When a female soldier in a Ghanaian movie (Scorned) was shot in the line of duty and taken to hospital, she wasn't taken to Korle Bu. She was taken to Lister Hospital, a modern healthcare facility in Accra, not very far from the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange. Lister's website says the Lister Hospital and Fertility Centre is the most technologically advanced private hospital in West Africa. From the movie and the susequent scenes in and around the hospital, it looks modern, clean and high-class. Basically, the healthcare costs there will be high. I wonder if the National Health Insurance Scheme would suffice for costs there. In the era, where countless government personalities have to fly abroad to get excellent medical care, it's refreshing to know about institutions like Lister Hospital, however small they are. There should be more Listers and the public health system should catch up with the needed state investment.

How many world-class hospitals are in Ghana? Last time, this issue came up, someone said there was one; the Trust Hospital. I have never been there before, and haven't known of any friends/family who had treatment over there. Nyaho Medical Centre is also highly regarded, as well as the Ridge Hospital to some extent. Is Dr. Edward Mahama's hospital great? What about Dr. Edmund Delle? Does he even have his own private clinic? With the growing middle-class, it should be prudent to operate more and more private clinics where people have the bang to buck. Or a buck for every bang suffered. You get the point.

...Sounds on da ground and seens on the see-ins

The other day some friends (Ghanaian and Nigerian) and I were having a regular conversation that followed after watching a regular Nollywood movie. The conversation turned to discussing other things; African music, high school boarding house experiences, education systems, studying for PhDs and hurrying up Masters degrees, gold diggers, wastemen, etc. Eventually, we ended up talking about African leaders, politics and what we needed to do as Africans to develop. The latter issues have been on my mind a lot lately. The emergence of Obama has caused me to think even more about the issue of leadership. It has me dreaming of Kwame Nkrumah. At this point in Africa's lives, it needs visionary leaders, inspirational figures, uniting heads, iron men, super men, super heroes. Who will save us? Wanlov da Kuborlor thinks a 'Supa Chompia' will, and even describes his super powers in his song of the same title.

...Sounds on da ground and seens on the see-ins

It's been a while since I blogged here and I am ashamed. Anyway, I am back. :-) What's driven me back? The upcoming African Cup of Nations Football tournament in Ghana - yes, I am excited. It is expected to draw 1 million tourists to Ghana, which is more than we got all through 2007 probably and it is bound to infuse a lot into our economy. Ghana has rehabilitated two stadiums and built two new ones for the tournament and there have been some infrastructural developments as well. You can ask around, even though people are excited about these developments, a lot of people feel the government could and should have done more. Why can't we do something great while we are at it? Who is asking? Amandzeba Nat Brew does in his Pioto song, his most recent hit.

...Sounds on da ground and seens on the see-ins

This week, I have been listening a lot to Ghanaian radio (my Africast link has been failing me) and I have used it to stay up to speed on the celebrations of Ghana's golden jubilee back home. I caught Bernard Avle's CITI FM Breakfast show on Wednesday and he played an excerpt of his discussion with Kwaku Sintim-Misa (from Monday) which generated some controversy, with some people agreeing and disagreeing with Ghana's most foremost stand-up comedian. Basically, KSM had said that black people have not been using their brains like white people have, that's why black people are "lagging behind" all over the world. Instantly, I linked this discussion to one of my favourite songs this year, Anyen (devil) by Obour and A.B. Crentsil. Hey, the two musicians call it the anthem for Ghana's golden jubilee.

...Sounds on da ground and seens on the see-ins

I have always had great ambition, big dreams and difficult goals I set for myself. Maybe it stems from the heights people around me have reached or the joy that comes with accomplishment. These traits could have been embedded in my personality because of the environment I grew up in and other situations I found myself in. So when I heard the 'lyrics' of Wutah's 'Big dreams' the other day, I wondered if other people who may not have been academically, socially and financially fortunate like me also had 'big dreams'. If they did, how did they realise them?