GHANA, MY LAWLESS COUNTRY
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 vehicles have to practically struggle in moving around! State owned lands, are
being encroached! People keep building in waterways! Filth surrounds us, as our
gutters choke with garbage and faeces! Whenever a new road is constructed, the
locals create their own speed ramps! Lorry stations keep spring up along our
roads without authorization! Of course, our law officers, the bribe officers
and experts, also carry on with their trade! Criminals are operating freely
because our law officers are their friends! It is now the reign of illegal
mining activities, especially by foreigners! Our villages have been taken over
by Fulanis whiles our borders lie open to invaders! Ghana my lawless country!
Is
it then surprising that foreigners and visitors are equally behaving or
operating as they well please? They are merely keeping up with the trend!
Ghana, my lawless country!
Are
we actually in Ghana? Ghana, the proud country for which the Osagyefo fought
for! Ghana, the gateway to Africa! Ghana, the shining black star of Africa!
Ghana, the pacesetter! Certainly not! Our cedi is losing its value because the
medium of exchange in this country is now the dollar! Of course, our government
is oblivious! The government is oblivious because her members are the
perpetrators! They are all guilty! The efforts of the Bank of Ghana, in closing
up all dollar accounts is a step, but definitely, not a giant step! Ghana, my
lawless country!
The
African punctuality is our bane, for that matter, we conduct our businesses as
such! Workers show up at work as and when they please! No seriousness! No
commitment! Non-performance is further endorsed by the usual strikes and
demonstrations! People make demands although they do not merit it! Ghana, my
lawless country!
Our
country is facing so many hitches! Monies to be channeled for specific projects
usually get diverted for other things! Monies get squandered, and no one takes
responsibility! Projects get abandoned, and everyone looks on, unconcerned! Our
water supply and distribution system is failing! Our power supply is failing!
On our roads, we see the marks and heights of our irresponsibilities; the
shoddy works! Huge contracts are being mismanaged and not executed on time, if
executed! Incompetent people obtain the jobs! People get paid, but for nothing!
Of course in the end, they all go scot-free! On one is questioned! No one gets
punished! Because there are no laws! Ghana, my lawless country!
Like
many others, I sometimes lose hope whenever I critically examine the disturbing
trends in this country! Things are rotting but nothing concrete is being done
to rectify these defects! As always, our leadership is only interested in the
grammar! Big English, no results! Empty words, empty promises! How then do we
progress as a nation? Is there any hope for Ghana? By all standards, the old
Ghana was much better! But in the blame game, all are shareholders! If only our
foundation as a country had been more solid, all would be in a much better
place today! Ghana, my lawless country!
During
President Mahama’s recent state of the nation address, I was a bit
disappointed! My disappointment stemmed from the fact that in tackling the
issues of the inefficiencies in our various governmental institutions, I
expected a more drastic measure! I expected him to tell us of the punitive
measures defaulters would be subjected to, in the event of non-performance! But
as always, it was an appeal! Our various public officers or politicians keep
failing us because in the end, they are not accountable! They give no account
for their non-performance or failures!
I
am tired of the constant appeals! All the president did was to make an appeal!
At best, we qualify, and call it a passionate appeal! For how long would the
appeals persist? The time has come for more drastic measures in tackling the
issue of bribery and corruption, non-performance, embezzlement, misappropriation,
fraud, and other criminal offenses confronting our society today! Those are the
marks of a nation that is bent of righting the wrongs! We need punitive
measures! That would be the surest means of putting an end to the canker in our
Ghanaian society! That would be a surest means of putting an end to the lawless
Ghana! Less talk, more work! Only in Ghana, my lawless country!
Nicely put Esi
ReplyDelete