Features
Industrialisation and AfCFTA; panacea to Ghana’s economic woes
I have been following expositions by Ghana’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen about his vision to industrialise Ghana through the NPP’s One District One Factory (1D1F) policy as well as his role in drawing up and seeing to the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) project.
I always tell myself that if this was back in 2008/09 when I was doing my Masters in International Affairs, the knowledge I have learnt from Mr Alan Kyerematen would have given me an ‘A’ without learning many theories in International Trade & Development as well as International Economics. I could have passed the two courses without hustle.
The AfCFTA is the largest trading block since the World Trade Organisation (WTO) was formed. By World Bank estimates, the AfCFTA is expected to increase intra-African trade from its current 13 per cent about 51 per cent in the next 10 years, serving about 1.2 billion Africans, and injecting billions of dollars annually into Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Currently, China remains Africa’s biggest trading partner. In 2019, trade between Africa and China amounted to US$192 billion whilst China’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Africa was US$2.7 billion. The disparity in trade volumes between Africa and China is heavily tilted in favour of China.
Whilst China imports raw materials from Africa, it exports finished goods to the continent resulting in a huge trade deficit in favour of China. China is only one of Africa’s trading partners. The US, Europe, and India are among others.
The only solution to the problem of Africa taking raw materials outside and importing finished products is for it to industrialise.
There is no single economic powerhouse in the world which does not use exports of finished goods as the bedrock of its economy. US, Japan, Germany as well as the Asian Tigers; Taiwan, Korea and others are all export-led economies and none of them export raw materials.
There is certainty that Africa is the continent of the future. Investors in the wide world are looking for the next destination for their investments and Africa offers them a huge opportunity for untapped human and material resources.
Luckily for Ghana, the AfCFTA Secretariat through the ingenuity of Mr Kyerematen is in Accra. With its democratic values and peaceful nature, Ghana could attract investors.
What is needed is the leadership which can assure the investor communities both local and foreign of value for their money. This is because direct investment is not a charity job that we must beg for. It is an assurance given to those with the wherewithal to invest that their investments will not go down the drain.
The World Bank has reported that Ghana’s economy can expand by 0.5 per cent for the next 10 years through the AfCFTA, hence, Ghana needs to implement the rest of the AfCFTA protocols.
As eyes are fixed on Ghana as host country of the AfCFTA Secretariat, Investors are highly interested in how Ghana conducts its economic drive as the gateway to Africa. This calls for an astute leadership in economic management.
With the Minister of Trade and Industry implementing the 1D1F and being the architect of the AfCFTA, investors see the opportunity to invest in Ghana to be able to export to all the African states.
The surest bet to Ghana’s industrialisation, the panacea to Ghana’s economic upturn is to make Alan Kyeremateng lead Ghana NOW.
The writer is at Legon Centre for International
Affairs & Diplomacy (LECIAD),
University of Ghana, Legon.
By Nana Kwame Nkrumah (PhD Candidate)
Features
Preventing the brain’s melting point with BOS
The human brain is a complex and delicate organ, susceptible to damage from various factors, including extreme temperatures.
The brain’s melting point, also known as the temperature threshold beyond which brain tissue begins to degrade, is a critical concern for individuals seeking to maintain optimal cognitive function.
Fortunately, the Brain Operating System (BOS) offers a revolutionary solution to prevent the brain’s melting point.
Understanding the brain’s melting point
The brain’s melting point refers to the temperature threshold beyond which brain tissue begins to degrade, leading to irreversible damage.
This temperature threshold varies depending on individual factors, such as age, health, and environmental conditions. However, research suggests that the brain’s melting point is approximately 104°F (40°C) to 107°F (42°C).
The role of BOS in preventing the brain’s melting point
BOS, a cutting-edge technology, plays a crucial role in preventing the brain’s melting point. By leveraging advanced neural interfaces and artificial intelligence, BOS monitors and regulates brain temperature, ensuring that it remains within a safe range.
How BOS prevents the brain’s melting point
BOS prevents the brain’s melting point through several mechanisms:
1. Temperature regulation: BOS continuously monitors brain temperature, adjusting neural activity to maintain a stable temperature.
2. Heat dissipation: BOS enhances heat dissipation through increased blood flow and sweating.
3. Neuro protection: BOS protects neurons from heat-induced damage.
Benefits of BOS in preventing the brain’s melting point
The benefits of BOS in preventing the brain’s melting point are numerous:
1. Prevents brain damage: BOS prevents brain damage caused by excessive heat.
2. Maintains cognitive function: BOS ensures optimal cognitive function by maintaining stable brain temperature.
3. Enhances brain resilience: BOS enhances brain resilience to temperature fluctuations.
Real-World applications of BOS
BOS has various real-world applications:
1. High-performance computing: BOS enables high-performance computing by maintaining optimal brain temperature.
2. Medical applications: BOS has medical applications, such as treating heat-related illnesses.
3. Space exploration: BOS is crucial for space exploration, where extreme temperatures pose a significant risk.
Conclusion
BOS is a revolutionary technology that prevents the brain’s melting point, ensuring optimal cognitive function and overall well-being. By leveraging advanced neural interfaces and artificial intelligence, BOS monitors and regulates brain temperature, protecting against heat-related damage.
Glossary:
1. BOS: Brain Operating System.
2. Brain’s melting point: Temperature threshold beyond which brain tissue begins to degrade.
3. Neural interface: Connects human brain with digital devices.
Contact Information
virginvtech@yahoo.com
Additional resources:
1. BOS research: Explore scientific studies.
2. Neural interface resources: Discover books and articles.
3. Brain-computer interface communities: Join online forums.
Future directions
As BOS technology continues to evolve, we can expect:
1. Improved temperature regulation: Enhanced temperature regulation mechanisms.
2. Increased cognitive enhancement: Advanced cognitive enhancement capabilities.
3. Expanded applications: New applications in various fields.
By harnessing the power of BOS, individuals can safeguard their brain health and maintain optimal cognitive function, even in extreme environments.
By Robert Ekow Grimmond-Thompson
Features
Lotto wahala and Tuobodom palaver
In Sikaman lotto is not a game. It is a profession, a noble career which people aspire to. It is the highest paying profession after armed robbery and the most widespread job on this side of the Atlantic.
In places like China, lotto is a disease that has no cure. Once you are infected, no doctor on earth can cure you. May be Kofi Larteh, Ghana’s most celebrated magician, can help ease the symptoms, but no definitive cure will be forthcoming.
Coming back to Sikaman, lotto has been the financial messiah of many. That is how people look after their large families, pay school fees, marry two wives and do their own ‘monkey things.’
If you are very poor and you win a lottery, chances are that you will die before you even collect the money. You’ll die out of excitement or you’ll start day-dreaming in the streets and an articulated truck will hit you.
As such, very heavy wins are not recommended for poor people, lest they get listed too soon in the obituary columns.
The sad story is told of a heavy-duty caterpillar driver who had a very heavy lotto windfall of several millions, his first big win after several years.
CATERPILLAR
He was driving the caterpillar home when he saw his son running towards him, shouting. “All your numbers have dropped! All your numbers have dropped! He could not believe his ears.
All the four numbers he had staked had dropped and his son, who had gone to stake them for him, was himself over-excited. The poor caterpillar man just could not handle the good news. He suddenly stepped on the brakes and the caterpillar jolted him a trifle too violently, throwing him off. He landed right in front of the still moving heavy-duty machine and it crushed him flat.
I don’t think the bloke would have died if he had won a smaller amount. Sometimes too much cash is not good for the health.
Seldom, people get too confident and that can also result in a wake-keeping, like that of a man who used his lifetime savings and borrowed extra money to crack the machine with a two-sure that the compiler must compulsory drop or the world will end.
Even the shadows of the numbers or their counterparts were nowhere near the winning numbers. His shock-absorbers crumbled under the weight of the heavy disappointment. He crashed to the floor and started foaming at the mouth. He was declared dead on arrival at the nearest clinic.
WINDFALL
Recently, there was a countrywide lotto windfall, and in Kumasi it was more than a festival. Most stakers had between ¢30m and ¢40 million on two-sure that the lotto magicians had predicted at least three weeks earlier,
Kejetia chop bars were besieged with overnight millionaires, carrying huge appetites induced by Opeimu Bitters popularly called Opeimu Peters. All the meat and mudfish got sold out within an hour and procurement agents had to double up to restock.
While some were celebrating, others were weeping and gnashing teeth. The problem was that, three weeks beforehand, the two sure numbers were declared by all the lotto sorcerers, dreamers, magicians, tellers and all the self-appointed and self-promoted forecasters.
Everybody including 10-year-olds, who staked and lost. The following week, they were advised to continue staking. The faithful did continue but the faithless stopped. All of them lost. In the third week or so, a good number of confident stakers had lost faith in the two numbers. That was when the number landed.
So the windfall was for only those who had the unshakeable faith in the numbers. See what faith can do? It can move dollars. Don’t waver, so saith the holy scriptures.
The faithless indeed gnashed teeth. The winners on the other hand celebrated with a song that is as controversial as the business of lotto. It is a song played by the group called Nkasei and has something to do with a town in the Brong Ahafo Region called Tuobodom whose capital we hear is Jinijini.
I hear it is a derogatory song and the queen mother of Tuobodom got charged and breathed out electric current during her protest on air. She allegedly ended up demanding a mobile phone from Nkasei so that she could communicate with them to settle the matter peacefully, lest wahala.
Well, the song is rising up the charts and Nkasei are making the dough, but should it be at the expense of a whole townsfolk, their forebears and generations to come?
WATERPROOF
Waterproof, the famous comedian, was allegedly given hefty slaps at the Kumasi rail station by some Frafra jingoists who felt he was deriding their tribe. And Bob Okala had to run with his tail between his legs when he was confronted and realised that slaps were going to be visited on his lean face.
Let’s not use words and lyrics to cause discomfort to others.
This article was first published on Saturday July 9, 2005
