Towtua​—Ɛyɛ “Nnipa Anibue” So Akatua?

“Nnipa anibue so akatua ne towtua.”—Nkyerɛwee a egu Ɔman Tow Asoɛe dan ho wɔ Washington, D.C.

ABAN horow ka sɛ tow yɛ ade a wɔmpɛ nanso ɛho hia—ɛyɛ “nnipa anibue” so akatua. Sɛ ebia wopene nsusuwii a ɛte saa so anaa wompene so no, nokwasɛm a obiara ntumi nnye ho kyim ne sɛ, ɛde adesoa kɛse na abɛto yɛn so.

Tow gu ahorow abien: nea wogye no tẽẽ ne nea wonnye no tẽẽ. Tow a wogye no tẽẽ ho nhwɛso ne adwuma so mfaso ho tow, adwumakuw mfaso ho tow ne agyapade ho tow. Wɔ eyi mu no, ɛda adi sɛ adwuma so mfaso ho tow na ne tua yɛ yaw kɛse. Eyi te saa titiriw wɔ aman a wogye akatua ntomu ho tow no mu—dodow a wogye akatua kɛse no, dodow no ara na wotua ho tow. Nnipa a wɔkasa tia tow nhyehyɛe ahorow bi no ka sɛ tow a wɔto mu bere a wɔato akatua mu no yɛ adwumaden ne yiyedi ho asotwe.

OECD Observer, Sikasɛm mu Biakoyɛ ne Nkɔso Ahyehyɛde nhoma no ka kyerɛ yɛn sɛ, sɛ tow a yetua ma aban no da nkyɛn a, “ebetumi aba sɛ wɔn a wogye akatua no san tua tow wɔ beae a wɔte, ɔmantam a wɔte mu ne ɔman tow de ka tow a wotua ma aban no ho. Saa na ɛte wɔ Belgium, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Korea, Scandinavia aman, Spain, Switzerland ne United States.”

Tow a wonnye no tẽẽ no bi ne tow a wogye wɔ nneɛma a wɔtɔn, nsa ne sigaret, nneɛma a wɔde kɔ amannɔne ne nea wɔkra ba ɔman mu no ho. Wonhu saa tow yi mu papa te sɛ tow a wogye no tẽẽ no de, nanso ebetumi de sikasɛm mu ahokyere aba wɔn a wodi hia no so titiriw. Nhoma kyerɛwfo Jayali Ghosh ka wɔ India nsɛmma nhoma Frontline mu sɛ, ɛnyɛ nokware sɛ wɔn a wonni sika pii ne adefo na etua India tow fã kɛse no ara. Ghosh ka sɛ: “Tow a aban gyigye nyinaa bɛboro ɔha mu 95 yɛ tow a wontua no tẽẽ. . . . Na akyinnye biara nni ho sɛ nnipa a wodi hia buruburoo no de wɔn akatua mu fã kɛse no ara tua tow sen adefo no.” Tow akɛse a wotua wɔ nneɛma te sɛ samina ne aduan a nnipa pii tɔ ho no na ɛde nsisi yi ba.

Dwuma bɛn ankasa na aban horow no de sika a wogyigye yi nyinaa di?

Dwuma a Wɔde Sika no Di

Nokwarem no, egye sika pii na aban atumi de nneɛma a ɛho hia ama yɛn. Sɛ nhwɛso no, wɔ France no, nnipa 4 biara mu 1 yɛ aban adwuma. Eyinom bi ne akyerɛkyerɛfo, amanae adwumayɛfo, wɔn a wɔyɛ adwuma wɔ tete nneɛma akorae ne ayaresabea, polisifo ne aban adwumayɛfo afoforo. Wohia tow na wɔde atua wɔn ka. Wɔde tow a wotua no yɛ akwan, wɔde sisi sukuu ne ayaresabea, na ɛboa ma wotua adwumayɛfo a wɔsesa nwura ne wɔn a wɔde amanae brɛ yɛn no ka.

Asraafo a wɔbɔ wɔn ho ka ne ade foforo a enti ɛsɛ sɛ ɔmanfo tua tow. Wodii kan twaa adwuma so mfaso ho tow maa Britaniafo adefo na ama wɔanya sika de ako atia Fransefo wɔ 1799 mu. Nanso wɔ Wiase Ko II mu no, Britania aban maa adwumayɛfo fii ase tuaa wɔn adwuma so mfaso ho tow. Ɛnnɛ, egye sika pii na wɔatumi akɔ so ahwɛ ɔman asraafodɔm wɔ asomdwoe bere mu mpo. Amanaman Ntam Asomdwoe Nhwehwɛmu Ahyehyɛde a ɛwɔ Stockholm no buu akontaa sɛ ɛka a wɔbɔe wɔ asraafo ho wɔ wiase nyinaa wɔ 2000 mu no si bɛyɛ dɔla ɔpepepem 798.

Ɛde Nsakrae Ba Ɔmanfo Asetram

Tow ahorow nso yɛ ɔkwan biako a wɔfa so “sakra ɔmanfo asetra”—ɛyɛ ade a wɔde hyɛ su bi ho nkuran anaa wɔma wogyae. Sɛ nhwɛso no, tow a wotua wɔ mmosa ho tew nsanom bebrebe so. Enti wɔ aman pii so no, tow a wogye wɔ nsa biara a wɔtɔ ho no yɛ ne bo no mu ɔha mu nkyem 35.

Wotua tow akɛse nso wɔ tawa ho. Wɔ South Africa no, sigaret adaka biako bo ɔha mu 45 kosi 50 yɛ tow. Nanso, ɛnyɛ ɔmanfo yiyedi titiriw nti na bere nyinaa aban no hyɛ tow a ɛte saa ho nkuran. Sɛnea nhoma kyerɛwfo Kenneth Warner ka wɔ Foreign Policy nsɛmma nhoma mu no, tawa anya “nkɛntɛnso kɛse wɔ sikasɛm mu ma afe biara wonya dɔla ɔpehaha pii fi tawa a wɔtɔn mu, na wonya tow dɔla ɔpepepem pii fi mu.”

Asetram nsakrae ho nhwɛso biako a ɛda nsow ne nea esii wɔ afeha a ɛto so 20 mfiase no. U.S. mmarahyɛ baguafo bɔɔ mmɔden sɛ wobesiw adefo abusua a ɔmanfo hyehyɛ no ano. Ɔkwan bɛn so? Denam tow a wogye wɔ owufo bi agyapade ho no so. Sɛ ɔdefo bi wu a, n’agyapade no fã kɛse no ara kodi tow mu. Wɔn a wɔtaa adeyɛ yi akyi no ka sɛ tow no “ma agyapade no fi abusua ne nnipa atitiriw bi nsa ma ɛbɛyɛ ɔman anaa kwasafo de.” Nanso adefo a wotua tow no apɛ akwan pii a wɔnam so tew tow a wotua no so.

Wɔda so ara de tow di asetram nsɛm ho dwuma, te sɛ abɔde mu nneɛma a wɔbɔ ho ban. The Environmental Magazine bɔ amanneɛ sɛ: “Nnansa yi ara Europa Atɔe fam aman akron ahyehyɛ tow ho mmara a wɔde bɛbɔ abɔde mu nneɛma ho ban a wɔnam so bɛtew efĩ a ɛwɔ mframa mu no so.” Akatua ntomu ho tow a yɛkaa ho asɛm mfiase no nso yɛ ɔkwan foforo a wɔnam so sakra nnipa asetra; atirimpɔw no ara ne sɛ ɛbɛtew nsonsonoe a ɛda asikafo ne ahiafo ntam no so. Aban ahorow bi nso tew tow a wɔn a wɔyɛ adɔe anaa awofo a wɔwɔ mma tua no so.

Dɛn Nti na Tow Ho Mmara Yɛ Hwanyann Saa?

Bere biara a wɔbɛyɛ tow foforo ho nhyehyɛe no, mmarahyɛ baguafo bɔ mmɔden sɛ wobetuatua ɛho akwan nyinaa. Nanso kae sɛ: Egye sika pii na wɔayɛ saa. Dɛn na efi mu ba? Ɛma tow ho mmara yɛ hwanyann na ɛkyere adwene. Asɛm bi a ɛwɔ Time nsɛmma nhoma mu ka sɛ nea ama U.S. tow ho mmara ayɛ hwanyann no “gyina nea wobu no sɛ adwuma so mfaso,” kyerɛ sɛ, nea ɛbɛyɛ a wobehu mfaso a ɛsɛ sɛ wogye ho tow no so. Ade foforo a ama ayɛ hwanyann no ne mmara pii a “ɛma kwan ma wɔtetew ka ahorow a wɔbɔ wɔ adwumam fi wɔn mfaso mu ansa na wɔagye wɔn tow ne tow ahorow bi a wontua no so.” Nanso ɛnyɛ United States nkutoo na tow ho mmara yɛ hwanyann. Tow ho mmara a wɔyɛɛ no nnansa yi ara wɔ United Kingdom no gyee nhoma ahorow du a ɛyɛ nkratafa 9,521.

Adwumayɛbea a Wɔyɛ Tow Nhyehyɛe mu Nhwehwɛmu wɔ Michigan Sukuupɔn mu no ka sɛ: “Afe biara, wɔn a wotua tow wɔ U.S. no sɛe bɛboro dɔnhwerew ɔpepepem abiɛsa de hyehyɛ wɔn tow ho nkrataa. . . . Sɛ wɔka bere ne sika a nnipa a wotua tow wɔ U.S. no gye [de hyehyɛ tow ho nkrataa] no nyinaa bom a, esi bɛyɛ dɔla ɔpepepem 100 afe biara, anaa bɛyɛ tow a wogyigyee no mu ɔha mu nkyem 10. Nea ɛma wɔbɔ ka pii wɔ tow ho mmara a wodi so ho no fi towtua ho mmara a ɛyɛ hwanyann no.” Reuben a yɛkaa ne ho asɛm wɔ asɛm yi mfiase no ka sɛ: “Ná anka m’ankasa na mehyehyɛ me tow ho nkrataa, nanso na egye me bere pii, na mpɛn pii na mete nka sɛ mitua tow pii dodo. Ne saa nti, seesei mafa sika ho akontaabufo a ɔhyehyɛ me tow ho nkrataa ma me ma mitua no ka.”—Hwɛ adaka “Tow Ho Mmara a Yebedi So,” a ɛwɔ kratafa 8 no.

Ebinom Tua, Afoforo Kwati, na Afoforo Nso Guan

Anyɛ yiye koraa no, nnipa dodow no ara de amemenemfe begye mfaso a wɔn man nya fi tow a wotua mu no atom. Ɔpanyin a ɔda Asoɛe a Egyigye Tow ano wɔ Britain no kyerɛkyerɛɛ mu bere bi sɛ: “Obiara ani nnye towtua ho, nanso obiara ntumi nka sɛ sɛ yɛantua tow a ebesi yɛn yiye.” Nnipa binom bu akontaa sɛ, nnipa dodow bɛyɛ ɔha mu 90 na wodi tow ho mmara so wɔ United States. Ɔpanyin biako a ɔhwɛ tow so ka sɛ: “Nea ɛma nnipa pii nni tow ho mmara so no gyina tow ho akwankyerɛ a emu nna hɔ so, na ɛnyɛ sɛ wɔboapa na woguan.”

Ne saa mpo no, nnipa pii fa akwan horow so kwati tow ahorow bi. Sɛ nhwɛso no, susuw asɛm a U.S.News & World Report ka faa adwumakuw mfaso ho tow ho hwɛ: “Nnwumakuw pii fa mmara kwan so kwati tow pii a ɛsɛ sɛ wotua—na ɛtɔ mmere bi a wontua bi koraa—denam ka a wɔbɔ wɔ adwumam a wɔtew fi wɔn mfaso mu ansa na wɔatua ho tow ne nyansakwan a wɔfa so kwati no so.” Bere a wɔde nyansakwan a wɔfa so kwati tow a ɛsɛ sɛ wotua ho nhwɛso rema no, asɛm no toa so sɛ: “Adwumakuw bi a ɛwɔ U.S. no kobuee adwuma no foforo wɔ ɔman a wonnye tow kɛse so. Afei wɔde adwuma a ɛwɔ U.S. no bɛhyɛɛ nea ɛwɔ ɔman foforo mu no ase.” Wɔnam saa kwan no so ma adwumakuw no ntua U.S. tow—a ebetumi akɔ soro ɔha mu 35—nanso ebia na “adwumayɛbea ti a ɛwɔ amannɔne no nyɛ hwee sɛ address, amenade adaka ne adaka a wɔhyehyɛ adwuma ho nkrataa wom kɛkɛ.”

Afei nnipa bi wɔ hɔ a woguan tow koraa. Wɔbɔ amanneɛ sɛ, wobu towtua a woguan wɔ Europa aman mu sɛ “ɔman mu agodie bi.” Sɛnea nhwehwɛmu bi a wɔyɛe wɔ United States kyerɛ no, mmarima a wɔadi fi mfe 25 kosi 29 ɔha mu 58 pɛ na wogye di sɛ ɛyɛ mfomso sɛ obi renkyerɛ akatua dodow a ogye. Nhwehwɛmufo no gye tom sɛ: “Amanneɛbɔ no nka hwee mfa ɔmanfo abrabɔ gyinapɛn a ɛkorɔn ho.” Wobu akontaa sɛ nnipa ɔha mu 35 na woguan towtua wɔ Mexico.

Nanso, nnipa pii na wɔahu hia a tow ho hia, ma enti ɛnhaw wɔn sɛ wobetua wɔn tow. Nanso, ɛte sɛ nea nsɛm a agye din a wɔkyerɛ sɛ Tiberius Caesar kae no yɛ nokware: “Oguanhwɛfo pa twitwa ne nguan ho nhwi, na ɔnworow ne nwoma.” Sɛ wote nka sɛ wɔresisi wo wɔ tow nhyehyɛe bi a asete yɛ den, ɛyɛ nsisi na ɛkyere adwene mu a, ɛsɛ sɛ wubu towtua dɛn?

[Adaka wɔ kratafa 7]

Dwen Ho Ansa na Woatu Akɔ Beae Foforo!

Ɛsono sɛnea ɔman biara tow nhyehyɛe te. Nokwarem no, ebetumi aba sɛ wɔ ɔman koro mu no nsonsonoe kɛse bɛda tow a wogyigye wɔ mmeae ahorow mu. So mfaso wɔ so sɛ wususuw tu a wubetu akɔtra beae a wogye tow kakraa bi no ho? Ebia ɛte saa, nanso ɛsɛ sɛ wususuw ho ansa na woatu.

Sɛ nhwɛso no, asɛm bi a ɛwɔ OECD Observer mu ka kyerɛ akenkanfo sɛ ɛnyɛ towtua nkutoo ne asɛm no. Ɛka sɛ: “Ɛka a wɔtew fi mfaso mu ansa na wɔatua ho tow no nso nya tow ankasa a ankorankoro tua no so nkɛntɛnso.” Sɛ nhwɛso no, aman binom gye tow kakraa bi. Nanso “nneɛma a ɛho hia a wɔyɛ ma ɔmanfo, ɛka a wɔtew fi mfaso mu ansa na wɔatua tow ne nneɛma a wontua ho tow yɛ kakraa bi.” Ne saa nti, ebetumi aba sɛ obi betua tow pii wɔ ɔman a wontua tow kɛse mu asen aman a wogye tow pii na wɔmma wontua nneɛma ahorow bi ho tow no.

Wɔ United States no, ebinom susuw tu a wobetu akɔ mmeae a wontua adwuma so mfaso ho tow mma ɔman no ho. Nanso, so eyi a wɔyɛ no ma wonya sika? Ɛnte saa, sɛnea Kiplinger’s Personal Finance kyerɛ no: “Mpɛn pii na yɛn nhwehwɛmu da no adi sɛ mmeae a wonnye adwuma so mfaso ho tow no, wogye agyapade, nneɛma a wɔtɔn ne nneɛma afoforo ho tow akɛse de hyɛ ananmu.”

[Adaka wɔ kratafa 8]

Tow Ho Mmara a Yebedi So

Wɔ yɛn mu pii fam no, towtua yɛ ade a ɛhaw adwene, ɛyɛ adesoa ankasa. Ne saa nti, Nyan! bisaa nyansahyɛ ahorow bi a mfaso wɔ so fii tow ho nimdefo bi hɔ.

“Nya afotu pa. Eyi ho hia, efisɛ ebetumi ayɛ den sɛ wobɛte tow ho mmara ase, na nim a obi nnim tow ho mmara no ntaa nyɛ anoyi a ɛfata a wogyina so guan towtua. Ɛwom sɛ ebia wɔn a wotua tow no bebu tow ho mpanyimfo sɛ atamfo de, nanso mpɛn pii no wotumi de towtua ho akwankyerɛ pa a emu da hɔ ma. Tow ho mpanyimfo bɛpɛ sɛ wohyehyɛ wo tow ho nkrataa no pɛpɛɛpɛ fi mfiase pɛɛ. Wɔmpɛ sɛ wɔde wo bɛkɔ asɛnnibea.

“Sɛ ɛyɛ den sɛ wobɛtoto wo sikasɛm yiye a, hwehwɛ mmoa fi nnipa a wɔwɔ towtua ho nimdeɛ no hɔ. Nanso hwɛ yiye! Bere a tow ho animdefo pii dwen wo yiyedi ho no, wɔn mu dodow no ara nte saa. Hwehwɛ nyansahyɛ fi w’adamfo a wowɔ ne mu ahotoso anaa obi a wo ne no yɛ adwuma hɔ, na hwɛ hu sɛ tow ho odwumayɛni no wɔ n’adwuma no ho nkrataa a ɛfata.

“Yɛ ade ntɛm. Wotumi de asotwe a emu yɛ den ma wɔn a wɔmfa wɔn adwuma ho kyerɛwtohɔ nkɔ ntɛm no.

“Yɛ kyerɛwtohɔ a ɛfata. Sɛnea wo sikasɛm ho kyerɛwtohɔ te biara no, ma ɛnyɛ ne bere mu de. Sɛ woyɛ saa a, towtua ho nkrataa a wobɛhyehyɛ akyiri yi no ho adwuma so bɛtew. Afei nso, sɛ ɛkɔba sɛ wɔrebɛyɛ wo sikasɛm ho kyerɛwtohɔ no mu nhwehwɛmu a, wo ho renkyere wo.

“Di nokware. Anhwɛ a wobɛpɛ sɛ wuwia mu anaa wukyinkyim nsɛm kakra. Nanso tow ho mpanyimfo wɔ nyansakwan pii a wɔnam so hu atosɛm. Eye sɛ wubedi nokware bere nyinaa.

“Ma w’ani nkũ adwuma no ho. Sɛ obi a woafa no a ɔhyehyɛ wo tow ho nkrataa ma wo de kyerɛwtohɔ a enni mũ ma a, ɛho asodi da w’ankasa so. Enti hwɛ hu sɛ wo nanmusifo no bɛyɛ ade sɛnea wopɛ.”

[Mfonini wɔ kratafa 7]

Wɔ aman pii so no, wogye nneɛma a wɔde tawa ayɛ ne mmosa ho tow akɛse

[Mfonini ahorow wɔ kratafa 8, 9]

Tow ahorow na wɔde tua nneɛma pii a ebia yebu yɛn ani gu so no ho ka