Ghanaians Disregard For The Value Of Time

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Alhaji Alhasan Abdulai
Alhaji Alhasan Abdulai

BY Alhaji Alhasan Abdulai

Alhaji Alhasan Abdulai
Alhaji Alhasan Abdulai

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) originally referred to the mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London, was adopted? as a? global time standard especially for ?those nations on the same time zone. GMT has no influence on how to maintain time for assignments but it is a reminder for our activities. However due to disregard by most Ghanaians ??to attach ??value to agreed time for programs and meetings we now regard GMT as Ghana Man Time GMT. ?We should not pride ourselves with this ?bad tag? as a nation. Even though almost everybody knows that time is money, Most Ghanaians high and low have no regard for time. Dr Edward Mahama the medical doctor and leading member of the peoples national convention says that time is not only money ,it is ??life, for when one fails to make time for an appointment he may not only lose money, he would lose the time wasted for life. Late Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia former chairman of Council of State and a few dignitaries were known for keeping time for meetings by sometimes going earlier than some organizers and participants and audiences at functions. There are some Ghanaians young and old who have followed this example. However these good participants at meetings are not many.

Although I have no empirical study on our habit to time, almost all categories of people are guilty of failure to make time for appointments. With regard to those in high places such as ministers and sometimes heads of states, they are unable manage their time on their many engagements. They are supposed to delegate their assignments to their underlings but in most cases they fail to do so. Each minister?s desire has been to appear personally at each of the numerous meetings for each day, some of which drag on for longer than expected. With regard to the people down the ladder, a number of reasons could be ascribed to their failure to turn up at meetings and other functions on time. Most of them (lowly placed participants) might not live close to meeting venues. They might not posses ??their own cars and have to resort to public transport which are often not reliable. Apart from this they are often guilty. ?Knowing that meetings do not start early they often do not set off from home early.

This bad habit of Ghanaian officials and the general public must change. We must all know that lateness to assignments and meetings has been affecting us in many ways. Apart from the entire world community mocking at us for being habitual ?late comers?, lateness to meeting and other functions eats into our days assignments, ?revenues and gives us bad reputation as a people.

The time has come for the nation to do something about the issue of GHANA MAN TIME. The government, political parties, traditional rulers, religious bodies and opinion leaders have a duty to work out a mechanism to change this bad habit. An inter-ministerial meeting must be held to discuss lateness at meetings and functions in the country. This must be followed with a study to determine the true reason for the bad habit to be followed with sensitization programs. Perhaps if the issue is tackled seriously we might find solution to it and join the nations and people who have respect for time. Let?s kick against the tag of GHANA MAN TIME. Don?t let us ?laugh off? this suggestion for going by it ?could lead to us moving away from lateness and ?lifting up the image of the nation.

Executive Director

eanfoworld for sustainable development

?0244 370345/ 0264370345/0208844791????? [email protected]/[email protected]

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