A broken lens on the lost fate

The release of the 119 page COVID-19 expenditure document from the Auditor General’s office got me stuck on coming up with a title for this article.

I wanted to say all in a phrase, not too much of words to engulf your thoughts, but would; ‘A country run by family and friends’, be punchy? Or would ‘The etymology of corrupt leaders’ cut it.. however, I proceeded on an upsurge in my previous lingo ‘my lenses on Ghana’s fall’.

My last penning was on the depreciating value of the cedi, having its worth lying facedown to the penny in the 90s’ with the current Ghanaian cedi (GH¢) still piloting Ghana into jeopardy, citizens, after visualizing their “black star” soaked in dim light have grown resistance to the heat of being beached.

I fear no more to cross my heart to John Banville’s words; “the past beats inside me like a second heart”. Overwhelmed now, I see a stolen future which can only be elaborated and presented by government officials and stakeholders in a 119 page document or more if any.

Not being caustic, my lenses on Ghana’s fall took newer dimensions. The wise say ‘knowledge is power' but, on the contrary I refute to the popular opinion; ‘ignorance is a disease’ because, knowing your disease after an early diagnosis can triple and trigger your gambles of dying tomorrow.

But far from the truth, Ghanaians should not be, blindfolded and left in the dark while in this convoluted wild goose chase. Our bellies cannot be drummed with our hands tied, taken us aback that could be injustice buttered with wickedness, served with anguish and prestigious agony.

Maybe I should proceed with the purpose but, a quick reminder unpardoned the ordinary Ghanaian for being emotional with the truth, after weighing current happenings in the country.

Reports from the Auditor General’s office, like any other year blows alarm that revives sleeping pressures of taxpayers from stage 1-3 and even freezes BP apparatus.

Well, it isn’t a fallacy to say the Auditor General’s report breaks the frontals of the hard truth making COVID-19; ‘the government’s Jesus' in disguise.

Ghana is the second country in Africa where officials have been called out for misappropriating funds dedicated to fight the pandemic after Senegal. That could be a beautiful badge of honor.

Oh! Just as our hospitality supersedes many countries, such is the rate of bribery and corruption in our terrain winning the race of melting Ghana like molten lava. Our officials clash glasses of cheer with funds allotted for COVID-19 while Ghanaians suffocate in distress.

Between March 2020 and June 2022 in just 3 years, almost GH¢22,000,000,000.00 which is over a billion US dollar was mobilized to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic here in Ghana. Taking a nosedive into the report indicates some irregularities in the management of some tranches of the fund.

Shall we still recommend foreign investors to troop in at this juncture where we no more sense it but can see for our eyes the stems of corruption if not it’s roots.

If the composer, Ephraim Amu of “Yen Ara Asaase Ni” was alive, consider this my opinion but he would have annihilated the patriotism and true passion the song holds which is worthless now.

If some mess needs to be shown mercy then let’s make merry and hail the health ministry for their fabulous works. The #NPPGrandCovidTheft reaction on twitter speaks for itself.

Maybe it is not a shame for him to pride himself as a competent leader or perhaps President Akufo-Addo ironically assumes these are the sure way to combat corruption in his administration.

In the grand scheme of this COVID-19 brouhaha, could it be empty toxic fumes with sweet underlying fragrance which will definitely breed short memories in Ghanaians?

What about the clean sheet to prove the GH¢2.2 billion recoveries it claims it has made?

My lenses on Ghana’s fall have fallen unnoticed in tantrum. The future of Ghana is handicapped to an extent that even the National cathedral will experience years of sweat to safe Ghana.