Harmattan

Dry winds hit my face as I step down from the airplane. Tired as hell I grudgingly descend the stairs and onto the Tarmac. I make my way slowly to the arrivals hall and all I can feel is the dry winds. I breathe the air and it is almost new to me. Very different from the air I came from. I see the haze as I stare across the the Tarmac and runway. The harmattan is strong in Kumasi. "Why is that?" I ask the driver as he reaches for my bag. I don't know if I expected an answer but I got one. A couple of weeks ago when I came to Kumasi, I received a similar welcome but less harmattan. I have to avoid the dry lips and possible cracks but I guess that comes with the season. A lick every second helps.

Drama Over the Tundra

You have to love Ghanaian politics. Really, you must love politics in Ghana.

On Thursday, I was in the car heading to the airportin Kumasi to catch my flight back to Accra and heard an interesting news item on the radio. Apparently, Akua Donkor is refusing to give Papa Kwesi Nduom and the Progressive People's Party their Toyota Tundra. According to Akua Donkor, she had a deal with Nduom that she will tell her supporters to vote for Nduom and in return, Nduom will give her a Toyota Tundra. And that having told her supporters to vote for Nduom, she was not obliged to return the Toyota Tundra she had received. Sounds like vote buying to me from a "so-called I am not a corruptible leader". 

Akua Donkor also dared Nduom and the PPP to take her to the highest court of the land and not waste her time in the High Court. Her classic statement "if I had not told my supporters to vote for Nduom, would he have been third?" 

A Day In History

I arrived in Accra at 1pm and headed straight for the Anglican Church at Burma Camp to witness my cousin, a lieutenant commander in the Ghanaian Navy, get married. I had been to the engagement a week ago and so I wasn't expecting a major crowd. Boy was I shocked when I arrived at the chapel. First of all, the parking spots were gone. I had to drive a few blocks to get parking and then I made my way to the church premises. The church was full up and they had set up tents with chairs outside for people to sit. Even those were all taken up and about twice the people who were in the church and seated under the tents, were standing outside. I said to myself "I didn't know my cousin was this popular".

She came out of the church with her husband, both of them smiling genuinely. Not one of those fake wedding smiles. Yes, she was extremely happy and the photo tells it all. The wedding was well attended by prominent people including a judge at the International Criminal Court, Prof. Akua Kuenyhia, who assisted in the cutting of the wedding cake.

My Heart Weeps . . .

I received the photo collage of the two girls and thought it was a rumour. I was on my way back to Kumasi from Ejisu and then during the 1pm news, I heard that a garbage truck had collided with a taxi in the early hours of 18 January 2012 at Okponglo and two girls who were in the taxi had lost their lives. It suddenly hit me as the story unfolded. The two girls were both 19 years old and graduates of Holy Child School. They were on their way to the University of Ghana, Legon where they were students and unfortunately and very sadly met their untimely death. I felt saddened by this news. It hurt me deeply. My eyes were filled with tears and deep down I know I was weeping inside for these girls. I have no sister just female cousins and any of these girls could have been my cousin, sister or even girlfriend. They were at university and were making something of their lives. They did not deserve to die. No way and not in this manner. But in all things, even the bad, God knows best. It's very sad and I pray God consoles the family and friends of these two beautiful young women. Rest in perfect peace.

Canes For What?

Cane-holding supporters of the NDC

As I drove to work this morning, I thought about the topic of today's blog. Of course, the first and most obvious thing that came to mind was "blog about what happens at the Supreme Court today". Great idea but I realised my blog was becoming an update for Nana Akufo-Addo's Petition at the Supreme Court. Ah well. 

So as I drove, I went past a school and I saw children with brooms sweeping the compound before assembly and then class. There wasn't a child in sight without a broom, duster or dustbin. Then I thought to myself ah, I will blog about this especially because every Ghanaian in their formative years undergoes some discipline in sanitation but somewhere along the line we become filthy.

And then I ended up at the airport to catch my flight to Kumasi and just before I went on board the plane, I decided to use the bathroom and pay some water bills. I entered the male bathroom and to my surprise, for the first time in Ghana, a public bathroom was neat. I thought to myself, this is worth blogging about. I will title my blog today "Neat Toilets". 

All Is Set

It feels like an anticipated boxing match between a legend in Ghanaian politics and a seasoned parliamentarian who may never have been president but strangely enough is president as I write this blog. The much anticipated boxing match is the Election Petition filed by Nana Akufo-Addo and others against John Mahama and the Electoral Commission. The NDC too wants to join the fight simply because John Mahama ran on their party ticket.

The last time we were in court, the Supreme Court was to hear NDC's application but Nana Akufo-Addo and others had other plans. "No way, Jose" they said to the judges "we don't like this panel". Like I said in my last post "I didn't expect that objection". Neither did anyone including the learned justices. No wonder His Lordship Justice William Atuguba got upset and said the things he said. "Like ibi me too ah like I go bore. You say weytin, juicy constitutional and historic case like this make I recuse myself? Ah, NEVER!"

What Happened At The Supreme Court Today

This morning, I deemed it wise to educate my followers so I wrote a post on exactly what was going to happen at the Supreme Court today. But I forgot to add that in litigation, anything can happen. And indeed, 'anything' did happen today. As my senior and I drove into the court premises on the High Street, we were amazed at the beefed up security. Tons of police officers and armoured cars. Even more interesting was that the police officers were armed to the teeth. No nonsense. But on another note, there were some very cute looking girls in the police force. And you know the saying, a woman dressed in uniform is always ...

So the judges entered the court room and the lawyers announced themselves. After brief consultations with his team, the lead counsel for Nana Akufo-Addo and others, objected to Justice William Atuguba presiding over the panel to hear the joinder application. After some small drama, Nana Akufo-Addo's legal team was directed to formally object to Justice Atuguba presiding over the panel.

What will happen at the Supreme Court today?

Today, the Supreme Court of Ghana will hear an aspect of the NPP's petition which has been filed before it, to wit, the NDC's application to join the Petition as a Respondent. I noticed many media houses are referring to today's hearing as the hearing of the Petition. The substantive Petition will not be heard today but probably within the next five days as the Rules stipulate.

So what exactly will happen today? The task before the Supreme Court today is basically to determine whether or not the NDC is a necessary party to be joined to the Petition. The NDC argues that John Mahama was elected on their Party's ticket and therefore they have a 'direct stake' in his election. In Ghana, however, personalities are elected and not political parties. But there is the valid argument that the political parties sponsor the candidacy of the person to be elected.

A Historic Swearing In

On 7 January 2013, John Mahama took the oath of allegiance and became the fourth President of the fourth Republic of Ghana. Sounds historic, right? I mean if you are the fourth John to be the fourth president of the fourth Republic that must be of some historical importance. The ceremony was historic alright but not for the reasons I have just mentioned.

For starters, Mahama, who was being sworn in, is currently a respondent to a Petition currently before the Supreme Court of Ghana, which Petition is challenging his election as president. So you can imagine what was running through Mahama's mind as he repeated the oath of allegiance.

The uneasiness at the ceremony itself was self evident. And to crown it, the largest opposition party in Ghana, the New Patriotic Party, boycotted the event purely on the basis of principle: we cannot celebrate what we don't agree with. I agree with that.

Mall Girls

In 2013, I am going to make blogging a habit. I spend so much time tweeting and Facebooking that I hardly have time to actually put a few words together on my blog. Not a good look at all. The return of The Chix Files sounds like a nice title for my first post in 2013, don't you think?

Anyway, so on Sunday evening something strange happened to me. You may think of it as strange in a good way or strange in a bad way. Either way, I found it strange. I went to the mall to meet a friend. We stood in the car park chatting for about a good 30 minutes. During the entire period, three very beautiful girls stood right where we were.

They giggled and laughed and I figured "it may be because of my friend given that he is a celeb". We chatted for a while and said our goodbyes. I walked to my car and he walked to his. I sat in my car, turned on the engine, and put the car into reverse. Out if nowhere, I hear "excuse me, excuse me". Lo and perhaps, behold the three girls make their way to my car. I roll down the window and one of the girls says to me "can I talk to you please?"