GHANA, MY LAWLESS COUNTRY

If only the Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah had lived till this day, I can vehemently state that his independence speech would have been something different! The popular quote, “Ghana, our beloved country …..”, I believe, would have replaced it with this alternative “Ghana, our lawless country ….” From all indications, and by every standard, Ghana is a lawless country! Most Ghanaians, if not all, are lawless! From the humans to the livestock, it is constantly a parade of lawlessness! Yes, this country plays host to lawless animals because elsewhere, meeting stray livestock in cities and market places is not the norm! Ghana, my lawless country!

I am told that the only functional law in Ghana is at our public toilets and urinals! Yes, at our public toilets and urinals, we strictly adhere to the signs 'Male' and 'Female'! These days, it is being breached! Ghana, my lawless country!

The streets in our various cities have been taken over by vendors and hawkers! Pedestrians and vehicles have to practically struggle in moving around! State owned lands, are being encroached! People keep building in waterways! Filth surrounds us, as our gutters choke with garbage and faeces! Whenever a new road is constructed, the locals create their own speed ramps! Lorry stations keep spring up along our roads without authorization! Of course, our law officers, the bribe officers and experts, also carry on with their trade! Criminals are operating freely because our law officers are their friends! It is now the reign of illegal mining activities, especially by foreigners! Our villages have been taken over by Fulanis whiles our borders lie open to invaders! Ghana my lawless country!

Is it then surprising that foreigners and visitors are equally behaving or operating as they well please? They are merely keeping up with the trend! Ghana, my lawless country!

Are we actually in Ghana? Ghana, the proud country for which the Osagyefo fought for! Ghana, the gateway to Africa! Ghana, the shining black star of Africa! Ghana, the pacesetter! Certainly not! Our cedi is losing its value because the medium of exchange in this country is now the dollar! Of course, our government is oblivious! The government is oblivious because her members are the perpetrators! They are all guilty! The efforts of the Bank of Ghana, in closing up all dollar accounts is a step, but definitely, not a giant step! Ghana, my lawless country!

The African punctuality is our bane, for that matter, we conduct our businesses as such! Workers show up at work as and when they please! No seriousness! No commitment! Non-performance is further endorsed by the usual strikes and demonstrations! People make demands although they do not merit it! Ghana, my lawless country!

Our country is facing so many hitches! Monies to be channeled for specific projects usually get diverted for other things! Monies get squandered, and no one takes responsibility! Projects get abandoned, and everyone looks on, unconcerned! Our water supply and distribution system is failing! Our power supply is failing! On our roads, we see the marks and heights of our irresponsibilities; the shoddy works! Huge contracts are being mismanaged and not executed on time, if executed! Incompetent people obtain the jobs! People get paid, but for nothing! Of course in the end, they all go scot-free! On one is questioned! No one gets punished! Because there are no laws! Ghana, my lawless country!

Like many others, I sometimes lose hope whenever I critically examine the disturbing trends in this country! Things are rotting but nothing concrete is being done to rectify these defects! As always, our leadership is only interested in the grammar! Big English, no results! Empty words, empty promises! How then do we progress as a nation? Is there any hope for Ghana? By all standards, the old Ghana was much better! But in the blame game, all are shareholders! If only our foundation as a country had been more solid, all would be in a much better place today! Ghana, my lawless country!

During President Mahama's recent state of the nation address, I was a bit disappointed! My disappointment stemmed from the fact that in tackling the issues of the inefficiencies in our various governmental institutions, I expected a more drastic measure! I expected him to tell us of the punitive measures defaulters would be subjected to, in the event of non-performance! But as always, it was an appeal! Our various public officers or politicians keep failing us because in the end, they are not accountable! They give no account for their non-performance or failures!

I am tired of the constant appeals! All the president did was to make an appeal! At best, we qualify, and call it a passionate appeal! For how long would the appeals persist? The time has come for more drastic measures in tackling the issue of bribery and corruption, non-performance, embezzlement, misappropriation, fraud, and other criminal offenses confronting our society today! Those are the marks of a nation that is bent of righting the wrongs! We need punitive measures! That would be the surest means of putting an end to the canker in our Ghanaian society! That would be a surest means of putting an end to the lawless Ghana! Less talk, more work! Only in Ghana, my lawless country!

Anna Esi Hanson ([email protected]), Takoradi.