Permit me space to respond to the above captioned news item on Joy FM on the June 15, 2011. It is not only interesting but hypocritical that the Vice-President of Ghana, His Excellency John Mahama, would be telling his compatriots abroad to return home. The question is: “return home to do what?” Does he know the number of Ghanaians who thought for once a government that care for the people was elected and returned under that illusion only to realize that it is just the same old story? Too many Ghanaians living abroad had made the trip to Ghana after the NDC assumed office in January 2009, but it soon came to light that only those who are connected to the Ahwois, the Mahamas, the Sawyers, and the Newmanshave brains, and they can dine and wine on our taxes.

I know of too many different groups, some of who financed the NDC from their hard earned dollars, who returned to Ghana with programs, projects and even investment proposals only to be given the cold rub by the very people including the vice-president who are now telling us to return home to invest or to take up jobs in the oil sector. Is this a joke of some sort or it is just for the lack of anything to occupy our meeting with?

A few questions for you John:
i. Has your brother, Ibrahim, finished executing all Ghana's mining and drilling sector jobs, so the crumbs can drop from the top for us to also make good use of?

ii. Are you aware of the number of groups and individuals who returned home with projects, programs, and investments, but were given the cold rub by your incompetent ministers and others who were supposed to be facilitating these processes to make things easier for them?

iii. How long does it take to create a database of skilled Ghanaians in the diaspora?

iv. Are the bidding processes now streamlined to get the most for Ghanaians without the 10% kickback?

v. Don't you have geologists and physicists coming out of Ghanaian universities?

vi. Have you found jobs for them?
vii. How do you treat those who return with skills to contribute?

viii. Does your government recognize and reward hard work, competence, and skills?

ix. Does your government not prefer foreigners over local investors?

x. Are Ghanaian jobs no longer for relatives and friends, so every Ghanaian with the right skills could get one?

The election cycle has just begun and certainly you guys are looking for support from the diaspora and wherever you can get it. I do not think that Ghanaians in the diaspora need you to tell them when to come home and invest. If things were being done properly in Ghana, of their own volition they would have returned happily to lend their support to the country's development. The stories that are coming from the frontlines or from those who dared return are horrifying. At least we are aware of some who have been on that route as many as five times in the last 16 months. It was only a bitter sense of time and resources expended without any tangible results.

I know for a fact that over the last two years, about a 1000 (I mean one thousand) Ghanaians have left the shores of Ghana to seek jobs in the oil industry in Qatar. If those in Ghana are still trooping out to seek opportunities elsewhere, what is the motivation for us to return to a country that has consistently refused to recognize its own? You are sincerely advised to take your story to the marines. While you go around the world on the people's tax, we return home on our hard earned dollars. Therefore, any single day spent in Ghana is a cost to us.

To any geologists and physicists worth his or her salt, look elsewhere than to return to Ghana under the erroneous impression that your country has found oil. Those managing her affairs are greedy, incompetent, and lack direction. Cronyism, favoritism, and kickbacks are the hallmarks of the administration. Do no waste your precious time. I am working on a list of all those Ghanaians who made the various business trips but have nothing to show for them. If you know of some of the stories, please contact me.

John, please stop this joke and find something meaningful to do for your family and inner circle of friends for that is what it has been. Ghanaians living abroad know better. They hear the cries of their countrymen and that is the first test of what is happening in Ghana.

David Allotey
Silver Spring, Maryland
USA
Davidallotey33@yahoo.com