Features
Jobless thousands in Sikaman – Final part
I MY former classmate, Kofi Owuo, alias ‘Death By Poverty’ told me last week that it is a sin to be unemployed in Sikaman.
According to him, every unemployed or redeployed person, whether he is a born-again or not, is a potential suspect when it comes to cases involving missing fowls, disappeared cats and monies that cannot be found where they are supposed to be.
Unfortunately still, the unemployed are regarded as sinful because they are perceived as lazy people who do not want to work, moreso when the Holy Bible is against sloth.
The unemployed are never free from suspicion. It is always predicted that sooner or later he’d impregnate a JSS school-girl and attempt to abort, or deny responsibility, or both.
And no one is keen on inviting an unemployed person to an outdooring, birthday party or wedding. The fear is that with a virtually empty stomach, he’d vent his spleen on the food and devour with all his might, drink to his utmost satisfaction and quietly sneak out without offering a little donation.
Indeed the unemployed person is perceived to be very dangerous person with a long throat and an elastic stomach that can do wonders during outdoorings. He must be kept at bay.
Everyone really forgets that it is no fault of his that he remains jobless. Fact is that it is a taboo to find ready employment in Sikaman.
As I suggested last week, it is only in heaven that getting employed is not a problem. But heaven is quite distant from here. Even born-agains who speak in Swahili and Hebrew simultaneously can only get there after they die. So the problem lies here and must be solved here.
Today, jobs are so scarce that one needs a power- torchlight to find wherever they are hiding. Many well-qualified graduates have no say but to accept jobs as bank clerks which normally is taken by O’ level certificate holders or even those with GCE passes.
But that is better than being a graduate ‘house-wife’. At least such a graduate would not chew stones, neither will he munch grass. But he can’t look after his ageing mother after settling all the bills, has got a cocoa farm, he could go and mortgage it and then he can get some cash and marry.
Graduates who are lucky to get jobs as clerks are better off. There are hundreds of jobless others with equally good qualifications who cannot get employed even as bank messengers. No vacancy, mister!
So many of them have to stoop low, going from one rich man’s house to another soliciting part-time jobs to teach their preparatory school children for a fee. In Tema, this is termed COACHING. Even here, the competition is great because teachers are also all out to get such jobs to supplement their incomes.
Still, are the luckless ones who have nothing doing apart from being always busy writing applications to private companies and public organisations.
The reply to such an application is normally enclosed in beautiful envelop spelling hope of success.
The applicant, however, opens the envelope with trembling hands, fumbling with everything. Awkwardly, he manages to extract the letter, hurriedly opens it to read the good news.
And the good news is this “….. Thank you for showing keen interest in our company…… Sorry, all vacancies are filled….. Wish you luck else-where……. “
When the applicant, however, writes in response to an advert in the dailies, the chances are that he’d be called to an interview. That day he dons his X’mas dress, wears a new haircut (not punk), borrows a decent shoe from a friend and attends the interview with the Lord’s Prayer and Psalm 23 on his lips. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want…
No one should blame him! He has attended over nine such interviews and none had proved successful. Perhaps on those previous occasions he had forgotten to say the Lord’s prayer, so why be silly enough to forget it this time!
Although he goes for the interview with confidence he is still at a disadvantage. He recalls that the advertiser had been deliberately cruel: “Young graduates wanted as management trainees…… Age limit 26”.
But the applicant is 29 because he completed university at 25, did a year of national service and thereafter became jobless for three years. So, he is automatically disqualified age-wise.
The advertiser may have requested something like this: “Wanted for immediate employment….. Applicants must have not less than five years practical experience.
When it comes to responding to such an advert, the disillusioned applicant would have to be bold enough to state, “Sir, I have five years practical experience in sleeping and snoring at home….. I hope my application would be granted favourable consideration…..Signed!
Anyhow, he is still called to attend an interview. But in most cases he must be smart enough to understand the procedure before-hand. You don’t have to be ‘too-know’.
Understanding the procedure can be a complex issue. But in its simplest terms, you only have to trace the home of one panel member and hand him a fat envelope. That settles it.
So on the D-day, the interview becomes a mere formality, successful candidates are determined long before the interview commences.
With girl applicants, the procedure often becomes different in format, if the boss is unscrupulous. She may not need to attend a panel interview after all. The interview can be held quietly in a hotel room with the boss, while the secretary types out the appointment letter.
Born-again female applicants do not yield to such unorthodox procedure and they cry out to Jesus Christ and Elijah to intercede on their behalf. Sikaman is really a tough ground for school leavers.
At least 3,000 graduates are eligible for employment every year after national service. At least 1,000 do not get employed and half of this number are forced to leave the country to Zambia, Namibia, Zimbabwe or Germany which is better pronounced as JAAMANI, where they slug it out the hard way.
The other half languish in the capital employed writing applications after application. Each year their number increases in geometric progression.
And I predict that it would soon come to a time when frustrated graduates will start doing what they are not supposed to be doing – for instance joining the ‘stowaway’ gang.
That would not be all. I wouldn’t also be surprise if some die-hards among them start enlisting as armed robbers. In a situation of destitution and acute frustration, anything can happen, even the seemingly undreamt of. The devil finds work for the idle mind.
And don’t forget, man must eat every day, buy clothes to cover his nakedness, pay the bills, get married and have children. They are not supposed to be breathing down the necks of their ageing parents for food thrice daily.
A radical solution must be found to this problem of joblessness. And the saddest part is that while everyone is overly concerned about the plight of workers, nobody is seriously concerned about the plight of the jobless. At least workers have some- thing to live on. The jobless have nothing at all. See the difference?
Admittedly, certain attempts have been made to make available job opportunities. For instance the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) is doing its best to train and equip certain categories of the unemployed and redeployed. But how many of them can they take on in a year? The programme must be expanded.
The National Mobilization Programme has done creditably in the rural areas. In the cities, they have not tackled the problem at all. There is more room for improvement.
As we are all prepared to enter into a new political era, let’s also think about creating a new era for the jobless thousands living in abject destitution. It is only then that they can actively participate in the evolving democratic process.
This article was first published on May 11, 1991
Features
Who knows tomorrow?
Recently a friend posted a sad news on his Facebook page, announcing the death of a school mate who had passed away, suddenly. The report had it that he was on his way to the airport to take a flight to Ghana.
I am sure this man had already informed the wife or a friend or a work colleague at work that he was returning home but he was not to return as a human being but as a dead body.
Such is life and so we need to be circumspect in how we go about things in life. The Bible reminds us that we are like grass which at one point in time looks elegant and the next moment becomes withered according to Psalm 90:5 and 6. It is for this reason that we need to guard our hearts with the word of God so that we shall be motivated to do the right thing, at all times.
This will enable us live on this planet, free from all sorts of troubles in our personal lives, even if we ignore the question of Heaven and Hell. Living a disciplined life delivers us from any kind of trouble as the Bible declares in Galatians 5:23 that against such there is no law.
The uncertainty surrounding our lives on earth is the more reason why people should commit their lives into the hands of the one who created it, in the first place unless you believe that the world created itself and that it appeared from nowhere.
Otherwise, the logical thing to do is to recognize the authority of the creator and surrender to his Lordship. Heaven is real and Hell is real, so for us who know the truth and have received Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, the onus lies on us to encourage our relations who have not believed and received Jesus into their lives, to do so.
We are a couple of days from another Easter Resurrection celebration and an opportunity to reflect on our lives in relation to the significance of Easter. In the Bible, the only occasion Jesus, Saviour of the world commands us to celebrate is his death and resurrection.
He never commanded his followers to celebrate his birth but like everything else, we chose to ignore Jesus’s instructions and decided to do what pleases us, just like our forefather and mother in the Garden of Eden.
Let us deliberately choose to do things differently as Christians this Easter, so we can really benefit from all the blessings that the celebration of the death and birth of Jesus, has on offer. Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is definitely insanity.
I choose to be different this Easter and I am believing God for a newness of life so God’s glory would be revealed in me to draw the unsaved to him. It is only when people especially the unsaved, see the character of Christ in us, that they can be convinced about the authenticity of Jesus, as Saviour of the world, who can bring transformation in their lives too.
This is what would motivate them to surrender their lives to Jesus Christ. Let us make this Easter a memorable one that will be cherished for a long time. It is also a period for reconciliation and it would be great if in the spirit of Easter, we would try to reach out to those who have wronged us or have a grudge against us.
This would demonstrate that we have indeed accepted Jesus and that our religious posture is not a sham. May the good Lord grant us the grace to love our neighbours as ourselves, demonstrating the love of God in the process.
Those who have lost their loved ones and Easter brings sad memories, may the good Lord comfort and strengthen you. God bless.
.NB: ‘CHANGE KOTOKA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO KOFI BAAKO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT’
Features
Cosmetic deformities
COSMETIC deformities refer to physical imperfections or abnormalities that affect an individual’s appearance, often causing emotional distress and impacting their quality of life.
These deformities can be congenital, acquired, or result from various medical conditions or treatments. This article provides an in-depth exploration of cosmetic deformities, their types, causes, effects, and treatment options.
Types of cosmetic deformities
Cosmetic deformities can affect various parts of the body, including the face, skin, hair, nails, and teeth. Some common types of cosmetic deformities include:
1. Facial deformities: Congenital or acquired abnormalities affecting the shape, structure, or appearance of the face, such as cleft lip and palate, facial paralysis, or facial asymmetry.
2. Skin deformities: Conditions affecting the skin’s texture, tone, or appearance, such as acne, scars, birthmarks, or skin discoloration.
3. Hair deformities: Abnormalities affecting the hair’s growth, texture, or appearance, such as alopecia, hirsutism, or hair loss due to medical conditions or treatments.
4. Nail deformities: Conditions affecting the shape, size, or appearance of the nails, such as nail fungus, nail psoriasis, or nail trauma.
5. Dental deformities: Abnormalities affecting the shape, size, or appearance of the teeth, such as tooth decay, tooth loss, or malocclusion.
Causes of cosmetic deformities
Cosmetic deformities can result from various factors, including:
1. Genetics: Congenital conditions or inherited traits can cause cosmetic deformities.
2. Trauma: Injuries or accidents can result in cosmetic deformities, such as scars or facial trauma.
3. Medical conditions: Certain medical conditions, such as acne, psoriasis, or eczema, can cause cosmetic deformities.
4. Treatments and procedures: Medical treatments, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or surgery, can result in cosmetic deformities.
5. Aging and environmental factors: Aging, sun exposure, and environmental factors can contribute to cosmetic deformities, such as wrinkles, fine lines, or age spots.
Effects of cosmetic deformities
Cosmetic deformities can have significant emotional and psychological effects on individuals, including:
1. Low self-esteem: Cosmetic deformities can lead to feelings of insecurity, self-consciousness, and low self-esteem.
2. Social anxiety: Individuals with cosmetic deformities may experience social anxiety, avoiding social interactions or feeling embarrassed in public.
3. Emotional distress: Cosmetic deformities can cause emotional distress, including depression, anxiety, or stress.
4. Impact on quality of life: Cosmetic deformities can affect an individual’s quality of life, impacting their relationships, career, or overall well-being.
Treatment options for cosmetic deformities
Various treatment options are available to address cosmetic deformities, including:
1. Surgical procedures: Surgical procedures, such as reconstructive surgery, cosmetic surgery, or dermatological surgery, can correct or improve cosmetic deformities.
2. Non-surgical treatments: Non-surgical treatments, such as laser therapy, chemical peels, or microdermabrasion, can address cosmetic concerns, such as skin texture, tone, or appearance.
3. Medical treatments: Medical treatments, such as topical creams, oral medications, or injectable treatments, can address cosmetic concerns, such as acne, hair loss, or nail deformities.
4. Prosthetic and orthotic devices: Prosthetic and orthotic devices, such as wigs, hairpieces, or dental prosthetics, can help individuals with cosmetic deformities.
5. Counselling and therapy: Counselling and therapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy or psychotherapy, can help individuals cope with the emotional and psychological effects of cosmetic deformities.
Conclusion
Cosmetic deformities can have significant emotional and psychological effects on individuals, impacting their quality of life and overall well-being.
Understanding the types, causes, and effects of cosmetic deformities is crucial in addressing these concerns.
Various treatment options are available, ranging from surgical procedures to non-surgical treatments, medical treatments, prosthetic and orthotic devices, and counselling and therapy.
By seeking professional help and support, individuals with cosmetic deformities can improve their appearance, boost their self-esteem, and enhance their overall quality of life.
Reference
1. “Cosmetic Deformities” by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons
