Ghana Indeed At a Crossroad - Captain Retired John Jabari Explains Why

I came across a flyer of the nation's builder, H.E. John Dramani Mahama captioned Ghana at the Crossroad. I was surprised and curious by such thought-provoking caption and as a security expert I began to question people about it. It appeared everyone had different meanings to the caption. However, this just as several others proved how intelligent communicator H.E. John Dramani Mahama is. The caption is not far from right considering the current situation the country finds itself in.

Ghana is at the Crossroad today because every fundamental indicator of the economy is on brink of collapse, and we (Ghanaians) must take a decision now to prevent the collapse of the country. Every single sector in the country, from the economy to education, health, agriculture and security is in coma and struggling for life at the medical theatre.

On our economy, inflation has hit a record high of 19.4%. Our public debt has ballooned to almost 400 billion Ghana cedis which interprets as 85% percent of debt to GDP ratio. Our Cedi is on a free fall with over 20% depreciation within two months: worst in Africa, second worst worldwide. Fuel prices have now broken the ten (10) while the much-touted economy wizard, Dr Bawumia looks helpless with his economic management team currently in a haywire. Shamefully as a country led by a president and his vice who are both economists, an electronic levy which has proven to be recessive and retrogressive in many African countries turns out to be the only fiscal policy solution to resurrect our dying economy. In the absolutely certain event this shambolic policy fails, a country like Ghana will have no alternative to put the economy on track.

On education: the Free SHS policy after bad implementation is on its knees, senior high school students cannot be fed properly, parents are forced to pay dubious fees and students as young as 14 years are left to fend for themselves as day students in areas far from home without parent's supervision. Our university students cannot pay their fees and are being forced to defer their programmes. Basic education has completely collapsed with no provision of textbooks for three consecutive academic years. Mismanagement and incompetence on the part of government have rendered our trainee teachers with no option than to feed themselves. This is how bad the outlook of the countries situation currently is.

On agriculture: planting for food and jobs is threatened with lack of funds, fertilizer price is skyrocketing with supplier not being paid and famine which is an issue of national security is not far from us as a country. Local food inflation is currently higher than imported foods. Local poultry production has collapsed due to high cost of feed and services. This sums up to predict the dying state of our agriculture sector awaiting appropriate time for burial service.

Our health sector has not been left out the woes. Every single sector in the health service is in debt. The NHIS policy is now in a stale state. This government has not been able to complete a single district hospital and cost of health service delivery is now unbearable.

The big question is how did we get here? The government machinery keeps disrespecting the citizens with the COVID-19 and Russia-Ukraine impasse excuses meanwhile COVID-19 has given this government over 33 billion Ghana cedis cannot be accounted for. We have a finance minister with so much appetite for cooking the fiscal books. Other Ministers like the health minister, Kwaku Agyemang Manu have become untouchable with whatever illicit activity they find themselves in. This is the situation we find ourselves in as a nation and it would not be alien when anyone says we are at the crossroad.

Concluding, I would not want to steal the seal out of the mouth of H.E. John Dramani Mahama. Ghanaians cannot wait to listen to him tomorrow at exactly 6 o'clock in the evening.

Captain John Kwame Jabari (Rtd.)

Ashanti Regional Vice Chairman Hopeful