--one major cause of
underdevelopment in Africa
by
Samuel Donkor
For many years now, Africa has been observed to be lacking behind in development
progress and advancement.
Socio-economic development has come to a standstill, coupled with bad
governance, lawlessness, social and economic crisis,
inspite of the riches of the continent for the past 50years.
The long period of military regimes is another cause of this problem, a legacy
left by these regimes.Hence the current wind blowing across the globe, is the
demand for good governance,fight against corruption, democracy and education for
all, which are the basic criteria for receiving full financial and material
support and assistance from the industrial countries and world financial bodies.
The absence of these factors have been the major causes retarding Africa's
development progress, since the first political leaders were ousted during the
cold war. It is the canker of greed, corruption, dictatorship and lawlessness
coupled with ignorance, that set and continue to set Africa back in development
progress.
For many years now, critics and experts on Africa have blamed solely politicians
for Africa's underdevelopment,without critically
looking at auxiliary causes or accomplices in bad governance.
Institutions of state are the arms of government mandated to implement and
administer government programs and policies, monitor and supervise the proper
executions of these programs, projects, application of rules and regulations to
achieve desired results.
In Ghana, these institutions of state, which were once very active and
efficient, immediately after independence, with patriotic,
nationalistic and committed civil and public servants, became gradually
uncommitted, corrupt, inefficient and passive, after the ousted of the first
republic by inexperienced military administrators.
These military administrators focused only on areas they could make personal
wealth to the neglect of moral and civil values, discipline, patriotism and
standard norms. They instead, created avenues for the growth of corruption,
nepotism in the public sector, resulting in social disorder, apathy and
lawlessness to this day, a legacy the present civilian administrations are
grappling with.
The government institutions and agencies mandated to implement and administer
state programs and policies, have gradually sank into corruption, mismanagement
and apathy to this day.They are a major contributing cause to the setback and
lack in development progress in Ghana.
But the truth of the matter is that, for many years now, since the overthrow of
the first republic, these institutions of state have become so corrupt and
inefficient that, instead of being catalysts to good governance, they have
rather become thorns in the flesh of good governance, hence retarding
development progress in Ghana to this day.
These institutions of state are also refered to as gold mines for civil and
public servants in Ghana and for that matter Africa as a whole.
In Ghana, these state institutions have failed the people in the course of good
governance and development for many years now, since the ousted of the first
republic under military regimes up to this times of civilian administrations.
They are not in anyway committed to change despite fruitless efforts to
restructure and re-orientate the civil and public service in line with current
demands for accelerated development progress by successive civilian
administrations in the 4th republic.
Very important institutions like the Town and Country Planning Commission, Town
and City Engineers' offices, the Assemblies, Lands Commission etc, which are
supposed to manage the proper building and development regulations in the towns
and cities are so corrupt and ineffective that, our towns and cities are in a
mess and chaos without a dint of beauty or picturesque instinct.
Buildings and structures are put up anywhere, even on waterways, proposed roads
and community parks, school lands and many other violations of planning laws
under the very eyes of officials and with approval from these same institutions
in charge.
An aerial view of Accra and the other cities in Ghana reveals to you how
scramble and chaotic our cities are, without planning and beauty. The filth and
sanitation situation is a mess resulting in unhygienic and stinking
environment.
The utility service providers, like water and sewage company, Electricity
company,etc, are corrupt and inefficient in their delivery services, with a lot
of malfeasants and wastage around .We see many illegal connections and
disparities in billing systems, power and water distributions, which are mostly
compromised by workers with customers is common.These service providers are also
very wasteful. An inspection around the cities and the countryside reveals real
wastage of materials lying around unprotected to the mercy of the weather, theft
and fire for many years. Leakages and spills of water is very common, especially
in Accra city.
Shoddy work is another negative culture of workers of state institutions costing
the government more and double on projects and programs. We see abandoned
manholes and trenches scattered around the cities causing dangers to the public
and defacing the beauty designs of our roads.
We have the roads and highways, where shoddy works and dishonesty is compromised
, resulting in early deterioration of roads and abandoned unfinished roads
scattered around the country. .
The police service is worst in terms of security and human right of the citizen.
The service is so corrupt that, the poor ordinary citizen and the public as a
whole have no confidence in it.The police -public relationship is for many
years now at zero point.
The people allege, ''the police is there for the rich and priveldged alone.
'Dare report a case to the police, when you have no money and you regret it'',
they say.
Custom and Migration services are the same with corruption and compromises at
the ports and borders of the country.
The judicial service is another public institution in which the people have lost
confidence. Here too, favoritism, protectionism
and perversion of justice is common and the most victims being ordinary poor
people. Real culprits with connections and money are left to walk the streets
with their chest out. Here again we experience the culture of 'Class society and
Whom you know still reigning high. '' We have cases where innocent suspects are
still thrown behind bars. But a member of organized crime is seldom arrested.
If arrested, he is rarely indicted.If indicted, rarely brought to trial. If
tried, rarely convicted. If convicted, rarely imprisoned. If imprisoned, quickly
released,''unquote by John Rafferty
This is the so called ''Rule of Law'' prevailing in Ghana and for that matter
Africa, where criminals and culprits with political connections are set free.
The Civil service, which is the sector administrators of government policies is
not an Angel.Here too, there are a lot of waste and negative attitude towards
work and the public.Deliberate delays in communications, documentations and
actions create room for corruption, a strategy common in these offices.
All in all, state institutions and the public sector , as a whole are one major
cause of Ghana's underdevelopment, progress stagnation,and bad governance.
These state institutions and agencies have become gold mines for government
officials and public servants, who have also become lords, who expect to be
kotowed, before rendering service, when they are there to serve the
people.Finally, it can be concluded that, government officials and public
servants of state institutions have for many years now been a thorn in the flesh
of good governance and developmen against the people of Ghana.
I write you the truth, politicians, public servants and for that matter
technocrats and educated professionals are the causes of the woes of
underdevelopment in Ghana. Their commitment to nationalism and patriotism faded
out since the first republic.Today, they have become greedy, dishonest, one way
or the other, corrupt, unpatriotic,apathetic, unproductive and passive. They
have failed to help sincerely, successive governments to accelerate policies
and programs to achieve desired results, but rather exploit mistakes and
loopholes to enrich themselves.Their focus on enriching themselves has caused
them to loose foresight, lack innovation and creativity, hence the progress
stagnation and lawlessness we are in for many years now.
The failure of politicians to fire public servants and cronies, who commit
serious offense, fraud and embezzlement and who do not perform well, because of
their unholy alliance of -''scratch my back- I scratch your back,'' is a
negative sign of mistrust, failure and abuse of office by government
officials in the eyes of the public.
Finally, finally, I write you the truth, no government will succeed in its
development programs and policies, if politicians, civil and public servants do
not commit themselves sincerely to nationalism and patriotism, honesty and
selfless character to help and support government in power, to accelerate growth
and development to achieve desired results to move the nation forward. Our
professionals and technocrats should strive to achieve excellence and not being
satisfied with mediocrity when in priveldged positions, because of greed.
I write you the truth, ''Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a
man soweth , that shall he also reap.''Gal.6:7
by
Samuel Donkor, Mob: 0242 809352 e-mail samdonkies@yahoo.com ..
