Question:
What does the word “Tilaawa,” and the phrases “Bismil Laahi
Rahmaani Raheem and Swadaqal Laahul Azweem,” have in common? Hopefully
we will arrive at an answer at the end of this article. A rebuttal to
defense of shifu’s comedy.
But before I proceed, I’d advice
anyone who wishes to defend kulimila to get a playback of his
presentation at the Islamic Ummah of Ghana (IUG) program held at Efua
Sutherland’s Park few weeks back.
Well, one Brother Sajjad
Iddriss Toppoh has come to the defense of shifu kulimila’s comedy with
two main points. One: that shifu doesn’t distort the Quran as some of us
claim and that he employs a reading format similar to Quranic
recitation.
Two: that the recitation we use today is not how the
prophet used to recite it so we cannot lay claim to that tonation and
use it as a basis to crucify the comedian in question. There is the bit
about Ugandan Christians reading the bible like we read the Quran also.
The
problem of Sajjad is that he has not paused to ask why kulimila did not
use the CNN or TV3 news format or the Supersport or BBC commentary
style to joke but rather a QURAN module as he Sajjad has accepted is the
case?
The problem is the format the comedian employed, he was
simply not right. Maybe he should try using a political rally or lecture
hall format to joke and we will not even blink but insofar as he
decides to use the Quranic format he is making mockery and to borrow
Sajjad’s word, that is unacceptable “quackery.”
Go to Saudi,
dress like the Crown Prince and talk like him in ridiculous terms and
tell me you will walk off in one piece, try it in the case of Hassan
Rouhani or Imam Khomeini in Iran. Freedom of speech we agree; but be
ready for liability for your stupidity which comes from your so called
‘freedom.’ That much you must be told.
TILAAWA AND OTHER MATTERS
No
Arab anywhere in the world will start any lecture or speech by saying
he is going to do ‘Tilaawa.’ Why; tilaawa is the recitation of passages
of the Quran. That is what kulimila said he was going to do before he
began doing his ‘rough’.
Who forced him to say that?
He
started by saying Bismil Laahi Rahmaani Raheem (In the name of Allah;
Most Gracious, Most Merciful). As far as we know, that terminology
became known in Arabic literature when the Quran was revealed. It is a
Quranic verse repeated as many times as the number of chapters. 114
times
Again; was a gun put to kulimila’s head or a sharp knife to his throat to start by reciting the ‘basmalah?’
After
messing himself up and ridiculing himself; knowledgeable as he was, he
knew that there was the need to give a befitting closure to his nonsense
as would any Imam/Aalim worth his salt after reciting the Quran.
His
choice of conclusion was apt but very unfortunately and nauseatingly
applied, “Swadaqal laahul Azweem,” and then again we ask, who begged him
to commit that blunder?
The Ugandan Christian bit is funny as
is dismissive not to talk of how Rasul recited the Quran back in the
days; where is the audio record of how Rasul read the Quran? Sajjad I am
certain can help us insha Allah.
And oh, the bit about scholarly
opinion on the matter (Sajjad sadly forgot to share in his edict),
venture into those waters and kulimila is out of business in a wink.
Tell a pack of lies to get people cracking, you are the source of
ridicule of a group of people?
Come to think of it; what new can
kulimila bring to the comedy table? Most jokes he tells are hausa
version of already known jokes, period! That is in no way to take away
his stage craft and ability to deliver.
At least thanks to
Sajjad, this is our second piece directed to him. We would accept him to
joke but to insult himself in the process, we won’t accept it.
I maintain that some of shifu kulmila’s comedy are worse than charlie hebdo cartoons.
Starting
tilaawa with basmala and ending with swadaqal Laahul Azweem is
certainly no joke. Not in Uganda much less in Ghana or Iran.
May Allah guide us to truth, help us to stand by it and to apply it to the best of our capability. Wal Laahu a’lam wa ahkam.
Thanks for reading my thoughts.
Abdur Rahman Alfa Shaban
newcguide@gmail.com
Tuesday 17 February 2015
Friday 13 February 2015
Shifu Kulmila’s Comedy: Worse Than Charlie Hebdo Cartoons?
INTRODUCTION
Who is this Shifu Kulmila?
He is/was to be the pioneer and or new face of halal comedy within the Muslim (predominantly hausa speaking) fraternity. A mission buoyed by social media especially whatsapp audio clips.
The only other comedian I had known before Shifu making waves in Ghana was Nigerian actor called “Ibro.” Even he usually starred in films before we could have a taste of his art.
We woke up to some form of comedy that started in the form of news, it got us cracking even though the joker, had decided to arrogate onto himself the title of “Sheikh” i.e. an Islamic scholar. Maybe the signs should have been clear back then.
The uniqueness of his trade and its delivery was with the use of the hausa language, something that is VERY rare at least within the Zongo communities.
The big question is, did we laugh about these too early and didn’t recognize that it was likely to degenerate into what we are witnessing today? The earlier we nip it in the bud the better.
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
At the heart of Muslim protests and condemnation in the West is the cartoon depiction of our prophet (may Allah exalt his mention). Time without number, Muslims all over the world have joined to condemn same.
Other Muslims, who I support and pray for, kill the very people who DARED to mock our prophet (subhaanal Laah.) The message behind their actions being: “freedom of speech is not freedom to be STUPID.”
The guys at Charlie Hebdo and others like them went nowhere near ridiculing Allah, or Allah’s book the Quran. But that is what Shifu Kulmila has been doing lately and has gotten away with it.
I strongly support the few Shuyukh who have come out to condemn in no uncertain terms the rather crude types of jokes that shifu is spewing lately. Jokes that seek to ridicule the Quran (subhaanal Laah!)
INSTANCES
There is an audio piece of about four minute shifu talks about delivering a sermon on food. He messes up the several known Islamic prayers and make jovial allusions to Sharee’ah etc. That audio was SICK!
His social profile increased and he was invited to a number of events in the name of entertaining guests, I can mention the One Ghana Inter-School drama competition and his own show at Nima Paloma.
The latest audio, which is a grievous on his part, shameful on the part of all who listened and laughed and disgusting yet for those who took time to circulate it for purposes of sharing the fun.
That a Muslim would play with recitation of the Quran and make vile allusions to verses of the Quran; a Muslim ridicules an art of worship (supplication) as was taught us by Rasool?
That he ridicules how an Imam in the middle of prayer, began regretting how he had wrongly given out charity and his Muazzin followed suit. So what then became of the congregants. Is this a matter to be joked with? Salat??
The Islamic Ummah of Ghana (IUG) gathering at Efua Sutherland part here in Accra, in the presence of learned Muslims was where he stood to showcase gross disrespect to Islam, to himself and to Muslims at large. Sadly some laughed.
CONCLUSIONS
It begs common sense and smacks of hypocrisy that we sit by and do nothing about a fellow Muslim brother leading himself astray and dragging us all along that path as we laugh heartily over serious matters.
What would have been of such crude jokes, if the author was a non – Muslim, we certainly would have been incensed. He is one of our own and the earlier we STOP him the better.
There are so many things to make fun of, halal comedy has its place in Islam (topic for another day) and wal Laahi it would serve him better if he desists from using tenets of Islam in the course of his comedy.
Said Rasool (SAW) when you see evil, change it with your hand, tongue and heart. This first step is using the tongue, let whoever knows him advice the man to keep off matters of Aqeedah and Sharee’ah.
Wal Laahi I fear for him and for us all that we should not, cannot and would not accept that he continues on this tangent until such time that we are unable to stop kaafirs who decide to enter our mosques to ridicule us.
Even they won’t I strongly believe, so why should one of us. Unacceptable, unwarranted, unnecessary it is, may Allah have mercy on us and grant us Istiqaamah in all matters. Wa lil Laahil Hamdu, was salaamu Alaikum
Thanks for reading my thoughts
Abdur Rahman Alfa Shaban
newcguide@gmail.com
Who is this Shifu Kulmila?
He is/was to be the pioneer and or new face of halal comedy within the Muslim (predominantly hausa speaking) fraternity. A mission buoyed by social media especially whatsapp audio clips.
The only other comedian I had known before Shifu making waves in Ghana was Nigerian actor called “Ibro.” Even he usually starred in films before we could have a taste of his art.
We woke up to some form of comedy that started in the form of news, it got us cracking even though the joker, had decided to arrogate onto himself the title of “Sheikh” i.e. an Islamic scholar. Maybe the signs should have been clear back then.
The uniqueness of his trade and its delivery was with the use of the hausa language, something that is VERY rare at least within the Zongo communities.
The big question is, did we laugh about these too early and didn’t recognize that it was likely to degenerate into what we are witnessing today? The earlier we nip it in the bud the better.
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
At the heart of Muslim protests and condemnation in the West is the cartoon depiction of our prophet (may Allah exalt his mention). Time without number, Muslims all over the world have joined to condemn same.
Other Muslims, who I support and pray for, kill the very people who DARED to mock our prophet (subhaanal Laah.) The message behind their actions being: “freedom of speech is not freedom to be STUPID.”
The guys at Charlie Hebdo and others like them went nowhere near ridiculing Allah, or Allah’s book the Quran. But that is what Shifu Kulmila has been doing lately and has gotten away with it.
I strongly support the few Shuyukh who have come out to condemn in no uncertain terms the rather crude types of jokes that shifu is spewing lately. Jokes that seek to ridicule the Quran (subhaanal Laah!)
INSTANCES
There is an audio piece of about four minute shifu talks about delivering a sermon on food. He messes up the several known Islamic prayers and make jovial allusions to Sharee’ah etc. That audio was SICK!
His social profile increased and he was invited to a number of events in the name of entertaining guests, I can mention the One Ghana Inter-School drama competition and his own show at Nima Paloma.
The latest audio, which is a grievous on his part, shameful on the part of all who listened and laughed and disgusting yet for those who took time to circulate it for purposes of sharing the fun.
That a Muslim would play with recitation of the Quran and make vile allusions to verses of the Quran; a Muslim ridicules an art of worship (supplication) as was taught us by Rasool?
That he ridicules how an Imam in the middle of prayer, began regretting how he had wrongly given out charity and his Muazzin followed suit. So what then became of the congregants. Is this a matter to be joked with? Salat??
The Islamic Ummah of Ghana (IUG) gathering at Efua Sutherland part here in Accra, in the presence of learned Muslims was where he stood to showcase gross disrespect to Islam, to himself and to Muslims at large. Sadly some laughed.
CONCLUSIONS
It begs common sense and smacks of hypocrisy that we sit by and do nothing about a fellow Muslim brother leading himself astray and dragging us all along that path as we laugh heartily over serious matters.
What would have been of such crude jokes, if the author was a non – Muslim, we certainly would have been incensed. He is one of our own and the earlier we STOP him the better.
There are so many things to make fun of, halal comedy has its place in Islam (topic for another day) and wal Laahi it would serve him better if he desists from using tenets of Islam in the course of his comedy.
Said Rasool (SAW) when you see evil, change it with your hand, tongue and heart. This first step is using the tongue, let whoever knows him advice the man to keep off matters of Aqeedah and Sharee’ah.
Wal Laahi I fear for him and for us all that we should not, cannot and would not accept that he continues on this tangent until such time that we are unable to stop kaafirs who decide to enter our mosques to ridicule us.
Even they won’t I strongly believe, so why should one of us. Unacceptable, unwarranted, unnecessary it is, may Allah have mercy on us and grant us Istiqaamah in all matters. Wa lil Laahil Hamdu, was salaamu Alaikum
Thanks for reading my thoughts
Abdur Rahman Alfa Shaban
newcguide@gmail.com
Tuesday 10 February 2015
DVLA Corruption – A Return to the Status Quo?
In April last year, an investigative documentary in video and print was published about dealings with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA.) The state agency mandated primarily with issues relating to licensing of vehicles and the people who handle these vehicles.
The DVLA thus becomes a MAJOR (caps mine) stakeholder in the road safety gamut of our country. And it goes to give credence to the manner in which the documentary house linked deaths on our roads to corruption.
But as usual soon after the premiere of the film and subsequent airing many were those who expressed same age old reservation of “not long before things go back to what they were and even worse.”
At least these lamenters based their reservations on instances in the past where exposés have yielded hue and cry but more often gone cold and dry weeks after. Amongst other; the Tema habour story (Enemies of the Nation), the cocoa smuggling story (In the Interest of the State) and Power Thieves (The President’s Assignment)
The investigator has more often than not, striven to take his evidence to the courts in order to have the bad guys jailed. These cases drag on so long, the status quo would have been reestablished by the end of the case.
Making nonsense and a total mockery of the days and months spent in trying to get scapegoats. Simply put; the investigator’s efforts are deliberately flagged offside and play resumes as though nothing happened even in the face of hard core evidence.
The DVLA Situation
Amongst other issues bordering on fraud and corruption, officials of the DVLA were aiding and abetting with members of the public to issue especially licenses to people without recourse to legal procedures.
Even though the DVLA claims to have interdicted and open investigations into some of her officers caught on tape, little or nothing has been heard about that committee and whether it evaporated and wherever it has condensed at till date.
Whiles all this is going on, the same “wahala” that was strangling the innocent license applicant is back and with more vim and precautionary positioning by officials. Sad it is isn’t it that the DVLA would not do its job and when it has been done by a private entity, they are refusing to take charge; or are they?
Soul Takers and its counterpart social interest film, DOOM; brought chills to many viewers at the two day premiere in Accra and same throughout screenings across campuses in selected tertiary institutions.
But can we say that it did achieve the overall goal of righting the plethora of wrongs being perpetrated at the DVLA?
The journalist has resorted to a civil suit to compel the DVLA to act as per their legal mandate and even with that too, there is this hiatus that leaves too much to be desired. Lives have been lost, are being lost and would continue to be lost on our roads.
Mitigating of these loses I am convinced is one of the core reasons why a journalist would invest time, money and other human resources to give a vivid account of what REALLY (caps mine) pertains with the view that it would be remedied.
A return of a bad “status quo” is a tacit admission of dereliction of duty on one hand and an open admission that “we now know but won’t do anything about it” on the other hand.
God bless our homeland Ghana. Thanks for reading my thoughts.
Shaban Alfa Abdur Rahman
newcguide@gmail.com
The DVLA thus becomes a MAJOR (caps mine) stakeholder in the road safety gamut of our country. And it goes to give credence to the manner in which the documentary house linked deaths on our roads to corruption.
But as usual soon after the premiere of the film and subsequent airing many were those who expressed same age old reservation of “not long before things go back to what they were and even worse.”
At least these lamenters based their reservations on instances in the past where exposés have yielded hue and cry but more often gone cold and dry weeks after. Amongst other; the Tema habour story (Enemies of the Nation), the cocoa smuggling story (In the Interest of the State) and Power Thieves (The President’s Assignment)
The investigator has more often than not, striven to take his evidence to the courts in order to have the bad guys jailed. These cases drag on so long, the status quo would have been reestablished by the end of the case.
Making nonsense and a total mockery of the days and months spent in trying to get scapegoats. Simply put; the investigator’s efforts are deliberately flagged offside and play resumes as though nothing happened even in the face of hard core evidence.
The DVLA Situation
Amongst other issues bordering on fraud and corruption, officials of the DVLA were aiding and abetting with members of the public to issue especially licenses to people without recourse to legal procedures.
Even though the DVLA claims to have interdicted and open investigations into some of her officers caught on tape, little or nothing has been heard about that committee and whether it evaporated and wherever it has condensed at till date.
Whiles all this is going on, the same “wahala” that was strangling the innocent license applicant is back and with more vim and precautionary positioning by officials. Sad it is isn’t it that the DVLA would not do its job and when it has been done by a private entity, they are refusing to take charge; or are they?
Soul Takers and its counterpart social interest film, DOOM; brought chills to many viewers at the two day premiere in Accra and same throughout screenings across campuses in selected tertiary institutions.
But can we say that it did achieve the overall goal of righting the plethora of wrongs being perpetrated at the DVLA?
The journalist has resorted to a civil suit to compel the DVLA to act as per their legal mandate and even with that too, there is this hiatus that leaves too much to be desired. Lives have been lost, are being lost and would continue to be lost on our roads.
Mitigating of these loses I am convinced is one of the core reasons why a journalist would invest time, money and other human resources to give a vivid account of what REALLY (caps mine) pertains with the view that it would be remedied.
A return of a bad “status quo” is a tacit admission of dereliction of duty on one hand and an open admission that “we now know but won’t do anything about it” on the other hand.
God bless our homeland Ghana. Thanks for reading my thoughts.
Shaban Alfa Abdur Rahman
newcguide@gmail.com
Monday 9 February 2015
Messy Okada: At the Mercy of Road Safety
Messy Okada: At the Mercy of Road Safety
In the early nineties, it could only be seen in especially Nigerian movies, as the impact of it sunk down, then it began to creep in on us; currently outlawed but ‘okada’ business is here with us. A harsh reality if you ask me.
Okada: is the commercial use of motor cycles for transporting people and properties for a fare. But the big question that comes up more often than not is; are the activities of okada riders here to stay or to slay?
The okada debate has made it to the national agenda especially because of its prevalence in major urban centers, even though the law has an unequivocal and categorical position on use of okada.
The relevant statute as per the Road Traffic Regulations 2012 (LI 2180) section 128 under heading ‘Prohibition of use of motorcycle or tricycle for commercial purpose’ states thus:
• The licensing authority shall not register a motor cycle or tricycle to carry a fare paying passenger.
• A person shall not use or permit a motor cycle or tricycle over which he exercises control to be used for commercial purposes except for courier and delivery services.
• A person shall not ride on a motor cycle as a fare paying passenger….
Sub regulation 4 spells out the penalties for flouting the law as; fine of at least 25 penalty units, at least thirty days imprisonment or both
A mini exegesis of the law if you like: Point (1) registered motorcycles are being used for okada business albeit the DVLA can’t be blamed for what an individual does with his bike. Point (2) is particularly interesting because most riders claim these bikes are owned by the law enforcers (policemen to be precise). Point (3) the least said the better.
The National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) has described okada as an urban menace with the following facts as basis:
• Motorcycles account for only 20% of total vehicle population yet between 2001 and 2011, over 1,500 motorcyclists were killed in road traffic crashes, 30% of which were recorded in 2010 and 2011.
• The proportion of motorcycle fatalities in the national total fatalities keeps rising from 2.6% to 7.1% within the last 10 years.
Ing. May Obiri Yeboah, Executive Director of the NRSC proposes that efficiency in transportation cannot be achieved via the use of one man behind a motorcyclist meandering their way through traffic; but rather an effective public transport system that can guarantee safety of passengers from one point to the other.
Her point brings into sharp focus the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) system that sought to dedicate lanes to designated buses to transport people in an easy and free flowing manner especially from commercial centers to outskirts.
As a result of the BRT, vehicle owners would have to park their vehicles at home or at parking lots/terminals close to their homes and catching ‘rapid’ bus ride to work and back. The advantages of cutting down pollution and of saving money are just to mention a few.
The peculiar situation of northern Ghana relative to use of motorbikes is pretty different especially with the socio cultural dynamics. The use of motorbikes there is so pervasive, one may find it difficult differentiating who is using it for what purpose.
Having said that, okada business booms mostly in the urban centers where vehicular congestion, due to proliferation of vehicles and construction/reconstruction of roads; creates a situation where people in need to beat deadlines see okada as the easiest and fastest way out.
Consequently, people sacrifice their comfort to be perched behind a speeding rider, both wearing helmets or not, meandering through traffic and doing their best to escape the policeman on the next junction.
The consequences are there to be seen, but people still flag these riders and take the ride. The figures relating to okada deaths are rising and the promulgators of the law are also clear on it as above quoted.
Enforcement looks like what is eluding us. Tie that into police corruptibility and the stone headedness of some of the citizenry all in the name of earning our daily bread. That would decide whether the okada should stay or be allowed to slay another life. God Bless Ghana.
Thanks for reading
Abdur Rahman Alfa Shaban
newcguide@gmail.com
In the early nineties, it could only be seen in especially Nigerian movies, as the impact of it sunk down, then it began to creep in on us; currently outlawed but ‘okada’ business is here with us. A harsh reality if you ask me.
Okada: is the commercial use of motor cycles for transporting people and properties for a fare. But the big question that comes up more often than not is; are the activities of okada riders here to stay or to slay?
The okada debate has made it to the national agenda especially because of its prevalence in major urban centers, even though the law has an unequivocal and categorical position on use of okada.
The relevant statute as per the Road Traffic Regulations 2012 (LI 2180) section 128 under heading ‘Prohibition of use of motorcycle or tricycle for commercial purpose’ states thus:
• The licensing authority shall not register a motor cycle or tricycle to carry a fare paying passenger.
• A person shall not use or permit a motor cycle or tricycle over which he exercises control to be used for commercial purposes except for courier and delivery services.
• A person shall not ride on a motor cycle as a fare paying passenger….
Sub regulation 4 spells out the penalties for flouting the law as; fine of at least 25 penalty units, at least thirty days imprisonment or both
A mini exegesis of the law if you like: Point (1) registered motorcycles are being used for okada business albeit the DVLA can’t be blamed for what an individual does with his bike. Point (2) is particularly interesting because most riders claim these bikes are owned by the law enforcers (policemen to be precise). Point (3) the least said the better.
The National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) has described okada as an urban menace with the following facts as basis:
• Motorcycles account for only 20% of total vehicle population yet between 2001 and 2011, over 1,500 motorcyclists were killed in road traffic crashes, 30% of which were recorded in 2010 and 2011.
• The proportion of motorcycle fatalities in the national total fatalities keeps rising from 2.6% to 7.1% within the last 10 years.
Ing. May Obiri Yeboah, Executive Director of the NRSC proposes that efficiency in transportation cannot be achieved via the use of one man behind a motorcyclist meandering their way through traffic; but rather an effective public transport system that can guarantee safety of passengers from one point to the other.
Her point brings into sharp focus the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) system that sought to dedicate lanes to designated buses to transport people in an easy and free flowing manner especially from commercial centers to outskirts.
As a result of the BRT, vehicle owners would have to park their vehicles at home or at parking lots/terminals close to their homes and catching ‘rapid’ bus ride to work and back. The advantages of cutting down pollution and of saving money are just to mention a few.
The peculiar situation of northern Ghana relative to use of motorbikes is pretty different especially with the socio cultural dynamics. The use of motorbikes there is so pervasive, one may find it difficult differentiating who is using it for what purpose.
Having said that, okada business booms mostly in the urban centers where vehicular congestion, due to proliferation of vehicles and construction/reconstruction of roads; creates a situation where people in need to beat deadlines see okada as the easiest and fastest way out.
Consequently, people sacrifice their comfort to be perched behind a speeding rider, both wearing helmets or not, meandering through traffic and doing their best to escape the policeman on the next junction.
The consequences are there to be seen, but people still flag these riders and take the ride. The figures relating to okada deaths are rising and the promulgators of the law are also clear on it as above quoted.
Enforcement looks like what is eluding us. Tie that into police corruptibility and the stone headedness of some of the citizenry all in the name of earning our daily bread. That would decide whether the okada should stay or be allowed to slay another life. God Bless Ghana.
Thanks for reading
Abdur Rahman Alfa Shaban
newcguide@gmail.com
Police Corruption and Road Safety
… the watchman in league with the ‘thief?’
Police corruptibility has become steeply rooted in the psyche of the Ghanaian. That perception has been buttressed by a top ranking of the service in most corruption indexes over the years.
The service must find a way to deal with it and do so exhaustively.
The Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service are also known as traffic police. Their duty is crucial role of ensuring safety and security of road users. It is basically the enforcement of road traffic regulations to the latter.
The National Road Safety Commission (NRSC’s) coordinating role in the road safety gamut is hinged on 4 Es: Engineering and Environment, Education and Publicity, Enforcement and Emergency Medical Services.
These factors have to be fused in a concerted, strategic and systemic effort to achieve the ultimate goal of making our roads safer. Yet, corruption on the part of the key law enforcement body, as the MTTD; undoubtedly has grave repercussions for all road users.
Imagine if a road traffic offence of 5 – 50 penalty units or a jail term, can be narrowed into a roadside negotiation with a police say 50 cedis. Not to talk of the time that it saves the motorist and his ability to drive on without hustle.
The driver may as well continue to overlook the reason for his arrest, knowing well that the next traffic police like most of the others, will most likely take money and allow them to drive on. Without doubt a sad state of affairs.
According to the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (LI 2180) in several parts mentions the Police in the capacity of law enforcement. They are primarily the authorities in whose hands exercising of punitive measures are entrusted.
Punitive measures entails the issuance of arrest of offenders, withholding of documents and detaining of persons are all the work of the MTTD officers. Consequently, when they fail to apply the law; there is grave cause for concern.
In Ghana’s Soul Takers, we get to see how the police issue station extracts to people and take money even though it should be at no cost. Beyond taking the money, it turns out that most DVLA officers use these illegal extracts to apply for fresh licenses for people who do not have any knowledge of driving.
This increase in the number of people, who access the roads without relevant documentation and expertise, also raises the risk levels of road accidents leading to loss of lives and properties.
There is concern by general society about the spate of recklessness on our roads and many factors are to account for that, for purposes of this write up we attempt to state what extent police corruptibility comes to play.
Some police officers have developed a certain notoriety for demanding and easily accepting bribes when they are so offered. The net effect of that action is the impunity that is exhibited on our roads and its consequence of grief and pain.
But for corruption, some people should not be sitting behind wheels, some cars should not be plying our roads and some people should be serving jail time for recklessness on our roads; these are what corruption bequeaths to us.
A significant factor that more often than not forces members of the public to accede to bribe requests by the police and or offer these bribes, stems from the fact that everyone dreads the legal process that would follow an infraction of the traffic offence.
So instead of allowing the law to take its course, many would rather save themselves the hustle of having to visit the police station and appear before court and to be fined between 5 – 50 penalty units, when they can pay the MTTD personnel less than a quarter of the penalty sum and walk free.
Again, given that as per the road traffic regulation spot fine regime, it is the police who are supposed to issue and to retrieve these fines, it makes bargaining with the personnel somewhat more commonplace and ‘mutually’ beneficial.
The current police administration under the leadership of Ahmed Alhassan Mohammed has prioritized two main issues; police visibility and cleaning up of the corruption perception. The latter needs grave attention.
The MTTD itself accepts that its officials are perceived as been corrupt and they are as a department doing all it takes to weed out the bad nuts. Those nuts whose action and inaction result in the deepening of the corruption tag.
Its director the very outspoken Anwubutogbe Awuni has stated time without number that even as the service strives to tackle its officers (the bribe takers), the public (the givers) must also stop offering these bribes.
And so between the morally apt stands of putting oneself into ‘deeper trouble’ (opting for court and paying spot fines) and the professionally disdained acceptance of bribes; I say that our general society needs to stand up to anticorruption in all shapes and forms. It starts with you and I.
Thanks for reading
Abdur Rahman Alfa Shaban
Police corruptibility has become steeply rooted in the psyche of the Ghanaian. That perception has been buttressed by a top ranking of the service in most corruption indexes over the years.
The service must find a way to deal with it and do so exhaustively.
The Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service are also known as traffic police. Their duty is crucial role of ensuring safety and security of road users. It is basically the enforcement of road traffic regulations to the latter.
The National Road Safety Commission (NRSC’s) coordinating role in the road safety gamut is hinged on 4 Es: Engineering and Environment, Education and Publicity, Enforcement and Emergency Medical Services.
These factors have to be fused in a concerted, strategic and systemic effort to achieve the ultimate goal of making our roads safer. Yet, corruption on the part of the key law enforcement body, as the MTTD; undoubtedly has grave repercussions for all road users.
Imagine if a road traffic offence of 5 – 50 penalty units or a jail term, can be narrowed into a roadside negotiation with a police say 50 cedis. Not to talk of the time that it saves the motorist and his ability to drive on without hustle.
The driver may as well continue to overlook the reason for his arrest, knowing well that the next traffic police like most of the others, will most likely take money and allow them to drive on. Without doubt a sad state of affairs.
According to the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (LI 2180) in several parts mentions the Police in the capacity of law enforcement. They are primarily the authorities in whose hands exercising of punitive measures are entrusted.
Punitive measures entails the issuance of arrest of offenders, withholding of documents and detaining of persons are all the work of the MTTD officers. Consequently, when they fail to apply the law; there is grave cause for concern.
In Ghana’s Soul Takers, we get to see how the police issue station extracts to people and take money even though it should be at no cost. Beyond taking the money, it turns out that most DVLA officers use these illegal extracts to apply for fresh licenses for people who do not have any knowledge of driving.
This increase in the number of people, who access the roads without relevant documentation and expertise, also raises the risk levels of road accidents leading to loss of lives and properties.
There is concern by general society about the spate of recklessness on our roads and many factors are to account for that, for purposes of this write up we attempt to state what extent police corruptibility comes to play.
Some police officers have developed a certain notoriety for demanding and easily accepting bribes when they are so offered. The net effect of that action is the impunity that is exhibited on our roads and its consequence of grief and pain.
But for corruption, some people should not be sitting behind wheels, some cars should not be plying our roads and some people should be serving jail time for recklessness on our roads; these are what corruption bequeaths to us.
A significant factor that more often than not forces members of the public to accede to bribe requests by the police and or offer these bribes, stems from the fact that everyone dreads the legal process that would follow an infraction of the traffic offence.
So instead of allowing the law to take its course, many would rather save themselves the hustle of having to visit the police station and appear before court and to be fined between 5 – 50 penalty units, when they can pay the MTTD personnel less than a quarter of the penalty sum and walk free.
Again, given that as per the road traffic regulation spot fine regime, it is the police who are supposed to issue and to retrieve these fines, it makes bargaining with the personnel somewhat more commonplace and ‘mutually’ beneficial.
The current police administration under the leadership of Ahmed Alhassan Mohammed has prioritized two main issues; police visibility and cleaning up of the corruption perception. The latter needs grave attention.
The MTTD itself accepts that its officials are perceived as been corrupt and they are as a department doing all it takes to weed out the bad nuts. Those nuts whose action and inaction result in the deepening of the corruption tag.
Its director the very outspoken Anwubutogbe Awuni has stated time without number that even as the service strives to tackle its officers (the bribe takers), the public (the givers) must also stop offering these bribes.
And so between the morally apt stands of putting oneself into ‘deeper trouble’ (opting for court and paying spot fines) and the professionally disdained acceptance of bribes; I say that our general society needs to stand up to anticorruption in all shapes and forms. It starts with you and I.
Thanks for reading
Abdur Rahman Alfa Shaban
The Commercial Driver – Life and property in Danger?
Introduction
Majority of us use the roads when we have to move from one place to the other. Whiles some use the road as passengers, others do so as vehicle owners. Any way; there is a certain interplay between both sets of road users.
According to road crash statistics from the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), majority of Ghanaians patronize public transport to get around in search of their daily bread.
At any point that a passenger enters any public transport be it a taxi (cab) or commercial bus; they (as passengers) have effectively entrusted their collective safety and their properties for that matter into the hands of the man behind the wheel.
The collective trust being that the driver would apply his knowledge and skill with tact and prudence to steer them safely on the road till they arrive at their destination for which reason they agree to pay the driver an agreed amount called ‘fare.’
More often than not, we have boarded vehicles without asking whether a driver is a holder of a valid license and/or a check if his roadworthy and insurance documents are valid. We trust the transport unions so to do. But the question is do they check all these?
DOOM! Anas Aremeyaw Anas’s drink driving exposé
In his documentary film titled DOOM, the silent killer next door; viewers would undoubtedly have been surprised to see a driver take some shots of alcohol before taking the wheel.
Replay that same scenario if the passenger had seen the driver taking the alcohol and whether he or she would have comfortably joined the particular bus.
Of the many amenities at the 37 lorry station (first point of investigation), there are stalls selling any and everything, there are communication centers, the hawkers of course cannot be left out as they mill through the labyrinth of cars trying to clinch a sale.
Of course there is a newsstand at the exit point; then there is also a public place of convenience, which I must admit is an eye sore; given the very deplorable state in which it has been for the past few years.
Operators of the place continue to take their charge from users usually those who want either to pass water or attend nature’s call (i.e. defecate), they simply enjoy taking their money rather than taking care of the place (sad indeed!).
The fitting shop is situated to the far eastern part of the station; right in front of the big gutter that runs behind the station. The small mosque is also situated very ironically close to the place of convenience admittedly has a convenient ambience.
As for the offices of the various transport unions, there are so many of them usually wooden structures, where the drivers sit to discuss issues be it on the road, politics, football and about social life.
These are the sights.
Of the sounds however, screeching tyres of that vehicle rushing to only God knows where, tooting horns; sometimes indiscriminately by ‘horn happy’ drivers, drivers and their conductors trading invectives on the top of their voices be it at each other or a heated argument with a passenger over most possibly ‘small change.’
The bigger noise comes from an obscure part of the station, I walk there to know what goes on there; the entrance has strings hanging and the stench of liquor that greeted me upon entry quickly told me what is done here. It is a drinking spot called ‘Sane’ Spot. The word ‘sane’ has the equivalent of ‘problem’ in the Ga dialect.
A drinking spot in a major transport terminal; but could there ever be a driver who takes alcohol? Is there ever a qualification as to who hard drinks in the station should be sold to?
My point of intrigue and reason for writing this article is premised on a research finding by no mean an agency as the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC)
Recently as 2012, an NRSC research on the magnitude of driving under the influence of alcohol and its impact on Road Safety in Ghana, found that of the 2,736 drivers randomly stopped and tested for Drink Driving with Breathalyzers, they gave reasons why they drank alcohol yet drove.
Among drivers who tested positive for alcohol, 48% drank it for pleasure, 20% for mourning, 16 % for medical reasons and 1% to enhance their driving performance.
The need to curtail this frightening state of affairs is a non - negotiable matter of national concern, because for the better part of the time; we all have to patronize the roads to move from one point to the other. Potentially, we are all at risk.
Road accidents occur for several reasons, be it a mistake on the part of the driver or on the part of other road users.
Even though we cannot rule out the natural causes of some accidents, majority of the accidents that occur on our roads are as a result of negligence on the part of drivers and road users alike; and that leaves much to be desired.
At this stage, how safe you all are depends on how well the driver can comport himself on the street, whether when it comes to dealing with other road users and pedestrians not forgetting the law enforcement officers.
Sale of Alcohol in Lorry Stations
At 37 and Kaneshie lorry stations, where Anas’s documentary caught drivers drinking minutes before taking the wheel, the question has often come up that should or can the sale of alcohol be banned from lorry stations.
Proponents of that school of thought opine that it would lower the instance of drivers taking alcohol before driving. Those against it however say that the lorry park is a public place and as such alcohol sold there is not for consumption of the drivers.
They further challenge that alcohol is served in aircrafts but hardly ever can a pilot be drunk and take the seat in the cockpit. Furthermore the issue of Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) limit for drivers come to play.
Question is; how much can a driver drink and who determines that a driver is capable of transporting people or otherwise? According to the United Nations Report on Road Safety; “drinking and driving increases the risk of crash and the likely hood that death or injury may result.”
As the debate goes on earnestly to find a middle ground on the matter, the overriding consideration is that we can all guarantee the collective safety of each other as we ply the roads. God bless our homeland Ghana.
Shaban Abdur Rahman Alfa
newcguide@gmail.com
1999 – Year of Action on Road Safety
… Birth of National Road Safety Commission
‘Fatalities and injuries contribute substantially to a countries’ cycle of poverty. They shatter families, rob society of bread winners, deprive businesses of skilled labour, deplete family incomes and savings through massive health related debts, consume hospital resources and hinder local economic development and growth’ – Yaw Boateng Gyan, Chairman of NRSC Board of Directors.
Introduction
The roads are by far the most patronized mode of transport in our part and most parts of the world. Enough reason why at any point the components that go into making the roads safe and serene cannot be underestimated.
Whatever the class and quality of the road (be it first or second class, feeder or urban road) the incontrovertible fact is that, there must be laid down rules and regulations governing conduct of the different subjects interplaying on the road.
Roads have been constructed since colonial days and would continue to be built as far as different geographical and population dynamics play out within particular time frames – to ease congestion and or fit the status of a place.
1999 as a starting point
1999 is labeled a year of action relative to road safety given that for the first time, there was a legal entity tasked with coordinating activities of other state agencies in the crucial fight of reducing road accidents to the barest minimum.
Assented to, on the 22nd of April, 1999 what has become known as ACT 567 states as follows in the beginning: ‘The five hundredth and sixty – seventh act of the parliament of the republic of Ghana entitled NATIONAL ROAD SAFETY COMMISSION ACT, 1999; AN ACT to establish a National Road Safety Commission; provide for its functions relating to the development and promotion of road safety in the country and to provide for connected matters.’
That National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) Act expatiates further in section 2 clauses 1 and 2 the object and functions of the commission.
Clause 1 states thus: ‘The object of the commission is to develop and promote road safety in Ghana and to CO-ORDINATE (caps mine) policies in relation to them.’
The Coordinating Role of NRSC
When several legally mandated groups are put in charge of any responsibility, there is likely to be a disjoint if there isn’t that ‘bolt and nut’ to hold them all in place, to smoothen rough edges and or do the much needed evaluation.
That is the primary role that the NRSC is by law supposed to spearhead. Other 15 functions of the commission in clause 2 earlier referred to are amongst others:
• Undertake nationwide road safety education
• Encourage the development of road safety education as part of the curriculum and the training of teachers in road safety.
• Carry our special projects for the improvement of road safety
• Coordinate, monitor and evaluate road safety activities, programmes and strategies.
In the conduct of their activities, the NRSC is tasked with liaising and co – operating with, consulting with, collaborating with and making recommendations to different state institutions on relevant road safety measures.
They are tasked in point (e) and (h) to make recommendations to the Minister on efforts aimed at preventing road accidents and advising the Minister on the formulation of road safety policies and programmes respectively.
With respect to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), the NRSC has to liaise with them and any such bodies to promote road safety.
The Building and Road Research Institute (BRRI) and the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) etc. are also to work in consultation with NRSC to set standards for road safety equipments and ensure compliance with standards.
Board Membership: A Reflection of the NRSC’s Importance
There are eighteen members on the NRSC board. Headed by the chairman, representatives are pooled from six ministries namely: Roads and Transport, Local Government and Rural Development, Health, Education, Communication and Justice & Attorney General.
Then there is the executive director of the commission, plus representatives from the Motor Traffic and Transport unit of the Ghana police Service, the Ghana Armed Forces, the National insurance Commission, National Association of Driving Schools.
The remaining are representatives from the Broadcasting industry, the Ghana Journalists Association, the Building and Road Research Institute, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority and the Ghana Insurers Association.
Then there are three representatives from the private providers of road transport, the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), the Private Transport Owners Association (PROTOA) etc.
The composition of the NRSC board, aggregates experiences, expertise and energies into giving direction to the activities of the NRSC aimed at achieving the core aim as above stated; “… to develop and promote road safety in Ghana and to co-ordinate policies in relation to them.”
Also in 1999 was the passage of Act 569 which established the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority Act which replaced the Vehicle Examination and Licensing Division (VELD).
In the next piece on this series on road safety, we do a comparative analysis of what the licensing laws say in relation to issuance of driving licenses and vehicle registration vis-à-vis the very disturbing contents of Anas Aremeyaw Anas’s latest anti corruption exposé, Ghana’s Soul Takers.
Till then, drive safe, for you know not who is behind the next wheel.
Shaban Abdur Rahman Alfa
newcguide@gmail.com
‘Fatalities and injuries contribute substantially to a countries’ cycle of poverty. They shatter families, rob society of bread winners, deprive businesses of skilled labour, deplete family incomes and savings through massive health related debts, consume hospital resources and hinder local economic development and growth’ – Yaw Boateng Gyan, Chairman of NRSC Board of Directors.
Introduction
The roads are by far the most patronized mode of transport in our part and most parts of the world. Enough reason why at any point the components that go into making the roads safe and serene cannot be underestimated.
Whatever the class and quality of the road (be it first or second class, feeder or urban road) the incontrovertible fact is that, there must be laid down rules and regulations governing conduct of the different subjects interplaying on the road.
Roads have been constructed since colonial days and would continue to be built as far as different geographical and population dynamics play out within particular time frames – to ease congestion and or fit the status of a place.
1999 as a starting point
1999 is labeled a year of action relative to road safety given that for the first time, there was a legal entity tasked with coordinating activities of other state agencies in the crucial fight of reducing road accidents to the barest minimum.
Assented to, on the 22nd of April, 1999 what has become known as ACT 567 states as follows in the beginning: ‘The five hundredth and sixty – seventh act of the parliament of the republic of Ghana entitled NATIONAL ROAD SAFETY COMMISSION ACT, 1999; AN ACT to establish a National Road Safety Commission; provide for its functions relating to the development and promotion of road safety in the country and to provide for connected matters.’
That National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) Act expatiates further in section 2 clauses 1 and 2 the object and functions of the commission.
Clause 1 states thus: ‘The object of the commission is to develop and promote road safety in Ghana and to CO-ORDINATE (caps mine) policies in relation to them.’
The Coordinating Role of NRSC
When several legally mandated groups are put in charge of any responsibility, there is likely to be a disjoint if there isn’t that ‘bolt and nut’ to hold them all in place, to smoothen rough edges and or do the much needed evaluation.
That is the primary role that the NRSC is by law supposed to spearhead. Other 15 functions of the commission in clause 2 earlier referred to are amongst others:
• Undertake nationwide road safety education
• Encourage the development of road safety education as part of the curriculum and the training of teachers in road safety.
• Carry our special projects for the improvement of road safety
• Coordinate, monitor and evaluate road safety activities, programmes and strategies.
In the conduct of their activities, the NRSC is tasked with liaising and co – operating with, consulting with, collaborating with and making recommendations to different state institutions on relevant road safety measures.
They are tasked in point (e) and (h) to make recommendations to the Minister on efforts aimed at preventing road accidents and advising the Minister on the formulation of road safety policies and programmes respectively.
With respect to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), the NRSC has to liaise with them and any such bodies to promote road safety.
The Building and Road Research Institute (BRRI) and the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) etc. are also to work in consultation with NRSC to set standards for road safety equipments and ensure compliance with standards.
Board Membership: A Reflection of the NRSC’s Importance
There are eighteen members on the NRSC board. Headed by the chairman, representatives are pooled from six ministries namely: Roads and Transport, Local Government and Rural Development, Health, Education, Communication and Justice & Attorney General.
Then there is the executive director of the commission, plus representatives from the Motor Traffic and Transport unit of the Ghana police Service, the Ghana Armed Forces, the National insurance Commission, National Association of Driving Schools.
The remaining are representatives from the Broadcasting industry, the Ghana Journalists Association, the Building and Road Research Institute, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority and the Ghana Insurers Association.
Then there are three representatives from the private providers of road transport, the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), the Private Transport Owners Association (PROTOA) etc.
The composition of the NRSC board, aggregates experiences, expertise and energies into giving direction to the activities of the NRSC aimed at achieving the core aim as above stated; “… to develop and promote road safety in Ghana and to co-ordinate policies in relation to them.”
Also in 1999 was the passage of Act 569 which established the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority Act which replaced the Vehicle Examination and Licensing Division (VELD).
In the next piece on this series on road safety, we do a comparative analysis of what the licensing laws say in relation to issuance of driving licenses and vehicle registration vis-à-vis the very disturbing contents of Anas Aremeyaw Anas’s latest anti corruption exposé, Ghana’s Soul Takers.
Till then, drive safe, for you know not who is behind the next wheel.
Shaban Abdur Rahman Alfa
newcguide@gmail.com
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