Letters
Nigeria's military might
Please allow me to comment on the size of Nigeria's military which, I believe, is vital to Africa's survival. Listening to Lagos radio recently, a review of newspaper editorial opinion noted that Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation and the voice of Africa has less than two million men in its army. In fact, I believe the figure I heard was about 140,000. It is my opinion that as a country of about 100 million people, the army should be about three million men to defend it because Nigeria is arguably the most powerful country in Africa south of the Sahara excluding South Africa.While urging the present military leaders to launch a serious recruitment drive to augment the size of the army, I also take this opportunity to congratulate them for the change of their uniform which previously could not be differentiated from Boy Scout uniforms.
Let the army put up show of strength with the display of latest military hardware and exercises to emphasise the fact that it is here to stay.
I. N. N. Okapara, Kumba, Cameroon.
Why Rawlings still keeps da Costa in jail
If it is true that there are no political prisoners in Ghana today, as our eminent Attorney-General, Mr G. E. K. Aikins claims, and that the former Central Regional Minister, Mr Kankam da Costa is being held in jail for the reasons that Elizabeth Ohene outlined in her article of May 6, 1985, in the Talking Drums, then God help us all.It then shows that in the kind of political situation that prevails in that country at the moment which some people claim is just and progressive, people who step on the toes of those in authority may forever languish in jail.
As the writer said, her analysis of Mr da Costa's plight may be wrong but until the PNDC government provides better reasons, we have another example of the hypocritical attitudes in official circles which are taken for revolutionary fervour.
Raymond Otibo, Surrey.
Food storage in Ghana
In the early days of the Acheampong regime there was a record harvest of food crops in the country. The Operation Feed Yourself programme encouraged the people to farm.The major problem that faced the regime was storage facility. There were no places for storing crops like maize, rice and millet. The crops were allowed to rot away thus wasting farmers' efforts.
In 1984 the country recorded another record-harvest. The farmers harvested more maize, rice and millet than they could consume. There are no proper storage facilities in the country and these crops are being destroyed by insects.
Ghana is not facing food problems anymore but the main problem is storage. The PNDC regime is not serious about the food case again because the regime is occupied with ideological questions.
The economic advisers are seeking foreign expert advice, building of silos can be done easily. Kwame Nkrumah did not seek any foreign expert advice before he started building silos.
Ghana should be more grateful to the West because all the countries which have declared their intentions to help solve the storage problems are from the west (ref: Talking Drums of March 25, 1985 page 10) and no country from the socialist bloc has volunteered to help.
All the so-called Socialist countries in Africa are facing very serious economic problems. Ethiopia's case is a very good example where the massive food aid the poor country needs comes from the West.
Ghana's economic hardship has not resulted from nature or the conditions in the country but by economic mismanagement by the Rawlings regime. So long as the regime survives in Ghana the social, economic and political problems will always go up.
Jordan A. Amankwaah, West Germany.,
Racism in the NHS
As a West Indian living in this country, I read Talking Drums occasionally to follow developments in the West African sub-region which is where my roots lie.The article on Racism and Black Workers in the National Health Service published in the April 29, issue of the magazine however, made very interesting reading primarily because this is the first time that the magazine has addressed itself to a local issue which touches the hearts of all coloured people in this country, no matter what their occupation or station in life is.
The National Health Service may be one of the biggest employment sector where the problem is being collectively tackled by affected employees but in housing, schooling and such other vital areas the issue of discrimination still rears its ugly head.
I couldn't agree more with the view that it is only when Africans, Caribbeans and Asians fight together as a team and challenge all racist issues would the problem be recognised and effectively dealt with.
We West Indians, born here, regard Britain as home. It is about time those Africans who have lived here for years and suffering from what is the article called the "going-home syndrome" realised that home is where you live and work and join the fight against racism. Together we shall overcome.
Malcolm Macdonald, Camden Town, London.
The helpers
There is one thing that has been baffling me for some time about the political scene in Ghana. Everytime any of the people currently in authority open their mouths, they speak about having "come to help".Dr Kwasi Botchwey the Finance Minister has been quoted quite often as saying that he is in present position to "help". Mr Justice D. F. Anan talks about having come to help.
If the members of the government, those at the crux of the affairs, those that initiate policy say that they are only helping, then one should ask: who are they helping or what are they helping? Surely there must be somebody or a group that knows what it is doing and the others can then claim to be helping. Even Mr P. V. Obeng, now officially acknowledged as Prime Minister of the regime and said to be on leave from his job with Mankoadze Fisheries, has been quoted as saying he was there to help. Who are they all helping?
I have the feeling that they are all talking about "helping" in the hope that they can avoid responsibility for the actions of the PNDC regime. But that is a forlorn hope; not one of them will escape from the praise of blame that will surely accrue from the PNDC.
I suppose ex-Capt Kodjo Tsikata is also only helping and I wouldn't be surprised if Flight-Lieutenant Rawlings is also there only to help. The question then must be: who asked them to help?
Ama Oppong, Accra, Ghana
