They say Ghana is developing and in the last few days, I have seen several new buildings, restaurants and malls—yet the plights of ordinary Ghanaians remain, their standard of living remains the same, if not worse.
Perhaps, our screwed understanding of development is what is causing the confusion; my sister’s house runs almost every night on generator and people have to fetch water in a bucket to the bathroom before or after using the toilet in a 21st century capital city—that’s development for us.
A lot of people are driving expensive cars, amazing and inspiring but ask yourself, on what roads are they driving these? What we have in almost all the communities in Accra are not even feeder roads, they are mining grounds on which cars run.
Last night we dropped a friend at Lagoon View Estate where several of our Ghanaian Celebrities live, and it’s beautiful out there. The roads in the gated estate are all well done. But we had to drive through thick mud and body pain causing red roads before getting there. That’s a fabulous lifestyle and those living there are paying hugely for this.
What I am trying to say is; real development should touch the lives of all, not a few. And what is the point in having your house well cleaned and gated when you have to walk through huge animal droppings or slums hosting criminals to make it there?
The malls are posh, the restaurants are expensive and the hotels are beautiful; yet ordinary Ghanaians can’t afford much of these things and that’s not what they want, at least for now.
They want good community roads, stable power and water supply. That is the fountainhead of real development—not erecting tall buildings for expats and their companies.
It has somewhat been accepted by the rich and powerful, that the roads are a mess so let’s buy expensive SUVs and Pick Ups—what about fixing the roads so you can drive whatever car you want on them, so that every body can enjoy a safe ride?
Ghana is fast developing a class system and no one seems to care, majority of the population are sweating under the hot sun, riding in tetanus trotro on bad roads—and the few with voices and able strength are riding in air condition cars, shouting that, Ghana is developing and they have economic figures to back their claims.
True development is that which transcends any class system and improves the standard of living of those at the grass root; the weak and the poor, in this case the majority.
We are all not equal so disparities in terms of wealth and power will always remain but if you cannot even have access to the basics such as water when you are low on the food chain, then that’s not development—it’s depression.
The next time someone shouts Ghana is developing; shout back, FOR WHERE? And if the person says East Legon—slap him or her or walk away. I would prefer you just do the latter.
Good morning!
~Chris-Vincent Agyapong Febiri
GhanaCelebrities.Com
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