I'M ALREADY TAKEN,YOU SPOKE UP TOO LATE...

I’M ALREADY TAKEN

Great friends have we been since childhood.

Classmates have we been since Primary 2.

You lifted me up whenever I was down.

You stood by me when I really needed support.

Together we went up,

Together we descended.

We were never far apart.

In my mornings you were present.

During my afternoons you were around for lunch.

We enjoyed each other’s company through the evenings

Till we ran short of words.

My message inbox is flooded with your messages.

A ‘Good morning’ message from you was never absent.

At midday, I was sure to receive ‘How has your day been?’ from you,

And at night, ‘Sweet dreams….a 1000 mosquito bites....xoxo’.

We supported Manchester United together

And had mad fun when other EPL teams lost.

 The feeling was exciting!

You were the one who patiently taught me bike-riding.

You aided me in my driving lessons,

And even introduced me to country music.

 The genre of music that I’m currently addicted to.

You’ve become part of me.

You’re virtually a family member

Because your own mother even asks of your whereabouts from me.

We’ve been through thick & thin together.

Together we’ve swam through fire & ice.

We’ve experienced the ‘wows’ & ‘ouchs’ side by side.

Oooh, what a feeling!

It’s been over 7 years since we both turned 18

And I’m amazed you’ve now found your voice & guts

To propose to me after all these years.

It would have been awesome to simply ‘yes’ to your proposal

But I’m really,really sorry, my dear.

Hmmmm…..

It breaks my heart to tell you this

But I think you need to know,

That I’m already taken

You spoke up too late….

HELLO,HELLO CUBA, 177 DOCTORS PLEASE

HELLO, HELLO CUBA,

177 DOCTORS PLEASE

Strike, strike & mass resignation.

This is the saltless meal my doctors are serving me

At a time when election is just a whisker away.

Personally, I have no problem with that

Coz I usually seek medical attention abroad.

It is the ordinary Ghanaian voters that suffer.

They need to be alive to re-elect me in the general elections.

That is a must!

I am doing everything possible to get the doctors back to work.

I have branded their strike as ‘illegal & doesn’t make sense’.

My ministers have threatened them in various ways.

My parrot & often clueless party communicators with sharp teeth

Have lambasted & insulted them openly on daily basis.

Others have even leaked confidential documents on social media,

All in an attempt to incite Ghanaian against the doctors,

And make them appear insensitive & heartless.

I believe the doctors deserve favourable conditions of service.

I know ordinary Ghanaians are suffering & dying

As a result of the strike.

I know doctors sacrifice on daily basis to serve this country.

I know some of my presidential staffers are not as qualified

As the doctors are

Yet receive outrageous salaries & work under luxurious conditions.

I know these doctors provide very,very essential services

But,

 I also need to gain massive political points from the whole situation.

I would have loved to quickly negotiate

And resolve this needlessly protracted standoff

But come on, I need to appear tough & rough.

I need to play hard ball with the doctors.

I can’t swallow my pride and give in to their demands

Because my opponents will use it against me during their campaigns.

Ghanaians are suffering, I know.

Ghanaian voters are dying, that’s a worry.

The taxpayers deserve better, I’m aware

But I can’t kowtow to these local doctors’ demands.

It isn’t in the budget

Just like the millions of dollars airlifted to the Blackstars in Brazil.

The party’s interest must reign over the national interest.

I’ll not agree to the demands of these local doctors.

They can do their worst!

I’ll recall retired doctors

And import Spanish-speaking doctors to take over from them.

P.A., Get me the phone

‘Hello,hello, is that Cuba?

This is Ghana

177 non-English-speaking doctors please’.