Ghana: A pregnant nation

Ghana, a nation touted to be the gateway to Africa is on a crossroad panting for breath, to be rescued to its promise land. In Africa we are hailed as the first Sub-Saharan Africa country to gain independence, the beacon of hope and black star of the Continent. We have been created with impressive democratic credentials, having held six successful general elections under the fourth Republican constitution.

Our culture, beliefs and values defines our identity and orientation. Ghana has been blessed with many great personalities like Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, J.B Danquah, H.E. John Jerry John Rawlings and H.E. John Agyekum Kuffour, H.E. Kofi Annan, Prof. Francis Allotey, Ama Ata Aidoo, Theodosia Okoh, Chief Justice Georgina Theodora Wood, Apostle Kojo Safo, Prof. Joseph Hanson Kwabena Nketia, Dr. Mensah Otabil , Kormla Dumor, Kwame Sefa Kyei, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, Dr. Kwame Despite, Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, Dr. Patrick Awuah, Stephen Appiah and the up-and-coming Asamoah Gyans and Abraham Attas of our time.

Many of our heroes and heroines, known and unknown are flying high the national flag of Ghana in other parts of the world, yet here at home we are busy vilifying ourselves with insults and derogatory comments. We express no hope in Mother Ghana but expect hope from our “decorated development partners and allies”.

The success stories of this great nation is worth celebrating. We were once the world No.1 producer of Cocoa, built industries and provided social amenities like Korle bu Teaching Hospital, Adomi Bridge, Akosombo Dam, K Komeda Sugar Factory, and Kumasi Shoe Factory, Tema Oil Refinery and created an enabling business environment for our market women and entrepreneurs. Our Parliament and Judiciary represented the hope of African parliamentary and judicial blue print.

These achievements were all chalked by Ghanaians with Ghanaian resources and not from the money bags of the World Bank and the International Money Fund (IMF).

I ask, what happened to our focus, undying sacrifice and commitment to building a better Ghana. Did we forget how far we have come as a nation and our political and economic orientation? The struggles we went through to become a true Republican nation.

Let’s revisit the many national development plans and policies we have drafted. Let’s reorient ourselves on the basic tenets of nation building, restructure our educational system, eschew corruption, expand road networks from farmlands to our regional capitals to help boost agriculture, give our farmers that necessary state resources to make Ghana the bread basket of Africa, adhere to basic economic principle to grow the economy, build more hospitals to save the lives of our dying rural folks and create more employable opportunities for our youth.

The current generation expects its leaders not to further destroy Ghana but to inspire hope and change in our developmental potentials as people. Civil society groups, state agencies, private sector and ordinary Ghanaian should not continually look on as we have in the past allowed these unpatriotic political leaders rob this nation of its limited resources.

My plea to the young and old, men and women, the elites and illiterates , market women, business executives and students is to go all out and do our best for Mother Ghana, for this nation needs us now.

Writer's e-mail: emmaowusu60@gmail.com