Kofi Bentsi Bentil

The failure at the BECE exams are a failure of the whole system The purpose of a school Exam is not just to test the students but to test the quality of teaching and learning the facilities and even how policy is playing out.

Thank You AG for repeating what I’ve said many times before.

It is not right to seize cars for just any offense.

Stop impounding vehicles over minor road offences -AG to IGP Stop impounding vehicles over minor road offences -AG to IGP Ghana’s Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has instructed the Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare to advise police officers to refrain from impounding vehicles for minor offenses. Mr Dame sp...

Perspective on our future choices.

Bawumia? But why? Let's ask Kofi Bentil || Newsfile Bawumia? But why? Let's ask Kofi Bentil || Newsfile https://www.myjoyonline.com/ghana-news/Subscribe for more videos just like ...

The best legacy these games can leave will be an ANNUAL NATIONAL SPORTS FESTIVAL.
Prize money. Ghs1m for gold medal. 700k for silver and 599k bronze. Plus a national youth football tournament. THIS WILL DO WONDERS FOR SPORTS IN GHANA.

Kumasi Beach and Port Project

One of the sad things about Ghana is that everything is debatable. It’s an error. Not everything must fill our precious mind space.

I have often said that facts for eg must never be debated, just ask for evidence and simply check. But in Ghana we debate even facts.

Then there are UNPROCESSED IDEAS which any informed person will tell you should not be debated until the person pushing it processes the idea a bit more himself.
It’s unfair to demand that we all debate someone’s brain fart. But this is Ghana.

Then there are LOW RESOLUTION IDEAS which are insufficiently processed.
I tell people all the time that ‘there is logic and there is higher logic’.
The fact that something seems good to you is a function of how sophisticated you are! Someone else will see the flaws quickly and present you a better version of your own idea. Yours may be low resolution. People must not push low resolution ideas, they must first seek input from their advisors to improve the logic and resolution in their propositions before they invite everyone to debate them.

The above said, I’ve been reluctantly forced to comment a few times on the latest idea in town.
As I do sometimes I’ll put my thoughts down and refer the next set of persons to it when I’m invited to this non-debate.

Basic rules for deciding on major projects.

WHAT EXACTLY do you NEED to do - project definition.
Give details. Be as precise as possible, don’t just say ‘Dredge the Sea to Kumasi’.
If you’re not sure, ask experts to help define the project. You should end up with something more precise like
‘Dig a 250km Canal into Kumasi from Sea Level to an elevation of over 200m ASL. Across rain forests’.

Must it be done? Why?
Propriety.. and priority. Of all other things that can be done, set out reasons why this is necessary above all.

How much will it take?
Cost it… Have a rough estimate and then a more precise estimate of how much it will cost. Note that most projects outrun their costs.

Are there alternatives?
Could you achieve the same outcomes in other ways? Eg build railways or roads or even an inland port system?

How can it be done ?
Once it’s concluded that it must be done, you now draw up the plans. Actual engineering plans.
Theoretically anything can be done with the right engineering. Note that possibility does not mean propriety!!! Not everything must be done.

How can it be done efficiently.
First get designs on how it can be done at ANY cost ie EFFECTIVENESS; and then ask for alternatives or lower cost options for achieving the same result, EFFICIENCY; and pick one plan for ex*****on.

If you go through these basic steps as a person proposing a grand idea which we all will pay for, you may come to the conclusion that you should not put forward every idea.
And we also will appreciate that not everything is debatable.

Nota Bene

Quote of the day from William Lloyd Garrison.

Dear Aban,

I remember the Essipong stadium, we built it at great expense, used it for a tournament and let it rot to the ground. Why? Today it’s a home for wild animals.
Why couldn’t we give it to soccer team and require that they maintain it as their grounds under some contract? Or even a private entity and collect some rent, they will surely find a way to make economic sense of it !!

Now we just spent over $100m of money we don’t have to build nice sports facilities for the ongoing tournament.

I ASSURE YOU, KNOWING GHANA, THAT THESE WILL WASTE AND ROT LIKE ESSIPONG IF WE LEAVE THEM IN THE HANDS OF YOU ABAN PEOPLE!!!

Here’s my humble plea,
Invite sports organizations, events managers, facility managers and let them bid to lease each facility.

You can have a contract that gives the State first option to use it every time there’s a state function, the rest of the time will be free to rent it, use and maintain it for other purposes. That way we get to infuse private investment into the maintenance of these facilities.

Please don’t let these facilities also go to waste.
I will be here checking after a few years to see if I was heard.
Medaase.

internet services are being gradually restored. I hope the authorities would not wait for another crippling problem. Please be PROACTIVE about getting StarLink into Ghana so we have options and never have to be crippled when a sea cable breaks.

Fact 1: Not everything is debatable! Facts are not changed by opinion.
Fact 2: You debate the above at your own expense.
Fact 3: The best way to treat facts is to check them, not to argue.
Fact 4: no matter how emotional you are, emotions won’t change fact.

My answer to all those asking …
The power issues are really bad, but it reminds me of what we went through for years!! no logic can equate them or make me want to give the nation back to the ones who did worse!! That said, please fix this power mess it’s terrible!!

Speed is not an asset when your direction is wrong.
Be careful where you’re going before you speed to it.
…Asuo