The otherwise high expectations and excitement that met the announcement of discovery of oil in commercial quantities from that dawn to the dusk of drilling of first oil is fizzling in a darkness of gloom and uncertainty. The magic wand of oil and gas has now become that of a dry bone as revealed to Ezekiel. No wonder it ought to take two hundred pastors to fly to the Holy land of Israel to salvage this dry bone and return flesh to it. I beg of any aged person reading this not to fret due to the mentioning of dry bones.
In the words of the president,’ the meat is down to the bone’. In my simple logic it calls for austerity which was clearly stated by the president. Yet as he decided to tighten the belt instead of putting it on the waist he rather tightened in on the knees. This sort of move instead of fast tracking motion is an impediment to the intent of austere measures. No one would need to be told the nation has been saddled with price hikes, intermittent electricity and water supplies. It wouldn’t take the president to make us cognizant of this fact since we are the real bearers of their blatant burden. In times like this patriotism would make many committed Ghanaians reduce their intransigence, conversely the government has rewarded this with blatant wickedness, by dolling out wanton and unimaginable sums of money to those who pride themselves in what would break the spine of the nation known as ‘article 17 office’ holders. Is it that we Ghanaians have selected cats to take care of our pidgins?
It isn’t any frisson these strikes abound as the stars in the sky whose pinch is being felt more by the ordinary man this might account for the sluggish manner in which things are being handled. This issue I would discuss later in my article. The strikes have reached their crescendo due to the brewing class struggle that is imminent in our society. In our part of the world politicians medical doctors and university lectures are part of the elitist group and taken in high esteem. These groups of people have been conceptualized by themselves and society as specialized categories with distinguished traits called to provide some supernatural services. The social and economic consequences are the brouhaha that becomes crystal clear in our society. The perceived pillaging of resources by the political elite is the immediate cause of razzle-dazzle in our society as it is deemed by the professionals as an affront to their dignity. True truce can be achieved if the peacocks on both sides lower their flamboyant colors and eat humble pie. The ridding of high horses by politicians and the unguided comments coated with tones of vitriol can’t help the situation. Indeed the magic bone President Mahama provided metamorphosed into flesh at the mention of article 71 holders and reverted to a dry bone in the guise of other public sector workers when it was their turn.
It can’t be put any better that the nation is skating on a thin ice of labor unrest and fast losing its acolyte as the beacon of hope and gateway to Africa. The ineptitude of leadership and seeming lack of urgency in tackling the myriad of problems is a major blow the integrity and confidence reposed in leadership. The public sector is not the hardest hit since the private sector is reeling under the pressure of intermittent power and water shortages hence increasing cost of production. The current situation mirrors the greedy lifestyle of politicians and hence portents spewing thunder and brimstone on our nation by labor if they are not met at their point of demand. Which ever god that provided a cutlass in cutting the mystery bone with flesh from nowhere like the tam given to Abraham won't and can't be god for only parliamentarians but other so called inferior workers. This is central in releasing the albatrose around the neck of the president and its concomitant effect of undue hardship on the masses. It mustn’t go without talking about the frequency with wich Ghanaian workers go on strike for improved salaries but never to talk of congenial atmosphere and the needed equipments for work. It is an indictment to our workers.
Suffice all this to say, the ability of our nation to sail to shore within this ragging storm is a shared one with the president as captain. Let no one rejoice in these trying moments in the name of political differences. The onus is with the politicians to salvage this situation and take drastic measures which would consign us from this abyss.
God bless our homeland Ghana.
Ali Joseph Oswald, Wa.
