Ghana At 50: What Next? Matters Of Concern (part 1)

Nana Akufo-Addo posed this searching question to the potential delegates: "Of what use are fine, fine policies if we do not have the power to implement those policies?"

Nana may be right on this one however, one would also argue that of what use is a government or a political administration that has no policy or plan? It is said that, it is better to plan and fail than not to plan at all. Perhaps we need to encourage or even caution those presidential aspirants who do not have any plan in place to begin to formulate one today. This would go a long way in making the next administration more fluid and confident in handling the issues that confront our country today.

On April 4, 2007 Kennedy, popularly known as Arthur K delivered a brilliant speech (http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=122245) to the Society for National Affairs in Accra of which a rejoinder was written by Anyanful, Akwasi (http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=122330&comment=2790236#com)

I believe Anyanful’s aim was to provide facts for debate among Ghanaians who are hungry for answers. But I doubt if this was achieved. It was very unfortunate to read comments from some readers who claim they love Ghana but remained blinded by partisanship to ponder, reflect and divulge on this presidential aspirant’s dream. Yet we cannot leave this great vision of Kennedy to die if we really love Ghana

Kennedy’s speech MUST not escape the critical analysis of the Press and Media

The man talked about a dream for the nation; however none of the comments addressed any of the dreams. As usual many would display political immaturity by heaping insults on others rather than debating or discussing the said dream.

If I may ask, how can Ghana achieve any positive results when we keep doing the same old things over and over again? Engaging in partisanship and blowing “hot air”?

In reading comments to the various articles it comes out often that people who visit Ghana web live in the Diaspora. This even makes it more pathetic since those of us in the Diaspora do not only claim to have seen civilization but claim to be saviors of our home land.

Yes the Diaspora cannot be ignored for sending some $4 billion to aid our economy in remittances but even better would be a united and civilized front and offering a good example of education. For it is not the money per se that people back home need, although the government would have us believe so. There is this adage, “When you give a fish to someone you only feed him for now but when you teach him how to fish you give him food for life” (paraphrased). I think proper education and intelligent discourse is superior to handouts.

Like Kojo Albion would lament, “Why is Africa so rich and yet so poor?” In fact, a chunk of the wealth of the world lie in Africa and Ghana is big beneficiary of this grace and Providence. That is why some of us shake in our pants when we hear officials say ‘POVERTY IS A COMMON DENOMINATOR IN AFRICA.”

Indeed I dare these politicians to declare their assets. Some of us refuse to subscribe to such useless statements. My purpose here is not to point out the massive wealth hidden in our African soils- it is so obvious to those who want to see. However to give a hint a few examples perhaps would help to lift the veil of many eyes.

Coming back to Kennedy’s speech and comments on SIL, it suffices to say that we Ghanaians need some transformation if we are really serious in redeeming our nation from abject poverty. Stop blaming the government if you cannot suggest alternatives.

Poverty is all in the mind and it comes out so vividly in our forums especially at SIL. Why are we so frustrated and whining all the time? Is it true that nothing good comes from Africa?

We are what we say and think. Seldom is one’s spirit lifted when you read comments from readers. The saying goes that if you want to find faults you don’t have to look far but is there no good in all these plethora of faults? I think we would be taken more serious in our criticisms when we give praise when they are due and above all when we stay with the issues.

Isn’t it pathetic for people back home to disagree with or show extreme dislike for Diasporans on the sheer basis that they have electricity and good drinking water? Wouldn’t be more beneficial to them if they asked their MPs or local representatives, How come citizens and friends abroad have constant power and good drinking water but we don’t have them back home? Or Ghanaians in Diaspora can you help?

In the same vein, those in the Diaspora should learn to be sympathetic to the plight of people back home. It is time to be transformational in our thinking; where transformation means seeking for results. For once, let us seek for the answers and leave the complaints for a while. We have heard enough of them. This is where I applaud Kennedy for looking beyond and presenting us with a dream and a vision.

Wouldn’t it be great if all our presidential candidates provided us with their dreams and vision for Ghana? Guess where we will be if Ghana gets the likes of Kwame Nkrumah in Ghana (and African) politics today? In his comment on SIL one matured writer wrote,

“Yours sounds like jealousy. Compared to the other presidential candidates, Authur K stands tall, way above anyone of them. When I hear Arthur K, I hear Kwame Nkrumah. A man of vision. He is just like John F. Kennedy. They don't share the same last name for nothing. God has plans for Ghana. Don't let us lose this opportunity (Boasiako, ATL). What is the value of a dream? “Sometimes the new beginnings come when night falls. Night brings with it the possibility of sleep, of rest, of that letting go that can only happen when we dream. In nature, newness begins in darkness—in the seed splitting open in the fertile earth, in the new life nestling in a mother’s womb”.(Mary C. Earle)

Ghana must be on the lookout for the new beginnings as we meet men and women who think and dream like Kennedy. As light gives way to twilight, one day ends and another begins. A new day has dawned in the politics of Ghana with men like Kennedy who don’t refuse to dream amidst the disarray and bewilderment. Perhaps it is also pertinent to state that Kennedy has provided a compendium of his vision for Ghana more than all the presidential candidates put together. Hopefully the people are listening and not just focused on the rhetoric and what they can get out of these campaigns. As for the money they may have but it takes a vision to run a nation to heights not hand outs. Without sounding biased or unfair to the other candidates let us examine Kennedy’s vision or dream and see if Boasiako has a case here:

1. “On Ghana’s future, I have a dream! I have a dream that a quarter century from now there will be a four-lane asphalted road from Accra to Bolga and a train which can cross our country from South to North in a day!”

? 2. “I have a dream that we will have a job for every willing person and educate every child!”

? 3. “I have a dream that we shall have underway the largest reverse migration in Africa’s history that will bring back to our shores, thousands of our citizens abroad and other well-wishers to participate in the Ghanaian miracle!”

? 4. “I have a dream that we shall have the cleanest country in Africa through effective sanitation and public health policies and see historic reductions in the diseases of filth that still claim so many of our citizens!”

? 5. “I have a dream that our nation will be a proud and confident nation, self-reliant, in control of her destiny and on the way to leading the way in an effort from Cairo in the North to Cape Town in the south that will help make this new century, not another American century, not the Chinese century but the first African century!” (Kennedy 2007 April)

Views expressed by the author(s) do not necessarily reflect those of GhanaHomePage.