It is frustrating living in Ghana right now - Akorsah

Professor Agyemang Badu Akorsah, a leading member of the Convention People's Party (CPP), says it is getting frustrating living in a country which is the first African country to gain independence.

According to him, celebrating 56 years of Ghana’s independence amidst power, water and economic crisis is very shameful.

Prof Akorsah made the observation when commenting on the relevance of the independence celebration on Accra based radio station Citi FM.

Ghana’s 56th Independence anniversary was marked at the Independence Square in Accra with a call on Ghanaians to be patriotic.

President John Mahama in his address called on Ghanaians to be devoted to the nation’s development, pledging government’s commitment to improve the socio-economic sectors of the economic for a Better Ghana.

However, Prof. Akorsah believes the crisis in the country is a sad reflection of leadership in the country.

“Ghana has not dealt with its challenges. We live in the country that is very frustrating; we live in a country without light, water, and toilet for its people and sadly we seem to bask in some glory that we are a middle income country. There is no middle income country that I know where 69 percent of its people don’t have access to toilets,” he bemoaned.

Prof Akorsah blamed Ghana underdevelopment on politicians whom he says have relegated patriotism to the background and are looting the state coffers to enrich themselves.

The former Director General of the Ghana Health Service intimated that attitudes of Ghanaian politicians have transcended to the ordinary people in the country making everybody think of him or herself first rather than the nation.

He averred that due to the selfish interest of politicians, poverty has engulfed the people from 1966 and the “earlier Ghana confronts its challenges with full force the problems will still persist”.

The CPP guru commended President Mahama for reminding Ghanaians to be patriotic but added that love for Ghana must start from the presidency.

“Those who put themselves out for leadership should love this country unconditionally irrespective of partisanship," he said.

Prof Akorsah feared that if nothing is done to improve our current situation, Ghanaians will be more frustrated.

“If we continue like this and nothing changes then I bet that we will be more frustrated than we have been for a long time”.