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| Free farming Land for Ministers & MP''s -A Prank or Serious Policy? |
9/26/2005 |
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Free farming Land for Ministers & MP''s -A Prank or Serious Policy?
“Each interested Minister or MP would be allocated up too 100 acres of land and also provided with further support in the form of seedlings, clearing of the land, planting and maintenance of farms over the next four years.”
Kwamena Bartels ’s reason for this insensitive, crass piece of policy sham was “the idea is to give respectability to farming “.
Oh! Oh! Kwamena do we need MP’s to go into farming before it becomes respectable? And anyway what makes Kwamena believe and think that Ghanaians do see their MP’s as respectable bunch of people? What evidence has he got to prove that if MP’s go into farming it will raise the profile and the image of that industry?
Disbelieve?
There are occasions when I wonder whether some of our policy makers and decision makers live, breathe and sleep in the same environment as most of the populace? In our part of the world we have a big problem with the elite and the ruling class called “forgetfulness and arrogance of power”.
The logic of the Minister’s statement is simple: Farming is not respectable because the majority of rural folks engaged in that industry is not respectable. They have no formal education; they survive on pittance, live miserable lives cannot articulate their views the “Queens language” and moreover are not represented by the fat cows in Parliament who they elect.
Oh yes, most farmers do not encourage their siblings to follow them into poverty, misery and wretchedness their common lot. That is the reason why our dignified, respectable rural farming folks would forgo every bit of luxury in life to get their children educated and provide them with some life chances.
Practical Policy or Prank?
It is easy for any Minister to announce policies- talk is cheap it is the implementation that scares decision makers. How will the policy be implemented on the ground?
Some scenarios?
Can anyone in Ghana visualize the local MP for Bibiani/Sefwi/Nkawie wearing his 3-piece suit holding a cutlass and getting his hands dirty?
Or maybe, the presence of our “Honorable MP’s” standing idle on the farm doling out instructions once a month “ absentee landlords” will motivate the unemployed to go into farming?
Or perhaps, the mere fact that the local MP owns the land between Mpasatia and Nyinahin would be the catalyst for the young unemployed at Atwima to rush into farming?
Or maybe, the material wealth that the MP will exude will be enough to motivate our young unemployed into farming? As if they do not already show off their 4 wheel drives and $20,000 loan executive cars?
Performance- Measurement
What the hell is the role of our MP’s? What have they accomplished to deserve extra public funds? What have they achieved with the common Fund? What difference have they made to the lives of their constituents? Come of it MP’s – Ghanaians are not stupid. We have eyes, brains, ears and noses.
Why should the Government by pass the already established farmers groups and dish out land and loans to overpaid, Accra- based; non-performing, out of touch MP’s? It beggars belief
When?
When will the elite and ruling classes in Africa in general and Ghana in particular have some respect for our long –suffering rural folks (farmers?)?I live in Cheshire next to a prosperous farming belt and by Jove I wish I was a farmer in Cheshire not Nkawie. Over here, I will be respected, rich and my children will take over when I am gone.
Over in Nkawie, my hands will be chaffed, my clothes tattered, my children will attend SITO, I cannot afford a decent meal or good health care, live under constant worry and if I am lucky get insulted once a month not the weekly insult. Our tendency to insult and ridicule our rural folks knows no bounds
Message to Honorable Kwamena
My simple message to Kwamena is: I have always seen farming as a respectable vocation undertaken by humble, poor, dignified citizens.
I love my rural folks in Nkawie they are my role models. They stand 12 feet tall shoulder high above me. They can do with extra cash and land banks? They deserve the extra loans and cash not city parasites and fat slobs.
The $200bn Venture Fund must not be dished out to absentee farmers it must be well managed and properly utilized. The only deserving group is the peasant farmers to help them move into modern farming.
If the Minister has any progressive policy to implement he must talk, consult, co-ordinate and agree a plan of action with established farming groups, villages and communities not parachute a load of parasites on to the farming community.
Shelve this Piece of insensitive policy
The earlier this insensitive, crass, unjust piece of policy is dumped the better for us all. MP’s do not deserve a cedi.
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