PLASTIC RICE BROUHAHA…TIME FOR GHANA TO CASH-IN ON RICE PRODUCTION.

Over the weekend my friend Booty Brown chatting with me over a bottle of whisky complained that he suspects eating the plastic rice that lots of people are talking of. For the sake of the law, I will not mention the name of the rice brand but from his words, he suspects that the brand of rice he bought few weeks ago and had already consumed half of the 5kg bag is the said plastic rice.

Somewhere last year, a video went viral involving the manufacturing of what is purported to be rice made from plastic. From the view of the plastic rice in the video, it is very similar to the natural rice that we know and have been eating over the years. This resemblance has raised more suspicion, consequently causing fear and panic among many Ghanaians. Some others are actually refraining from eating rice for fear that they will eat plastic rice. (For this people, I ask that they rather turn to purchasing local rice because there is local rice on the market). The video also suggests that the said plastic rice is being imported into the country, thus the plastic rice could be bagged as a new rice brand or bagged as already existing rice brands. And with the influx of many foreign rice brands on our markets, one could conclude that the plastic rice will be part of the numerous foreign rice brands imported into the country. Meanwhile there are locally grown brands of rice on the market as well.

At the moment, rice consumers which undoubtedly constitute the larger chunk of Ghanaians are in a fix sort of since the market in dominated by foreign grown imported rice. From some indications, it is becoming difficult for one to differentiate between the natural rice and plastic rice which could be placing all foreign grown imported rice at a bad position in the minds of Ghanaians.

Though this phenomenon of plastic rice is bad for a rice consuming country like Ghana, this could be another avenue for a rice growing country like Ghana to rethink improvement in the rice sector. Ghana is one of those countries that have very fertile land for the cultivation of many agriculture produce which rice is included. 

Over the years successive governments seem to fail in improving rice production in Ghana from planting improved seeds to attracting Ghanaians to buy. It is no news that Ghanaians have a strong taste for foreign grown rice for which we see a low sale of locally grown rice. And this is due to several reasons ranging from the perception that Ghanaian farmers do not grow long grain and perfumed rice to the assertion that local rice is often broken and not delicious. I will not be quick to blame Ghanaians for this stereotype because before rice farmers began cultivating improved long grain perfume rice seeds, they cultivated seeds that often provided broken rice. Many Ghanaians did not like the idea of eating broken rice and this brought about the stereotyping that Ghanaian grown rice is not delicious. I call the assertion stereotype because for some time now Ghanaian rice farmers are growing long grain perfumed rice seeds thus are producing the same foreign grown rice we crave for.

I think this is where we have come to a crossroad, thus needs government to drum home the news that Ghanaian grown rice are also long grain and perfumed plus getting Ghanaians to understand the fact and change their perception about locally grown rice. 

This morning I spoke to my young Lawyer friend who abandoned his banking job to go into rice production up North. He confirmed to me that he and his farm team are done planting long grain perfumed rice. Meaning when it is time for harvesting, Rashid’s farm will be selling long grain perfumed rice to Ghanaians; same rice that is grown out there and imported here for which we are having cases of plastic rice on our markets.

Some months ago when I heard that Praire Volta Ltd, a rice growing company in Ghana collapsed, I got furious and asked myself when Ghana will be able to manage some of these state owned companies. I used to consume rice produced from PVL and the rice was so delicious. For years now, I have come to know that fresh rice that does not sit in a ware house for over a year is the best since it is healthy. So I was excited to be purchasing locally produced long grain perfumed rice from PVL since it was fresh and not stored for several years. 

But aside Praire Volta rice, other rice farmers and companies are springing up like that of my friend Rashid who are cultivating the same seeds that the foreign grower cultivate for which they must be supported and given the necessary incentives to feed Ghanaians.

With the plastic rice brouhaha plus other numerous advantages like employment creation, profit making and growth of the economy, concentrating on local rice production I think is the best way to go now. We have had occasions where governments try to improve rice production in Ghana but fail. I urge that this time, the story should not be like that of the old times where we failed at a lucrative rice production business. 

Thanks to waakye and omotuo sellers because if not for them, our local rice farmers will not have people buying their produce.  But for the moment where our life and health is at stake, we should capitalize on this and view it as a blessing in disguise. 

For this, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in collaboration with rice farmers across the country should develop modern ways to cultivate rice thereby providing healthy rice to Ghanaians. 

You have been reading Realities from my Medulla Oblongata.

Thank you for reading!

Please drop your comments, contributions and criticisms.

THE GALAMSEY CHRONICLES...GOVERNMENT MUST CONTROL SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE MINING.

In my last write up on Galamsey Chronicles Series published on 11th April 2017, I promised to continue the series by touching on some solutions to do with government's control of the Small and Medium scale mining sector so as to curb the numerous challenges Ghana is facing due to inappropriate and illegal mining.
After 11th April, 2017 when I published my article titled Galamsey Chronicles...#StopGalamseyNow is a Nine-day wonder, the unfolding occurrences on galamsey actually scared me from writing the next piece which is what you are reading now. The whole galamsey industry especially to do with its fight amazes me because just when Ghanaians decided to wage a huge war against galamsey, the following developments are really shocking. From threats received my the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources to the brutal killing of Captain Maxwell Adam Mahama at Denkyira-Boase. Actually the developments almost deterred me from writing the next piece on galamsey because I used to have the feeling that anyone who renders a commentary on galamsey but does so in contrary to the interest of any party involved in the galamsey brouhaha can be abused or killed.

But aside the scare, I feel that nothing should stop me from sharing my opinions when I have a blog and the knowledge to write my opinions. It is in this light that I decided to continue my article series titled Galamsey Chronicles and zoom in on control plus the need for government to totally control the small and medium scale mining sector if it is really considering ending the menace that comes with the illegality.
We must keep in mind that Ghana on couple of occasions tried to stop the negative effects that the activities of galamsey are causing on our environment and the economy of this country but many of the times failed or effected very little changes. I am of the view that one reason why government is unable to champion the fight in these couple of times it tried fighting the menace is because small and medium scale mining is run by licensed/unlicensed individuals in form of a private business.
Anyone interested in mining goes to the Mineral Commission, obtain a license, go to the mining areas to buy lands from Chiefs, families and individuals and then begin mining. I think this is the basic mistake that we are making as a country in terms of small and medium scale mining. Is it for the sake that lands are owned privately in Ghana that influences the decision that where government actually comes in is only at the licensing stage? I think it is totally wrong for Ghana to somewhat leave small and medium scale mining to individuals like we see in many of the instances. Why should a resource that belongs to all Ghanaians be given to individuals who are able to obtain license and buy concessions? Then in that case the gold and other natural resources belong to the individuals and families who own the land and not all citizens. But from my research, natural resources are owned by the entire citizens of the country no matter who owns the land. So just like the way citizens of Western Region are not given license to go and drill oil on their own, just as government has a stake and some control over the activities of large scale mining, I am of the view that government must control and own a higher stake in small and medium scale mining.

In everywhere across the world, individuals or private business persons are more concerned with their profit; in many cases outrageous profits than any other aspect of the venture. Same applies to small and medium scale miners; they are more concerned of making returns out of the cash they invested in buying the concessions and equipment. Due to this character by the miners, it is difficult for them in many cases to think of safeguarding the environment by practicing safe mining. Notwithstanding the fact that some legal miners practice safe mining, secondary research available to me indicates that a number of miners both legal and illegal engage in unsafe mining. It is not surprising to have many of these miners engaged in unsafe mining because safe mining also comes with a cost. A cost that many of the profit-minded miners will not want to bear. Thus when small and medium scale mining continue to be in the hands of individuals, the tendency that they will practice safe mining is minimal.

The second challenge that licensing coupled with government's inability to control small and medium scale mining in Ghana is the cause of Chinese galamseyers on our lands. In an interview on radio, I heard one legal miner claiming that the Chinese have brought a lot of technology into the mining sector which is making the business easy and lucrative. It is no news that many of the Chinese who come to conduct mining activities here in Ghana are brought by their Ghanaian counterparts or business partners. If a business man who is profit-minded feels that the introduction if Chinese miners will enable him or her make huge profit, there is no way they will not engage the Chinese. But since they have legal license to operate and have cash to buy cocoa farms, other concessions for mining, they have the courage to introduce Chinese miners since what permits them to mine is mostly to do with the license. So some Ghanaian business officials just go through the process of licensing, acquisition of land (sometimes with funding from Chinese business miners) and then get the Chinese to mine on the fields. There on the fields and to the authorities, they have a legal documentation to mine but are engaging the services of Chinese. With the licensing loop hole in our system, I do not see the end of Chinese miners coming to Ghana.

Let us turn the other side of the coin where government controls small and medium scale mining by not issuing licences to individuals. Government knows almost all mining areas in Ghana so it is not a difficult task for government to know areas that are appropriate for mining the resource and areas that are inappropriate. Also, government will be able to do safe mining since they have the country at heart and have expertise who knows that mining should not be done in rivers and near water bodies. Furthermore, government will be able to mobilize the huge profit coming from the mining sector and use it in developing the country. This will also curb the situation of Chinese galamseyers coming in because the activities are under the control of government. 
Government can then employ professional miners by decentralizing the process and making the Minerals Commission in all mining areas to employ, monitor and control all activities of mining in the various areas. With this, the tendency to solve many of the challenges coming along with galamsey will cease or minimize. But if Ghana continues to issue mining licenses to individuals, I am skeptical if we can control individual business persons who are looking at making profit than saving the environment. 
Moreover the huge profit made by individual business persons from resources that is said to belong to all citizens will now come into the State's coffers, thus can be used to develop the country as a whole.

Until then...

Well, may be there is a better way government can solve this but like I will always do, I will keep writing realities from my medulla oblongata.

The word ''Galamsey used in this article refers to illegal small and medium scale mining.

Thanks for reading!


Please do not hesitate to write your comments, contributions and criticisms below.

THE GALAMSEY CHRONICLES...#STOPGALAMSEYNOW CAMPAIGN IS A NINE-DAY WONDER.

One of the most longest topical issues ever to reign in the Ghanaian media landscape is the recent call against illegal small scale mining in over 6 regions in Ghana. It is no mistake that Ghana used to be known as the Gold Coast because it has been revealed that gold mining is taking place in over 6 out of 10 regions in Ghana. The 3 Northern Regions which many did not believe had gold is now witnessing mining in many forms.
"Galamsey", popular term used to describe illegal small and medium scale mining originated from the phrase "Gather and Sell". It is not a new thing in Ghana to see English words being mentioned in different ways or have become some sort of local words and terms used. It is quiet evident that the word Gather and Sell some way some how via the normal Ghanaian way changed to become Galamsey.
To many, Galamsey is evil and yes, it is the devil of our time. Because the rate at which Galamsey have and is destroying arable land and almost all our water bodies are so devastating that the new fierce call from all sections of the Ghanaian citizens is not surprising. Meanwhile small scale mining dates way back to the 60s where only Ghanaians are allowed to mine in small ways by using small equipment like shovel and pick axe. Many claim that the introduction of Chinese miners brought about the use of excavators and some sophisticated and heavy machines.
But I have a reservation and a part of me keeps reminding me of the high possibility that the recent loud dedicated looking campaign to the end of Galamsey is a nine-day wonder. To those who may want me to refresh their memories, ex-President Atta Mills in 2013 used somewhat this same emotional way to solving the illegal mining menace where he deployed security forces including the 'Almighty" army. But if that had worked quiet extensively, we will not be crying barely 3 years after that supposed effective measure.
We are in the era of hashtags so it is not astonishing that the #StopGalamseyNow hashtag has been trending on most social media platforms for weeks now. It is a story that caught the attention of international media as well accounting for an interview between Akwasi Sarpong of BBC African and Akoto Boateng of Accra based Citi FM.
With no intention to downplay the good effort some section of Ghanaians are putting into the help to end the Galamsey menace coupled with the launch of a media coalition of ending galamsey, I think that if the solution of galamsey is not carefully thought through, the media rant may not be successful as anticipated.
On the small scale mining front, there are legal and illegal miners who ply the business with the zeal of making huge returns considering the huge money that must be invested in it. For the legal small scale miners, they are supposed to set up an appropriate mining facility that will ensure a safe mining activity devoid of land degradation and polluting of water bodies. While on the other hand, the illegal miners are said to be the ones violating the appropriate mining laws, thus damaging our environment extensively by degrading the land and polluting our water bodies.
Meanwhile variety of investigations conducted by most media personnel reveal that some legal small scale miners who are licensed by the Ghana Minerals Commission are also practicing their venture in an inappropriate way thereby causing extensive harm to the lands and water bodies. Not to talk of the everyday casualties of people dying through mining accidents.
This is where the cross road lies - reason I said that the recent #StopGalamseyNow call may not see a drastic change of our mining sector and subsequently a clean of our environment like we expects now. I make this assertion because legal small scale mining cannot be stopped. And in a situation where it is quiet difficult for all to differentiate between legal and illegal small scale miners, it will be very difficult to stop galamsey. Galamsey depicts only the illegal small scale miners and excludes licensed legal small scale miners. The part of the call that seem legitimate is that some legal small scale miners are also mining inappropriately adding to the devastating effect on our land and water bodies. But how long can our security services go into the mining areas to stop the illegal ones from mining? Deducing from the 3 weeks ultimatum given by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, he is likely to throw in the security apparatus to forcefully sack miners from the fields. This was the similar action taken in 2013 by the then government but like we all know, the security team will not forever remain on the field to prevent illegal mining.
Even among the work of security forces in the country, reports from many areas prove that some individuals of the police and army who are supposed to stop illegal miners rather aid and guide them to continue the barbaric act. They go on to find ways of intimidating residents who seem to call for a stop to the menace in their areas.
I have heard on one front which I think will be one of the only extent that the government can go is try to enforce their regulation process of small scale mining activities. This is likely to be done by reviewing existing mining licenses and try to enforce certain measures that are getting our lands degraded and water bodies polluted. How far can authorities go with this measures since it is actually their initial mandates that they just seem to be failing on. What new measures can the Minerals Commission take to actually stop Galamsey? Because one smart way these illegal miners could go is accept to go for license to deem them legal but still mine inappropriately.
Therefore deducing from the inappropriate mining activities undertaken by both legal and illegal miners, it is quiet evident that issuing license alone cannot ensure that small scale miners will stop degrading our lands and polluting our water bodies.
The license era coupled with enforcing appropriate mining activities by the Minerals Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Ghana Police Service and all other institutions mandated to oversee small scale mining have witness a large percentage of failure.
If those who are paid to work are not doing what they are to do, do you think a mere hashtag or a media rant could change their attitude towards work? As a blogger and a believer in the power of media, I think it can awaken and push them but to a better extent that we can witness a drastic change is quiet skeptical.
Meanwhile many people talk of the problem but are not suggesting a good solution to the menace. Some say there should be a STOP to illegal small and medium scale mining while others say there should be a stop to all forms of small scale mining whether legal or illegal. Notwithstanding, some section too think that the quest to mine gold and other natural resources from the earth itself is devastating to the existence of humans thus the activity both big or small scale, legal or illegal must stop.
Mining as an activity is not new to Ghana since we have seen the mining of natural resources such as gold, diamond, bauxite, manganese,etc over centuries. Meaning the growth of Ghana partly has been dependent on mining so the call to suggest a STOP to the various forms of mining are quiet unrealistic. The call to probably accept legal mining and stop illegal mining also seem not achievable considering the management of the sector over the years. So the word STOP is quiet unrealistic when it comes to mining in Ghana. Regulation is what many suggests but in a situation where regulation seem not working in a society with all appropriate institutions, I doubt if it might really work.
It will be incomplete if I do not also add my voice to solutions than just drum home the problem. Thus in my next article on the Galamsey Chronicles, I will outline a solution that will not talk of stop or regulate but rather concentrate on proactive CONTROL of the small scale mining sector by government. Control is the word and with action on controlling the sector, the menace will be reduced drastically.
Thus watch out for my next article outlining some solutions to this menace.
As always, it has been another #Reality from my Medulla Oblongata!

Thanks for reading!
Your comments and suggestions are welcomed.