GHANA COMMENTARIES, by Anna Esi Hanson

  If only the Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah had lived till this day, I can vehemently state that his independence speech would have been something different! The popular quote, “Ghana, our beloved country …..”, I believe, would have replaced it with this alternative “Ghana, our lawless country ….” From all indications, and by every standard, Ghana is a lawless country! Most Ghanaians, if not all, are lawless! From the humans to the livestock, it is constantly a parade of lawlessness! Yes, this country plays host to lawless animals because elsewhere, meeting stray livestock in cities and market places is not the norm! Ghana, my lawless country! I am told that the only functional law in Ghana is at our public toilets and urinals! Yes, at our public toilets and urinals, we strictly adhere to the signs ‘Male’ and ‘Female’! These days, it is being breached! Ghana, my lawless country! The streets in our various cities have been taken over by vendors and hawkers! Pedestrians and v...

I am yet to encounter professions in this country, who always seize the least opportunity to make noise, other than our dear doctors! Doctors in Ghana make too much noise! They are always creating fusses! I am tired of hearing or listening to how important their job is! I wonder how God himself might sometimes feel, when he watches our actions and inactions! He is supposed to be the one and only! Rather sadly, our dear doctors want it all! Each day, it is one demand after the other! Over the years, this issue has persisted and right now, it almost seems like a tradition or routine! It is an annual event! Indeed, they need not be told, for they love that, and yet, I would again comment, that our doctors should give us a break! Doctors are not the only professionals who spent so many years in school, as they usually claim! They are also not the only qualified ones, or perhaps, the best students, as they make it seem! Most certainly, they are not the only important professionals, t...

  Ghana is in a transition! It is now the age of perverts! The perverted country, Ghana! In Ghana today, it is now the debate on homosexuality! People have now become so embolden that they are lobbying for the recognition of gay rights in Ghana, Africa! Homosexuality in Ghana! Time does indeed change! That is the price we have to pay for democracy and acculturation! Ghanaians are now advocating for the acknowledgement of gay rights! The new Ghana! This is an issue that requires that we do away with any form of double standards! If indeed we have values or principles as a nation, and as a people, homosexuality should not be entertained or encouraged! No form of homosexuality should be encouraged in this country! This is an issue that goes against our very existence and substance as humans! I have said this before, and would again; animals are setting better examples! Human are supposed to be at the top of the hierarchy of the animal kingdom but rather sadly, we keep sinkin...

Ghana is growing! Ghana is developing! That is what we keep saying, each time we look at the multi-storey structures springing up in our big cities! We keep saying that, each time we look at the spree of vehicles on our various routes! Each time we look at the new businesses on our markets, this very comment escapes our lips! Indeed, Ghana is developing, but from which angle? This country seems to be moving, but only in circles! Yes, it is clear we are moving, but this movement keeps bringing us back to the starting point; we are moving in circles! Our scale of development or growth can only be measured with a regressive scale! No progression! Only regression! How many Ghanaians can boast of access to a basic utility? It is an undeniable fact that in Ghana today, access to potable water is a major problem confronting us all; be it in the city or village! When it comes to the issue of electricity, it is a nightmare! Each day in Ghana, we hear a new story; a new excuse! Some...

 The scramble is on, and this time, it is not for Africa, but rather, the scramble for continents, by continents! As I writer interested in social commentary, I love to observe the changing trends, and each time I look around me, I cannot help but laugh to myself. The ironies of acculturation! The African is trying so hard to turn white whiles our counterparts are fighting to become like us! People are purchasing all sorts of diseases through bleaching lotions! In the end, the successes, if any, are short-lived! We only succeed in destroying our skin! The stigma can only be shared by the victims! Most often, such unfortunate people become showcases, subjected to ridicule! Our white counterparts are not spared! For them, it is sun tanning! They would travel all lengths of this earth, to all manner of holiday destinations with sunny beaches, just to get the full attention of the sun. When they succeed, they practically spend the whole tim...

   The African continent, among the rich, if not the richest, is perishing! Many of our countries are reeking of diseases, poverty, filth, famine, illiteracy, to mention but a few! Each day, reported stories of war and clashes, are the usual news from the continent. It is always news about aid to Africa! The hungry continent! The pictures are always gruesome, depressing and again, degrading! It is always news of anguish, chaos, fear! This has gone on for several decades, to the extent that for those who have never had the chance of visiting this continent, the mere mention of her name sends shivers down their spine! That is the story of Africa! But there is an untold story! It is the story of the lovely, beautiful, and proud African men and women! It is the story of a continent, endowed with all the God-given resources that we can ever imagine! It is the story of a rich continent, an envy of many! It is the story of the continent with several talented indivi...

There seems to be a trend of law enforcement in Ghana, which has been so for several years and perhaps, forever remain. Our law enforcement is rather a ground for begging! A platform for soliciting for alms! I am sad to admit this but the fact remains; our law enforcement agencies are professional beggars! One cedi! One cedi! One cedi! They actually call it Vodafone! For the police in Ghana, this issue is quite disturbing! Many of us have complained over the years about the humiliating or disgraceful manner in which they conduct their affairs! They know no bounds, and have no shame! Irrespective of the personality from whom they are soliciting for alms, it can be a disgraceful sight to behold! Quite disturbingly, a religious literature usually handed out by the Jehovah's witnesses on evangelism; in the form of the 'Awake' or 'Watch Tower' is their collection bowl. They normally give out this literature to offending drivers, who in turn, put in thei...

Are the beautiful ones born? Are they yet to be born? Or would Ayi Kwei Armah forever be right in his assertion, 'The Beautiful Ones Are Not Yet Born'? Indeed, this novel has become my all-time best African novel. It highlighted so many truths in our Ghanaian society. Our African writers in the past have stated the obvious truths! These writers can indeed be classified as visionaries because the trends they predicted and wrote about still live on. 'The Beautiful Ones Are Not Yet Born' dwelt mainly on the themes of corruption, and perhaps social classification and neo-colonialism. In the novel, the protagonist fights not to succumb to bribery, despite his desperate family situation. At his workplace, the platform was set, and for most people, would have succumbed! Again, we have a government official who surrounds himself with corruption, taking undue advantage of the opportunities as his mandate affords him but in the end, pays dearly; he has t...