THE GHANAIAN BLAME-GAME

These days when I ponder over events in this nation, I am at a loss. For a while now, I have not been able to bring myself to putting my thoughts on paper because I am filled with disappointment.

I am disappointed at a country, which seems to be spinning, with no purpose.  I am disappointed at a country, in which leadership is clueless as to how to manage its affairs. I am disappointed at a country, which is in crises, and yet, citizens seem only interested in mere talks and politics. I am most of all disappointed at a country, which seems to have all the God-given resources any nation can ever wish for, in terms of natural and human resources, and yet prefers to wallow in poverty!

On our airwaves, it is one discussion, after the other. The battle of words! The battle of grammar! The battle of insults! The battle of political parties! I guess our various radio stations seem not to have anything else to offer. They rather prefer to fuel anger and insults!

Can this nation, for once, put aside political differences, in finding lasting solutions, to our predicaments?

Each year in this country, comes the usual floods, and the associated loss of lives and property. Again it has happened; several people have perished and again, the debates have begun. The usual blame game is on-going. As always, everyone is screaming: It is the government! Really? 

What about us? What about you and I? Will we ever take responsibility for our role, no matter how ‘little’ it may seem? Tell me: how do you expect others to take responsibility, when you are unwilling to accept yours? How do you blame a few people for a disaster of such magnitude? How do we blame others for our poor sanitation practices? Our poor personal, and environmental hygiene? We know ourselves and what we do! Remember the day you threw that ice-cream plastic on the street? Remember when you disposed that plastic into that gutter? Remember when you carried your domestic waste and dumped it carelessly in your neighbourhood that night? Remember when you defecated into that plastic bag and threw it into the gutter in your neighbourhood?

Of course, there are the usual talks of the incompetence of our sanitation agencies and other governmental institutions but guess what? They are all being manned by GHANAIANS! Yes, by you and I! As always, people are being paid for doing nothing! Our waste collection companies keep failing us, just as we continue littering. All around us is the stench from our choked gutters and drains, containing all sorts of human waste! Is it then surprising that each year we experience these floods? Mother Nature will send it back to us! Shedding the blame on a few minority, would never solve this problem! I have seen several cases of people throwing rubbish right in front of rubbish containers! It is our attitude! Blame no one but yourself! People have lost their lives! This is a wake-up call to us all!

What about our power crisis?

Over the past decades, how many power projects has this nation embarked on? Talk about the Akosombo dam, Bui dam, the numerous thermal plants in Tema and Takoradi, those constructed by private entities, to mention but a few. What are the states of these facilities? Why is it that in this country, a new project leads to the destruction or abandonment of the existing? Whenever a new road is constructed, the existing ones get destroyed. The same exists with our drains; as soon as it is constructed, we immediately fill it with garbage!

Is it then necessary to construct new facilities, if we cannot even manage the existing ones? And yet, we prefer to politicize every issue!

On our airwaves, we keep hearing all sorts of talks and accusations of gross mismanagement of national assets or resources. Rather interestingly however, we fail to focus on the true culprits.  Which people are in charge of our national resources or assets? THE GHANAIAN! Yes, the Ghanaian.

What are our priorities? This is a country in which local chief executives, would rather invest in extravagant lifestyles and expensive vehicles, rather than pump money into maintenance of facilities and other relevant operational costs in their institutions! We are crippling this nation!  What is the state of our national assets? Our hospitals and clinics? Our schools? Our national enterprises? Institutions?  Infrastructure? Plant and Equipment? Vehicles? National projects? The list is endless! As a country, what has been our maintenance culture? It is a Ghanaian attitude! And yet, we prefer to mask the truth with politics. No one dares speak the truth.

Until Ghanaians learn to be responsible and held accountable, no government can make our lives better. The collapse or failure of various national enterprises and policies, is as a result of our own doing.  We keep talking about enforcing our laws but the real question is: Who is competent enough or capable of enforcing these laws? The numerous task forces that have been commissioned in this nation have all turned into institutions of bribery and corruption. Talk about the city council guys who go parading themselves in uniforms, only to exploit people! Talk about our gallant law officers usually at our checkpoints and along our various roads. It is all about bribery for any offenders.  So then, how do we enforce our so-called rules and regulations?

From all indications, the Ghanaian cannot manage his own affairs!

We need honest people to steer the affairs of this nation. From my window, these beautiful ones, are not yet born. All I see are thousands of power-hungry, power-thirsty, and power-drunken individuals, who would do anything for power. I am yet to see a government, which can actually solve the problems confronting this nation. I am yet to encounter Ghanaians, who would do their best, to see this nation prosper. There are a few good nuts, but the rest are cancerous.

I am tired of listening to several theoretical solutions, axioms, or postulates whenever solutions are being sought to the country’s challenges. Ghana needs practicality.

Anna Esi Hanson (nnhanson2@yahoo.com; esociocomm.blogspot.com)