Imperialism, garbage and Ghana

[Langalibalele]

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USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: 'Ghana to import garbage [fromCanada]'
USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: 'Ghana to import garbage [fromCanada]' - USA Africa Dialogue Series | Google Groups
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Date: Mon, Dec 1 2008 2:04 am
From: Yemi Oke


Dear all,I align myself with Prof Fakiyesi's submissions. What needs have Ghana for the Canadian (toxic) solid waste? Most of the harmful wastes of these developed countries are already "externalised" to the whole world with the developing countries having unfair share due to their relative inability to deploy technology to control or diffuse its impacts. For Ghana to now 'trade' in it would be most unreasonable. I hope increasing presence of Nigerian traders in Accra and other parts of Ghana will not resort in venturing into sub-regional trading of Ghana's toxic purchases from Canada to Ghana and then to Nigeria-all in the name of "business".If Ghana decides not to be bulged, I have no problems because the toxic in my home in Toronto would have been "sold", but my worries is being "re-sold" to Nigeria again.On a serious note, this is mis-adventure if at all ventured into by Ghana or any country in Africa.
Kind regards.
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YEMI OKE PhD; LL.M (Osgoode, Canada) LL.B (Ilorin); B.L(Abuja, Nig.) "In search of the SOLUTION"

On Nov 26, 2008, fakiyesi_tayo@hotmail.com wrote:

Black man na black man everywhere! How can we explain Ghana importing toxic waste from Canada. Canada has more land to dump waste than than the whole of Ghana. I am sure discussin this issue in this forum will be sufficient to make Ghana have a rethink because some body some where will give a listening ear in Ghana. Is there anyone to give a listening ear in Nigeria? Tayo

Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: 'Ghana to import garbage [fromCanada]'Date: Wed, 26 Nov 2008 18:26:47 +0200
From: IYANDA@mopipi.ub.bwTo: USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com

One additional question arising from Ghana importing garbage from Canada, apart from those raised as to source (Canada rather than Nigeria or even Accra) and safety (toxic or not) is the cost. Who will be paying whom? How much will Canada pay Ghana for serving as its (Canada)garbage dump? Or is Ghana expected to pay Canada for helping it to keep Ottawa clean and wholesome?

As they say, wonders never end. It seems the West has run out of unserviceable motor vehicles and spare parts, unserviceable fridges and computers, and “bosicorner” clothing. Since we must always import from the West using the aid or loans granted by them, what else to import than garbage, of which we indeed should be leading exporters?
I thought the government in Ghana was much saner than its Nigerian brother. At least, no Ghana government officials or legislator have held their retreats in Nigeria, as a way of spending hard currency and earning estacode.

I hope this madness shall pass and President Kuffour would redeem his image of a sane, and committed leadership.

Olukunle Iyanda
University of Botswana
Gaborone

[Im The Truth]

I don't see how Pres. Kuffour can think Ghana can store other countries garbage? When Ghana itself needs better waste management. The things these people do for money!

[Langalibalele]

This is the contradiction with black middle class leadership. We used to have discussions which often degenerated into arguments inside the AAPRP years ago. These heated sessions revolved around defining the role of the petty bourgeoisie, whether the heads of the microstate represented the bourgeoisie or the petty bourgeoisie, and how our interpretation of their status helped define the situation inside Africa. Needless to say, we read plenty of literature but could never come to any definitive agreement.

A strictly Marxist approach defines class forces according to their relationship to the means of production. The workers are the producers. There are other producing classes, altho the worker is the most mature because of his/her relation to the most organized methods of production. By that definition, the worker is called the majority social force.

The petty bourgeoisie is the small capitalist class. They are basically the managers in society. They exist on a plane between the capitalists and the workers; they intervene in the class struggle, they mediate the class struggle, and they think because of this relationship they are the leadership in society. Marx does not define class affiliation thru how much wealth one owns but by one's relationship to how wealth is produced and accumulated. So the petty bourgeoisie can be billionaires, theoretically, if they are managing property, labor and wealth for the bourgeoisie. In this scenario, even slavemasters were nothing but small businessmen who operated large-scale plantations.

The real capitalists own and control the means of production. That is, they own and control labor, mines, real estate, factories, agriculture, shipping and all sectors of society. They privately distribute the wealth in society and concentrate it so that wealth becomes compact and readily transferrable. I do not see how the despots in Africa reflect this role. They marginally control the means of production; not for any indigenous economic development but for international finance capital. They are in hock to the IMF/World Bank. They manage on a national scale for foreign or transnational corporations.

We can debate this for awhile. The discussion is not closed. In fact, it is important to extend this analysis into something which helps us overstand what forces in Africa, the Caribbean and stateside are committed to the upliftment of African people. Obviously, a class analysis will not fail us. We see how far the black middle class has gone to betray us. Now we have to cultivate our own self-led black w/c revolutionaries. Uhuru!