NOWHERE ELSE BUT GHANA!

As a writer, my theme has always been Ghana, and my focus has never drifted. I constantly talk about Ghana because Ghana is my home! I constantly talk about Ghana because no matter how far I drift, no matter how far I go, I still have nowhere else to return but home. In calling a place home, Ghana is my first point of contact. I have nowhere else to call home but Ghana. For this reason, it feels me with great anger and disgust when my Ghanaian brothers and sisters treat my home with complete disrespect and complete disregard! Rather sadly, we are teaching foreigners to do likewise! That is unacceptable!

Whenever a Ghanaian travels outside the shores of this country, we always receive stories about the development and progress being made there. There are always stories and perhaps, pictures on how orderly and organized things are. Our ‘borgers’ usually rob it in our face how efficient the health delivery system is in the western countries. We are always told how efficient the transportation system is. We are always told how humane the accommodation is. We are always told about the consistencies in the utilities network. When it comes to the services, the yardstick is perfection! Of course in the end when a comparison is made back home, we are often left in a state of hopelessness and a sorry state! Our ‘borgers’ always never stop to make the comparisons everywhere they go. Even in the markets, this comparison is unending! On the streets when we encounter littering, we never fail to hear about stories in America, Germany, London, Italy, among others. Most often, we end up tired of listening.

What never seizes to amaze me is that, as soon as these same people settle, they become like everyone else! In foreign countries, we learn to conform but when we get back home, we become lawless! Of course, the statement ‘When in Rome, behave like the Romans’ is applicable in the western countries. When we get back home, we become lawless!

Has the Ghanaian really considered the full implications of his actions and inactions? If we do, we would recognize the impact of our behavior on the socio-economic development of this country. Ghanaians would travel outside the country to involve themselves in all kinds of menial jobs but would consider it demeaning to engage themselves in similar jobs back home. We only return home to rob it in our faces how inefficient the system is. If all were to travel, who would then stay on to develop this nation? People leave our shores for several decades without returning, during which time they labour hard to develop other economies. In the end, these same people return to only complain about how underdeveloped the country is. If all were to travel, would we not return to find things exactly as we left them?

It is said that there is no place like home. No matter how long we travel, and how comfortable that place might be, home is always where the heart is. There is always a void that can only be filled whenever we return home. Most often, no matter how accepted we feel we are in these lands, it can never be compared to that of our native land! Ghana, our motherland!

Rather sadly in Ghana, there is the breaking of a new dawn! The new dawn that is giving way to the infiltration of foreigners who are claiming the land. This article is not to encourage any form of racially motivated attacks but only seeks to draw the attention of Ghanaians to a basic truth. We are allowing foreign citizens more leverage than is necessary. Our various diplomatic missions are not helping at all! It is sometimes disappointing at the various embassies when we encounter several Ghanaians queuing just to obtain visas. The general hospitality at these embassies, located within the country, leaves more to be desired! The interview itself, for most people, can be described as the most humiliating experience ever! Most of these people are in the end robbed and disappointed. Of course when situations reverse, Ghana always opens her doors widely! Nowhere else but Ghana!

In recent times, there has been an increase in crimes being committed by people believed to the Fulani. In various towns and villages, there have been attacks, robberies, and murders, associated with these people. Rather interestingly, some people are siding with these foreigners. Ghana in the name of widening markets, globalization, and cross-country trading, is selling over her land to these foreigners. Our own leaders have given these people the authority and effrontery to operate! The cattle, being driven by these Fulani herdsmen are partly owned by some Ghanaians! It is therefore not surprising that day in, and day out, these people are allowed to go unpunished. I sometimes even wonder how these people come into the country! Nowhere else but Ghana!

Each day, we hear stories of how a group of Asians, usually Chinese, is gradually destroying our lands in the name of surface mining. It is only in Ghana that such an occurrence can be allowed to go unpunished! In our very own neighbouring countries, such occurrences would be met with severe consequences. Nowhere else but Ghana!

In our various manufacturing and construction companies, we usually hear stories of the ill-treatment of Ghanaian workers, often ending in strikes and demonstrations. These occur only because the interests of our workers are not being met or addressed. All in the name of Ghana-International relations, our government conveniently turns a deaf ear or a blind eye to these offences! Our various trade union groups and leaders are in connivance against us! Oh Ghana, when would we wake up? With all that is going on within this country, how long would it take our leaders to make the right policies? When would the right actions be taken? Nowhere else but Ghana!

Ghana has always been noted as a warm and welcoming country. The truth however is, Ghana is perhaps a weak country! People are taking our leniency to be a weakness! Ghanaians are undergoing all forms of slavery on their own shores and no one seems to mind. Nowhere else but Ghana!

Each day in Ghana, nationals of various countries sneak in unnoticed through our borders. Each day, criminals make entry into this country. Most often, we identify this with our widening markets, globalization and our trade liberalization. But that is a fallacy! People are showing interest in the country not only because Ghanaians are perhaps warm and inviting or that the country is relatively peaceful, but mainly because, our security system is weak! Our security systems are being breached and infiltrated each day. People in the name of tourism come in and spy on our markets and then penetrate to our disadvantage. State secrets are leaking each day! We might only wake up tomorrow and discover that we have sold everything or perhaps, allowed everything we pride as a nation, stolen or taken away from us! Nowhere else but Ghana!

We keep handing out huge areas of land to foreign developers! We keep handing out huge contracts to foreign investors and yet, the Ghanaian is always left disappointed. Our trade laws are surprisingly more foreigner-friendly than Ghanaian friendly. Once again, the Ghanaian suffers! Our tax laws are more foreigner friendly, than Ghanaian friendly. Once again, the Ghanaian suffers! Some job descriptions are interestingly more foreigner-friendly, than Ghanaian friendly, IN GHANA! Our very own law enforcement agencies and agents are more foreigner-friendly than Ghanaian-friendly. Our hotels, restaurants, transportation systems, healthcare delivery systems and other services systems are all in conformity. Even at the government offices, they are not ruled out; a Ghanaian always encounters difficulty in obtaining any goods or services but rather surprisingly, foreigners are able to penetrate. Even our various institutions especially tertiary, are priding themselves internationally as more foreigner friendly! Our churches are not better examples themselves either. And the Ghanaian suffers! At our various work places, a Ghanaian can no longer complain to a fellow about a foreign boss because the next day, he or she would find himself or herself outside the gates! So much for allegiance! Who do we now turn to? Nowhere else but Ghana!

Our leaders are aware of this truth, and so are you! What have you done to protect your legacy? What have you done to secure your tomorrow? Let us not only think about ourselves in making our plans, but plan also for the future of others. We must strive to influence the lives of others in our dealings. Although we might only be individuals, our lives have been shaped to influence the life of another. Someone’s future is perhaps dependent on your today! Someone’s future is perhaps linked to your future! Let us be hospitable but in doing so, let us consider the first citizens of the land! The Ghanaian first! If we awake to chaos tomorrow, the foreigner will immediately flee our land. As Ghanaians, where would we go? Would the shores of the other countries be widely open to us?

I have nowhere else to go but Ghana, and so, I lay in bed each night, worrying! I worry about tomorrow! I worry that I might awake to an empty tomorrow!

BLAME THE TEACHER

It is often said that if you can read and write, thank the teacher. Hence, for all readers of this article, we owe it to our teachers. For this, I say, thank you teacher, for making this possible. I can read, and now, I write! Many people are always thankful to their teachers for the roles they have played in their lives. Many people are thankful to their teachers for contributing to the progress they have chalked. Many people are thankful to their teachers for the successes in their lives. But what about those who have failed to make any meaningful lives for themselves? What about the failures? Just as some people are thankful to their teachers, others never seize to mention the name of a particular teacher or teachers for influencing the path they chose in their lives at a certain point. Some people are bitter because, to them, their teachers are to blame!

In the past, for most people and in most homes, schooling was out of the question and so going to school was seen as a luxury for the lucky few. Our standard of living was so low that the primary aim for having more children in most homes was in order to have more helping hands for farming, fishing or perhaps hunting. Children were the labour force for their parents. When eventually education was introduced, a few families reluctantly sent their children off to school. For the few who made it to the classroom however, several of these eventually became dropouts. For these dropouts, a lot of factors influenced their decision. Teachers were primarily the course!

Like all vocations, teaching is a calling. A lot of people can decide to become teachers but the truth however is, most of these people are not really called to become teachers. Some people especially in recent times have gone into the teaching profession as a last resort. They sought other careers but perhaps failed to meet the requirements and hence resorted to teaching as their last option.  There have been several instances when we have encountered teachers and hence questioned their credibility and competences! Most students make fun of, and hence assigned various degrading names to teachers for various reasons. Indeed, the lifestyle of these people has earned them these names. A lot of people have had very bitter encounters with some teachers and these have had varied results in the end.

In our various schools are teachers, whose only goal seems to be punishment! Such teachers spend the entire day in the classroom, handing out various punishments to students, deserving or undeserving, notwithstanding! A lot of students have gone home with all kinds of injuries either from the lashes received from teachers or in the course of carrying out a particular punishment. Others have even found themselves in the hospital! For these teachers, it seems that their only joy rests in these punishments and never fails to hand it out under the least provocation or perhaps faltering. Consequently, a lot of students have had to cut short their visits to the classroom since they can no longer bear the punishments and perhaps, tyranny of these heartless teachers. In our various names, we can all recall our individual encounters with such teachers! Is it then surprising when some students drop out? Absolutely not! For these, this country has lost invaluable resources in the form of prospective men and women who have had to cut short their education from bad experiences with a wicked teacher!

Some teachers are also into exploitation! Their main interest seems to rather be on making undue demands. Students from the richer and more influential homes become the favourites. These demands may be monetary, material and in some cases, sexual harassment. Our girl-child is the usual victim! Failure of any student to honour this demand or request could mean a sack or failure in examination. Students who are able to meet their demands usually become their favourites and receive all sorts of rewards most especially, passing examinations and receiving promotions. People have in the past been subdued to repetitions in class and in the end, these students have been forced to make the hard decision of dropping out of school. We all have our stories to tell!

When it comes to the school, the primary aim is for the teacher to impart knowledge to the student. It is usually ironic when some teachers make the naturally gifted and more intelligent students their favourites and then make the slow-learners an enemy. These unfortunate students become the victims of unwarranted attacks and made mockery of. In the end, it kills their confidence and interest in the school altogether. A lot of people have in the past been forced to drop out of school as a result of this stigmatization.

Our teachers are expected to inculcate into our students, the spirit of optimism and a sense of confidence in their dealings. It is right to encourage a student to give a wrong answer to a question, in a confident manner rather than to fail to make any submission at all, mainly because he or she is afraid to be made fun of in the end. Most of us have been victims of this. Usually in our classrooms, such students are met with abusive words from teachers, to the pleasure of their colleagues. These students are in the end given nicknames for their mistakes by these teachers to the delight of their colleagues. This kills the spirit of confidence and ultimately, the joy of attending school. In the end, the student drops out!

In our homes are children, who feel reluctant to go to school each morning. Such students usually wake up with various stories and reasons not to go to school. Some even feign illness! Although parents often label such children as lazy, there is usually more to this behavior. The teacher is to blame!

Currently, in Ghana, and perhaps each year, we hear stories of the failure of some students in some selected schools and districts. Each year again, our opinion leaders seek answers to the increasing failure being obtained in the various examinations. Usually, the unavailability of teachers and the poor conditions and unavailable of educational infrastructure has been the conclusion. I also believe that some of our teachers are responsible for this! I blame our increasing number of school drop out on our teachers! I blame our illiteracy rate on our teachers! I blame the failure of our educational system on our teachers. They ought to take responsibility for their actions!

In as much as we empathize and sympathize with our teachers for their poor conditions of service, they are also accountable to us in ensuring that they reciprocate by giving in their best. The future of our country lies in education. We need a great deal of human resource for our development. We often listen to stories about the regrets of people either dropped out of school or perhaps failed to go further with their education. Most often, a lot of these drop outs were promising students! They could have soared very high! They people could have had a great deal of impact on our socioeconomic development. These have become lost resources as a result of a bad teacher.  Sadly for these people, nothing much can be done for them. Each day of their lives, they live with this regret! A lot of people are living in poverty and deprivation as a result of the action or inaction of a teacher! They are to blame! Is this your story? Can it be your story? Is this the story of your child? It could be! Let us act now, while we can!

Just as we might blame our teachers, our government must do more for them. This is a profession that demands a lot of sacrifice. Our growing populace is shunning the teaching field simply because it is not lucrative. Considering the vital roles teachers play in our society in the areas of education, governance, economy, among others, more needs to be done. Their conditions of service need to be improved. Most of the time, dissatisfied teachers dump their frustrations and grievances on the students. As such, we cannot blame them entirely but that is no excuse or founded basis for their behavior.

Teaching is a calling that demands a great deal of patience, love and care. A teacher should impart knowledge! A teacher should be encouraging! Our various spiritual leaders are worthy testimonies to this fact. It is a noble profession and hence, our teachers should be noble in their dealings. In choosing a career in teaching, we ought to examine ourselves to know whether we are cut for it. Our teachers have a vital role to play in developing our country. When things go wrong with the social, moral and psychological development of a child, parents primarily blame the school, indirectly, it is the teacher! In talking about the growth of our nation, education is the key and so, once again, the teacher becomes the focal point.

WHERE ARE THE TRUE GHANAIANS?

Ghanaians were generally noted as patience, kind, friendly, hospitable, God-fearing and peace loving people. When it comes to hospitality, the famous Ghanaian hospitality spoke for herself. People loved to visit this country just for that experience and the story thereof was a long and interesting tale. It is rather a sad awakening that in Ghana today, that is all a thing of the past. The proud, happy, warm and peace loving Ghana has been replaced with a bitter, cold and war some person. I have no idea where the pieces of the past can be picked up from. The peace we have proudly and remarkably enjoyed is being replaced with chaos. That was once our identity! These days in our media are stories of ambushing, murder, robberies, rape, molestation and abuse, fighting and rivalry, among others. The clashes are becoming rampant with each passing day. I keep asking myself: Where are the true Ghanaians? For the people I see around me today, are only shadows of the past!

With the passing of each political term, the turmoil keeps mounting. We seem to be embracing chaos in the name of democracy. Youth factions are rising up eagerly against each other on grounds of politics. The youth, the invaluable resource of this nation who should be bred in preparation for the future are being trained as combatants. In the past, people coexisted as one but in Ghana today, neighbours happily and proudly fight each other. The communal spirit is no more since people no longer have time for each other. Even our children are not left out because playgrounds have turned into political campaign grounds overnight. Our lullabies and play songs have been replaced by political versions. Even our gospel music has not been spared! On our airwaves, it is one insult after another as people rattle out in the name of political propaganda, their biases and ignorance! No one recognizes the truth anymore. It is the reign of lies and deceit! Where are the true Ghanaians?

The popular Ghanaian hospitality has been replaced by intolerance! Landlords are turning away tenants each day in the name of tribal and political differences. People can no longer speak freely even in their own homes. Dependents are at the mercy of their benefactors. Gone are the days when people could sit and discuss matters affecting their lives and the nation collectively and objectively! These days, it is the attack of one personality after another. These days, it is the attack of one political party after another. A mere comment is now regarded as propaganda and is met with heated argument and attacks! It is now clashes of ideologies! When did it become a crime for people to voice out their opinions? Are we truly exercising our freedom of speech and expression? Where are the true Ghanaians?

In the past, we could sleep with our doors and windows widely open to enjoy the cool breezes of the night. It would be suicidal to attempt this today! In the wake of assassinations, murders and robberies, people are forced to imprison themselves in all sorts of security systems.

For the growing populace, their innocence is lost. Children in Ghana today are growing up pre-maturely. Our children are being forced to become adults overnight! That is the sad reality in modern Ghana! The various atrocities being committed to and against our children was regarded a great taboo in the past but today, it is gradually becoming accepted. Children are being raped each day by unscrupulous people. Fathers are sleeping with their own children and sadly, some mothers are not left out! The issue of sex was regarded with secrecy but today, it is on our streets. Our animals are not also being spared. In the pursuit of all sorts of sexual pleasures or perhaps orgies, people are sleeping with animals! That is the lowest any human can go! Where are the true Ghanaians?

As humans, we are supposed to be at the head of the hierarchy of the animal kingdom! First class animals! Rather sadly, the other classes of animals are better examples to us all! It is quite intriguing and rather disheartening to note that other animals have been able to coexist without going beyond their boundaries. For goodness sakes, dogs are mating dogs, and so are goats and sheep. Other animals fight each other occasionally and on founded grounds. Can that be said about us? Can that be said about the Ghanaian today? Where are the true Ghanaians?

Parents are teaching their children to be disrespectful and that is gradually becoming a norm. In the past, it was the tradition for children to pay respect to adults through the simple courtesy of greetings and perhaps lending a helping hand. For a child to greet an adult today would be a miracle. Adults are being attacked and beaten by our youth each day. Parents have become punching bags for deviant children. On our media, our political leaders are paying our youth to call in and attack their elders and shockingly, most of us are in agreement. Tomorrow, the table might turn on you! In the Ghana of yesteryears, age was regarded in high esteem. Indeed, it was a gift. These days, it is sheer luck for our youth to live that long. People are dying out of their recklessness and ignorance. Where are the true Ghanaians?

On the subject of infrastructural development, Ghana was once a gateway. In terms of education, we were the best in the sub-region. Can that be said about our educational system today? With our national wealth, development was at a peak in the past. Sadly today however, it is only an optical illusion. We seem to be moving, but only in circles! We are indeed moving but not making significant progress! When would we wake up and see recognize the truth? The one who speaks the truth is in the end placed on the banner of a political party and perhaps, news headline! The true Ghanaian was straightforward in his dealings. Honest was the key! That seems to be a thing of the past? In Ghana today, truth is rather relative! Where are the true Ghanaians?

The Ghana of yesterday was one all were proud of! It was a country that sparked the attention of people each time her name came up in discussions. The name of this great country was always at the top of peace talks in Africa and beyond. Ghanaians were easily identifiable in countries beyond. This is because their traits were similar! There was a benchmark of honesty, warmth and peaceful exuberance! Indeed, she was an example worth emulating! Can that be said about her today? In terms of building policies, Ghana was a yardstick. In implementing them, what do we have to say? On the grounds of political tolerance, what have we got to say for ourselves? With the caliber of youth being brought up in this country today, where lies her future? What legacy is being left for the future? And so, again, I ask. Where are the true Ghanaians?

ELECTION BEFORE ACTION?

It is sometimes disturbing when we listen to the kinds of promises made in the name of politics. They sound too good to be true! Imagine a person seeking for a job and yet promising one in return? How likely is that? That is the first question we should ask ourselves each time we listen to our various politicians and people seeking for election into various offices as they campaign. From our past experiences, lessons should be learnt. How much have our politicians done for this nation in recent past? How many of our politicians or leaders have been able to make good their promises to some considerable extents? We keep hearing promises each day and yet, we keep getting disappointed. We keep listening in faith over and over again. It is therefore true after all, that faith is believing in something unseen and yet we hope for. And so, we live and wait in hope! We live and wait in hope for a day when politicians would try their possible best to be true to us!

With all these promises being made each day by our leaders, when will they actually carry out what they promise? With all that keeps happening, one issue comes to mind each time I ponder on the various promises made and yet unfulfilled in the past. For most people I believe, these sentiments are shared. Do our leaders need to be elected into power before the right thing is done? The question becomes “Election before Action or Action before Election?”

Obviously, there are certain needs that can be met without necessarily holding a particular office. If our leaders could in truth identify a particular need in our society and work hard to ensure that the need is met, people would have no doubt in their competency when seeking election. I am tired of the kind of politics being practiced in this nation, and I believe in saying this, I speak not only for myself! When would our leaders selflessly satisfy our needs? I wait in hope for that day because rather sadly these days, most of our leaders seem only keen on satisfying their personal needs.

Most of the time, we listen to people boasting about how easily they can initiate and execute a particular project when elected into office. From their words, it becomes very clear that they perhaps have the requisite resources for the smooth execution. I throw this challenge to these people that they perhaps carry out pilot projects for people to actually appreciate their intents. Sometimes we need not wait until elections in order to help society. We need not wait until election before we take action. We need to see leaders who can act before seeking for election. We are tired of listening to people rattling out empty words. We need people we can back their words by action. Our politicians in the past have failed us and keep failing. From their failures, it is clear that “Talk is cheap!” as the Americans say. Instead of talking, they should do something. Action speaks louder than words! The best form of teaching and learning is through practice!

Of course, society loves to talk and so, people learn how to talk on the political platforms. Ironically, society treasures the big and long talk and so, our politicians are making use of this tool to con us. We love the loud and talkative politicians! The ones who make gargantuan promises and yet fail us in the end! The ones who cook up tales and yet, manage to brainwash us into believing in the end! They take up the stage and leave us in awe in the end and yet fail us. We love to listen to the ones with long speeches and big grammar. The one who speaks the truth is doubted because his words contain fewer lines. The liar of course, learns to polish his lies in so many words and in the end, we believe. This has become the story of our politics. We nurture deceit each day! Let us learn to be practical as much as possible! If we are to vote people into power, we need to do so based on their integrity. Even at birth, a person born to be great can be sighted. A promising leader is branded as such based on the strides he has taken and the successes chalked at the root stage. We know of such people in our societies and it is time to give them a chance. All around us, we know of people who have made great impact in our society and in our lives based on their achievements. We ought not wait until elections before action is taken. We need to tell our leaders that we need Action before Elections!

WE ARE NOT TO BLAME!

During the Republic Day commemoration, GTV aired a recording that dated to the very day the country was declared a republic. We watched as Dr. Kwame Nkrumah read his victory speech. After listening to the commentaries, I made a personal note. Indeed, I loved the way and manner in which English was spoken there and then! That was the original language. As I listened to the founder of the nation as he read his speech, I also realized how passionate he sounded. Indeed, the struggle for independence was no joke to this great man! After watching all those gathered at the then State House, now the Parliament House, I also noted how great they must also have felt at that moment. On the streets, the excitement of the happy crowd was unmistakable! As I sat in my living room watching this video, I felt those same emotions stirring up in me. That was the real Ghana! The Ghana with good roads, schools, hospitals, jobs, and most importantly, a national agenda of harmony and development! The Ghana with the passion to make a difference! The Ghana all were proud of! The Ghana that rose up to fight for what she believed in! The Ghana that rose up to fight for the freedom of her people! The Ghana that represented the star of the continent! Sadly however, several scores down the lane, everything has changed! The visionary’s dream is almost lost! Where lays our national pride? If we are to train our youth to be disciplined and responsible, then more needs to be done!

These days in our homes, workplaces, schools, hospitals, churches or mosques, among others, what we witness leaves more to be desired. The level of discipline in our schools, homes and all spheres of endeavours keep decreasing with each passing day. The national spirit is fast dying. Gone are the days when the country had a national agenda which ensured that the interest of the nation was always number one. These days, all people care about is themselves! Selflessness has been replaced with selfishness! Our country has undergone complete transformations. Can the youth therefore be blamed? We are not to blame!

The former system of education, which was first class, and the pride of Ghana have now been replaced with confusion! Formally, our school institutions were more organized and more resourced. Highly trained and qualified teachers were readily available in more structured schools with a skills-oriented syllabus that ensured that knowledge was indeed imparted to students. It is therefore not surprising the caliber of leaders who emerged. Can the same thing be said today? The very structures serving as classrooms are counter-productive! The quality of teachers emerging from our training colleges and who find themselves in the classrooms leaves a big question mark! Our educational syllabus is continuously become less and less skill-oriented! Learning materials, if available are not in useful conditions. Education was then more practical and involving and jobs were equally readily available afterwards. Our educational syllabus back then placed emphasis on patriotism and national spirit but rather sadly, that cannot be seen today. More emphasis is now placed on passing examinations. The quality of students being produced today, are huge disappointments. In the past, people were virtually lured into the classrooms and yet these days, people have to virtually beg to be allowed in. Are our children therefore to blame if they fail to pass their examinations? Can our children be blamed if they fail to make it higher? Can our children be blamed if they cannot speak good English or perhaps master their own native languages? For most school leavers, the major disappointment seeking employment! If jobs are not readily available, what then becomes the essence of education? Compare the structures then, and now? What have you got to say? Your guess is as good as mine!

What about our health institutions? We had a few great hospitals back then. Yes, these medical facilities were few, and yet, functional! Over the years, we are increasingly encountering disappointments in our health institutions! These are stories of hospitals without enough medical personnel. The few present, are however not competent or careless! When it comes to the matter of equipment and resources, it is a nightmare! The quality of health personnel and their level of professionalism is being question with each passing day. Back then, fewer medical personnel existed but their professionalism was unquestionable despite the limited resources. What we have grown up to meet as youth of this powerful nation has become our heritage. The youth of today are a reflection of the ills of mother Ghana. Are they to blame?

On the issue of transportation, Ghana then, was a transportation gateway. There was the overly flourishing harbours in Tema and Takoradi, the famous railways, our few and yet topnotch road networks! Considering the state of our transportation systems today, can the same be said about today?

Compare our leaders in the past to the leaders we have today. Of course, most of our leaders back then, were no saints themselves but at least, they made remarkable efforts with the limited resources. Yes, our resources keep adding up each day, be it human or natural resources. Our population has grown tremendously over the past decades and hence, our labour base has increased. Our mineral wealth has accordingly seen enough growth as a result of exploration. If our leaders back then could do that much for our nation, what have our current leaders then done? Are youth therefore to blame? Your guess is as good as mine!

All over, we keep labeling the youth as irresponsible and lacking discipline when in truth, they are not really to blame! Children grow up into what they learn. What children learn from their homes, schools, streets, etc, forms a greater part of their future! In the past, we had indeed worthy role models in the likes of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and the Big Six, in our spiritual leaders, in our schools, in our chiefs and other brave men and women. If our youth are not making it in our schools, involved in all sorts of social vices and crimes, then we need to start asking the right questions! In the past, it was all about building Ghana. These days, what is being done seems to be breaking up the foundations of this great nation! We indeed, had a great foundation in the past! Our predecessors in recent past have failed to leave a legacy worth emulating. Considering the examples being set by parents, leaders be it spiritual or social, are the youth to blame? Absolutely not!

For the youth out there, this is a passionate appeal to us all. With or without good examples, the future still rests on us. Let us not make the same mistakes our parents have made. Let us all strive to make the most out of the little we have. True greatness is celebrated when people make the most out of their limitations! That is the stuff great people are made up of!