Ghanas Azonto Dance Craze Goes Global

As pundits recommend its patenting, branding, packaging and marketing for socio economic gains

A Ghanaian Dance Craze called Azonto is making waves around the world and threatening to spawn its own YouTube industry as dance enthusiasts try to out do each other by posting the most hilarious and most accomplished Azonto moves on the video channel. The Azonto dance is said to have orginated from the traditional Ghanaian dance, Kpanlogo. Apaa (meaning work) was its original name and it first started in down Town Accra areas like Bukom, James Town, Chorkor and in the port town of Tema. When Azonto friendly hip life is played in clubs and house parties in these parts, you can be guaranteed that the dance floor will be packed with people shaking their hips, pointing their fingers and sometimes mimicking the performance of household chores like washing or doing some ironing.

THE WEIJA DAM OBITUARY

By Joshua Awuku-Apaw, Executive Director, Earth Service,   Joshua.awukuapaw@yahoo.com

The Weija Dam, perhaps the second largest water reservoir in the country after the Volta reservoir is on its way to extinction. According to experts, the rate at which encroachment and pollution are taking over the lake, in less than 10 years the lake will belong to history and can only be compared to the infamous korle lagoon in Accra.

The dam was constructed in 1978 (construction began in 1974) by an Italian company, Messrs Tahi. It is said to be the second urban water system to be constructed in Ghana, after the Birimso in Cape Coast. The lake is formed over the Densu River in the Ga South Municipality travelling a distance of about 116 kilometres from the Atiwa mountains where it takes its source. The river traverses through three regions: Eastern, Central and Greater Accra where it enters the sea at Bortianor in the Ga Municipality. The Weija lake covers an area of about 9,000 sq. hectares and serves over 2.5 million people in Accra East and Accra West. It has many communities and villages surrounding it. There are islands in it as well.

Ghana’s Poor Reap None of The New Riches:

By Ben Ofosu-Appiah. , Tokyo, Japan.

From Poverty to Middle Income Status A Boulevard of Broken Promises

Africa’s long suffering people are all too frequently caught in the crossfire of rampaging wars, millions afflicted with diseases, preyed upon by greedy despots and prevented by corrupt leaders and bureaucracies in a kleptocracy from obtaining basic schooling, medical attention, and any semblance of economic opportunities.

A look at the socio-political and economic environment in Ghana today reveals a horrifying picture. There is massive corruption, staggering poverty, unemployment, poor education, deteriorating infrastructure, and general degree of hopelessness among the youth who feel very disappointed and let down by their political leaders. According to the 2007 World Bank Human Development Index, almost half of the national population live below the poverty line surviving on less than a dollar per day. And as many as over 75% live on less than $2.oo a day. The economic conditions felt by the ordinary Ghanaian are poorer than ever.

Ghana Ain’t Working Folks!

By Frank Yaw Ohemeng,

It is a slowly dawning fact that Ghana ain’t working and the very fabric of the nation is in tatters. The Police are politically-controlled, unsanitary conditions abound everywhere, street lamps are without bulbs, traffic lights are out, roads are pot-holed and every road junction is a bottleneck. Taking a short trip through the nation’s capital is an arduous task that could take you the best part of two hours. The country is polarised along political and tribal lines and the President is doing nothing to help matters. Every time he has had the opportunity to bring the nation together, he has woefully failed. The Police have become an automaton controlled by the political classes. It is baffling that the Ghana Police would be willing to arrest an NPP sympathiser who said unflattering things about the President but do not see the need to apply the same laws to people allied to the President who say worse things against opposition politicians.

Winneba Will Remain a Zongo, Unless ……

By Sydney Casely-Hayford, Sydney@bizghana.com

The journey to Winneba is only 30 minutes away from the center of Accra if you skip the nonsense at Odorkor, Sakaman, Mallam and McCarthy Hill.  The end result when you arrive at Winneba, is a disappointing specter of a once interesting town (dare I call it that now), with no business activity or commerce.

Weaving along with the scanty traffic and through a looping one way with a market closing in on the road, you catch a village town crier with a gong-gong, actually calling the attention of the community and parting some message in the local dialect.

The Moneycracy And Political Pimps: Who will Speak Up For Kwaebibrim District?

By Kwaku Adu-Gyamfi, Voice Of Reason

“In Germany they first came for the communists and I didn’t speak up then because I wasn’t a communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist. Then they came for Catholics and I didn’t speak because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me and by that time no one was left to speak up”.-Pastor M .Niemoller

Who will speak up against the MONEYcracy and political pimps?

You can’t miss them: Like the rest of the country, every election cycle  we allow political pimps of every political    kind to descend  on our  communities,  villages and towns ;and  throw a little ,money around like so much  chum or chicken feed…..but, pay scant attention  to our  basic needs , desire   and aspirations.

A Message to the AU: Why Justice Matters

By Ibrahim Tommy

When African leaders assemble in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea on June 30 for the African Union summit, they will discuss numerous challenges confronting the continent. No doubt economic and political issues will take center stage, but international criminal justice is also likely to be in the spotlight.

More than 125 African-based civil society organizations from more than 25 countries have come together to urge African leaders to use this important opportunity to show their support for the International Criminal Court (ICC) and to press for cooperation with the court. I am proud to be part of that effort.

Murder by Old Gang Rival in Leyton

By Gerogette Djaba, Legal Eagle, UK

On 29 November 2010, Sylvester Senyah, aged 33 a British gentleman of Ghanaian origin was stabbed to death outside a Caribbean restaurant in Leyton by an old gang rival, Simeon Smith who is now 34 years old, the Old Bailey has heard.

The parents of Sylvester Senyah, who have maintained a dignified silence since the murder shed several tears as the jury returned a verdict of GUILTY, yesterday, 23 June, 2011. This was soon after the verdict was returned in the Milly Dowler trial in an adjacent court room, Court No. 8.

Sylvester Senyah, also known as “Twiggy” , was attacked by two men as he carried his food back to his parked car in Capworth Street, Leyton, East London. The court heard that he was on his way to pick up his 10 year old son from school.

Anas Aremeyaw Anas: COMPROMISED!

By Sydney Casely-Hayford, Sydney@bizghana.com

When I turned off the radio and TV set at 7pm tonight, I sat down with the stark realization that my icon of investigation and “magic” was not all that.  Really!  Anas Aremeyaw Anas and Tiger Eye, Limited have taken money from Government to go undercover to report on corruption at the Customs, Excise and Prevention.  Until now, Anas’ sleuthing was “magic” in Ghana.  The first question always after an Anas report, “how does he do it?”.

At least on this one report we understand the financial support.

U. S. DIVERSITY VISA LOTTERY PROGRAM

We wish to alert the public of recent scams and fraudulent claims regarding the U.S. Diversity Visa lottery program. In these scams, individuals or companies are sending congratulatory messages via email that ask the recipient to pay various fees through the Western Union Money Transfer for a permanent U.S. resident permit or green card. These messages are false.