A letter to the President of the Republic of Ghana

Your excellency,

I send greetings from my humble abode to your entire office. I write in the capacity of a patriotic citizen of a country which rests in your bosom. I recall your injection of the spirit of nationalism in Ghanaians the day you assumed office as president of the republic. “ Be citizens, not spectators. Such highly inspiring words from a father to his household. It is out of this spirit I write to your high office to articulate my views on recent developments in mother Ghana.

Mr President, hear my cry, for grief and sorrow has taken over the very fundamentals of my existence. It is important to acknowledge a highly touted quality you’re noted for by the people of mother Ghana. “The listening president.” I hope you don’t lose it on this one. The little knowledge I’ve gathered, over the years, on my journey through education has taught me how crucial it is to put national interest above every other interest especially in a country still struggling to break free from the shackles of underdevelopment. I understand how important the lives of your people mean to you as the driver of mother Ghana and the need to focus on the controls. We may be a little rowdy in our quest for a smooth journey. Ought we complain not if we are not getting a steady drive? You would agree with me that, this defeats the purpose of democracy and the principles of natural justice.

National interest in my little way of understanding is nothing beyond the people’s interest- the interest of Ghanaians for that matter. I do not intend to dispute the fact that protecting the lives of people against the Coronavirus pandemic which had, earlier on this year, invaded our premises is not in the right direction. No doubt about that. I commend your outfit for rising up to this global canker and every other Ghanaian who contributed in that respect. However, it is so alarming, the course, our fight against this virus has taken. We need not be told the impact of the virus on Ghanaians and the world at large.

It is estimated that about 1.2M lives had been lost to the virus across the entire globe. However, juxtaposing the impact of the virus on Africans, particularly Ghanaians, and that of other worlds like Asia, Europe, and the United States, permit me to use the words of Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the Vice President of the republic, we have performed better. The rate of infection and the number of deaths we recorded in Ghana out of this global pandemic is relatively small. If I remember vividly, in one of your updates to the nation on measures taken against the coronavirus pandemic, you did indicate how the virus escaped the shores of other nations into ours. This, in your own words, was mainly through travels. I believe travel by air was at the centre of it and hence our borders and all other means of travel was banned. Kudos! But come to think of it, today as I speak, the borders through which the virus entered our shores have been reopened to pave way for economic growth. Fair enough! My concern is: how many people sit in a plane? who are the drivers of our economy? Imagine an economy without an economist. Imagine an economist without education. The likes of Dr Mahamudu Bawumya, Hon. Adam Habib and other economic giants who are at the centre of our economic affairs in Ghana are products of education. Needless to say, our health personnel who were in the frontline of this fight, are also products of education. Your government’s efforts to improve our education system in Ghana through investment is well recognized. However, time, I believe, is the biggest investment.

It appears that education in the wake of this invisible demon has not been well placed among priorities. Regrettably, it amazes me how, as a country, we have chosen politics over education, when we can get millions to campaign grounds with almost no observation to COVID-19 protocols, but cannot allow a thousand students back to school. Question is: how many people sit in a lecture hall? It is about eight(8) months now since our institutions were closed down. I acknowledge that, somewhere along the line, you instructed that some schools return to complete the remaining academic year. I feel that was not enough. What happens after ?? The beginning of a new academic year. Many Ghanaians don’t see it coming anytime soon amid your government’s settlement on January, 20021. On the other hand, those who see it coming, see it in bits, for they believe that online education continues. On the latter, I’m afraid because of the struggles we tertiary students had to pass through in the hands of these online lectures. I believe my colleague tertiary students would attest to this.

I appeal to your highly respected office to look into a full reopening of our tertiary schools in line with the earlier announced date, January 2021. Mr President, your citizens. Citizen to Mr. president.

Thank You!