Was it necessary celebrating the 58th independence?

I woke up to lights out otherwise known as “Dumsor” on the day that was declared as a statutory holiday just to celebrate 58 years of our Independence. It was so exasperating to be celebrating 58 years of our Independence without a dependable electricity to even iron our clothes or for our children to do their home works.

Is it by force to always celebrate Independence Day when there is actually nothing and I mean nothing to celebrate? Couldn’t the government forget of the celebration of this Day and just tell Ghanaians that in view of the worsening economic situation in the country they have rather decided to use the many resources that could have been used to celebrate this year’s Independence Day to procure some medicines for some hospitals in the country?

What at all are we celebrating at 58? Is it because we are alive and in good health? In any case we do celebrate our birth days. This is a government that doesn’t know shame and keep on celebrating useless anniversaries.

What has the President done since the Supreme Court affirmed him as President of Ghana that is worth celebrating?

Is it the SADA that has collapsed? Is it the massive corruption at GYEEDA? Is it the incidence of Ghost names at NSS and MASLOC? Is it the thievery at Brazil? Is it the cancellation of allowances to Nursing and Teacher Training Colleges? Is it the gradual collapse of the NHIS under your watch? Is it the freeze of employment into the public and civil services of Ghana? Is it the inadequate supply of lights that is collapsing businesses? Is it the vindictiveness of your government not to employ people who don’t belong to your political party into the civil and public services?

Is it the unprecedented depreciation and collapse of the cedi and the economy? Just what is President John Dramani Mahama and his people celebrating at 58? Apart from disturbing our ears with sirens all over the roads of Accra, what at all is this man doing as President?

You look at some of the calibre of ministers that JDM has entrusted the destiny of this country into and you will not be surprised of the abysmal way they are performing in their various Ministries. What was the track record of some of these Ministers in this country? Where did they work before they became Ministers and what did they achieve there? If unemployed graduates are elevated to Ministers in a country like ours what should be expect? No wonder all some of the Ministers can at best do is insult on radio and Television. They insult persons who are older or same ages as their parents. They insult Religious leaders and experienced and seasoned technocrats.

The President must stop the drama of talking too much and perform. We need action to move this country forward not empty and irritating promises. People are dying because they are unable to meet their health needs. Innocent children are dropping out of schools because their parents are either unemployed, underemployed or simply do not have the money to take care of them.

Many Ghanaians are sleeping in uncompleted buildings in Accra and other parts of the country. What is the government entrusted with the mandate of the people to rule doing about these problems?

The summary is that it was needless for this year’s Independence Day to be celebrated. There is nothing to celebrate. No wonder after 58 years of Independence we still were not having electricity on that day. It is a big shame to say the least.

President John Dramani Mahama must put seriousness in how he does things. He doesn’t seem to care about the agonizing problems facing this country. No wonder he goes about dancing “Y3n tie obia” (meaning we won’t listen to anybody) by Lumba.

We live to see. Bye for now.

By Akilu Sayibu, Tamale North

Email: Akisayi@yahoo.com