. No value has been added to the cocoa. CRIG has not been able to come up with other ways in which to use the beans to benefit Ghanaians despite the mounting evidence that the beans have several potential uses. Have you visited Korle Bu or Komfo Anokye or any of our hospitals lately? Didn't you see patients lying on the floor even though they are sick and are suppose to be receiving care? If Korle Bu and Komfo Anokye hospitals are crying for resources then you can imagine the situation at Donkokrom. And where is the NDC and NPP that you want to die for or support so blindly? Where in Ghana are mosquitoes not widespread? Are we not still dying from mosquito bites and other minor and preventable diseases? Despite NDC and NPP pledges, our hospitals are without the basic essentials needed to run a hospital not to mention the advanced technologies that save millions of lives in Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Europe, Japan and America. And NDC and NPP what are they doing? According to peacefmonline "888 out of every 100,000 pregnant women in Ghana who visit the hospital, end up dying. Another expert, whose statistics were even more frightening said, out of every 1,000 pregnant women about 451 die". Source: peacefmonline.com, Thursday, 23 July 2009. How about the state of the housing infrastructure? A visit to any village or town gives the same picture of poor housing and poor quality of public service. People are living in mud/thatched houses with bamboo/raffia leafs as roofing sheet with no electricity, potable water and clinics. They live in a subsistence environment without social security, health insurance and are condemned to poverty, desperation and hopelessness. Those living in urban areas are without jobs, without mortgage, and face high utility bills with poor public services. They face constant barrage of water and energy disruptions everyday. In every region the situation is not different. Go to Nima, Agbogloshie, New Town, James Town, Sodom & Gomorrah and see the kind of living conditions and environment in which fellow Ghanaians are living in this 21st Century. People are living in squalid conditions not even fit for animals yet we have NDC and NPP always promising to build us castles, swimming pools and what have you. The problems of waste management in the cities and the associated health effect on the people need no telling. Accra and Kumasi Metropolitan authorities and other city authorities are struggling with waste management issues due to lack of vehicles, waste treatment plants and inadequate personnel capacity. Sewerage in the country is almost non-existent, with only a portion of Accra, Tema, Kumasi and few regional capitals enjoying piped sewerage services. There is no centralized wastewater treatment system in most of the cities and households and commercial premises generally have no onsite flush latrines. Within Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, Tema and most of the cities and towns solid waste is unhygienically burned, disposed; and indiscriminate dumping of waste is creating health problems. There are few cities and towns with reliable piped water supply. Many residence of Accra do not have access to good drinking water and many households have to resort to extreme measures to be able to cope. In short the infrastructures to deliver water to the people do not exist courtesy NPP and NDC. Majority of the people in Teshie and Nungua have no access to toilet facilities and have to use the coast as places of convenience and even in those places where there are few toilet facilities you could hardly stand the stench. Please you can verify this by going to where Dutch Hotel is situated at Nungua and witness how people troop to the coast in the morning to attend nature's call. On the other hand the NDC and NPP MPs, ministers, vice president, the president, their cronies and families live in total luxury with mansions, sport utility vehicles, bodyguards, fat salaries, fat bonuses, house servants and they have all the resources of the state at their disposal. When they leave office they propose special emolument packages for themselves yet they claim to be serving the poor. How can it be? I can continue all day but it is a fact that both the NDC and NPP are bunches of hungry politicians with no concrete economic and social agenda to move Ghana beyond the level of importing used computers, used cars, used televisions, used underwear and any used thing you can think of. What are all these telling you about Ghana, the NPP, and the NDC? Do we have any option not to vote for them in 2012? Why should Ghanaians continue to die and suffer for such people who only think about their stomach? These leaders and their parties always play on the ignorance of the people promising them heaven but failing to even provide them earth. Until we have leaders who have vision like Dr. Nkrumah and are committed to industrialise Ghana beyond agro raw material production and export, Ghana will continue to be classified as a developing and poor country and even though we will continue to vote we will continue to wallow in abject poverty as we have always done. I want to urge every Ghanaian to seek education and knowledge which I believe will help us to question our leaders and demand accountability from them. I also want to challenge the various TV and radio stations to devote money and resources to embark on documentaries on what it really means to live in poverty in Ghana under the NPP and NDC, documentaries and programmes that will show Ghanaians the living conditions of the people in rural areas and expose the lies of the NDC and NPP. And to the parasitic NDC and NPP I say 52 years is enough for us to see real development in the country.

Lord Aikins Adusei

GHANA:Politicians, others milk PSC Tema Shipyard dry

Grim revelations from an internal audit on the accounts of West Africa’s biggest dry dock facility, PSC Tema Shipyard, have been livened by the Chief Finance Officer of the company in his response to major issues raised in the audit report. In a 115-point response statement issued by the Chief Finance Officer, Mohamaed Ismail Bin Lebai Sulaiman, who is currently on suspension, the company set up dummy companies through which thousands of dollars and Ghana cedis were paid to some highly placed people. These companies, after they were set up, never delivered any service to the PSC Tema Shipyard but only served as conduits for the payment of money to mainly politicians and the police. Mr Sulaiman's 115-point statement was in response to queries raised in the internal audit report on the company's business transactions. In the internal audit report, the company is alleged to have entered into a deal in which it paid SBT Resources Associates a sum of $285,000 ostensibly to facilitate the operations of PSC Tema Shipyard. These included facilitating the dry dock company’s expression of interest as an operator of Takoradi Port Shipyard for a fee of $150,000, reviewing and identifying outstanding obligations of a Joint Venture Agreement between PSC Tema Shipyard and the government of Ghana for a fee of $10,000 and submitting records to government for free zone status for PSC Tema Shipyard for a fee of $100,000. According to the report, “apart from the fact that the fees payable [were] excessive in relating to the services to be provided, it is doubtful if the consultant [had] the capacity to do all the work involved.” A check on the background of SBT Resources Associates indicated that they are mainly registered to deal in Agriculture Technology, agricultural machinery, distribution of agricultural equipment and debt collection, the report indicated. But in the Chief Finance Officer’s response, “the scope of work or services to be rendered by SBT in the contract was not carried out.” In fact, the money paid to SBT Resources Associates was not for any services but to enable a certain Ben Tetteh to block a supposed bill drafted by the then NPP government to be placed before Parliament for the take-over of the company which was divested to some Malaysians in 1997. According to Mr Sulaiman, Ben Tetteh produced documentary proof to show that the government was going to place a bill before Parliament to take over the company and advised him to make some money available for him (Ben) to 'see' some people to block the bill. He claimed Ben Tetteh even took him to meet with Mr P.V. Obeng at the International Conference Centre sometime in December last year as part of efforts to block the so-called bill. The Chief Finance Officer also intimated that Ben Tetteh also took $10,000 - captured in the books as facilitation for free trade zone application - to try and influence the National Labour Commission to get the then agitating workers off the backs of management. The Maritime and Dock Workers Union at the time had been advocating the expulsion of the Malaysian managers of the company accusing them of running the company down and failing to inject capital into it contrary to the acquisition agreement in 1997. To get the workers off the back of management, they paid $10,000 to Ben Tetteh to go and 'see' the labour commission to probably issue a fiat to the workers to 'leave management alone'. Christmas rice and chicken for police Suleiman’s witness statement also admits “protocol payments” were paid to some 60 policemen who were maintaining security at the shipyard when unionized workers of the company were interdicted for carrying out an industrial action against what they said were poor conditions of work in December last year. Additionally, the police officers, including CIDs, were paid GH¢9,000 in lieu of chicken and rice for the Christmas celebrations last year. It further admitted that some GH¢3000 was used as “payment to the regional commander and his deputy.” According the Chief Finance Officer these payments were necessary as the regional commander and his men had been threatening to pull out police force maintaining security at the shipyard. Another dig the finance officer revealed was that the Inspector General Police (IGP) during the period of the interdiction first received GH¢10,000 to ensure security at the yard. The IGP is alleged to have subsequently ordered the then Tema Regional Police Commander, Mr Adeloya, to beef up security at the shipyard. Ameyaw Akumfi fingered In its investigations on the establishment of the Keta Shipping Service, the internal auditors stated that the company “was given a vague description of service – provide professional, skilled and unskilled labour upon written request of PSC Tema Shipyard.” According to the auditors, “within two months a whopping sum of GH¢53,500 had been paid to Keta Shipping Service under very suspicious circumstances.” The auditors maintained the nature of the business of the Keta Shipping Service was completely at variance with the services allegedly rendered. The company, according to the audit report, was formed to as means of getting funds to some highly-placed political figures. The Chief Finance Officer in his response mentioned the former Minister for Ports and Habours, Prof. Ameyaw Akumfi who had been asking him “for money or donations especially prior to the elections. “With that in mind, Keta was formed,” Suleiman said in his reaction to the audit report, adding “some of the profits from this business [could] be channeled to the former minister.” According to the audit report, although the shipyard has the potential to make appreciable profits, several flagrant violations of internal control systems and procedures have resulted in what it called an “economic haemorrhage.” Meanwhile Joy News sources can confirm that the Commissioner for the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has expressed interest in the internal report and could launch an investigation into its findings. Story by Fiifi Koomson/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana

Transcript of online Webchat with US Ambassador to Kenya Michael Ranneberger - September 23rd 2009

CO.NX Moderator (Tim): This program will begin on September 23 at 15:00 Nairobi Time - (8:00am EDT – 1200GMT).
 
CO.NX Moderator (Tim): Please post your questions before or during the chat. Once we receive your questions they will turn RED on the screen. Thank you.
 
CO.NX Moderator (Mark): Hello and welcome to today's webchat!  We're taking your questions now.  The live chat will begin at the top of the hour 12:00GMT.
 
CO.NX Moderator (Tim): Good morning everyone. The Ambassador will be online in less than 30 minutes. Please send in your questions now.
 
CO.NX Moderator (Tim): From Jeff Martin in Facebook: Just out of curiosity,what,in your opinion,is kenya's place in the African continent?
 
CO.NX Moderator (Tim): When we receive your questions they will turn RED. Thank you again.
Jane, Kisumu: does the Amb come on in 7 minutes?
 
CO.NX Moderator (Tim): The Ambassador will arrive in a few minutes. Thank you for your patience.
Ambassador Ranneberger: Good morning everyone. I am pleased to be here with you today. Please send me your questions now. Thank you.
 
unity2050: hello

unity2050: i am so happy to be here
 
tracy: good after Mr Ranneberger
 
Lucy Muthoni: Hello Your Excellencey
 
Joseph: Hallo, this is Joseph in Nairobi can I join in?
 
Djibouti: Excellency, Djibouti represents four reporters from La Nation (French Language News Paper) and Radio Television Djibouti.  We'll be submitting questions shortly!  Thank you very much!
Ambassador Ranneberger: Welcome and thank you for coming.
tracy: Thank you Sir
 
BARNET-GILGIL: Thank you
 
Johnie: Good Afternoon Nairobi, your excellency its afternoon in Nrb
 
Mina: hi

Nashipai Koima: Good afternoon Sir

Mina: good afternoon

Suzanne: is it possible to extend this time to about 4.30 so that His excellence can respond to all our questions?
 
CO.NX Moderator (Mark): Hi Suzanne, we're hoping the Ambassaor can get to as many questions as possible during today's session but please understand his schedule is tight.

Djibouti: can you describe U.S. efforts to support the TFG in Somalia?

Ambassador Ranneberger: The U.S. is working closely with Kenya to support the TFG in Somalia.  Kenya has been very helpful in supporting a political process to expand support for the TFG, Kenya is trying captured pirates, and Kenya is providing assistance to the TFG.  Kenya has exerted strong pressure within East Africa to stop Eritrean support for the al-Shabaab.  The U.S. is also providing strong support for the TFG politically, and through financial support for the TFG especially for security assistance.  The U.S. is also the largest supporter of AMISOM, and the largest provider of humanitarian assistance to the Somali people.  We greatly appreciate the strong role that AMISOM is playing in Somalia.
unity2050: can i ask you question

CO.NX Moderator (Mark): We are taking questions now. The Ambasador is working on his responses.

Mina: I have a question , it is not directly related to kenya
 
Ambassador Ranneberger: Feel free to post it.

Mina: but to us as general
 
brigid koskei 2: brigid koskei from Kenya.us elections have shown us that we can as a country we can go beyond tribal and racial politics.Is this possible with the Kenyan current constitution and institutional structures that are in existence?

Ambassador Ranneberger: In order to be able to achieve what the U.S. did in electing Obama, several things must happen:  1. the Kenyan people need to work much harder to overcome entrenched ethnic attitudes; this involves working at the grassroots level, more leadership at the top, more civic education, etc. 2. there needs to be constitutional change and reform to ensure the rule of law.  These reforms are necessary so that the rights and interests of each ethnic group will be protected; that way, ethnic groups will not regard every election as a ''winner take all'' situation. 

Ambassador Ranneberger: 3. there must be more equitable economic development to push back poverty and to open more opportunities for all ethnic groups in order to reduce tensions and to eliminate the perception that one ethnic group controls the economy and development.

CO.NX Moderator (Mark): Thanks everyone for joining us.  As you can see there are many of you online and many questions coming in.  The Ambassador is working as quickly as possible to take your questions.  Please be patient.

Lucy Muthoni: Thank you moderator for your assurance.

Guest : Does Obama plan to come to kenya

Ambassador Ranneberger: Obama has been to Kenya before, and I have no doubt that at some point he will visit again.  However, he has made clear that he is deeply disappointed by the lack of progress in implementing reforms.  When he went to Ghana, a cartoon in the Nation captured the situation well.  It had a picture of Air Force One flying over Kenya, with a little Kibaki and Odinga looking up at it, and a note was floating down that said ''get your act together.signed Barack Obama.''

Jack KOdera: I thought the Chat was on Terrorism and  Piracy!  Has it now turned to Democratization?

CO.NX Moderator (Mark): Hello Jack, you are thinking about today's second webchat beginning in about 45 minutes.  Join us immediatelly following this session for a discussion on piracy and terrorism at this CO.NX chat room: https://statedept.conenctsolutions.com/piracy

kadadi: Goodafternoon all, Nice to be here

CO.NX Moderator (Mark): Hello kadadi, welcome!

CO.NX Moderator (Mark): Also, please join us at 14:00GMT today for a webstream of President Obama's U.N. speech:  https://statedept.connectsolutions.com/unga2009

kadadi: thanks Mark

tracy: Mark dear,does his excellency looked at my question??

CO.NX Moderator (Mark): Hi Tracy, there are more than 100 questions in the queue, the Ambassador is trying to answer as many as possible.

mary Eldoret: Obama presidency has been lauded the world over. What will his policy be on the Kenyan or African political set up?

Ambassador Ranneberger: promote expanded trade between the U.S. and Africa.  In short, you will see the Obama Administration intensively engaged with Africa.Obama has clearly indicated that he wants to expand our relationship with the African continent in order to promote democracy, good governance, development, and conflict resolution.   Thus our policy on Kenya focuses on pushing for implementation of the reform agenda.  More broadly, President Obama has already announced an important new initiative:  the global food security initiative, which will benefit Kenya and other countries in Africa. Secretary Clinton has already visited 7 countries in Africa to highlight our priority to engage with Africa.  A major AGOA forum was held in Kenya to promote expanded trade between the U.S. and Africa.  In short, you will see the Obama Administration intensively engaged with Africa.

Abraham Rugo: Thanks Mark...we will wait

tracy: thanks so much,Mark

Migolo Benjamin: we r totally behind you

Guest Nairobi: What do you think is the most important issue facing Kenyans today?

Ambassador Ranneberger: The most important issue facing Kenyans is ensuring full implementation of the reform agenda.

Dalmas: Good afternoon your excellency

kachwanya: Good afternoon everyone

CO.NX Moderator (Mark): Alphonse: America is made up of different states with people of different background, social economics and yet the country is very united.Learning from the American case,in your view,How can Kenya overcome tribalism based on that context?

Ambassador Ranneberger: Unity in America has been achieved through an appreciation that we gain strength through our diversity, and by ensuring that there are transparent institutions and rule of law which protects everyone.  That is why we are pushing for constitutional and rule of law reform in Kenya.  I talked above about Kenyans' need to overcome ethnic attitudes.  I am optimistic that Kenya can also achieve such unity, and that the emerging younger generation will make a major contribution to this.  Do not be discouraged.  Keep in mind all the difficulties the U.S. has experienced, particularly in accommodating African-Americans.  But the election of Obama demonstrates how fast change can happen.  I believe that there is a quiet transformation sweeping Kenya and that fundamental change will come more quickly than anyone realizes.

Lucy Muthoni: Dear Mark, in line to your response to Tracy, does it mean that some questions might remain unanswered by the end of this session? If so, when will we have another session like this, so that we can post our questions early enough? Will he first look at the questions which had been posted before this chat session?

CO.NX Moderator (Mark): Hi Lucy, unfortunately there are many more questions than the Ambassador can answer in one session.  We hope he will join us again in the coming weeks.  All of the questions will be collected and we will forward them on to him for review.

amuteru: Good Afternoon Sir, Thanks you for creating this forum, I am Muteru journalist by profession. I wish you would consider sharing this idea with our parlimentarians to facilitate one on one with their constituents. Hope it aint complicated maybe they can start with the social networks like facebook. Straight to my question. I watched your interview with KTN and would you expound what steps your country will take if the coalition government fails on the reform agenda? and two, What is your role in constitutional process?

Ambassador Ranneberger: Great point and I will encourage the parliamentarians.  You should know that I have also started face book and twitter accounts to reach out to ordinary Kenyans.  My twitter is:  www.twitter.com/usamb4reform and my face book page can be found by entering face book and going to ''u.s. embassy nairobi.''  I have also been doing town hall meetings with young people throughout the country, and I am urging parliamentarians to do the same thing and to join me when I do these.  Kenyan leaders are used to speaking at the people, but not have a two-way dialogue with them.

Djibouti: During Secretary Clinton's visit to Kenya, she visited with TFG president Sheik Sharif and promised US support for the TFG.  What support was promised, and what, if any, of that support was delivered?
Ambassador Ranneberger: The Secretary had a very positive meeting with President Sharif.  I described above the assistance we are providing.

Daniel, Nairobi: Hello there, Daniel Wallis from Reuters here. How do you respond, Mr Ambassador, to yday's criticism from Fgn Minister Wetangula re. the raid that killed Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhanin Somalia? v/r  

Ambassador Ranneberger: I believe that the Kenyan government fully appreciates that Nabhan was a terrorist who posed a grave threat to Kenya as well as the U.S.

Lucy Muthoni: Should I sign off, will I be able to see His Excellency's response to my question(s) later, say tomorrow, if I come to this site?

CO.NX Moderator (Mark): Yes if the Ambassador selects your que, and we will also post a transcript to our co.nx Facebook page at http://co-nx.state.gov

kk: what is US stand on the appointment of Aron Ringera?

Ambassador Ranneberger: The fact is that no minister, assistant minister, or permanent secretary, with few or no exceptions, has been successfully prosecuted for the past 19 years.  Clearly, therefore the key institutions responsible for fighting corruption must be reformed and the leadership of those institutions held accountable.  The scrutiny which Parliament has been undertaking is positive.  It is also important that there be greater consultation with civil society and key stakeholders on such issues.  Please look at the statement we issued regarding Ringera, which remains an accurate reflection of our views.

Djibouti: How does Djibouti figure in U.S. interets in the region?  What role does it serve for US regional interests?

Ambassador Ranneberger: Djibouti plays an important role in the region, particularly in its efforts to support the TFG in Somalia.  We have close cooperation with Djibouti.  We participated in the political talks which were held in Djibouti that led to the election of President Sheikh Sharif.

Migolo Benjamin: Mine is just to offer my support to the US ambasador for keeping on the pressure on our silly politician whose business id to look after each others ass

James: how is the embassys engagement with young people in kenya structured?

Ambassador Ranneberger: I am making it a major priority to expand our engagement with young people.  I am holding town hall meetings throughout Kenya with young people and I am encouraging parliamentarians to do so as well.  We are supporting grassroots independent youth movements to be more effective in pushing peacefully for implementation of the reform agenda.  We are also working to help economically empower youth through micro-enterprise programs.

kachwanya: Can I post  the transcript of this forum on my blog kachwanya.com after the session?

Ambassador Ranneberger: Thanks Kachwanya. Feel free to post this on your blog.

Enoch Opuka 2: Migolo -moderate your language

Jack KOdera: Alot of people have a problem with the US definition of 'Terrorist'.  How does the US define 'Pirate' or does the Medieval definition suffice?

Ambassador Ranneberger: A pirate is essentially just a criminal, but the term pirate refers to criminals active at sea.

Nashipai Koima: How does the U.S plan on implementing the 20 billion donated by your country to aid in food growing?

Ambassador Ranneberger: We are now in the stage of talking with Kenya and other governments to get their views on how we can best implement the food security initiative you refer to.  It is too early to say exactly how it will be implemented.  The purpose, however, is to help increase food production in order to alleviate food shortages and to improve nutrition, all of this also to be done in an environmentally friendly way.

amir khan: can anyone ask a question?

Ambassador Ranneberger: Yes. We have over 300 questions submitted right now.

James: young people are disjointed by the coalition govt lack of goodwill in prosecuting the perpertrators of post election violence and we understand the ICC prosecutor has been talking to the secretary of state (US) on the need to push for tribunal. Are we likely to see the US do more than just saying business will not be as usual. We want assurance as young people that we can go back in 2012 and vote knowing very well we wont be attacked for exercising a democratic right.

Ambassador Ranneberger: You are right to be disappointed.  We continue to push the Kenyan government to set up an independent, credible Special Tribunal to try perpetrators of post-election violence.  However, because the Kenyan government has thus far failed to do so, then we support ICC prosecutions.  We mean it when we say no business as usual.  Within the next couple of days we will be announcing specific  steps.

Nashipai Koima: Thank you Ambassador for your time  and for this forum.

Maisha: Are you only posting questions the ambassador has good answers to?

Maisha: Or are you only posting compliments?

CO.NX Moderator (Mark): We're posting answers to the questions the Ambassador has time to answer...there are now more than 150 questions. It is simply not possible for him to answer all of them.

Partnership For Change: And finally Sir, how do you respond to those who say re: Daily Nation editorial today that your threats are being ignored by the GOK and that the US needs to stops the threats and act on impunity in Kenya?

Ambassador Ranneberger: The facts speak for themselves.  The U.S. played a decisive role in helping the Kenyan people resolve the  crisis last year, and we are playing a similar role in pushing for implementation of reforms.  We have a very close, frank, and constructive dialogue with President Kibaki, PM Odinga, and other Kenyan officials.  However, at a certain point actions need to be taken, in view of the fact that there we are deeply concerned about lack of implementation of key reforms.  Within the next couple of days I will be announcing some actions, with more to follow.

Julius Mbaluto: OK

Enoch Opuka 2: I beg to strongly differ about the tribunal. First and foremost we need TJRC - then from there the tribunal. Oherwise in this respect we shall be punishing those who were caught in the violence forgetting those who fanned it in the first place. I am peace worker and have been on the ground

Lucy Muthoni: Good afternoon Kachwanya.

Maisha: Partnership for Change is right.  We look forward to hearing your action announcements in the next few days.

kachwanya: Mr Ambassador when President Obama was campaning to be President he clearly said that he will extend his hands to engage all the Nations even those who do not agree with US, but of late there is a parttern that he doesn't want to engage Kenya although Kenya can't be classified as a rogue Nation, why is this while he is the champion of talking to people to solve problems? 

Ambassador Ranneberger: Actually, President Obama is very much engaging Kenya.  He is paying a lot of attention to Kenya and sent Secretary Clinton to Kenya as part of that engagement.  We are engaging with the government to press for implementation of reforms, but we are also engaging directly with the Kenyan people to urge them to press peacefully for reforms.  The reason we are engaging so extensively with Kenya is because of the importance we attach to this country and its future democratic stability.  We continue to be Kenya's largest partner (over 3 billion dollars in resources flow from the U.S. to Kenya every year from all sources, public and private).

CO.NX Moderator (Mark): Everyone, we are staring up a chat on the topic of Piracy.  To join that discussion please go to https://statedept.connectsolutions.com/piracy

Dalmas: The situation in Somalia is very worrying. Do you believe the US has done enough to assist Kenya fight terrorism? The border is still porous. Technological assistance would grartly help.

Ambassador Ranneberger: We are doing all we can to help strengthen the TFG and to fight terrorism.  This includes cooperation with Kenya to improve security along the border.

James 2: Thanks ambassador for engaging us in this chat. We look forward to engaging you more especially us who are working with the young consitiuncy on youth voices in engaged governance

Partnership For Change: Asante sana Ambassador, we appreciate your regular chats with Kenyans and appreciate very much your continued support for the Citizens of Kenya. Have a good afternoon.

Fatma Hyder: Fatma Hyder: Ambassador can we get information on the following:1)Business Volunteers to partner with counterparts in Muslim majority countries 2)The summit which President Obama promised to host in his Cairo address 3)The new fund to support technological dev in Muslim counties 4)Centers of scientific excellence in Africa M.E etc.5)Global effort with OIC to eradicate polio 6)The president also said that America is ready to join with citizen religious leadres in Muslim communities anything yet in Kenya.Please refe to Obama in Cairo pg 13 thnaks Fatma Hyder

Ambassador Ranneberger: We are following up on Obama's Cairo speech.  I went to the coast a couple of times following the speech to expand our already extensive dialogue with the Muslim community.  We are working on a number of programs to promote educational, cultural, and business exchanges -- and the centers of excellence the President talked about. We are also promoting an inter-faith day of service and will soon provide more information about that.  You can contact the U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Section for more detailed information.

Jane, Kisumu: thanks for an opp to chat nonetheless.

Abraham Rugo: Hello Sir. Do you think that the health plan that President Obama is vouching for is the right way to go for a country that has for long applied capitalism and free markets? If so, do you think that the US Government will soon be encouraging other countries to follow suit?

Ambassador Ranneberger: I cannot comment on the health plan.  However, I think that the way in which Americans have been debating this issue through public town hall meetings is a great example to countries like Kenya.  I would like to see Kenyans debate the reform issues in a similar open way.

kachwanya: As we know it today there is rampant corruption and with the President stinking with Ringera, what steps will you take to ensure that the money donated by US for food growing is not embezzled by the government officials
 
Ambassador Ranneberger: I can assure you that we can account for every penny of the assistance we provide.  By the way, almost all of our assistance goes through non-governmental groups and other sources, and not through the Kenyan government.
 
Johnie: why is it so difficult to get a student visa to the US even with an invitation from the university
Ambassador Ranneberger: Actually, it is not hard to get a student visa, but you do have to meet certain criteria, and a letter of invitation is only one of the requirements.  There are more Kenyans studying at American universities than from any other African country.
 
CATHY MUTHONI: Hi, is it possible to maintain a green card oiutside the US by paying a yearly fee?
Ambassador Ranneberger: you need to consult our consular section on this issue.

Ambassador Ranneberger: I greatly enjoyed having a chance to chat with all of you.  Please look at twitter (www.twitter.com/usamb4reform) and my face book page listed as U.S. Embassy!!