It is necessary to know what went wrong
We have in the past been engaged in fruitless debates and discussions about what went wrong. The discussions were not very helpful because they were not based on facts or serious findings.
Advertisement
Our governments are usually reluctant to set up Commissions of Enquiry with teeth.
When they do the reports of the Commission are usually not fully acted upon.
Sometimes the Commissions disappear from the public domain.
At times, their reports appear to disappear altogether!
We cannot make rapid progress if we do not know exactly what happened and are reluctant to interrogate the past.
We Ghanaians seem to have a cultural trait of avoiding unpleasant memories.
In some parts of the country, we swear an oath to show our seriousness when we bring an issue before the elders to discuss and pronounce upon.
But when the oath sworn belongs to the “Three Great Oaths” or its equivalent, reminding the elders of a calamity which is best forgotten, the one who swears is made to assuage the strong feelings aroused by slaughtering a sheep or cow.
Generally, we do not like to remember the unpleasant past.
When I am far away from Ghana as I am now, I find it rewarding to compare what has happened or is happening in Ghana to similar events elsewhere.
The collapse of a building in Bangladesh reminded me of a similar tragedy in Ghana not long ago.
The Ghanaian story was in the news for some time and various enquiries were began.
I do not, however, know what is happening now or what action has been taken where the facts are clear.
Hopefully, Ghanaians may know the results of the official enquiries.
With regard to the Bangladesh tragedy, however, appropriate action is being taken as the facts become clear, and authority appears to be keen to know exactly what happened.
The result is that even before final official reports are issued, some British firms which benefit from the exploitation of cheap Bangladesh labour and poor working and living conditions have decided to assist the survivors of the incident and promote working conditions in the clothing factories.
In contrast to what happens elsewhere and especially in Britain whose practices we generally follow, we do not thoroughly investigate unusual happenings.
For example, we never appointed a Commission of Enquiry on the Kulungugu incident which was perhaps the beginning of organised attempts to overthrow the First Republic. Based on bits and pieces of information, Tawiah Adamafio, Ako Adjei, and Kofi Crabbe were tried.
The judges to their credit acquitted them.
But those responsible for the assassination attempt wanted to get the matter settled. Those who advised prosecution on flimsy evidence tried to get their reputation restored.
Pressures were put on the President. The judges were sacked, and there was a re trial. These events were paraded by Nkrumah’s detractors as evidence of dictatorship.
The learned critics never asked to know what happened. I was in charge of President Nkrumah’s visit to Tenkudugu to meet President Yameogo of Bukina Faso then Upper Volta.
As usual, I visited the place with a veteran experienced police investigator Mr. Deku, who advised on security matters.
Nkrumah was to travel by car, and I noticed that the route was near an area of dissidents. I therefore asked for police escort, and the police chief Commissioner Madjitey released two vehicles of armed police to guard the convoy.
Strangely, the police escort took no action when a bomb exploded. I questioned this and was told that the Commander was some distance away ahead of the convoy. I was further told that the police had taken drastic action and had ransacked the nearby villages!
I never received a satisfactory answer to the question about who stopped the convoy. The stoppage was not in the plans.
Perhaps, if the Kulungugu incident had been properly investigated, the attempts to overthrow the First Republic would have been nipped in the bud.
What appeared more strange was that there was no public enquiry about the attempt to shoot President Nkrumah at Flagstaff House in January 1964.
The one who fired the shot was identified as Ametewe.
Rumours had it that he was not in the scheduled team of guards for that day. The question about who sent him was never officially asked.
Thorough investigation of incidents would lead to improvement in procedures and action. This will help us question and improve some practices. For example, is the safety of the President assured by shrieking sirens announcing his approach in a convoy of cars?
Not long ago, a car from a side road drove into a convoy escorting President Kuffour. Those leading the convoy appeared not to be immediately aware of the incident.
Ghanaians are normally helpful in such situations and passers by assisted to get the convoy to proceed. But had it been an assassination attempt, it might have succeeded, and we would have lost our President.
An enquiry could have helped to improve the present practice. We would then know that it is not simply a matter of making noise with sirens to clear the way for the President.
We would perhaps realise that the best way of assisting the President and visiting dignitaries to wade through the streets is to make the traffic flow and avoid unnecessary congestion.
We should certainly be concerned about what went wrong. But our concerns should be based on facts. Blaming this or that administration will not help us avoid judgment debts for example.
A parliamentary Committee in Britain has recently advised against a government proposal to build a fast link between London and Birmingham. Money earmarked for the project was calculated to be inadequate.
Our parliamentarians should do likewise before projects are started. At present, we seem to have too many contractors and others who cannot be paid because projects were not properly resourced. Such situations can lead to judgment debts.
We should stop the childish practice of judging governments by projects executed or began. We should assess them by achievements in overall development.
Knowing the past will tell us that this is the best way to judge governments, and make them do the right thing as well as avoid the wrong path.
Article by K. B. Asante