Letters
The golden pod
Your articles on the state of Ghana's cocoa industry published in the December 10, 1984 issue made quite interesting reading.Poku Adaa's treatment of the subject succeeded admirably in bringing out the plight of an industry that has propped up the economy of Ghana for so long.
Past governments (and even the present PNDC administration) all realised that the industry was important enough to be given the fullest attention with the objective of deriving the maximum benefit from it, but politics both internal and external always ensured that positive plans were frustrated. Diversification of the economy, to shift the emphasis and over-reliance cocoa, has been argued for but for some strange reason governments after governments choose to ignore this, possibly because, among other factors, the income from the industry could easily be dissipated through various means.
It is my firm belief that until a developing country like Ghana decisively shakes up the golden tree, by way of strengthening other agricultural sectors, no matter how much money is loaned by the IMF-World Bank, the economy would continue to suffer from the effects of world market upheavals.
James Rockson, Sutton
Ghana teachers to Libya
For years, successive governments have decried the mass exodus of Ghanaian professionals to foreign countries. Official condemnation of these professionals educated with the country's resources always point to the heartlessness of those involved for leaving their patients (in the case of medical staff) and students (where teachers are involved) to go after material wealth.I particularly recall the ex-President Limann publicly castigating those "errant" professionals publicly and calling them cowards for leaving the country.
Now, the trend has been reversed with the official recruitment of teachers to Libya. The secondment programme offers Ghanaian teachers an opportunity to attain certain basic necessities after which they return with stability of mind to continue their services." Mr Nicholas Asante, Director of Secondary Education of the Ghana Education Service, said.
The question which agitates my mind is: why doesn't the government, which is always claiming it has the interest of the people at heart, do letters. something about the income of these people to make them stay in Ghana?
James Owusu Nti, Hackney
Oil scandal in the making
I have read the article "Oil scandal in the making" (December 24/31, 1984) and the serious allegations made therein cannot be allowed to go without further enquiries seeing that the PNDC government, in characteristic posture of keeping mute over scandals in high places, would not explain why an agreement for the supply of only 42,000 metric tonnes of crude oil should be purchased under such questionable conditions.Throughout the brief post-independence period, the political careers of people in government have been ruined for relatively less serious deals.
While nobody is directly imputing any gross mismanagement over the oil deal, it sure stinks as hell for a government which has been extolling the need for accountability and close scrutiny of contracts, to get itself involved in the Marc Rich affair. We pause for an answer.
Francis Kwakwa, Manchester
Spirit of ECOWAS must be respected
Just recently the Lagos State Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, terminated the appointment of about three thousand Ghanaian teachers, under the pretext of filling the vacancies created, with their trained teachers and with only one month's notice.Many of them could not even receive the one month salary offered them by the Lagos State Government, because they could not provide the originals of their credentials and appointment
This was cruelty to human beings, who had put in conscientious service for almost five years in Nigeria's teaching service, and had played a useful role when the civilian administration of Jakande launched its Free Education in September 1979.
The standard of education in Lagos State and Nigeria as whole has risen from its lowest ebb to a considerable height as testified by the Ordinary and Advanced Level results of the past five years.
I think the Nigerian Government should endeavour to respect the spirit of "ECOWAS".
Cock Crows,
Donaueschingen, West Germany
