GHANA COMMENTARIES, by Anna Esi Hanson

Whenever a Ghanaian is asked how he or she is faring, the usual answer is “I’m managing.” In Ghana, all are managers. Our poor economy has earned us all management qualifications. Life in Ghana today, is just too hard! Too hard to the extent that managing, is becoming a problem by the day! The president must sit up because gradually, I am tempted to agree that he seems to have lost his track.   Is he even aware of the state of the economy? How do we survive? By magic? For some time now, there has been a general trend in Ghana. Prices of goods and services keep soaring by the day! Whenever the dollar rate goes up, prices of everything goes up. All but wages and salaries! When it comes to adjusting prices of fuel or utility, we invoke the so-called automatic adjustment formula. But what happens to the salaries or wages of the ordinary Ghanaian? We have no choice than to soak up the pressure! Is there no automatic adjustment formula for wages and salaries? What does the...

In view of recent happenings, our priority as a nation comes to a huge questioning. For the average Ghanaian, the word ‘priority’ has no meaning. Imagine parents in a typically poor home, borrowing money just to buy a piece of funeral cloth. To attend this funeral, they have to travel several kilometers. Somewhat, and rather miraculously, they find ways and means to raise this money for the journey. Meanwhile back at home in the local school, the children of these parents owe school fees. Imagine the lengths people go to buy cellphones. Even when money for rent or utilities is a problem, we always find a way out. What about the prepaid cards for these cellphones? Interestingly, in our communities, money for food can sometimes be a problem, but when it comes   to money for phone card, your guess is as good as mine. In Ghana today, people engage in all sorts of trivialities. For the younger ones, it is all about fashion. This is to the extent that children in poor ...