MR. PRESIDENT, ARE GHANAIANS MAGICIANS?

undefinedWhenever a Ghanaian is asked how he or she is faring, the usual answer is 'I'm managing.' In Ghana, all are managers. Our poor economy has earned us all management qualifications. Life in Ghana today, is just too hard! Too hard to the extent that managing, is becoming a problem by the day!

The president must sit up because gradually, I am tempted to agree that he seems to have lost his track. Is he even aware of the state of the economy? How do we survive? By magic?

For some time now, there has been a general trend in Ghana. Prices of goods and services keep soaring by the day! Whenever the dollar rate goes up, prices of everything goes up. All but wages and salaries! When it comes to adjusting prices of fuel or utility, we invoke the so-called automatic adjustment formula. But what happens to the salaries or wages of the ordinary Ghanaian? We have no choice than to soak up the pressure! Is there no automatic adjustment formula for wages and salaries? What does the Labour Commission or TUC have to say?

From all indications, our governments have no care for the needs of her populace! How are people expected to survive, in the wake of the state of our economy? How do we manage, when there is nothing to be managed? How does the government expect people to live? Are Ghanaians magicians?

Prices of utilities have soared! Prices of food have soared! Transportation fares have gone outrageous! Even ordinary sachet water! Everything in this country has gone nuts! How does our governments and leadership, expect people to live? Workers are laboring, but are barely making a living. What is to become of us tomorrow? How long will this continue?

The cedi continues to lose value by the day. Our money has lost taste, and yet, nothing has been done about it. I keep hearing about all sorts of meetings and deliberations, and yet, no results. Nothing concrete! How long must we wait? How long will it take? How do we survive? Magically?

The kalabule season has long begun. Various business owners hoard goods and services, in wait for further depreciation of the cedi! That is the trend at our fuel stations! It is such a shame, and a disappointment, knowing that Ghanaians would rather pray that the cedi loses value to the dollar so they can gain. People are changing cedi to dollar in hope that the dollar rate keeps soaring, in hope that the cedi loses value. But can they be blamed? How far will this plague continue? Do we really have a central bank? What is the Bank of Ghana doing?

At the beginning of the year, government proposed a tax on special banking transactions. Disappointingly however, weeks after this tax was instituted, it was one tax exemption after the other. Any institution that walked into the flagstaff house, earned an exemption! Institutions that government could have generated much revenue from, were all crying for tax exemptions. Their cries were heard, and so currently, this law has been put on hold. That is a classic Ghanaian government! But what happens to the ordinary man? He continues to suffer! He still gets screwed! He continues to endure all sorts of taxations, despite his meager earnings, whiles his own government, sits and enjoys!

I do not know how long Ghanaians are expected to endure this suffering, but I believe that government must sit up! From all indications, we seem to be in a maze, and finding a way out of this maze has become a nightmare. Notwithstanding, something needs to be done, and done fast! The charade has gone on for far too long. This country is not a circus! The show is no longer interesting! We truly need better days!

How much does an average Ghanaian earn? With all these increments, how do we survive? People are really suffering in this country! People are starving! It is no joke! And this is Africa, where the family has several expectations of each other. How then do people meet these expectations? Robbery? Or magic?

The stomach, knows no strike, and so, food must be placed on tables! There are hungry mouths to be fed! Medical bills must be paid! Utilities must be paid! School fees must be paid! How do we do that? Ordinary pepper is being sold for a tooth! For sure, I am no magician!

Zimbabwe until recently, was an interesting case-study on inflation. We all saw funny pictures of people carrying several bundles of money just to purchase a mere loaf of bread. From my window, this country is fast steering in that direction. If care is not taken, we will all wake up to a new day where a truck load of money would be required to purchase a needle.

Anna Esi Hanson ([email protected]; esociocomm.blogspot.com)