Let's discipline ourselves before scolding others

Accra, July 5, GNA - Mr Alban Sumanu Kingsford Bagbin, the Minority Leader in Parliament, on Wednesday urged his colleagues to show discipline by example for the citizenry to copy.

"We should stop preaching. We should practise and the people will follow. If the society is reaping what we sowed some years ago, leadership is the cause. Leadership first and everything else will follow."

Mr Bagbin was contributing to a statement on "nation building and indiscipline" made by Mr Emmanuel Gyamfi, NPP-Member for Odotobri. Mr Bagbin said people in leadership position had to look within themselves; be proactive; motivate and inspire so that when those they led saw the change, they would change also. "Almost all the people are not seeing us change, let's behave ourselves".

Mr Bagbin urged leaders to examine their work culture and attendance to work.

Mr Kwadwo Adjei-Darko, Minister at the Office of the President, quoting Proverbs 13:18, said indiscipline was the root cause of poverty and cited the management of personal finances of Ghanaians as an instance.

He said in some communities where poverty was pervasive there were a number of men who, despite limited means of sustenance, spent money buying alcoholic drinks daily.

"Mr Speaker, if "quarter" is 2,500 cedis a day, it calculates to 75,000 cedis a month; yet the same person cannot provide a supplementary reading book; or school uniform for his child under the guise of poverty," Mr Adjei Darko said.

According to him, the mismanagement of finances had dissipated the capital of many market women, adding that environmental mismanagement and indiscipline increased the prevalence of malaria and other diseases with their attendant cost of treatment.

Nii Amasah Namoale, NDC-La Dadekotopon, mentioned indiscipline by officialdom, and criticized the granting of building permits to developers to build at unauthorised places.

Nii Namoale cited for instance that because of the maintenance of discipline, there was no unauthorized structure on the Giffard Road, which was in the military zone in Accra, but such structures had mushroomed in civilian areas.

He said a number of buildings near the Palm Wine Junction, which had been marked with "stop work signs=94 had actually progressed to completion.

The Member criticised the Accra Metropolitan Assembly and Ghana Trade Fair Authority for granting permits for the building structures on waterways.

Mr Joe Gidisu, NDC Central Tongu, called for an appreciable reward system in the formal sector as a way of influencing positive attitudes among workers to ensure discipline.

Mr Simon Osei-Mensah, NPP-Bosomtwi, observed that indiscipline led to the increase in road accidents, and said commercial drivers needed more formalised training.

He called on the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) to establish public driving schools to train prospective commercial drivers.

Mr Osei-Mensah said it was difficult to understand why most commercial drivers were careful when transporting eggs but less careful with human beings (passengers).

He also called on the DVLA to institute thorough re-testing of drivers before their licences were renewed.