AB Civics for Ghana 's children: An Alphabet@50

The beginning of my formal education in Ghana was marked by an alphabet including “A is for apple” and “S is for snow”; all items that did not belong to my natural environment. This was how our impressionable minds were distorted from the very beginning.

It is only natural that many Ghanaians the world over are in deep reflection on the future prospects for our nation as we celebrate our golden jubilee. In keeping with my deeply felt conviction that sustainable progress and development depends on a well prepared citizen, my contribution to this period of national self-examination is the presentation of an alphabet for our young citizens which will serve them better than mine did for me.

A - Accra, our capital city where the member of parliament for Accra Central, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah declared independence with the words, “At long last, your beloved country, Ghana is free forever.” on March 6, 1957.

B - The Big Six who continued the modern struggle which led to independence were, Ako -Adjei, Akuffo -Addo, Danquah, Nkrumah, Obetsebi-Lamptey and Ofori -Atta.

C - The Constitution which guarantees all our rights as citizens of Ghana

D - Democracy though imperfect, is the fairest form of government for Ghana

E - Equality, for all are equal without exception before the law.

F - Freedom and Justice, our national motto.

G - Phillip Gbeho who gave us the anthem for the new nation.

H - Our History which should guide us to a better future.

I - Industry for we must be productive to compete globally.

J -A Judiciary free and independent of the Executive and Parliamentary arms of the government.

K - Kintampo, the geographic centre of Ghana

L - The Laws of the land, before which all citizens are treated equally

M - Atta Annan Mensah who still wakes us up with Ghana muntie and the other early sounds of Ghana radio.

N - Our Neighborhoods, keep them safe

O - Madam Theodosia Okoh who designed our flag

P - Poverty, which we must eliminate

Q - Questions which we must always ask our government because accountability protects our democracy

R - The Rivers, Volta, Pra, Ankobrah, Tano, Oti, Ofin and others which sustain us

S - Science and Technology, the path to a modern society

T - Taxes a basic responsibility of citizenship. We must contribute to the cost of services we receive as citizens of this great country.

U - Unity is the key to our progress as a nation and as a continent

V - The Vote is the singular voice of every citizen in choosing the government

W - Waste and environmental management. This is the only country we have!

X - The Xylophone (The Dagaba Gyl)

Y - The Youth our future leaders

Z - Zuarungu which preceded Bolgatanga as the first capital of the old Upper Region

God bless our homeland Ghana and the many unsung heroes in the struggle for freedom. Our responsibility in this era is to remain vigilant in protecting the rights this hard one freedom confers on all Ghanaian citizens, irrespective of their geographic origins. Celebrate we must, for all of Africa and the world are watching Ghana as they did 50 years ago. We must blaze the path for the fundamental idea that democratic governance is central in eliminating poverty, ignorance and disease in Africa . We should celebrate because we have sought and barely found Nkrumah’s proverbial ‘political kingdom’.