Prolonged Post...

It's been a while since my last post, reflecting the amped pace of my days and, admittedly, the pesky procrastination habits I picked up from my mother (I say that with affection, Mom). Additionally, my undeniably dour mood has discouraged me from churning out reflective renderings about a time and place I've been urging to escape. In part, I'm homesick - I miss my apartment, my city, my routines. Real coffee (as opposed to Nescafé), leisurely breakfasts reading the newspaper cover to cover, yoga at a studio, fresh vegetables, walking the bustling streets, parks, bookstores, Whole Foods, privacy, friends and family...This is what I did not want to blog about. Because I am grateful to be here, I am still gaining invaluable experiences, growing, exploring, etc. Despite the dreadful, lame, non-rigorous, wholly disappointing academic components, I have learned loads (independently). I am breathing deeply, channeling patience, and taking it one day at a time.

I have debated back and forth about posting the pathetic, meager pieces I've written for my journalism course, and have decided to do it even though I'm not very satisfied with them.

My main disclaimers:
1. The first does not pertain to anything I'm interested in (governmental policy is not my thing).
2. They are written in hard news style, which is not my preferred (or strongest) style of writing.
3. I wrote them while quite disgruntled with the course for which they were assigned.

That said, I feel the need to post them because they are written documentation of my time in Ghana, which is what I intended to compile on this blog. So here they are...


GHANA’S PRESIDENT DEPARTING ON HIGH NOTE:
Spokesman details to NYU the accomplishments of last 8 years.

By Ann Robinson

Accra, Ghana - As President John Agyekum Kufuor heads out of office this December after an eight-year stint, he’s leaving Ghana with an economy more stable than he found it, having erased $8 billion of the nation’s foreign debt.

That is among the greatest achievements of the Kufuor administration, according to his chief spokesman, Andrew Awuni, who held a rare hour-long sit-down with New York University Journalism students.

The talk took place just after 4 p.m. one afternoon inside the labyrinth 17th century slave fort, Christiansburg Castle, which currently serves as the seat of government in Ghana.

When Awuni strolled into a chilly cream-colored conference room, the 17 students fell silent, eager to hear the Castle press secretary share his perspective on the media, the upcoming elections and respond to their questions.

Awuni depicted Ghana’s evolution over the past eight years, referencing numerable initiatives from the building of roads to the administration efforts at piloting a nationwide health insurance scheme, the repeal of the criminal libel laws ensuring that reporters can no longer be thrown in jail, and a robust stock market buoyed by foreign investor confidence.

But many issues remain unresolved as Kufuor leaves office.

After a moment’s hesitation, Awuni explained that education remains the biggest challenge. “Education is the only way we can sustain the democracy we’ve accepted as a way of life in Ghana,” he said.

While 60% of the population is illiterate, the recent policy offering a free public education for all Ghanaian children reflects the government’s commitment to education. “People should be enlightened, to make enlightened choices.”

When asked what the president had done about the lack of gay rights here, Awuni said the culture was slowly changing.

“In 10 years, there won’t be a need to ask that question,” he predicted. Awuni called Ghana part of the global village, although many Ghanaians still don’t even engage in public displays of affection.

Awuni believes that independence in the media promotes transparency and democracy, but he openly favors the state-run media. Waving a copy of the government-funded Daily Graphic, he admitted: “I discriminate, like any PR man.” He explained his preferential treatment as a concern of circulation, and many private papers don’t have a nationwide reach.

International media distressed Awuni in their failure to highlight Kufuor bidding farewell to fellow African leaders at the recently concluded African Union Summit. Instead, they solely focused on the conflict surrounding Zimbabwean president, Robert Mugabe.

As this year’s monumental presidential election nears, Awuni predicted the media would grow increasingly louder and more polarized. The discussion wrapped up as it neared 5 p.m., with Awuni extending to the students a passionate call-to-arms in the fight for honorable international coverage of this continent.

“Africa is 54 countries. It’s not just Darfur and Zimbabwe. “It’s about time we give people a sense of Africa. That’s the opportunity you guys have now. You can make a difference.”



GIRLS PREDOMINATE MARKET SELLERS

By Annie Robinson

KUMASI, Ghana - Small clusters of adolescent girls, bright eyes already sparkling and alert at 9:30 a.m on a Sunday morning, scurry through the narrow lanes in Kumasi Market.

In West Africa’s largest open-air marketplace, trade begins early and includes everything from ruby red peppers to hair gel to caramel candies.

Nancy, 16, leans against the stonewall overlooking the wooden lean-tos composing the heart of the market. In front of a tarp strewn with Q-tips and flip-flops, her older brother plays with her 4-year-old sister, Blessing.

“I’ve worked here every day for three months,” Nancy states. “I started when I finished (primary) school.”

As a young girl working rather than continuing her education, Nancy represents an enormous population of children in Ghana’s major cities.

According to the Ghanaian Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs, up to 40,000 children live in the streets of Accra and Kumasi.

Almost all (98%) are working and nearly half (46%) never attended school. Most are girls.

While education in Ghana has improved with most children completing primary school, a 2005 report by UNICEF found that fewer than half go on to attend secondary school. In particular, rural dwellers make girls quit school and go to work.

In rural areas, only 26.6% of girls attend secondary school, reports UNICEF. Often girls are pulled out of school and sent away from home to the cities to bring in an income.

Two tall girls with cheeks bearing the traditional marks given in Ghana’s northern regions stride through the Kumasi Market balancing bins of beads on their heads.

Kafui, 15, migrated to Kumasi with her 13-year-old sister from the North several months ago.

“We sell, everyday. No school now,” Kafui confirms, of herself and her sister.

Around every corner and at almost every stall, selling fish or purses or shoelaces, are girls carrying on business as usual.


Sources:
1. UNICEF, Education Statistics, Division of Policy and Practice, Statistics and Monitoring Section, www.childinfo.org, May 2008.
2. Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs, Ghana, www.mowacghana.org.