Ghana A Safe Place To Live In?

A catchy phrase that often draws my attention when reciting the national pledge is ‘’ to be faithful and loyal to Ghana my motherland’’. So right from infancy, we were taught the spirit of patriotism and nationalistic attitude.

The question which often baffles my mind is, are we as Ghanaians really faithful and loyal to our motherland Ghana? Ghana in a whole is a nation that our forefathers have fought tirelessly to safeguard for us all. The recent happenings within the democratic dispensation in the country most often than not negates that nationalistic feeling which was implanted in me as I grew up.

First, it was the issue of the Atewa forest: a forest that was purposefully preserved for us to be utilized later by the latter generation. The most disturbing issue is the bond that was signed and permission given to the Chinese entrepreneurs to mine for a hundred years.

The irony here is that, is the same people who were supposedly stopped from illegal mining activities on account of pollution and land degradation that have been given the concession to mine and destroy our natural heritage which has been duly preserved for us.

The voice of the people are the voice of the masses. There was an ensuing demonstration by local indigenes in a bit to stop the menace. Then reason given by these angered youth was that their precious water bodies would be polluted if the mining should be allowed to commence any time soon. The humble appeal, however, fell on deaf ears as the chiefs in question do not see a reason to side-line with these concerned youths. So once again, are we really ‘holding in high esteem our heritage won for us through the blood and toil of our fathers’? I guess the answer is obvious.

The second issue has to do with the politics of vindictiveness. As a nation, we should have a common goal and with a broad vision as well as a strategic road map to achieving it. There should not be an attempt to side-line one side all in the name of gaining political popularity.

The recent airbus brouhaha has really gone deep in me and each time I think of it, I weep for my motherland Ghana. Why would you try to make one side unpopular and take all the credits to yourself? Where have the excavators gone to? Is just like a man who wants to marry a virgin girl yet he himself is not a virgin. Or better still milking the cow by cowing the other.

Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s vision for this nation won’t be realized if we continue this way. Unnecessary panic and fear is being created by our own leaders who were supposed to be leading us to the right path. The late Prof. John Evans Atta Mills once said, ‘I will not condone a practice whereby one person would be held against the other all in the name of settling political scores’. Regardless of our political affiliation, the interest of the nation should be of utmost priority. A peaceful and serene environment is all we pray for. God bless our homeland Ghana and make our nation great and strong.

Written by; Dakurah Sebastian
Email; [email protected]