Let Us Rise

Ghanaian governments in the Fourth Republic have consistently ridden on the goodwill of the people during their early years in office, using that grace period to push through policies that often prove dangerous and destructive.

Civil society organizations and religious bodies — usually loud and uncompromising — tend to fall silent once a new administration is sworn in, behaving as though fresh governments are incapable of wrongdoing. In that silence, leaders are emboldened, and harmful decisions pass unchecked.

We have seen public figures who once championed strong moral or ideological positions suddenly lose their voice when power shifts in their favour. The same individuals who once led national debates with fiery conviction now appear muted, even tolerant of the very issues they once condemned. This inconsistency confuses the public and exposes the deeper problem: political convenience often outweighs principle.

There is a proverb: You can use your mouth to weed out thorns, but do not assume you will escape unhurt. The masses must learn to see through the charlatans. We must know where to direct our frustration. Accountability is not a privilege — it is our right.

Ghanaians must stop granting politicians long, undeserved honeymoons. Leadership is not an experiment; it is a responsibility. We cannot afford to give looters more room to operate before we find our voices. We must stop being pawns in the hands of social engineers who manipulate our emotions and begin to act as patriots who refuse to settle for less.

Today, the cost of living continues to rise even as the cedi appears to strengthen against the dollar. It is difficult to reconcile these contradictions. As Jerry John Rawlings once said when asked about economic policy: “I don’t know economics or inflation, but I feel it when my stomach is empty.” The stomachs of many Ghanaians are empty, yet we are told the economy is doing well.

Meanwhile, the press budget at the presidency surpasses the proposed capital for a national women’s bank. The entire nation seems to be running on a public relations machine. Critical journalism — the kind that exposes wrongdoing — is quickly suppressed. Too many journalists have become extensions of political power, trading conscience for comfort.

We must change our ways as a nation. We must demand more of ourselves and of those who lead us. Public officials are not doing us a favour by governing responsibly; they are fulfilling a mandate funded by our resources. Many of our forebears who fought for this land never lived to enjoy its fruits, yet some today profit from it while contributing little to its progress.

There is credible concern that actors across the political divide are complicit in the galamsey crisis. The sudden silence around the issue is alarming, as though a change in government magically resolved it. Our water bodies remain poisoned, our communities continue to suffer, and propaganda arrests do nothing to change the reality on the ground. We must rise and demand that the country be fixed.

No incoming leader deserves a honeymoon. Experience is not an excuse for complacency. Anyone who has served in multiple high offices understands the system well enough to be held fully accountable. Those who helped shape our challenges must also help solve them.

For the sake of our children, we must ensure that Ghana works. We cannot live in a broken nation and leave behind ruins for the next generation. Accountability is the starting point. Responsibility is the path. Patriotism is the fuel.

Ghana remains a growing concern — but she is also a land of immense promise. Let us each do our part.

I am a preacher. I do not claim political neutrality. I reserve the right to speak my mind, and if anyone disagrees, they are free to scroll on.

I am a patriot.
God bless Ghana.