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We all faced disappointments one way or the other in our life but were patient. Others do not have that patience and will try to crucify people who have good intentions of helping them.
Patience is not about the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude whilst waiting.
I was very close to this prominent man from Gonjaland. He believed in me and would often give me pieces of advice especially anytime I write on very topical issue in Gonjaland.
This prominent man from Bole was very active in all Gonja activities but all of a sudden went underground and was no longer interested in all Gonja activities. After I became the PRO of the Gonjaland Youth Association in 2013, I went to his house and asked him why he is no longer interested in Gonja activities and his response was this;
“I have done my best for Gonjaland Haruna. What I can tell you is that Gonjas do not have the patience to wait meanwhile everything is destined to happen at its own time. You have just been elected the PRO of the Gonjaland Youth Association. Come back to me after your tenure ends and tell me your experience with our brothers being an executive of the Gonjaland Youth Association”.
Even though I’m yet to end my tenure as PRO of the Gonjaland Youth Association, I have experienced a lot. Ungratefulness, Backbiting, pull him down, jealousy frivolous allegations etc.
I have come to understand the behaviour of my people. One’s good intentions is often miscontrued. I have realised that in one’s bid to assist his felow Gonja brothers he sometimes become the adversary. The best way to avoid being labeled is to avoid people especially those who come for favours just as the prominent man did to have his peace.
A typical example of an issue that made me sad and so dejected happened in 2015.
I met these young Gonja brothers at a meeting of the Gonjaland Youth Association Greater Accra at the GBC club house, Accra.
They contacted me for some casual employment opportunities they heard of at the Kotoka International Airport because they knew I was working there.
Even though I was busy I decided to help. I went to a friend who was the Deputy at the Public Relations unit of the Ghana Airport Company. We were school mates at the Ghana Institute of Journalism.
This friend was blunt with me. He told me the amount for the 6 months casual employment was about GHc6,000 (60 million old cedis) but one would have to pay an illegal amount of GHc 600 (6million cedis) as facilitation fee.
I pleaded with my friend and he agreed that I should pay GHc600 for the two Gonja boys but the next recruitment will be 2 months away. I was so elated and took the GHc 600 from the boys concerned and gave it to the officer in charge of the recruitment. In fact the next move I was plotting was for the two Gonja brothers to be employed full time when the opportunity come since casual workers with the Ghana Airport Company had an advantage in terms of permanent employment in their area of work.
Surprisingly these two boys started giving me pressure exactly two months at a time the process was ongoing.
One of them went to the extent demanding for his GHc300 and I was so confused.
The next thing I heard from many people was that I had taken GHc600 Ghana cedis from some boys for employment that I said will happen in two months and decided to dilly dally with them and perhaps had spent their money.
I felt so sad considering my effort moving up and down and in order to protect my image from further damage I paid the two Gonja boys their GHc600 from my salary.
Exactly one week after I paid the two Gonja boys their money, I was called to come for their casual employment letters. I wept that day. I did not go to pick the letters.
The following day I called my friend at the Public Relations unit of the Ghana Airport Company and told him to give the chance to other people meaning I lost my money.
This is just one example of how our people behave.
I have another experience with the National Association of Gonjaland Students (NAGS) which I will write about at another time.
As result of my closeness to the Chief Executive Officer of the National Ambulance Service, I helped a few people to get recruited some years ago. I lobbied for others who were disqualified due to one reason or the other. I did all this without taking a pesewa from anyone even though I used to move up and down with the National Ambulance Service office almost becoming my second offic.
The next moment I heard I decieved some Gonja brothers of getting them recruited but they were not recruited.
As I write recruitment is ongoing for the National Ambulance Service (NAGS) and I have been inundated with many calls from Gonja brothers who applied. But guided by my past experience I have been blunt with everyone, that I am not in position to go round lobbying like I did some years back for some people who got recruited and others rejected. I dont want any problem again.
The President of the Gonjaland Youth Association Mr Alhassan Dramani used to say something that I felt was not right but I agree with him now. Mr Alhassan Dramani believe everybody owes only his children and that any other good deed to anyone either than your children is a favour.
Shallom.
By Mahama Haruna, PRO, Gonjaland Youth Association
