Back at school, one of my Quantity Surveying Lecturers remarked that, anytime a government provided infrastructure in Africa, anytime State authorities provided freebies, anytime State entities provided services, the motivation underlying the provision was most likely the inherent benefit to be derived by the entity and not necessarily the service or infrastructure being provided. Many years down the line, I have not only come to believe that assertion to be true but much more so come to believe same as a potent vehicle for corruption.

For example, they say they are supplying Maths Set to WASSCE students to help them pass their examinations but the real motivation is not getting students to pass but what they will get in that Maths Set contract. They say we should do Free SHS so that no one is left behind, but trust me, the real motivation for some is to create a chain of supplies controlled from the centre of State power all to ensure that friends and family people get rewarded with good supply contracts for food, clothing, detergents, etc.

If this were not so, why will one government import ambulances only for its succeeding government to abandon them citing their not being ‘fit-for-purpose’ and then proceeding to purchase their own set of ambulances. If good reasoning were to prevail, will the initial ones not be retrofitted to become ‘fit-for-purpose’? Alas, we quickly accept all the justifications and we move on. This is one of the key reasons why we continue to have uncompleted and abandoned infrastructural projects dotted all over the country among others.

We keep screaming ‘government, government’ but remember dear friend, that behind the façade of political government is that hug public and civil service structure that oil whatever happens within the structures of State.

For as long as we, the citizens of this great country continue to watch on while people entrusted with State authority, continue to rip us of the benefit for which we placed them in authority, to begin with.
If we cannot deal with this as a people, then we are doomed as a country!

Eric Atta-Sonno

My dear friend,

“I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live.” – George Bernard Shaw

Over the last couple of years, I’ve dedicated a bit of my time to join the struggle of helping to raise the younger generation. This has been to ensure that they are well positioned to take over the reins of this country and improve on its lot.

Being a committed Christian, I have for the better part of my adult life been inspired by the philosophy, ‘Omnibus Omnia Factus Sum’, a Latin phrase adopted from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians 9:22 where he wrote that he became all things to all men that he might save some by all means.

I have therefore, utilized all manner of approaches to help influence positive change in the attitude and orientation of our people for the overall purpose of nation building. To this, I welcome you to my blog. Enjoy my take on issues espoused through the scripts as well as my brief thoughts on issues as they play out daily and news stories on various endeavors that I may play a part in.

Feed back is always critical for improvement and I would thus appeal to you to always leave a note after reading any piece on this blog.

Welcome and enjoy browsing the pages.

Eric Atta-Sonno