THE APT REVOLUTION OF NUGS………..A CURSE OR A BLESSING

AFTER  a beleaguered experience at what was scheduled to be NJ Ahmadiyya congress 2010 but astoundingly metamorphosed into University for Development Studies congress 2010(whether they like it or not that is it! Wa congress 2010) several thoughts have been striking my mind as though the heavens have waged war against the thunder and it decided to scream and allow its present felt.

I know you are anxious to know what those thoughts are. But first of all lets look at th e union, I mean National Union of Ghana Students if you like National Union of “Greedy” Students. Yes “greedy” because, I don’t think I owe anyone an explanation but it’s a presage.

The union over the years has been a total failure since the Ghanaian student whose interest is supposed to be paramount to it has become a mirage.

One can not ignore the fact that there are many innocent Ghanaian students without any fault of theirs are still schooling under trees and shades with limited or no textbooks at all, but at the expense of all these, the leadership of the union have rather decided to serve their own parochial interests at the detriment of the common students. In short, a failed leadership, that is the status of the union.

My thoughts? Yes my thoughts, they are like a river that ran through a forest without falling at least a tree.

Indeed what I thought about even as you read this piece happened just like that: kidnapping, detention, rigging, vote buying, poor congress conditions of living and the worst, death!.

Yes death! That innocent boy who committed himself to serving the union “died”

People say it is Wonder led executives fault because it could have been averted if congress had gone the way it was planned. (I am not too sure you want to know what I am thinking again)

My modus operandi is not to defame or fame anybody but to let you know the truth from WHERE I STAND as far as congress 2010 is concerned.

How can one ignore the fact that his co-executive is in police custody and proceeded to chair a meeting if he had no knowledge about it? They say “order from above” so that boy eh! Sorry man he is a full grown married man with children or child I don’t know was detained. You should have seen how they nearly lynched him (oh you were not there how can you see) central committee meeting had to come to a stand still and the detained gentleman was released before peace descended its calmed legs in that ultramodern lecture hall of the University for Development Studies (UDS]

Without any regret or whatsoever some of us could not believe that student leaders as we called ourselves could treat each other as though we have soon forgotten it is this same people who made us who we are even if politicians have sponsored their campaigns. I am sorry if these are the people this country is waiting for to deliver her from the leadership “crisis” we have been experiencing.

Wonder Madilo, a fine gentleman contradicts his personality with the kind of abysmal leadership he offered at his last days at Wa congress 2010.There is no denying the fact that they have their own internal executive crisis but it could have been minimized.

I am aware leadership is not just readership but it take the two, I don’t want to go into who support which candidate but who didn’t make good use of Ghanaian students money paid into their account with the hope of organizing a successful congress.

Was the congress a waste of our productive hours? I asked because throughout the duration of a SIX days stay at Wa no consensus has been arrived at in the interest of the many suffering Ghanaian students.

So can I take a stand and conclude that his one year administration was a failure? I leave it for you to judge after reading this piece.

That word APT REVOLUTION in fact I don’t know whether it is plagiarism on my side but I hope “THEY” don’t sue me.

Nine aspirants who after going through the vetting process were transmogrified into candidates even though four were not recommended, thanks to those young guys who put their argumentative skills to work and won the case for them before the Judicial board.

Nine contested but three were in the race. The rest may be just trying their luck, but the luck finally shone on the man Anthony Afriyie Abotsi a fine gentleman, I knew him personally during my regional student representative council (RSRC) days ( but all that glitters is not gold). He is a student of the University College of Management Studies (UCOMS) Accra; he has been there before but was denied entrance into the presidency (if any at all.)So this time around it was just like saying ‘ye nim wo fri te`tee’

The gentleman was the one to have used the word “apt revolution”, so my question is how apt his revolution will be, whether or not he is up to the task, or another yet to failed administration we are yet to see.

Whether he belongs to a political party or he is yet to sell his conscience to them is another ball game all together that would chart the course to his success or failure(his actions will tell so let him come out fast). He was the only one among his peers whose campaign flier was voluminous as the holy bible (not the Gideon’s) and was beautifully packaged, but the issue is not about all that, it is about the reality on the ground. The many Ghanaian students learning under trees, high tuition fees, inadequate text books, graduate unemployment and a lot more base on which we will judge his administration.

Even before he is officially declared, let me congratulate him, it is not easy and as far as am concerned the highest one can get to in students activism is where he is. My only advice (if you like you can take it) is that extend a hand of friendship to all your contenders. If indeed it is true that there is strength in unity then nine people coming together could work a miracle. Uneasy is the head that wears the crown.

Every body says Haruna Iddrisu’s time of student leadership was exceptional so it means there were things he did that we can learn from and things that can be ignored, regardless of individuals unique style of leading, the paramount motive is Ghanaian students.

 BY NATHANIEL MENSAH

THE WRITER IS THE SRC VICE PRESIDENT OF GHANA INSTITUTE OF JOURNALISM

CITIZENMENSAH@HOTMAIL.COM/WWW.NATMENSAH.BLOGSPOT.COM

'GIVE PRIORITY TO SAFETY IN OIL INDUSTRY' PAGE 18,AUGUST 24

STAKEHOLDERS in the oil and gas industry have been urged to work together to minimise the hazards to people in the industry and the environment are.
  Former head of Health Safety and Environment(HSE) at shell Ghana Limited,Mr Charlse Tuffour,said this at the maiden fire safety day celebration of the Tema Lube Oil company Limited(TLOC). The event was on the theme,"Zero accident is possible"
   He indicated that "allthough zero accident may not necessary meansafety is in place,redefinition of safety as a quality and performance criteria would go to reduce hazardous consequences."
  While commending management of TLOC for developing a safety day programme,he underscored the need and commitment on the part of oil and gas managers to put to into consideration the protection of natural and human resources,as well as their community of operations.
   The Health Safety and Environment co-ordinator of the company,Mr Godfred Ansah Nyarko,said that the issue of safety was a non negotiable and non replaceable one,hence the need for employers in the sector to safe guard employees whom he noted were institutions' vital assets.
  "It was in this light that TLOC as a major player in the industry has developed modules aimed at ensuring accident-free incidents in its opeartions,"he said.
   "The launch, he further said also clearly demonstrates the company's commitment to refocus on environmental protection as it embark on a journey to attain the International Standardisation Organisation certification ISO180001-2010."Mr Ansah Nyarko noted.
  He bemoaned the lack of behavioural safety awarness among workers whom he said often demonstrated  careless approaches to the issue and charged them to reorient their perceptions towards improvement of safety standards in their operations.
  The Tema Regional Commander of the Fire Service,Mr Gilford Tetteh Adams,lauded the company for the initiative and charged competitor institutions in the metropolis to emulate the step taken by the TLOC,saying"we all need safety education in all our endevours."
  The Managing Director of the company,Mr Samuel Tetteh Anguah,who chaired the function,noted that several institutions had over the years compromised the safety of their employees at the expense of proft margins from their operations.
 Some employees who distinguished themselves in safety performance tasks over the period under review were presented with awards.

COCOA PROCESSING COMPANY SHUTS DOWN (PAGE 23, AUGUST 26, 2010)

Story:Nathaniel Mensah & Della Russel Ocloo, Tema

THE Confectionery Factory of the Cocoa Processing Company Limited (CPC) which has been shut down since May this year for rehabilitation and expansion works, is expected to re-open by October.


The factory, which produces the golden tree chocolate among other products, is being rehabilitated to meet modern trends in food processing operations.

Speaking to the Daily Graphic on the backdrop of the shortage of golden tree chocolate on the market, the Public Relations Manager of the company, Mr Ekow Rhule, said the decision to close down the confectionery unit was arrived at in March this year at the company’s annual general meeting.

According to him, since its establishment in 1965, the factory had not seen any major rehabilitation works resulting in inefficiency in production owing to the frequent breakdown of machinery.

Mr Rhule said the new equipment would also produce the five and 10 grammes chocolate bars in addition to the 20, 50 and 100 grammes, which the company currently produces.

He said the rehabilitation, which was being carried out at a cost of $5 million, would see the installation of new machinery, upgrading of old equipment as well as general civil works, including the laying of epoxy floory, which he said, was required in chocolate production the world over.

A tour of the factory premises by the Daily Graphic team revealed various construction works, including tiling of walls.

Mr Rhule stated that when the rehabilitation work was completed, the unit is expected to record an annual production stock of the golden tree bars from 900 to 1400 tonnes between the 2010/11, thereby increasing production to about 64 per cent over the existing capacity.

He also stated that the shutdown of the confectionery plant does not affect the production of royale drinking chocolate powder and choco delight spread.

Mr Rhule blamed the shortage of the golden tree bars on panic buying on the part of most retailers who might have presumed the situation and therefore decided to hoard stocks at the time of the closure, because according to him, management at the time of the shutdown ensured adequate supply into the system to avoid the current situation and appealed to retailers holding products to make them available to consumers who have been yearning for them for the past months.

While sympathising with customers on the current shortage of the bars in the system, Mr Rhule appealed to the general public to bear with the company as they made strides towards an improvement in product quality.