Hurray!!! Ghana is 65, can we all joyfully sing a
birthday song for Ghana? Five years after retiring if Ghana was a “Ghanaian”.
Is Ghana proud of the successes chalked while in active service or is Ghana
retiring home to the village to fight for a room in the family house and
struggle over family properties? Big Brother Ghana at her age should be a great
counselor and mentor to many young African countries after living
“independently” for 65 solid years yet our dear country is now animal hunting
with the young boys in the farm else there will be no food on the table….. What
an accomplishment!!!
“We are a nation of sheep and someone else owns the
grass”- George Carlin. This quote probably is the exact description of the
current state we find ourselves as a country after gaining political
independence. A “flock” probably without a “Good Shepherd”! Hungry and
desperate “sheep” yet we have no “grass” and even with the little available,
only a select, chosen and privileged few have access to it. Politically liberated “sheep” from the “cage”
yet we can’t seem to find “grass” to eat unless we go back to the “cage” for
which we fought fearlessly to leave. A flock of “sheep” wandering around at the
direction and mercy of the wind… Kwame Nkrumah’s Ghana??
65 years and proud of ourselves I guess…..Proud of
physical brutalities in our legislative house? Proud of political intolerance?
Proud of industrial strikes? Proud of its many political and juicy campaign
promises? Proud of only delivering economic sermons on how to manage the
economy? Proud of losing lives and properties to flood every year? Proud of the
cedi breaking jail even after the Vice President personally handed the key to
the IGP? Proud of fuel prices breaking the “eight”? Proud of trying to impose
the e-levy at all cost? Proud of rising youth unemployment? Proud of our NABCO
trainees who haven’t been paid for months? Proud of our quest to digitalize yet
we still have to queue and spend several hours to get our NIA cards? Proud of
data harmonization yet after registering for our Ghana card, we still have to
physically visit offices of telecommunication and SSNIT to merge our data in the midst of
covid? Proud of our country where fraud
(“sister nie oo London” among others) is becoming the means of survival?
Today as Ghana celebrates its 65th
independence, I share this piece as a young Ghanaian. I write this as a son of
the country hoping to have been enjoying the fruits and labor of my dear mother
Ghana by now. I write joining and asking my age mates and fellow youth if we
can even afford a birthday party for our 65 year old mother Ghana. I ask my fellow youth to go into the boxes and
wardrobes of our dear mother Ghana and see her belongings if we are proud of
them. I ask our leaders if this is the best they can offer. I ask our forefathers if this is indeed the
country they envisaged for us. I ask Ghanaian workers if they are content with
the wage bill. I ask consumers of our utility if they are proud of the services
being offered. I ask government communicators if they can continue to defend
everything and anything the government introduces. I ask government
functionaries if they are proud of their accomplishments. I ask opposition
political parties what they would have done differently if they had the
opportunity. I ask other politicians if they will continue to paint the
government black at all times….. And then finally, I ask the Ghanaian voter if
they have ever been proud of the ballot cast?
6th March presents us with a golden
opportunity to have a national discourse about the future of Ghana. A great
opportunity to do a self-introspection of our journey as an independent
country. But the sad reality is that, social media and the traditional media have
always focused on trivial issues such as plagiarized speeches of Presidents, whether
Presidents exchange warm handshake with former Presidents or not, the costume, facial
make ups and fashion of our first and second ladies among others.
Today, I humbly appeal to us all as a nation to change
the narrative and focus on our progress as a country. Let us have an honest
discussion of our socio- economic and political status as a country. Let us
talk about the future we are building for our youth. Let us talk about the
quality of students we are producing. Let us talk about the role of academia
and media in economic liberation. Let us talk about the abuse of power and
office. Let us talk about our farm produce that get rotten in the farms due to
poor roads. Let us talk about communities in Ghana with no access to education,
electricity, potable water among others. Let us talk about our university students
of whom, a good number have no clue on what the future holds for them. Let us
talk about the labor force leaving the shores of the land to secure greener
pastures. Let us indeed talk about the abuse some women are being subjected to
due to culture and religion. And most importantly, let us talk about our
identity and values as a people.
Fellow Ghanaians, My brothers and sisters, Fellow
country men and women. Indeed Ghana as a country has come a long way. Let us
not overlook our successes we have chalked as a country. However, let us not be
in denial of the real and hard truth facing our country today. Ghana has
enjoyed a relatively stable democracy, some good investments in infrastructure,
some social interventions in education and health among others. These are gains
we should be proud of but we should not be deceived that all is rosy and
glamourous.
For Policy and Development practitioners, what
happened to vision 2020 by Chairman Rawlings? Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy
I, Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy II by President Kuffour? Ghana Shared
Growth and Development Agenda I and II by Prof. Mills and President Mahama and now
what is happening to the famous Ghana beyond Aid by President Akuffo-Addo … I
call on development practitioners, academics, politicians, bureaucrats, Civil
Society Organizations, Media among others to critically review these policy
frameworks/ visions, consolidate our findings and then charter a clearer path
for our nation. Let this new path be the Ghana dream. Let us think and start
developing a dream for mother Ghana. A dream that will inform policies and
plans. A dream that will not die with an
Individual. A dream that will not exit with the ruling government.
Indeed, as I write this piece, I still have lots of
hope in our potential as a country to change the narrative. This is indeed the
time where research publications by academics should not be left to rot. This
is indeed the time where political actors especially the Executive and
Parliament must take the opportunity of a hung parliament given by Ghanaians to
work together in the interest of mother Ghana. This is surely the time, to cut
down on the luxury and extravagant lifestyle of the ruling class. This is
surely the time to have a national discourse about a plan and vision for Ghana.
This is indeed the time to celebrate success and not mediocrity. This is surely
a time to forge ahead as a people irrespective of one’s political or cultural
affiliation.
To the political and ruling class, this is indeed the
time to think about the people for whom power, authority and resources have
been entrusted in your care.
May God bless our dear country and make our nation
great and strong.
Vincent Ohene-Ntow
YALI Dream
A Better Ghana
A Brighter Africa
Facebook; Kwame Ohene-Ntow
Email: vincentntow12@gmail.com
Personal Blog; mirrorofafrica.blogspot.com
The writer is a Development Practitioner and a Local
Government Enthusiast. He holds a Master’s degree in Development Policy and
Planning from KNUST and a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from the
University of Ghana Business School. He is an Alumnus of the Young African
Leadership Initiative (YALI, RLC).
Good and important piece
ReplyDeleteAwesome Write Up! Ghana Shall Win with Such minds, not ready to give Up!!
ReplyDeleteAfter 65 years of independence, I ask myself, how is it possible for a country like Ghana to remain a poor and mainly agricultural economy, with limited industrialization and an unproductive service sector. The politicians only think of how to fill their bellies, only few think of the citizens. A country like South Africa is only 27 years into independence, but massively developed. Though unemployment rate is high, the government gives each individual monthly grant(money given to the old, handicapped, aged, etc) to support them. From 2020 until now, each citizen from the age of 18years and above is given R350 as part of covid-19 relieve strategy. Ghana needs to do more else many citizens will migrate for greener pastures. Young people like you with great political intellect, energetic, vibrant and dedicated should rise up, firm your own political parties to challenge the old congealed blood, be a threat to them. The youth needs empowerment to to move Ghana forward.
ReplyDeleteWell written piece of work brother.
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ReplyDeleteGreat Piece Vincent! You are always challenging the Ghanaian youth not to settle for less regardless and do is so inspiring and great. How sad it is that, our mother Ghana is 65years and she cannot enjoy the fruit of her labor!
ReplyDeleteThis is a must read for every Ghanaian
ReplyDeleteWe hope to see a better
Gh , kudos Mr.Writer
That's a nice piece Master Ohene keep it up for the betterment of Ghana..
ReplyDelete