President John Evans Atta Mills

The President Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, has taken a major step towards fulfilling yet another key manifesto promise, with the approval of the Right to Information Bill by Cabinet.

Speaking on the Joyfm’s Super Morning Show, Deputy Minister of Information, James Agyenim Boateng said, cabinet gave the approval at its last sitting, following a report submitted by its subcommittee that studied the draft memorandum.

With the approval, the bill is set to be submitted to Parliament for consideration. The bill, when passed, will give journalists and the public the right to obtain information from government officials and public institutions that otherwise would have been difficult to access.

One of the strongest benefits of the bill is that it would help journalists refrain from propaganda and hearsay to rely on empirical evidence and give citizens more factual and detailed understanding of issues.

He concluded by saying that all measures to make the bill effective would be pursued by government and all other agencies responsible for its running.

Joyfm’s Super Morning Show this morning set its lenses on the culture of reading in our society.

Reading transcends in our spoken and written language (English). There have been reports that reading amongst Ghanaian children and the public at large has been on the decline in recent times. Resource person Klenam Normanyo speaking on the show, outlined some reasons leading to this general decline. She said there is the desire amongst children to read but the unavailability of books is one of the major problems limiting their reading habits. She added that the lack of libraries with trained librarians contributed to this predicament as well as the lack of interest on the part of some individuals to read.

Another member of the panel, Nii Amartei Amartey, a lecturer at the Methodist University, said that lack of reading amongst individuals cannot be attributed to the present economic situation in the country. He said that education in the past was viewed as the focus of development even though it was not different from our present day but added that the lack of discipline amongst children and students in general to read also led to this problem. He said the government has to create the enabling environment, be it the construction of more libraries as well as schools to enable the public harness the habit of reading.

Presidential spokesperson Mahma Ayarigah has dismissed media reports suggesting that President Mills took a swipe at Ghanaians for complaining too much.

Speaking on Joy Fm’s Super Morning Show, the Presidential Mr Ayariga told the host Kojo Oppong Nkrumah that the president never made such comments, adding that the president was responding to criticisms laid against his government.

He said that there had been attempts by some people to compare his 10 months in office to the previous government’s tenure of 8 years, which he said was illogical.

He however assured Ghanaians that his government was on track on delivering on its promises.

Mr. Ayariga continued by saying that the President was “going to continue to tour the regions, spend more time in Ghana, stay intact with Ghanaians, have a sense of what is on the ground and also make it clear to them what measures the President is taking to address their social and economic challenges.”

Because we want someone else to read and interpret the Bible for us, and also pray for us we get frustrated because we are looking for some particular answers…usually who to blame or call witches, miracles, blessings, financial annd all sorts of interventions… Our frustration in search of these answers makes us fall prey to these pastors and self appointed prophets, evangelists, reverends who satisfy us with illusions such as raisng dead bodies, washing women’s private parts for babies.

Religion indeed has become the opium of the masses.

Why do bookshops sell copies of Bibles? These days they go for free. Why did Jesus teach the Lord’s prayer? Correct me if am wrong but it’s for us to pray by and for ourselves and read the Bible ourselves.

Common sense is taught in the Bible as well. In drawing the line all 3 apply: religion, common sense and scientific knowledge but mostly common sense because this can be applied even in religion and science.

For all christians, Jesus should be the standards or model and not any pastor or evangelist. If we study Jesus’ life we would discover a lot of knowledge from him which will save us from falling victims to these so called men of God. People will perish because of lack of knowledge.

francisca kakra forson.

My work schedule requires me to be in the office by 5am each day. And usually it starts on a good note with pleasant jokes and messages with my work team.

On Thursday morning however, I was met on arrival at the JOYfm offices with some interesting news. That one of the Kumasi based pastor’s whose curse laced sermons had been replayed on my show, had called to leave a message for the morning show team.

He had spoken to one of our online editors Fiifi Koomson and had left with him a stern message to the effect that the team calls him before it’s too late, lest we become vultures.

The message left me with an instant sore throat and a dizzy feeling. Not one borne out of fulfillment of his curses but one borne out of utter surprise that a man who suggests that he is a called man of God, would adopt such tactics.

I had tried in all past discussions on the subject of religion, common sense and science, to avoid expressing my personal opinion on the works of these pastors, who were either evoking ghosts to avenge their deaths, heaping curses on followers or preaching unimaginable things to God’s flock. (and am still in my better judgment unwilling to do so.)

The team and myself joked around with the issue for a while and even toyed with the idea of what animals we would prefer to become….Israel Laryea – dove, Fred Avornyo – Crocodile, Seth Kwame Boateng and Ato Kwamena Dadzie– (still a vulture). For me, I opted to be a teddy bear……….fluffy and tender….(lol)

But in all seriousness many of our listeners were upset when we reported the developments on air. One listener sent me a bible quotation which I’d like to share with you.

- a curse undeserved shall not come” Proverbs 26 v 2 and also in Numbers 23 v 7 Balaam says “How shall I curse whom God have not cursed”

One of my producers Seth Kwame Boateng also received calls from many who assured us of their prayers and encouraged us to disregard the threats of the pastors.

I only say thanks to all who shared a word of kindness for the team.