MR. PRESIDENT, ARE GHANAIANS MAGICIANS?

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 Labour Commission or TUC have to say?

From all indications, our governments have no care for the needs of her populace! How are people expected to survive, in the wake of the state of our economy? How do we manage, when there is nothing to be managed? How does the government expect people to live? Are Ghanaians magicians?

Prices of utilities have soared! Prices of food have soared! Transportation fares have gone outrageous! Even ordinary sachet water! Everything in this country has gone nuts! How does our governments and leadership, expect people to live? Workers are laboring, but are barely making a living. What is to become of us tomorrow? How long will this continue?

The cedi continues to lose value by the day. Our money has lost taste, and yet, nothing has been done about it. I keep hearing about all sorts of meetings and deliberations, and yet, no results. Nothing concrete! How long must we wait? How long will it take? How do we survive? Magically?

The kalabule season has long begun. Various business owners hoard goods and services, in wait for further depreciation of the cedi! That is the trend at our fuel stations! It is such a shame, and a disappointment, knowing that Ghanaians would rather pray that the cedi loses value to the dollar so they can gain. People are changing cedi to dollar in hope that the dollar rate keeps soaring, in hope that the cedi loses value. But can they be blamed? How far will this plague continue? Do we really have a central bank? What is the Bank of Ghana doing?

At the beginning of the year, government proposed a tax on special banking transactions. Disappointingly however, weeks after this tax was instituted, it was one tax exemption after the other. Any institution that walked into the flagstaff house, earned an exemption! Institutions that government could have generated much revenue from, were all crying for tax exemptions. Their cries were heard, and so currently, this law has been put on hold. That is a classic Ghanaian government! But what happens to the ordinary man? He continues to suffer! He still gets screwed! He continues to endure all sorts of taxations, despite his meager earnings, whiles his own government, sits and enjoys!

I do not know how long Ghanaians are expected to endure this suffering, but I believe that government must sit up! From all indications, we seem to be in a maze, and finding a way out of this maze has become a nightmare. Notwithstanding, something needs to be done, and done fast! The charade has gone on for far too long. This country is not a circus! The show is no longer interesting! We truly need better days!

How much does an average Ghanaian earn? With all these increments, how do we survive? People are really suffering in this country! People are starving! It is no joke! And this is Africa, where the family has several expectations of each other. How then do people meet these expectations? Robbery? Or magic?

The stomach, knows no strike, and so, food must be placed on tables! There are hungry mouths to be fed! Medical bills must be paid! Utilities must be paid! School fees must be paid! How do we do that? Ordinary pepper is being sold for a tooth! For sure, I am no magician!

Zimbabwe until recently, was an interesting case-study on inflation. We all saw funny pictures of people carrying several bundles of money just to purchase a mere loaf of bread. From my window, this country is fast steering in that direction. If care is not taken, we will all wake up to a new day where a truck load of money would be required to purchase a needle.

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

GHANA MUST LEARN TO PRIORITIZE

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 homes, participate in this indulgence. Some are even forced to steal just to feel a part of this social niche.

Some fathers would invest their money at drinking spots, consuming several gallons of alcohol, rather than invest in their children’s future. When it comes to the mothers, it is about hairstyles and clothing.

That is the picture of the Ghanaian. And so not surprising at the trend in our political environment! From my window, I see Ghana as a country with no priorities! Even when we claim to have priorities, they are not set right!

For some time now, this country has been talking about economic hardships and lack of adequate funding or sponsorship and yet, I see wastage each day! If Ghana could spend over $ 3 million dollars on soccer, then we have a problem! I am sorry to say this, but that does not depict a country facing financial constraints! Ghana has money!

Our utilities services are failing us. And yet, Ghana saw it prudent to throw away $ 3 million dollars on football appearance fees. We spent much more on accommodation and feeding for the players and officials, supporters, to mention but few when all around us in our various cities and villages, this money could have been well-spent.

Several communities lack potable water. Several communities lack adequate health infrastructure, if any. Several others, lack good roads, schools, utilities, to mention but a few. Imagine what a million dollar could do for a village, and yet, we spent $ 3 million dollars on football! We lavished this amount on already wealthy people! As to how and why Ghana would continue to entertain such frivolities, I can only wonder.

And yet, we go a-borrowing each time we need to kick-start a project! I wish the international community would be bold enough to question our priorities during such times.

When the national youth employment project was started, some of us saw that as a nice opportunity for job creation especially among the youth. Rather sadly today, it is a program that most of us would prefer not to even mention. The whole purpose of this initiative was ruined completely. Today, the structures for its operation lie abandoned. Vehicles and machinery, ordered under the initiative sits idle. As what will happen to them eventually, your guess is as good as mine. What are Ghana’s priorities?

On our roads, the practice pot-hole patching and temporal resurfacing raises huge questions. After a heavy downpour, these gullies or potholes re-appear. The roads become far worse than they initially were. How much would have really gone into the actual construction of these roads, compared to the periodic patching?

Each year, the rains come, and with these rains come the floods. Each year, properties and lives get destroyed or taken. And yet, as always, Ghana sits and waits! How much could this country have saved if only we have taken it upon ourselves to work on our drainage structures? Most communities in Ghana lack proper drainage! And yet around us, we claim to have imposters, serving as Assembly men, DCEs, MPs, to mention but a few, all spending our money without earning it. Do we have any priorities in this nation?

Budgets are read, funds are allocated, but in the end, the purposes are not achieved. And yet, the monies get squandered! Interestingly, they return to us, asking for more! More for wastage? Until this nation, her people, and her leadership learn to manage or optimize the use of her resources, we will keep on this charade of growth and development. Ghana must wise up. We must learn to prioritize the use of our resources.

Do you have any priorities?

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

CRUCIFYING OUR GHANAIAN ECONOMY

Being a Ghanaian in today’s Ghana, is excruciatingly expensive. A simple meal cost virtually nothing not long ago. Gari and beans, known to many, and by many, as an affordable meal is now a fallacy. For our children, saving some coins for the occasional forbidden toffees is now an act of luxury; each penny counts. As the cedi keeps losing value, most of us are in a state of helplessness.

How do I survive, is the question we keep asking ourselves each day. How do I pay for my next meal? How do I pay for my upcoming rent? How do I pay for my utilities? How do I pay for the school fees of my children? How do I pay for healthcare? I keep working, but cannot even save, is a common song of most Ghanaian workers.

Quite recently, my mother contracted a young man to weed around the house. After diligently carrying out his contract which was barely a 32 square meter area, this young man when asked of his charge boldly let out, “hundred and twenty Ghana cedi.” I was actually beset with rage when I came home to hear this. After pondering over this for a while, I realized that he seemed justified. All around him, prices were soaring! Prices of all kinds of goods and services were being inflated! Notwithstanding, did he actually deserve what he was demanding?

This is the trend in Ghana today. Ghanaians are crucifying our economy in the name of inflation. We are devaluing our currency because what should cost nothing is being sold at the cost of human life!

Do you know that a simple haircut can cost as much as 15 cedis? Do you also know that a simple makeup can cost about 600 cedis? One tomato costs one cedi. A finger of banana is costing a fortune. Even ordinary kenkey with fish is now expensive. When it comes to transportation, the rates are overwhelming. I once chartered a taxi and upon hearing what my fare was, I asked the driver if he was taking me across the border to Togo. Accommodation and rent these days is a nightmare! Common “momoni” is now being sold at dollar equivalence!

Is there a regulatory body monitoring the activities of our traders? Is there really a consumer protection agency? The only appeals I hear usually go to the government. What about our local traders? Who regulates their operations?

We need to start learning to give value for money! People are only too eager to increase prices of goods and services, at the mere hint of impending prices adjustments, even when it does not apply to them! Our traders are all trailing the foreign currencies in hope of increments, so they can immediately adjust their prices. It is quite interesting, and again, disappointing, when in the same neighbourhood, prices of same goods vary considerably from stall to stall. In Ghana, prices of goods and services never reduce, even when it calls for reduction; it only keeps increasing. This is being perpetrated by Ghanaians!

We keep claiming that the change in dollar rates is affecting everything we do and so conveniently, we up our charges! When will Ghanaians learn to give true value to our currency? Disappointingly, most Ghanaians seem not to care. We only take pride in telling others that an ordinary haircut that should cost not more than five cedis, is costing twice the actual value. For the ladies, an ordinary hairdo is costing a fortune. When it comes to makeup, the smudges, costs a fortune! Funerals, are costing us fortunes! Imagine families, spending over 40,000 hard Ghanaian cedi on a funeral! Afterwards, we blame the dollar; everything had to suffer the exchange rates! Unwarranted extravagance!

We have all been asking questions as how rapidly our cedi is losing value. We have all been looking up to our leadership for solution. In our own ways, we have been trying to find answers.

What about the wastage or unnecessary or easily avoidable costs? All these loose monies, find their way into our economy, but cannot be captured by our central bank. In the end, our money keeps depreciating. Does it make any economic sense, paying far more for any goods or services than is actually deserved? Most Ghanaians are guilty of this crime. We feel proud or important when we pay more for something that should cost less. Due to our so-called social status, some people find it hard bargaining for goods and services. They only pay anything that is demanded of them. Is it then surprising that we are saddled by caliber of leaders, who have complete disregard for our needs? We make no demands! Ghanaians must start demanding value for money for when we fail to do so, we crucify our economy. That is practical economics. That is our responsibility as citizens. Of course, we only blame our politicians for our woes, but what about ourselves?

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

GHANA MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE

Today in Ghana, all are reaping the hard fruits our labour; for some, the hard fruits of the labour of our predecessors or forefathers. Posterity would always be the judge. In our own ways, we are better judges of the state of Ghana today. If you do not like what you see in Ghana today, that is the same picture we are all painting for posterity.

I am not here to talk about how bad our economy is, and further point accusing fingers. I am only here to call on all of us, awake, or asleep, to be on guard. For whatever we are going through, , we are all accountable, as citizens. Ghanaians must be held accountable. Ghana must be held accountable!

From time immemorial, it has always been Ghana’s practice of soliciting for aid. Why must we keep on begging? How long we would continue with this rather unfortunate practice? Our sponsors are all experiencing a global recession; who do we turn to now in the midst of these crises? Each day, it becomes more obvious. Why do we call this nation, an independent one, when in truth, we are far from being independent? Ghana must be held accountable!

This is a country to be envied by all. A country well-resourced with almost all, if not all the resources any nation can boast of; from our water bodies, forestry, minerals, livestock and most importantly, to our human resource wealth. This country keeps exploiting tons of minerals each day to be shipped and yet in the end, millions of dollars is spent just to import the products of these raw materials back. We actually spend more than they get paid for! Talk about our foodstuffs and livestock; we are hailed as major food producers, and yet, we cannot even produce enough to feed ourselves! We keep supplementing with all sorts of imported products. We spend more on importation than production. Talk about our gold, cocoa, diamond, and the resulting finished products; more is spent on importation of the finished goods than the actual exportation. We spend more in the name of foreign exchange. Ghana must be held accountable!

Ghana spends much more on loans than we actually receive, considering all the amounts paid as interests on these loans. Simply because these loans get squandered! I am not here to point fingers, but again, we are all witnesses to the recent gross mismanagements that we keep hearing about; the saga of judgment debts! It is really disturbing and shameful to see the extent to which hunger and greed can take us. The very people, who have been entrusted to secure our interests, are the very ones cutting us down. We only point fingers at the politicians, but what about the lay people we know of in our communities and workplaces. I sometimes wonder what goes through the minds of these people. How do you spend money entrusted in your care for a project, and somehow expect to go scot-free? Of course, they go scot-free! Ghana must be held accountable!

In the past, various stories have been unveiled, to which all have applauded. But what has happened to the people exposed by these stories? Corruption in Ghana keeps growing by the day! This rot is fast reaching across the globe! It is a huge disgrace to my integrity as a person. It is a huge disgrace to this nation. Simply because, we do nothing about it! Manasseh Azure came up with an interesting but rather shameful expose of the rot in this nation. As usual, the story got the airplay and discussion befitting any ordinary talk show. Afterwards, the debate ends! What is our government, doing about it? What are we doing about it? Of course, how does an accused, punish an accused? How does an accused point accusing fingers? How do the guilty punish the guilty? And so, the rot continues. Ghana must be held accountable!

Globally, there is a recession. Economies are crippling. Governments are finding it tough solving their various economic problems. Money is hard to come by. There is no money to be wasted. There is no money to be lent out by donor nations, especially to be squandered. In Ghana, all I see is the excess of wastage! Funny enough, our governments talk about lack of funding! Taxes are being increased, to be wasted afterwards. Government expenditure, keeps on soaring, mostly wasted on frivolities. A so-called developing economy, which would rather spend huge sums of revenue generated funds, on obtaining new fleets of government vehicles, just to look good. We go a-borrowing, while parading all sorts of excesses and gluttony. Expenditure on government entourage on an ordinary mission can sponsor the project for which the mission was necessitated. Are we serious? Ghana must be held accountable!

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

GHANA’S INDEPENDENCE: ANOTHER MILESTONE OR WASTED YEARS?

Ghana is 57years old. On this occasion, and like several others, I am in a dilemma; should I jubilate or weep. Should I shout ‘hurray’, pop champagne, give a toast, sound the trumpet, light explosives, play the drum, as normally happens with birthdays and other milestones? Milestones of achievements or success perhaps? Or should I bow down my head and weep? Weep for the underachievement and underdevelopment I see around me. Weep for the people we have become, as suggested by a friend a couple of weeks ago?

Where are the visionary vistas?

Can they be found in our leadership of misappropriations, bribery and corruption, bi-partisanship, selfishness, gluttony, to mention but a few?  A leadership of misguided priorities, if any! Can they be found in a citizenry of lazy, corrupt, nonchalant, passive, selfish, tribalistic, and godlessness?

For today, I can only weep. I weep for men like Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and the big six, who were instrumental in the fight for our freedom. Considering the misadventures in this nation, I doubt whether we were actually prepared for the responsibilities or perhaps, consequence of that freedom. I weep for the soldiers or ex-service men who sacrificed their lives to build this nation. I weep for our great-great grandparents who lost their lives in this struggle. I weep for the good people of old, who worked tirelessly in securing this land, her resources, and her heritage. Most importantly, I weep for the few, struggling each day to uphold truth, freedom, justice, devotion, and most importantly, the spirit of patriotism.

And to what avail?

That we will trade off this land and all her resources for our selfish interests? That we will throw away our heritage? That we will allow bi-partisanship tear us apart? That we will allow bi-partisanship kill the spirit of patriotism? That the current breed of Ghanaians would scramble for any ship that would pull into our docks to take us to foreign lands for so-called greener pastures? That we will allow all sorts of dictatorship and neocolonialism pervade us? That we will underutilize our God-given talents and resources or in most cases, misuse them?

This is the nation we call home. This is our motherland. That is the people Ghana has begot! That is the people we have become! And so on this Independence Day, I weep! Many may choose to call the rainfall on 6^th of March 2014, showers of blessings, but I choose to call it a storm of pain, bitterness, sorrow and disappointment! It was no shower, as we prefer to call it. It was a heavy downpour, an outpour of grief and sorrow. Ghana must wake up.

Ghana is our heritage, secured for us, at the peril of priceless lives. This is a legacy. What have we done with this legacy? What have we done to this legacy? What will be said of us tomorrow?

Indeed, Ghana has come this far, through our collective efforts and effortlessness. Have we done enough? Considering the level of literacy and resources available back then, both human and otherwise, much more was achieved. In Ghana today, all kinds of resources are at our disposal. How useful have they been?

At our workplaces are stories of underemployment. We keep talking about unemployment, and yet, a considerable percentage has jobs, but is not working satisfactorily. We keep talking about better conditions of service when we do not merit it. It is all about greed and laziness. What are we doing for this nation? We may blame our leadership, but we are the government. We are no different from our leadership; from the same stock.

What is your dream for this nation?

A dream of robbery, stealing, murder, bribery and corruption, embezzlement, and all kinds of crimes, perhaps? A dream of laziness, self-pity, and mediocrity? A dream of resentment, hatred, to mention but a few? Ghana deserves much better.

Our governments seem to gamble, try and error in finding solutions to our problems. In the end, they lose their way; they get lost in the maze they create. Others get drowned.

Ghana is 57 years old, at least, old enough. For most 57 year olds, three years to retirement. As a nation, we should be at the peak of our development. Rather sadly, Ghana is far from that. For once, let us stop the try and error approach. Let us put a stop to gambling this nation away. For now, I can only look forward to another year; another milestone, or wasted years…….

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

SILENCE

"In our world are people who live in perpetual joy and happiness…
Others have been confined to perpetual sadness…
This is a life of no escape…
They suffer in pain…
Their pain, concealed…
Their tears unshed…
Their pleas, unheard…
Their scars, unseen…
There is no escape…
They suffer in silence…
The world of silence is one of darkness…
The world of the silent is one of several stories…
Stories better left untold…
These are stories of hidden truths, the bitter truth perhaps...
Better left unsaid, better left unheard…
For this, its victims had prices to pay.”…