GhanaPolitics101: Could trend analysis in ministerial nominations be possible?

When I am not too busy procrastinating, I am an epidemiologist or more like an epidemiologist in training. Big word but what it basically means is that I am most likely to be knee-deep in some dataset analyzing trends, patterns and associations between variables/factors related to health or diseases.

But I digress. What has this got to do with Ghanaian politics anyway? Speaking of Ghanaian politics, the entertainment never ends there is:

1. Continual drama at the Supreme Court

2. A minority in parliament quizzically boycotting the vetting of ministerial nominations and

3. The newest Ghanaian president on the block busy with the business of forming a new government.

Well, given the speed of the wheels of justice, I am predicting that the Supreme Court petition(s) and drama will probably conclude around 2018 so nothing can be said about that. 

On the other hand, the new ministerial appointments are looking quite interesting. So far, five batches of names have been released with one group having gone through vetting by the appointments committee of parliament.

PeaceFM Online has some up-to-date information on the New ministerial appointments
source: peacefmonline.com

Aside from some new ministerial designations, there are also completely fresh faces on the list. In Ghanaian politics, there are always the questions as to whether the ministerial list fulfills unspoken quotas. One such question is whether there is gender balance. Attempts to supposedly ensure gender balance always makes me laugh because if we were to really go according to actual population figures wouldn't 50%+ of ministerial appointments be women?

Other questions include whether there is regional balance and sometimes what the religious affiliation of the minister designate is. This is where my epidemiological mind starts kicking in. Wouldn't it be handy to have a database with all this information? Something like this: 

Data analysis could then be used to get a good descriptive analysis of the characteristics of the ministerial nomination list and allow one to answer some of these questions about balance. Sadly, I do not have time to put together such a database. Now, if someone could compile this list in excel, I would gladly analyze it! Anyone?

President John Dramani Mahama: Fourth President of the Fourth Republic of Ghana

The President of Ghana- His Excellency Mr. John D. Mahama
Source: JoyFM online

It is Monday 7th January 2013 and the city of Accra is abuzz. This is simply because a new president, Mr. John Dramani Mahama, has just been inaugurated into office. He becomes the 4th President under the Fourth Republic of Ghana and the 7th President of Ghana overall. It seems fitting that in the age of the smartphone, netbook and tablet computer, President Mahama read his first address to the nation from an iPad. My warmest congratulations to President Mahama and best wishes for a successful tenure. May you work hard to fulfill the pledges and promises you have made to the Ghanaian populace. The Ghanaian people are watching closely.

Of #Ghanaliving and the latest Menace(s) to Society

"AMA recieves (sic) motorcyle" - From the Accra Metropolitan Assembly  website ama.gov.gh
The webmaster seems to have forgotten 'I before 'e' except after 'c''

Being back in Accra after an almost 12 month hiatus, I am keenly taking note of changes to the Beacon of African Democracy (BAD) especially since Ghana is the poster child for Africa. One thing that I have noticed that makes Ghana December 2011 very different from Ghana December 2012 is the exponential proliferation in the number of motorcycles on the streets of Accra. I must admit that the first time I actually noticed these motorcycles was when one sped comfortably through a red light almost colliding with oncoming traffic. What surprised me most was the fact that there was a policeman at the junction and not only did his presence not seem to raise much concern with the cyclists but he did not do anything about them speeding through the aforementioned red light. Later on that day, I was amused to be passed by a motorcycle weaving through traffic with a passenger with a goat on his lap....I kid you not....a goat.

Very quickly however, I have come to realize that motorcycles on the streets of Accra appear to be the latest essential ingredients for accidents. Not only do motorcycles weave through traffic and overtake on the left side, they also ignore traffic light rules and not too many riders seem concerned with helmets. I am not only ranting because I met a motorcycle rider on a deserted street in Kokomemle driving on the left side of the road and angrily gesturing for me to shift to the wrong side of the road. I wanted to stop my car and ask the clearly confused man if he had just arrived from the UK and somehow forgotten that we drive on the right side of the road in Ghana but alas, he had sped away at the same dangerous speed at which he had shown up in the first place. So, if any one is reading this, I do have a couple of random questions:

1. Whose brilliant idea was it to allow these dangerous motorcycles to proliferate without being checked?

2. Or am I wrong and is someone actually monitoring these motorcyclists and their dangerous activities?

3. Anyone keeping a count of the number of accidents caused by motorcyclists?

Over to you all.