Growing up, I had always heard the voices of my parents state that they would one day love to return to motherland Ghana. The quest of greener pastures to the shores of North America or Europe by my parents and other family members provided a sense of hope and prosperity for for many… To some, providing more than what mother Ghana at the time could have provided. Was it wrong for some of our forefathers to think this way? leaving family, friends and or loved ones back home to make due with whatever they had?
Living in ABROKYERE, is not necessarily the easy life. Thanks to the use of social media, internet and international news reports, the rest of the world also plays the role of a witness to the pressures and vices presented within these environments.
Many a times, I question.. is it all worth it?
Being a Black individual, I have always wondered if my color played a factor in the numerous refusal of work, whether my car is being followed based on a sincere suspicion or if my identity plays a role. Sometimes, I wonder why I am being followed in a store, when I probably have more money in my account than the person actually following me.
On the positive flip side, one must be truthful and say that the systems in some of the countries we face the above challenges do work. The implementation of taxes, constant maintenance of roads, cleanliness of the environment, effective healthcare system and make back home a hell of a joke. What does the White man do right that we as Africans can’t seem to get?
My ancestral home being mother-land Ghana, visiting often, I would sometimes say to myself; Why don’t more of us move back home to help in moving ahead? The main objective should be, to aid in the fixing of the never ending day to day issues which live with government to government and term to term. But then reality sets in and I ask..how do we go home?
Here is a list of the many issues that I think are of great concern;
Tribalism – Saddens me to hear that this is an epidemic that just won’t die. Everything in Ghana seems to run on tribal lines. If Kwame Nkrumah thought this way, then I don’t think Ghana could have ever attain Independence. I believe, we need to be Ghanains first before anything else.
Healthcare – Not of the greatest quality. At times, from my understanding and experience, one cannot even question the health care practitioner looking after him or her. Your doctor is seen as as a high deity.. Who are you to even challenge his or her work? Not to mention, fees associated with care and hospital stay are just not affordable. Attitudes within the healthcare sector need to change.
Pollution – Growing up in a society, where even throwing a kleenex on the ground is looked down upon, I keep asking; how can we go home? When people of the nation do not even value their immediate environment. Try to fix the problem in Ghana and one becomes the enemy of the state. In this day and surprisingly, cholera still seems to be in ill-fate culprit. Stiff and stern sanitation rules do not only keep the nation clean, but can also save lives.
Corruption – Why the smallest cedis can get you an instant favor is still a wonder to me. This method of handling, has seemingly become the norm in Ghana. Pay a little money or even a little extra and your wish is at their command.
Driving – Its very sad to hear about the numerous car crashes that kill people day to day and year to year. I was surprised when I witnessed that people do not even follow basic driving rules. In Ghana, I would most of the time ask the drivers I join their vehicles to wear their seatbelts. It was if I was from planet Mars by making this basic request. There was a constant battle and justification as to why it was not necessary. Dude, it can only help you save your life.
Broken Promises – EVERY government is guilty of this…promises made that mostly do not get fulfilled….
Criminal System – jails – crowded jails and inhumane conditions. 50/50 argument. … Some feel criminals should rot and some feel that the system should rehabilitate and possibly recycle people back into the society. I have heard of cases being postponed and delayed for one reason or another.. Some cases pending for many years. Clogging the system. Why?
Lack of Jobs – Students graduate cannot find jobs. The few who are fortunate to even graduate cannot find any job at all to do.
The list can go on and on. We can be here all day drawing back and forth the many issues Ghana faces. Not trying to be that NEGATIVE NANCY…but truth be told. Even the most basic necessities of life are still unaffordable back home (i.e flowing/clean water, electricity).
Should we as Africans in diaspora follow the pan-african movement? Relocate to our mother lands to aid and fix the problems? Or do we sit back and point fingers? Would our views be heard and respected? Or do we stay within our new found homes where we still fight to be accepted in a society that does not want to recognize us based on our colour or ethnicity?
What is the answer and is there still hope for Mother-land Ghana?
Article submitted by: Adwoa N.B
The problem with Ghana is the Ghanaians at home. Most of us with experience abroad can solve most of the problems facing the country. Counter that with most average Ghanaians at home who never balanced a budget or even worked in their entire life. How can such a person when in position of power produce or balance anything? Most of the theories of marketing, sales, economics etc remain just that, theories, to most Ghanaian scholars. I have had the fortune of discussing issues with my 10 year old nephew here in Canada. I have also discussed similar issues with grown men in Ghana. The difference in their thought processes is profound. The grown men in Ghana lack depth in their assessment where as the 10 year old boy has dimensions of views to consider in his thinking. Most Ghanaians, even the educated ones, don’t have the databank of information available in the ether here in North America so what we consider simple solution evades them. Ask my 10 year old nephew how to construct a gutter and he’ll list all the things he needs. Things such as diggers, cement mixers, cement(-bought at regular price not the inflated price for chop chop), gravel, foreman, surveyors , operators etc. Now ask a Ghanaian minister of highways how to build a gutter. He will refer you to the civil engineer, who will refer you to the next guy and this will go on ad nauseam until finally they’ll bring you a report. In the report you will things such as pick axes, shovels, pot or pans for carry cement and other trivial things that will delay and waste time and cost project cost overflow. One may ask how does a 10 year old know such things and a minister doesn’t? Well the 10 year played with lego and other construction toys, discussed it with friends, watch videos on how to construct gutter or had school field trips and then even built one for a school “show and tell” project. The minister who is not exposed to any of these things has no knowledge of how to build the gutter and yet he’s the one charged with building gutters. Now when the 10 year old grows up and goes to Ghana to try and help build gutters what do you think happens to him? He meets someone like the minister and his coterie who waste his time by asking for reports they will not read and frustrate him with questions or comments that have nothing to do with building gutters. When he refuses to play by their standards he’s called “too known”, a hot head and a braggart. So he leaves and comes back to North America. And the gutters never get built and the flooding and diseases continue. That is what Ghana has after Kwame Nkrumah’s efforts. No even for Kwame Nkrumah look at the insults and scorn that was poured on him by the same Ghanaians he was trying to save. Imagine Ghana without the Akosombo dam, motorway and other things he fought to build. Now remember how he was treated after his overthrow by his own people. Ignorant people, whose lot has been bettered by the same man, cheered on the street. This has been the tragic story of Ghana. Ignorance wrapped in arrogance and the . “Konongo kaya” attitude of those stuck in that morass. Kwame Nkrumah was a visionary because had he listen to the nonsense of the people, there will be no motorway, akosombo dam etc. Will all their bluster they can’t even maintain what he left them. Which brings me to what a south African white buddy told me about the curse of Shaka Zulu. Apparently one of his kinsmen betrayed his talisman to the british which caused him to lose the war. And before he died he curse the Zulu nation and their descendants that they’ll never be in control of the land. It will always be in the control of other races. Perhaps the universe also cursed Ghana and its people for what they did to its founder. 58 years and load shedding. 58 years and Tema/Dansoman has gone from planned estates to container filled decrepit ghettos. 58 years and the only movement has been backwards. We lost our chance to have a great nation. Tragic!!