Opinions of Saturday, 13 April 2013

Columnist: Mensah, Richard Obeng

The Ghanaian approach to challenges

Ama Ghana: Good dark night Kofi.

Kofi Ghana: Same to you Ama since the darkness is everywhere.

Ama Ghana: Kofi, despite the dark curfew I have still not lost my sense of reasoning.

Kofi Ghana: We thank God for that. Certainly, the ubiquitous gross darkness has not succeeded in darkening our minds. Just that bathing is increasingly becoming a scarce commodity but thanks to the strikes we’re not going to work.

Ama Ghana: I have made up my mind to always put on my thinking cap on national issues.

Kofi Ghana: That is great! Have you read about the bridge over River Dwahyem on the outskirts of Techiman, near Kumasi, in the media.

Ama Ghana: Yes, isn’t the death trap bridge on the Kumasi-Trabuom trunk? Kofi Ghana: That is so Ama. You see as deadly as the bridge is, we are waiting for disaster to strike before we do what is needful, if not cacophonous talks.

Ama Ghana: Kofi, don’t you think we’re more reactive to situations instead of being proactive?

Kofi Ghana: There is nothing further from this truth Ama. We are experts in curing our swollen wounds but we usually don’t take measures to prevent the wounds, not mentioning their subsequent swelling and stinks. Is prevention not always better than cure?

Ama Ghana: Cure is always costly and it never heals a wound without some adverse effects.

Kofi Ghana: This poor approach of dealing with our challenges has creeped into our leadership. There is nothing wrong with being reactive in itself but it should be an exception rather than a rule. Real leaders are always proactive but are only reactive in some exceptional situations. Even so, they are always proactive in their reactive steps.

Ama Ghana: There is indeed no smoke without fire and vice versa. Anytime a person plays with fire, smoke rules the atmosphere and every living thing suffers as a result. Proactive establishments and institutions always have fire extinguishers in their structures. They obviously know that playing with fire is playing with their hard earned assets.

Kofi Ghana: Our leaders at all levels definitely need leadership fire extinguishers. Ama Ghana: I will recommend that those at the energy, labour and water fronts should be given priority for now. The smokes from these sectors are suffocating Ghanaians, abba!

Kofi Ghana: We must proactively deal with this issue now, no more delay; no more talks!

Richard Obeng Mensah, author of Wisdom Thoughts.

Email: richardobengmensah@gmail.com. Blog: www.richard-obeng-mensah.blogspot.com