GHANA, THE BEGGING MILLIONAIRE – AFRICA, THE BEGGING TRILLIONAIRE
By Nana Kofi


Recently, I witnessed in dismay a tirade by a white man in the first class cabin of a mid-size airplane, admonishing another first class passenger, a Ghanaian male, for “begging” for his seat. What is wrong with you Africans? All you do is beg, beg, beg for everything!! You can beg all you want; I am not going to give you my seat. Tempers finally cooled down, and the aircraft took off. Unfortunately, I was sitting next to this white man who, a few minutes ago, had insulted my whole race. With nothing else to do, I turned and asked him “what was all that about”? Apparently, the Ghanaian man was travelling with his “wife”; they had been seated in 1st class on separate rows, and apart. The man had asked this white man to exchange his seat, so the couple could be close. The white man had refused, but the Ghanaian man had persisted with numerous “I beg you”; which eventually took the white man to his boiling point. “So what would it have cost you to exchange your seat?” I asked. His response, the essence of this article was this.

“I booked my flight the last minute, and got the last 1st class seat available, this one. This means it was also available to this man, if only he had asked to be seated close to his wife. He did not, but now comes “begging” for what WAS DUE HIM in the first place.” “That still shouldn't get your collar up”, I said. “You may be right; unfortunately, I have just finished a month long negotiations with your Ministers and Government officials over your god given mineral rights, and what my gold mining company should pay.

I come to your country, see all this poverty everywhere, with wealth right under your feet. Your own government gives only foreign companies the rights and privileges to violation and steal your country blind. For a few thousand dollars, your government officials allow these foreign companies to walk away with: (a) Perpetual tax holidays, (b) Duty free imports, (c) Bloated capital and operational investment costs,

(d) under-declared mineral output, (e) minimum wages for local employees doing all the work, but FAT salaries and expense accounts for foreigners who do almost nothing; (f) exaggerated cost of shoddy school blocks and boreholes instead of meaningful royalty to local land owners and communities;

(g) destruction of local farm lands with pitiful resettlement payments; (h) pollution of local drinking water; (i) destruction of local infrastructure, etc.

My bosses had counseled me at a briefing before my departure. I was asked to read your Osageyefo's “Neo-Colonialism”. Then I was told: “be prepared, and the first, to offer the negotiating team, (a) a few thousand dollars each; (b) a center, or a 6-room school block, or a few bore holes for the community; and there will be no mention of the usual above 10% royalties, or an actual government oversight of our operations, or adequate resettlement compensations, etc.”

I did not believe my bosses since I, a mere high school graduate, was coming to deal with officials with Masters and Doctorate degrees. Imagine my shock and disappointment when these officials, instead of demanding what is INTERNATIONALLY ACCEPTABLE COMPENSATIONS AND ROYALTIES for their country and communities, only accepted the 3% royalties, and with ALL KINDS OF GIVEAWAYS, and then came to me later BEGGING me to deposit “something” in their foreign accounts (numbers written on pieces of paper). I do not want to hear the phrase “I beg you” again.

The irony here is that these so called Educated people, after negotiating away the countries wealth, and depositing their “something”s into foreign banks, turn round to go and BORROW their own money from the IMF, World Bank, or “Donor” countries/ “Development Partners”. Do you remember the number of PhD beneficiaries, and the destinations of the Mabey & Johnson kickbacks? It amazes me that your intelligentsia, Ministers and Presidents, who have studied, or have travelled oversea, still don't get the idea that “THERE IS NO FREE LUNCH”. THERE ARE NO “DONOR COUNTRIES” OR “DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS”. THE FOREIGN MINING COMPANIES TAKE YOUR MINERALS FOR NEXT TO NOTHING, DEPOSIT THEIR HAUL INTO THEIR BANKS, AND THEN TURN ROUND TO LOAN THE SAME TO OUR GOVERNMENTS, AGAIN WITH REDICULOUS CONDITIONS.SUCH AS “NO SUBSIDIZED” BASIC EDUCATION.

Surely, companies like Anglogold and Newmont are contributing to our economy, I offered.

“At what price? Have you been to Obuasi recently to see the devastation and destruction of once a beautiful city? Newmont has over 740 sq. km concession in Ahafo; what did the Ahafo's get in return for Newmont's ANNUAL revenues of over $750,000,000? Almost NOTHING!!

This is exactly what your first President was talking about in “Neo-Colonialism“. Have you read that book? He asked me. I was ashamed to answer “No”. “I don't blame you; none of your “Educated” officials at the negotiating table had read it. That book ought to be a must-read textbook in your schools and colleges, so that you can understand how foreign companies and governments strive to rob you blind, just as before. Only this time, their methods are cloaked in one-sided “agreements” with the connivance of your “Educated” Managing Directors, Ministers, and Presidents. “How can you accuse our officials of complicity?” I asked defensively. Has your media asked why the MD's of the Ghana Chamber of mines keep defending the mining companies, or how a Ghanaian, working for a Ghanaian/British joint company in Ghana earned the “Order of the British Empire (Sir)”? Can you imagine these foreign companies, under the watchful eyes of your govt. officials, paying the indigene 5 pesewa (GhC 0.05) ground rent for their acre of concessional land after they have hauled away GhC 1,000,000 from the same acre?

THE BIG COMPANIES, NEWMONT AND ANGLOGOLD ARE NOT EVEN ASHAMED TO CONNIVE WITH YOUR GOVT OFFICIALS TO SIDESTEP PAYING THE INCREASED 5% ROYALTY. THEY ARE PAYING THE 5% BASED ON ANCIENT GOLD PRICE OF $300.00/OZ INSTEAD OF THE CURRENT WORLDWIDE PRICE OF $1500.00/OZ., SHORTCHANGING YOUR PEOPLE $75,000,000 in the process. Unfortunately, your negotiating officials are happy to giggle to the foreign banks with their thousands, accompanied in some cases by “Dr”s and “Sir”s.

Even the Chinese are getting in on the act, albeit ILLEGALLY. They are threatening communities with guns and firepower, AND YOUR MILITARY LOOKS ON UNCONCERNED. Your media is just as bad. With buffet lunches or dinners and a few Cedis in their pockets, your print media become the propaganda machines of these mining companies. They tout the few boreholes and the 6-room schools, but leave out the callous treatment of local employees and residents, and the destruction of the environment. The airwaves are SILENT on all this. WACAM IS THE LONE VOICE FOR THE PEOPLE. Why don't your media SUPPORT WACAM by broadcasting and educating the masses, especially the officials that (a) THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT APPROVE OF FOREIGN COMPANIES ROBBING THE INDEGENES FULL BENEFITS OF THEIR GOD GIVEN MINERAL AND OIL DEPOSITS. (b) Before Rawlings, foreign mining companies in Ghana could not hold more than 40% interest in their partnership with the government; now the Ghana govt. holds ZERO percent, while they hold 100%,; and therefore do not account to any authority.

A 50% annual return on investment (ROI) for the first 7 years, is generally considered EXCELLENT. Foreign mining/ oil companies in Ghana and the rest of Africa, are PERPETUALLY hauling away over 400% return on their investments, without any regard to the plight of the indigenes.

I feigned sleep, so he stopped talking. I was actually reflecting on all that he had said. I realized that YES, we had become too “give me, give me”; “I beg”, “I beg you”; “My Christmas box”; “Give us something for water”.

I am reminded by this my brother's analogy. His cat will “meow” for some food, usually crumbs, in his bowl outside. The bowl of food will attract the resident mice. One would think the cat would opt for the juicy mice, NOO. He would lay there and watch the mouse eat all his food, and then come back “Meowing” for more crumbs.

WE WATCH OUR OFFICIALS GIVE AWAY OUR GOLD, OIL, BAUXITE, DIAMOND, ETC FOR THEIR MEAGRE KICKBACKS, WHILE WE WALLOW IN POVERTY. IT IS TIME WE WAKE UP FROM OUR SLUMBER, AND TAKE WHAT IS RIGHTFULLY OURS AT THE NEGOTIATING TABLE. AT THAT TIME, WE CAN TELL OBAMA AND CAMERON TO TAKE BACK THEIR GAYS AND AID.

http://www.modernghana.com/news/375003/1/ghana-the-begging-millionaire-africa-the-b.html

Interesting.

And yet some Nigerians keep referring to Rawlings as a hero.

Even going as far as suggesting that the first Nigerian coup would have "cleansed" Nigeria of corruption.

some plain truth

It is a Black thang! actually it is in everybody but in most western nations, they have built and sustained credible institutions that either prevent such from happening or citizens are empowered (and protected) by their constitution to report corruption with the confidence that Justice will be done. but hey, this is Africa - Critically-Acclaimed Corrupt Continent, World-Famous Poverty Icon and The Only Living Evidence of Evolution but God dey (with heavy sarcasm)

speechless! Dont know what 2 say or write.

In my opinion, there are two major reasons for this: One, outright wickedness by our "leaders" who have consistently sold us short; and two, a slavish colonial mentality which has ensured that we unconsciously continue to see these guys as being "superior" to us. That is why a foreigner with a mere high school degree can earn ten times the salary of a native PhD.

Until we emancipate ourselves mentally from this culture of subservience and build systems and processes to deal with the corrupt sell-outs among us, I fear that we may yet witness more of such episodes for the foreseeable future.

all this people that listen to stupid senile old red men and come here to post it as gospel. you are the ones that are stupid, not the purported victims of racism. Speak to crazy white man, and you come here and talk left and right. God go punish you for this shit you just spewed. Africa the begging trillonaire, really, dont you have eyes to see. Are you ready to actually confront people with gunships and nuclear bombs sworn to destroy you. when you grow some balls and come out with you own idea to stop the exploitation, stfu.

The article is very true. In Nigeria we give 43% of our oil revenue back to the company that explore them for us. The remaining 57% is what we fight for and even end up stealling "off" better part of it within ourselves most the time. It is only normal that the whiteman pray for and protect this  unbelievable source of income. 
That's why when i see things like profs in schools denying brilliant students they are supposed to encourage of their good grade, i weep for the this continent.

Interesting read but can someone tell African writers to stop embellishing these chance meetings with these sage like white men who spill all to complete strangers- a southern African writer just did the same story a week ago and most of us with firsthand experience of the white 'devils' know the manner of these candlelight confessions are very Nollywood.

I mean if invoking this tired scenario is the only way they feel they can say anything meaningful about corruption, then maybe we should equally be worried about the limited literary technique displayed by the current young African generation.

We all know this guy is right. At least partly. Its the same story all over Africa. He is right also about the mining companies in Ghana, I have seen it first hand and also the absolute disdain these oyibo people treat Ghanaians/Africans with. Many of them are not even qualified to be in the field. They just do one flimsy mining course and are put straight into senior positions by their countrymen .