Prof. Busia’s legacy of punctuality

I was thrilled to see a clip of Professor Kofi Abrefa Busia granting an interview to a section of the media while glued to late news on Metro TV a few years ago. The Metro TV programme was part of the anniversary celebrations of Prof. Busia’s demise.

He was the Prime Minister during the second Republic and died on August 20, 1978; six years after his government was overthrown by General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong.

Prof. Busia might have granted the interview between 1970 and 1971. This was probable as his Progress Party government, which came to power in 1969, was overthrown in February 1972

I was very young when his government was overthrown and did not have the privilege to listen to that genius of a man. Metro TV, therefore, did me a great favour for coming out with some of the interviews Dr Busia granted to a section of the media at that time, where he espoused his beliefs in time management and its importance to accelerated development

Unfortunately for me, I bumped into the programme midway into the interview he granted over 45 years ago, but what I heard was sufficient to whet my appetite on issues that border on sustainable national development.

Judicious use of time
Commenting on time management in Ghana, he said it was important for workers to be punctual at their workplaces and be seen to be working very hard within the eight-hour period of working hours each day.

Prof. Busia was emphatic about the judicious use of time, the measures he was taking to make time management effective in Ghana and how it could contribute meaningfully to sustainable socio-economic development.

The good professor would be gnashing his teeth and turning in his grave for the disrespect Ghanaians have for time and the shabby manner we have treated this most precious commodity over the years.

To date, the so-called 'African punctuality' where no conscious effort is made to be punctual at all national and other programmes seem to have got out of hand.

I have attended many programmes since I started journalism over 17 years ago, including state functions, but none of them has started at the appointed time.

Officials’ apology
Top public officials seem to have perfected the art of usually attending programmes very late. Sadly, however, they carry their lateness to subsequent programmes because taking everybody for granted had become an attitude they cannot change.

Punishing punctuality

By arriving late at public gatherings, public officials always seem to forget that they consciously punish those who arrive at the functions on schedule and rather reward those who arrive very late.

By this, public officials also seem to have sanctioned lateness against the philosophy of the cherished professor.

It is not surprising, therefore, that in her quest to achieve accelerated socio-economic development, Ghana has marked time for over 60 years, while Malaysia, Indonesia, and South Korea, among other countries which won political freedoms almost the same time as Ghana, are streets ahead in terms of development.

Silent lamentation

I always lament silently anytime I hear our leaders comparing Ghana to the countries mentioned above and are quick with their assurances of initiating policies and programmes to speed up development.

However, they fail to recognise that punctuality in all things, and at all times, is key to accelerated socio-economic development.

Ghanaians at all levels also cry for development, but forget that marshalling all our resources to initiate development programmes without recourse to efficient time management would be tantamount to sowing seeds in a whirlwind.

Incidentally, during election time, various flag bearers expound their visions on measures they would take to speed up development.

Missing link

However, the missing link during such campaigns is their failure to confront the problem of time management head-on, as Prof. Busia desired to do.

Just like the fight against illegal mining, the time has come for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to come up with a national policy that will make punctuality very attractive.

It is a fact that this generation has not only failed in its bid to carry Ghana where it ought to be, but has also woefully failed to leave a legacy that would be appreciative to our future generations so far as efficient and effective time management is concerned.

Role of chiefs

Our chiefs also have a big role to play to contribute to turn things around when it comes to time management.

They can perfectly do it by throwing overboard the so-called concept of African punctuality, which has totally become part and parcel of some traditional rulers when it comes to organising important traditional programmes or attending national ones.

Academicians, the business community, students, farmers, sports personalities, journalists, religious leaders and their congregations, as well as teachers, also have to make conscious efforts to be punctual at their workplaces and also work hard to enhance accelerated development.

Politicians
However, the biggest role rests on our politicians who have the mandate to initiate programmes and policies that would compel Ghanaians to change their negative attitudes of paying little or no respect to time.

In their campaigns, they should let the electorate become aware of how the concept of "African punctuality" has undermined sustainable national development, forcing us to mark time every day, instead of moving forward as a nation.

Politicians should also come up with a blueprint that would spell out the efficient management of time from the grass roots to the highest point of authority and see to its implementations when they win power.

Time management should also be practised at basic schools where teachers should not only be in school on time, but also ensure that their pupils work according to programme schedules and extended to the second cycle and tertiary institutions, where students and lecturers would be totally in love with time management.

It should also trickle down to public and private workplaces where management and staff would adhere to proper time management to push Ghana to the next level of our development.

If efficient use of time is put into practice henceforth, it would soon be translated into judicious use of our scarce resources and adequate income generation to improve our standard of living.

If Ghana is to advance as rapidly as Malaysia, Indonesia and South Korea, then all resources, including time, should be marshalled more appropriately; nothing should be left to chance.
Writer’s E-mail: gekab65@yahoo.co.uk