Had it not been for the cruel deadly COVID-19 pandemic sending the world dodging for cover from her deadliness, many a Ghanaian and the whole country will be celebrating the 64th independence anniversary of Ghana, my motherland. On her yearly anniversary, there is always a great national fanfare.

However, do we really have any authentic cause to enjoy the celebration of Ghana as an independent country? In what are we really independent? Is it political but where we probably have some people elsewhere remotely pulling the strings attached to our limbs as if we are puppets? Is it in the sphere of the economy but where we are overly dependent on external aid for our basic essential needs?

Ghana had her independence, in whatever sense we understand it, before or in the same year as many countries including Malaysia and South Korea but ten years behind India. Notwithstanding, all the three mentioned countries are well ahead of Ghana in terms of human and technological advancements as well as nation building. How come, one may ask?

Ghanaians pride themselves in vanities. Ghanaians are comparatively selfish. The Ghanaian believes in all for me but nothing for you or for others. The Ghanaian is almost supportive of the person entrusted with power and the collective welfare of the citizens but rather found amassing wealth corruptibly at the expense of the masses as long as the corrupt individual or official is his clansman, tribesman, townsfolk or political party/family member. The Ghanaian is often individualistic but not nationalistic or patriotic.

In those countries that have prospered far and ahead of Ghana, although Ghana had her independence before them or around the same period, they place the nation and the collective interests of the people ahead of their personal interests.

Their successive governments do ensure that the laws of their land do work with the citizens obeying the laws and punished accordingly for any infractions they commit.

In Ghana, there are laws but they seem not to work. The laws appear to punish only the vulnerable in the society while the leaders and those in higher positions, be it in the traditional, private or public sector, get away with blue murder hence the country lagging behind the mentioned developed countries.

Why should one be allowed to continually dupe banks hiding behind the curtain of Limited Liability Partnership Company or their family membership to a president or someone in government, without being held culpable for their misdeeds? Why should someone collusively swindle the nation of millions of Cedis and be still allowed to walk on the streets of the country a free person but the other poor person stealing farm produce or goat is sentenced to between five and ten year in imprison?

How can a country develop on such weak foundations?

Ghana looks up to India for COVID-19 vaccines, manufactured cars and other technologies. Ghana looks up to South Korea and Malaysia for other equally important assistance. Why?

When there arise a visionary leader intent on leading the country out of her socio-economic woes into the land of economic prosperity, the level of ignorance, illiteracy and susceptibility of the Ghanaian to flattery and manipulation as are among the Ghanaians kill the vision of such a leader.

The Ghanaian’s lack of foresight dictates that they put all their trust in what they see and can enjoy themselves and instantly, thus, enjoying the fruits of their labour themselves before their death but not what can profit the posterity.

I have a problem celebrating Ghana’s independence until we begin to do the right things to be seen as a nation and a people seriously aspiring to advance or else, just forget it.

I am doing my bit to help Ghana develop as a nation and a people through suggestions, advice and other things. What about you, my fellow Ghanaian compatriot reading this publication?