In his book the Spirit of leadership, Myles Munroe says that a lion leading thousands of Sheep will defeat thousands of Lions led by a sheep. The renowned leadership writer and authority made this point to drive home the point that aligns with what John Maxwell says that leadership is cause and any other thing is an effect.
America is what it is today based on leadership so is Haiti, Germany, Cape Verde to Ghana. The principle of effective leadership is so paramount that it even dictates the welfare of a whole generation to an extend that the food on your table is influenced by the quality of who takes your taxes and makes decisions on your behalf.
It is on the basis of the forgoing that, citizens are enjoined by the constitution in article one that soveirenty lies in the people of Ghana, in whose name and for whose welfare the power of governance is exercised. This power resides in the citizenry who exercise same through universal adult suffrage via the ballot box on basis of a democracy. Whenever this p[oer is given to leaders we often as a people have shirked the responsibility to checkmate our leaders to make them accountable, responsive and sensitive to the mandate given them and the social contract they have signed with the populace.
I am going to narrow my focus to the Sissala area and relate a few issues that are of pressing concern to me as a youth activist. This piece is not by any means a critique of any individual or political party. It does not also intend to blame anyone. What it does is to analyze the system and stretch our imaginations to think deeply on what the status quo is and the way forward. I should also add I do not assume to depict authority over the issues as well. Just stating my mind; period!
Our first challenge I see is human resource. This gap is evident in almost all the sectors of our lives from medicine, engineering, administrators to business. The challenges of human resource I must admit is not only a Sissala issue but predates as far back as the colonial era. However, our Dagaaba neighbours have been able to work around to build a considerable human resource base that is serving their need now.
The real issues of the human resource issue is to fix our basic and second cycle schools and motivate the teachers and classroom instructors. A well motivated teacher a good foundation to address the teaching amd learning needs of his or her students.
The second issue which probably should have been first is to focus on our competitive edge and address the issues around same. What is our competitive advantage? Land and all its related activities. The Sissala areas have abundant fertile lands with great vegetative cover. Until recently where we have experienced rosewood cutting, the forested areas in the land were a good sight. Our competitive edge is agriculture, shea and related marketing in the entire value chain. The Sissala leaders must sit up, take advantage of these potentials, and make a good case for our people in the much-touted 1D1F to be rolled out.
Agriculture and its related activities have been the mainstay of our people since Adam and will be for a long time. Our focus should be how we enhance the local technologies of our people and support it with the modern agronomic practices to enhance production. The socio-economic benefits of agriculture cannot be over emphasized. We need to move into Plantation Agric as well. Cashew, Mango, et cetera.
The destiny of our area squarely lies in the hands of all of us but certainly led by our leaders upon which we have reposed a lot of confidence in.
See you again.
Writer : Alhassan Duani Sumaila
No comments:
Post a Comment