LETTER TO TAPA AMANYA AND TAPA

AMANYA MUST GROW POSITIVELY WHO OWNS TAPA AMANYA? Permit me to stir a little controversy by seeking or questioning the ownership of this town. To the best of my knowledge, Tapa Amanya is not owned by any single individual, neither is it owned by any supposed superior family nor a super clan. Amanya does not even belong to the so called “citizens” or “natives” Amanya is owned by all its inhabitants, associates and natives residing elsewhere. WHO IS A NATIVE OF TAPA AMANYA? A native of Amanya is anyone; born to both or one of the parent(s) from Amanya, born at Amanya, adopted by a native of Amanya or adult suffrage who wishes to be a native and has gone through the necessary traditional rights. WHOSE DECISIONS GOVERN AMANYA? Amanya can only be governed by the people of Amanya or their representatives. Depending on the level of governance, the mode of selection may vary. Their decisions as ‘government’ MUST however be in the interest of the people. WHO ARE THE LEADERS OF TAPA AMANYA? In the past, the ‘Opinion Leaders’, a group based in Accra was in control. They have claimed responsibility of all the “good” things that happened to Amanya from water supply to electricity. It is surprising that all the errors are put at the doorsteps of Assemblymen. MY OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIENCES With the admission that my assertions above are subject to some debate, I wish to make some statements, ask questions and try to provide answers which are still open to critique and further literal or verbal engagements. The people of Tapa Amanya, just like all other Ghanaian are always dissatisfied with their leaders. Events in the past resulted in a chief and two sub chiefs abdicating their stools. Since the introduction of the District Assembly concept, succeeding Assemblymen have been subjected to names calling and open confrontations in some cases. Whose fault is it? This is for the youth to find out for themselves. The biggest controversy to hit Tapa Amanya was on the 29th of December, 2010. I was personally caught up in a crossfire I knew nothing about. Unfortunately, the Opinion Leaders abandoned me; this has not derailed my desire and ambition. It has also not changed my feelings for my people. Amanya…. I love and will forever love with all my heart and strength. Plato, the greatest philosopher of all time said; “I know not how I may seem to others but to myself, I am but a small child wandering upon the vast shores of knowledge every now and then finding a small pebble to content myself with” Plato could not be wrong for amongst the Opinion Leaders membership, I was the youngest and poorest physically but not mentally and emotionally. Interestingly, the group that was supposed to seek the good of members was a great source of discouragement and frustration. Individuals tried to undermine me and transfer family conflicts unto me. I hold nothing against any person or the group. ‘It is a lesson’. The worst thing to happen to a man on this earth is to be afraid. I leader must be ready for fall outs of his actions and inactions. Anytime we take decisions and actions, we should be ready as individuals and groups to assess our decisions and actions from time to time and redirect our followers. We cannot follow our emotions and desires without knowledge because these are the three sources of human behaviour. In the crossfire that caught me in 2010, that also contributed immensely to my electoral defeat, I believe the ‘leaders’ committed a political blunder that they could have corrected later on but till date, these leaders are still misleading the vulnerable youth. Now, the people of Amanya will be punished for refusing to take part fully in a nationwide election. Plato again said “Those who are too smart to engage in politics are punished by being governed by those who are dumper” Today, it does not matter whether the elected Assemblyman is a ‘native’, educated or ‘disabled’. He is the elected and sworn in Assemblyman of Tapa Amanya till 2014. The earlier we wake up from our slumber and cooperated with him, the better it will be for the whole Amanya. There are people claiming to love Amanya whose children, grand and great grand children will never in their life time live or visit Amanya. The youth must wake up to the realities of our time. Analyse what you are told and make bold decisions. Tomorrow is yours. You may fall in the hole you dig ahead of yourself. Take wise and very bold decisions. REVISITING THE STONE AGE It is sad to see or hear people follow some ill-informed, half educated persons in their unthought-of acts that are likely to draw Amanya into an abyss. In the 1980s, there was a trend I witnessed as a young boy growing up in the Jasikan District, there was some form of discrimination and derogatory commentary against people from Amanya. Even ‘family’ members from Tapa Abotoase and Amanfrom were discriminating against people of Tapa Amanya. Looking back, their actions were justified. Town folks invading Ghana Education Service sanctioned sporting events, disrupting it and beating up school children because in their view an official was bias to ‘their’ team; beating up policemen for attempting to arrest wrong doers, burning down churches, cutting down protected trees, assaulting teachers, defaming posted government workers’ character, were some of the acts that gave Amanya that bad image. Today, the trend shows a return to those dark days. A sharp move from civility towards vandalism and barbarism. If one’s education cannot benefit his/her people for fear of hatred and name calling, then his/her education is useless. I am by this piece calling on all well informed, ‘educated’ and meaning Tapa citizens to add their voice to stop these nation wreckers and war mongers parading themselves as patriots of Tapa from taking back to dark days. I urge the Noble Paramount Chief; Okofrobour Nana Kwame Asante II to be strong as the soldier that he was without fear or favour to stand against any move that is likely to destroy his state. The Good Book says; “There is a season for everything…..” We do NOT need to be violent or uncivil to catch the eye of any government. The national cake is shared proportionately and if it gets to you, ‘seteris per ibus’; you will get your share. If today, Okum Akura has a modern six-unit classroom block; Amanya ‘can’ get a High school some day. THE MOCKERY OF OUR INTELLEGENCE Imagine Ghana goes to war against Nigeria with Ghana partially supported by Togo, Benin and Cote D’Ivoire. Besides the some violence meted out to some Nigerian citizens in Ghana and her partial supporting states, Nigeria remains calm and ensured that this war is warn in The Hague. Ghana then sends a delegation to meet some citizens of Lome to encourage them to start a fresh war with the support of Ghana. This is at a time when northern Togo, Cote D’Ivoire and Benin have all reconciled with Nigeria. Gnassingbe now has a problem. Should he give audience to these contacted citizens of Lome? How are they going to advice northern Togo to join? How are they going to start the war? As3m s3b3. Some of you have options. Some of us do NOT. The farthest I can go will be Tapa Amanfrom. Let us apply our wisdom together starting from this page by saying NO to violence against our long standing neighbours. Our time for prosperity, development, promotion, and success will come at the appropriate time if we prepare for them. Bishop Asare said once that; when opportunity meets preparation, there is break through. All need to do is to put up the right structure to be able to access opportunities. We need to empower ourselves with quality education, skill and values. Resources of high financial value abound in Tapa but we are so engrossed in pettiness to the extent that we fail to see them. No wonder when people come from outside, they identify, explore and exploit them to make money and we sit and call them names. I rest my case.