I have read with mixed feelings and nostalgia, the speech delivered by Sir Sam Jonah at one of the Rotary Club meeting.

As much as Sir Sam Jonah's concerns are of importance and must be looked into and measures taken to correct the ills of Ghana's democracy moving forward, it is equally important to point out to him without fear or favor that he has been a major contributory factor to most of the concerns he raised.

Mining Sector:

For more than one hundred years, the Ashanti Goldfields Company (AGC) mine at Obuasi, was the single most important gold mine in Ghana and one of the most profitable in the world. In the mid-1980s, AGC, and at that time, its single mine at Obuasi, led to the inauguration of the current phase of Ghana's mining industry based on a strategy of deregulation and privatization of state-owned assets and in a bid to encouraging the expansion of foreign investment.

From the injection of World Bank money in 1986 to revive and expand production at Obuasi, AGC was launched on a course of expansion and diversification within Ghana and into other African countries. By the end of the 20th century, it had developed into transnational corporation listed on the Accra, London, New York, Sydney and Toronto stock exchanges.

AGC’s growth and expansion was a central story in Ghana's celebrated status as a model structural adjustment country in the 1990s. Obuasi's contribution was key to the growth of gold exports which saw minerals overtake cocoa as Ghana's main export earner in 1992 as enumerated by researchers Akabzaa T. M., Seyire J. S., and Afriyie K.

Sir Sam Jonah has been in the mining sector since 1969 at the Obuasi gold-mines at the age of 25 years as supervisor in one of the deep mines and rose to become deputy CEO and subsequently appointed as substantive chief executive officer and oversaw its growth from one mine operation into a multinational one.

Sir Sam Jonah was a major player in the mining sector spanning decades in Ghana and abroad. He was and still is, a pillar to reckon with regards extensive experience in the mining sector.

Economic Failure

What Sir Sam Jonah failed to do in strengthening the precarious economic situation Ghana faces today was his inability to advise government to revamp or establish a gold refinery to add value to our gold to boost the economy but rather oversaw the shipment of our raw gold outside the country.

He could have privately and single handedly established a gold refinery in this country and liaise with government to enact laws that would compare mining companies to compulsorily, refine their gold in Ghana before exporting thereby reducing the unemployment in this country.

The Queen of England and other foreign institutions would 'HONOR' you because your activities have helped them in profiting and taking control of our mining sector to the detriment of the indigenes and the masses in Ghana.

His inability to use his immense and extensive experience to help governments fashion out structures in the mining sector for the benefit of Ghanaians at large has contributed to the menace of galamsey in Ghana.

Why won't successive governments borrow? Rawlings administration secured a 55% share in a nationalist approach to rescue the ailing economy at the time but Sir Sam Jonah later advised the government to reduce its shares in order to float shares on the various stock exchanges thereby depriving Ghana from its lion's share in the gold industry leaving Ghana in the helpless economic situation we find ourselves in this 21st century when government share in the industry is nothing to write home about.

Old Age:

Fortunately for us, no doctor has told Sir Sam Jonah that he has only 3 days to live. Now he has no interest in material world like Mahatma Gandhi so he can now speak the truth. He's also super rich and untouchable so he must speak the truth; what an irony!

It is interesting but rather sad to note that in his own point of view, it is when you are old like him before you will have serious concerns about the future generations and failure to speak up smacks of irresponsible tenancies. He asserts, that given an endowment both human and natural, we can and should do much better ' really?

Ghanaian Ownership in the Industry:

Sir Sam Jonah indicates that no Ghanaian businessman own up to 5% in the mining industry in Ghana. It is so because he failed to put in place proper measures to secure a place for the Ghanaian businessman in the industry.

Sir Sam Jonah could possibly build the biggest rice processing plants in this country to stem down the quantum of rice imported annually to support the economy but he chose otherwise. Indeed he assets that as an investor, he knows what an economy should look like and continues to say that he has a choice in where to put his money. Question is, which part of the economy of Ghana has he invested in support of  Ghana's ailing economy? - talk they say is cheep!

In the nutshell, Sir Sam Jonah's concerns are legitimate but he failed to acknowledge his own actions and inactions as a contributory factor of the current situation that Ghana finds itself in which has led to the impunity in all sectors of the economy and governance as a whole.

Culture of Silence:

Sir Sam Jonah failed to elaborate and expantiate on his claim of culture of silence by giving examples to give any interlectual a clear starting point of dealing with such an important allegation which to me, smacks of a caution thrown into the wind.

The Tripod:

Sir Sam Jonah laments over a weak democratic structure where he states clearly of the executive arm being stronger than the others and blames it on the 1992 constitution ; true as it is, there have been several calls to the public for their inputs on constitutional amendments under the 4th republic : did he pen down his opinions to that effect?

Funding Of Political Parties:

Finally, I ask; has Sir Sam Jonah ever helped financially any of the two leading political parties in their quest to grab power?

It is the hope of the Liberal Party of Ghana - LPG, that productive and beneficial measures would be put in place to secure the right percentage in the mineral industry to boost Ghana's economy to ensure development and job creation.