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Opinions of Saturday, 11 February 2023

Columnist: Joel Savage

Twene Jonas’ words are offensive but he is an intelligent young man

Twene Jonas, social activist Twene Jonas, social activist

The young man by the name of Twene Jonas, who now resides in America, was previously one of the Ghanaians struggling to make ends meet. He was reportedly involved in film production before leaving Ghana's borders, so his resentment stems from both his time there and the present in America, according to one of the videos I listened to. Although many people claim he disrespects elders, I pay attention to what he has to say because the people he attacks don't respect themselves.

A thoughtless adult is similar to a young toddler who has no concept of right or wrong. If you are a politician or a chief and you don't respect yourself while you continue to use corruption to deny poor people access to better living conditions, healthcare, and educational opportunities, you are not just a thief but also a fool. Society sees these wolves in sheep's clothing as special people and bows to them, unfortunately, Twene Jonas sees them as a bunch of criminals and he is right.

The people who are attacking the social critic, calling him names, and accusing him of being disrespectful should first reflect on the roles they are playing in restoring order to Ghana and improving the lives of the poor, whose lives have been ruined by dishonest approaches like the implementation of the E-Levy. Twene Jonas was one of those who begged the government not to put it into effect because it will ruin their way of life since the NPP government has failed to provide them with jobs.

The phony E-Levy, which was ultimately passed despite protests, flopped and devastated thousands of Ghanaian businesses they had worked diligently to establish, through mobile-money ventures. Since greed controls everything in Ghana, the truth is never given a chance in anything, including politics. If people were serious, they would recognize the wrongdoings that Ghana is suffering from and never pursue Twene Jonas. Even if insulting people is wrong, it is the cure for a corrupt society.

A corrupt administration shouldn't be entertained, encouraged, supported, or praised, but Ghana currently has one that fits this description. People who should be discouraging the government from pursuing dishonest policies that harm the oppressed masses, such as church leaders, instead participate in the corruption that has wracked the nation. Consider a reverend who steals in the name of God while using a double identity. Why do many think Twene Jonas' insult of this person was wrong?

They never give a damn about the suffering masses because they only care about using politics to gain fortune. This young man is here to explain their ignorance, folly, silliness, and hypocrisy to them. You must first respect yourself if you want to be respected as a politician or a leader. Numerous politicians and chiefs in Ghana participate in the illegal mining that continues to destroy Ghana's environment, waterways, and eco-system with impunity.

While corruption has increased and everything is in jeopardy, the government in power will continue to act as though nothing is wrong and blame its failure on issues like COVID and the Russia-Ukraine war. In the meantime, these politicians have woefully failed to question the government over the crime they committed by stealing portions of the COVID funds and even went so far as to print new currency without the approval of parliament and when Twene Jonas insults, they say he doesn’t respect.

What respect do you deserve as a politician involved in such crimes? One important issue Twene Jonas raised, which makes sense to me is this, imagine, Ken Agyapong has been an MP serving the Assin Central for a very long time but his community lacks developmental projects. Yet, when the former Ghana football captain, Asamoah Gyan, launched his book, Agyapong purchased one at a high price to show that he is rich. Tweene Jonas demands why this money can’t be used to develop his community because the footballer is a rich man.

This makes sense to me because Asamoah Gyan is wealthy and doesn't require Agyapong to bestow fortune upon him, while his neighborhood is neglected and underdeveloped. In Ghana, this has been the case for a very long time.

Politicians purchase pricey presents for other politicians, especially luxury cars because they are aware that they will receive the same thing on their birthdays. Not only is that corrupt, but it's also insane and horrible.

A criminally based system is highly detrimental because when it fails, it affects the downtrodden masses. This sums up the current situation in Ghana. If there are so many religious institutions in Ghana and yet corruption has increased without any solution and no one is willing to question the government for its corruptible actions that are harming the poor people, then the critics of Twene Jonas should stop harassing him, despite his abusive, disrespectful, and hurtful remarks.