Can #FixTheCountry fix the country?

Social media activism has led to the achievement of great strides in various settings at both national and community levels. It's seen as an appropriate vehicle to mass up and speak truth to power. The conveners of #FixTheCountry in Ghana most certainly were in the same spirit when they commenced this journey. Weeks after their announcement on social media, however, on the lips of many remains the question of will they be able to attain their cherished end game of fixing the country, Ghana?

It will be grave naïvity on the part of anyone who will think that the campaign will take off smoothly. Indeed, some top government officials recognized the importance of the campaign but others brazenly called the bluff of the campaigners to the extent of shamefully calling campaigners "f**lish people". As expected, their intended maiden demonstration has since been met with crude resistance. Being law-abiding citizens, the campaign organisers run to the intended-impartial arbiter, the judiciary. Quite surprisingly but not novel, the court gave an indication to first hear their case many weeks after the date of the proposed demonstration. Like seriously? One wonders how possible? This national campaign of huge significance doesn't merit urgent consideration by our court? That's fixing being required right there. Cases of huge national significance and public interest should be given the requisite urgency by our courts. Yes, there may be other pending issues at the courts but of course, national and public interest should be a major determinant of case adjudication. This seems the case unless other interests wave in.

A very interesting observation was opponents of the campaign asking its proponents to name the things in the country which are bad hence will require fixing. Of course, that list, presumably, should be countless if really one will be candid to the facts. From healthcare, provision of potable water and sanitation services through infrastructure, road and telecommunication networks, social protection services to security and education, our country needs fixing. Also, unless one is currently benefiting from the broken or even non-existent system, in some sense, then one can resoundingly say there's nothing to be fixed. Well, I can't also forget about the other class who are waiting to benefit from this same system 'when it's their turn' hence may see no sense in calling for #FixTheCountry.

Of great contention is whether or not a citizen must first #FixYourself or the government should #FixTheCountry. Certainly, citizens' attitude is of great importance in developing a country. I strongly believe in the strength of our communities to marshall the local and meagre resources to achieve great things for themselves and their children. I know that in our villages, in our small towns and even the unreachable areas of our country are great potentials that can be harnessed to ensure an improved standard of living for our people. These call for possession of the relevant mindset or attitude. Where the requisite attitude is insufficient or non-existent, leadership ought to model that relevant attitude(s). Policies and programmes as well as disposition by leadership, by government, tells the citizenry 'what time it is'. That's why we elected and appointed them, as the case may be. That's why I will always be a firm believer of the fact that leadership is everything hence will always call for #FixTheCountry.

Worst of all is the blatant display of bravado and intimidation against the campaigners. Arrest of the campaigners only emboldens the movement. There's the perception that the movement can be weakened by such moves as people will lose interest with time and be bullied to coil into their shells; that's no strategy. That's poor judgement! It won't work and never will.

I have no shrewd of doubt that with this renewed sense of hope and dogged determination among the Ghanaian youth coupled with support from the middle class, Ghana can, must and will be fixed. No amount of gerrymandering will deter the determination of a resilient mass of people, none has ever and will ever. Let the message of #FixTheCountry get to our market men and women. Let the message get to the Ghanaian youth in school, let our campuses be lit with lectures on #FixTheCountry. May our churches' pulpits and our mosques echo the clarion call for #FixTheCountry.

Arise Ghana youth for your country, our Nation calls us to duty.

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