Who to Blame for the Crumbling Ghanaian Economy

In the solemn estimation of the grey-haired man, there are three groups of people or institutions that are surely to blame when it comes to discussing the near collapse of Ghana’s economy under His Excellency, President John Dramani Mahama.

?

Firstly, the three arms of government (the Executive, the Judiciary, and the Legislature) are the first ones to blame. The Executive, in which case it is President Mahama and his Cabinet Ministers, is corrupt to the core. They are equally without the expertise to implementing any sound achievable economic policies for the country and the welfare of Ghanaians. They have rather resorted to propaganda to running the country. In so doing, they misapply the scarce national resources, channelling them into satisfying their numerous human parasitic propagandists. They have come to develop tough skin against insults, wax to block their ears to what the public is saying and blindness to not seeing what is actually going on in the country. They do what they feel will enrich them as few individuals come to power to amass wealth overnight.

?

The Legislature in the view of same old man is not giving the constituents any effective representation. They are not formulating bills and laws that will restrict the waywardness of the Executive. They are unable to take the government on, summon John Mahama and his colleagues before parliament for explanation on their economy-ruining policies, and for example deliberate the bloating cost of government-awarded contracts to their cronies, unnecessary external and internal government borrowing of funds without realised projects to justify the borrowings. They have indeed become lame ducks if not accomplices to the official government thievery that deprives the economy of needed financial resources. If resources were applied properly honestly, the economy will grow to the satisfaction of the rank and file of Ghanaians wherever they may be.

?

The Judiciary on the other hand could be said to be worse if not the worst. The judges are not ready to interpret the laws to prescribe the appropriate punitive measures as they should. They rather condone to sell justice to the highest bidder. They are not providing the atmosphere conducive enough for the economy to thrive in. Government Ministers and their cronies are either set free or only given a slap on the wrist when they are arraigned before the courts for breach of law. A case in point is Alfred Agbesi Woyome who has swindled Ghana of GHC51.2 Million but is still walking a free man whereas a thief stealing a fowl is sentenced to three years of imprisonment or more. Without laws working well in Ghana, the economy will continue to suffer. It is only the judiciary that can enforce the effective implementation of laws by punishing perpetrators of crime accordingly. Our current judicial system where selective justice is gaining roots could simply be described as a joke with judges becoming big time jokers, one may say. When one factors in the William Atugubas with their infamous election verdicts and views, then the whole situation becomes a melee of justice.

?

There are no checks and balances within the governance of Ghana by the mentioned arms of Ghana. They are all corrupt hence, the annihilation of Ghana’s economy under the most unprecedented corrupt government in the socio-politico-economic history of Ghana. The Legislature is not playing its oversight role effectively to keep the government in check.

?

Secondly, our traditional leaders of today are as corrupt as the members of government. They sell lands, pocket the money and continually extract money from the less fortunate subjects in society at any least opportunity they get. Instead of telling the government off when John Mahama dipped his long arm into the nation’s coffers to purchase the chiefs cars with intention to courting their support for election 2012, they rather appreciatively accepted the offer with praises to him. Most of the modern day Ghanaian chiefs are not there for the best collective interests of their subjects but how best they can selfishly satisfy their insatiable greed that transcends all boundaries. They do not invest the money from the sales of lands for the greater good of the community.

?

Finally, we as individuals in Ghana are to blame for the annihilation of the economy. Most of us are either equally as corrupt as the government or have developed nonchalance attitudes towards the deplorable behaviours of our public and traditional leaders. They don’t care whether the government will squander all the money as long as they belong in the same party with them or are able to feed on the little crumbs of bread that fall from the government’s corrupt table.

?

Whoever from the public that comes out to challenge the waywardness of the government and the traditional leaders, castigate them, suggests corrective measures and educate others about the need to rise up to their duties to stop such corrupt attitudes by our leaders rather becomes the public enemy. With such myopic behaviour lacking farsightedness, does the public not stand equally accused of failures that have adverse knock on effect on our economy? Let us wise up, my fellow Ghanaians. If you happen to not have the balls to challenge the corrupt leaders, please do not place impediments in the way of those that can. Encourage, but do not discourage those that have the guts to take the wayward leaders head-on.

?

Time is against me so I need to end here. However, readers may understand where I am heading towards with the brief highlights above.