My attention has been drawn to some parliamentary proceedings whereby MPs were asking questions I perceive as a calculated attempt to humiliate a Minister Designate, and many Ghanaians think that is important and/or funny.
I asked myself, why do you Ghanaians complain about the imperialism and colonial imposition and yet so obsessed about a colonial language?
Last year, I wrote about the prejudice and discrimination within the Ghanaian society against those who don’t speak fluent English.
So why can’t individuals express themselves in their own mother tongue if they so wish or could do that better?
Do people realize that the country does not offer equal opportunities for everyone? That not everyone has an equal opportunity to attend a certain school or live in a certain neighbourhood? Shouldn’t a national parliament know that, and even better?
What was the relevance of some of the questions anyway? What is the relationship between some of those questions and the government’s policy agenda, Ministerial portfolio, the Minister’s abilities, competence and/or her job performance?
While I feel Minister of State designate should be familiar with his/her portfolio, I don’t think some of the questions asked have any relevance or bearing on Ms Koomson’s ability to perform her duty. Moreover, Ministers of States are supposed to have technocrats who should and ought to have the necessary expertise to support each Minister.
I think this was a personal vendetta, an abuse of parliamentary forum whereby some questions were deliberately put to humiliate the Minister Designate. Neither right nor appropriate in my opinion. A show of pettiness!
Who said the ability to speak fluent English amounts to competence? So people complain about discrimination, racism and injustice yet want to discriminate against a section of the population because they are not fluent in a foreign language?
So instead of focusing on character, responsibility, accountability and good policy agenda, Ghanaians are preoccupied with trivialities? Pettiness? So Ghanaians think only big English talkers or university educated people should be serving in parliament? People think this is good for national development?
Elitism? I ask then what at all have the big English talkers achieved that is so extraordinary that the rest haven’t or can’t do?
What kind of elitist, colonial and discriminatory attitude is that? I thought all Ghanaians were equal under the constitution? Shouldn’t everyone be given chance and be supported? So the equality is just for the rich and powerful right?
People of African descent (labelled by the imperialists as “blacks”) are always talking about racism but we are so discriminatory, so mean, stratefied and self indulgent that many African peoples don’t see their own prejudice and discrimination against their own and others.
I am always appalled by how people of African descent in general and Ghanaians in particular treat each other so horribly.
It is about time many Ghanaians and Africans decolonized their mindsets. There is too much negativity and cruelty. People should learn decency, respect for one another and support and encouragement for those who are brave enough to try.
We should promote our own! We should stop being too negative and mean. Not pleasant at all.
Get real and focus on important things. I am for the underdog! I’m for the ordinary person who is trying. I am for native language!
You may drop your sound comments without offensive language.
Thank you.
Akosua G
Ontario Canada
Feb 18, 2021