GHANA COMMENTARIES, by Anna Esi Hanson

Whenever relations and friends return home from abroad, there are all kinds of expectations; expectations of a different or a better Ghana, where everything is much different from what they knew of in the old Ghana, expectations of more jobs, expectation of new businesses, expectations of a drastic improvement in living conditions of people, expectations of improved delivery of goods and services. They expect to see improved roads; of wider and high classes of roads. They expect that access to basic utilities and social amenities have seen a dramatic improvement. They expect to see good schools, and improvement in educational infrastructure. In terms of healthcare, they expect ultramodern hospitals, specialized healthcare, and an increase in facilities. Generally however, people go home to disappointment! Yes, a decorated monkey, is still a monkey. After gliding through the beautiful principal streets from the airport, through the beautiful buildings budding within...

I was in my office one afternoon when a senior engineer approached me right after he returned from town. Apparently, on his way into town earlier that morning, he had witnessed a police officer, carelessly dispose off rubbish directly onto the roadside from a patrol vehicle. It was more shocking when shortly after this shameful act, this same patrol vehicle, stopped a cargo vehicle in order to carry out the usual extortion business.  For law enforcement officers to perpetuate this kind of behavior, is highly inexcusable! But that is the Ghana I know! Our law enforcers, readily, and openly break our laws each day! They are still at it! At our various police barriers and checkpoints! For police officers in Ghana, every day is a Sunday; they always have their collection bowls with them! That is the mark of a country of unprofessionalism! What really, is the police administration doing to end this shameful behavior, once and for all?  Each day we keep hearing people...