Circumspecte

25 July, 2012 PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release STATEMENT FROM GHANA DECIDES ON THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT MILLS We are shocked and saddened by the death of His Excellency President John Evans Atta Mills.  The announcement of his death was nothing less of a surprise and a blow to a nation that is  continually trying to surmount immense developmental challenges. President Mills led Ghana  on a path that he best judged as one that could propel the country he loved forward. He did his  bit, but now he is gone. We have been overwhelmed with Ghana's heartfelt response to the death of President Mills. The words fine academic, religious, hardworking and peace-loving are most often used to describe him. Some mention humility and we should not mistake that for timidity. President Mills brought the "GOOD MAN” syndrome to Ghana’s politics. So on the event of his death; we are shaken, here at Ghana Decides. Ghana’s future is opened up again and we are thinking ...

Sitting in traffic heading home like any other work evening in Accra, Ghana. Only it's not an ordinary evening.There's a gaping hole in Ghana's population, the shoes once filled by our now deceased President Atta Mills. Criticize him all we want, he represented Ghana's stability. The late Mills celebrated his 68th birthday just this past Saturday, July 21. Even the trotro is a bit more silent than usual, as are the hawkers on the street. When I saw the first tweet announcing his demise, I thought to myself, this better not be another tasteless rumor. Then the implications of it NOT being a rumor hit me. I clicked the link, the URL opened up a JoyFMOnline page , it was true. Ghana's President John Evans Atta Mills had succumbed to the demands of his body and given up the ghost. What exactly does one do when they find out their president just died? Especially considering he was slated to run for the upcoming Presidential election on Dec 7, 2012? Political an...

It's been a whirlwind, yet priceless weekend of  BarCampGhana & GhanaDecides . Somehow, this pocket of solitude found me, and I'm having a bit of a moment. Just me and my long-lost friend Tamale (aided by Adele). Special thanks to the awesome BarCamp Tamale and GH Decides teams for getting me home :) -- Photo Credit: GhanaDecides Wunpini: Gaafara (Knocking) Tamale: Kpem nya (Come In) Wunpini: Dasiba (Good morning) Tamale: Nnaa. Nyin nguni nbala (I acknowledge. Who are you?) Wunpini: Mma, a bi bang ma? (Mother, haven't you recognized me?) Tamale: M bihi maa zooya. Bi pam mii kul gor mi. A yuli (I have many children, and many of them travel What's your name?) Wunpini: N yuli Wunpini. Nyini n daa che ka in ba pgem ti ma li, abi tei da? (My name is Wunpini. You told my grandfather to give me that name, don't you remember?) Tamale: Oy, Wunpini. Nyini n bala? (Ei, Wunpini, is that you?) Wunpini: Ing mma, ma nin bala. Ing k...

Dear Fellow Ghanaian,  I'm blogging from the GH! You never quite remember what it feels like to have malaria, until you're (re)experiencing the chills, fever and aches. Then it all comes back to you. If my memory serves me right, I have a little under a day or two before the parasite kicks into high gear. But before this bout of malaria does what it's set upon doing, allow me to share my thoughts on a topic that has popped up in my posts numerous times: the importance of holistic development in Ghana. A tweep of mine shared a   recent blog   on the news that Tamale's domestic airport is to be upgraded to international standards with funds from the Brazilian government. The question at the heart of the piece: Is Tamale really going to get an international airport before Kumasi? Or, in the words of the author, was Kumasi "bypassed"? Now, I can understand where the writer is coming from. According to his blog, plans for a Kumasi airport have been in di...

  BarCamp Tamale 2012 is a free networking event bringing people together for a day of discussion, demonstrations and dialogue about Tamale, Northern Ghana and beyond. This follows last year's November 26 event at the Tamale Polytechnic in Tamale, Ghana. This year's edition will be held on July 14 at the Tamale Poytechnic. The theme is “ Accelerating Development: Key Stakeholders & Priorities for Sustainable Change ”. It will build upon local knowledge, expertise and resources in a supportive community for entrepreneurs, change makers, innovators and other leaders in Tamale and the Northern Region. The GhanaThink Foundation has successfully organized 14 BarCamps in Ghana, resulting in a network of Ghanaian doers, entrepreneurs and change makers. Barcamp Tamale 2012 will be organized in conjunction with AfriLead International. This Barcamp will focus on creating more awareness about the uses of technology; build knowledge on how to foster innovation in and around ...

Time check 6.34pm in Accra, Ghana. Pretty much every one of my colleagues has left for home and I sit here, somewhat immobile. It feels weird. I'm not paralyzed or anything of the sort, I just paused from work for a moment and realized how weird it feels to be sitting still and not necessarily doing anything. Even if it's just for a moment. There's a bevy of activity right outside, and the long march of Accra's evening traffic which I am not looking forward to in the least bit. And yet, here I (still) sit. While the traffic builds and the darkness grows, and most likely, the clouds gather. When did stillness get so uncomfortable? Like there's always something one should be doing, saying, thinking... I went to Cape Coast with some classmates over the Republic Day holiday weekend, and it's funny how the silence and space (emptiness) which I disliked during my high school days were exactly what drew me to the Central region. Space, nature, time (unchecked). Sig...