Baffled? Simply Baffled.

As the title suggests, this article is based on simply being baffled. Baffled by our priorities in terms of a nation. I must caution that this reaction is simply based on the sole reportage of the article, ? Stranded Ghana Air passengers demonstrate??

We have three entities being affected by this saga. The first is the people. The customers. People who could serve as the best public relations mouthpiece, in terms of advertising our nation and its potential in terms of business, tourism or simply a good place to live, if they so wish to speak to their experiences.

Then we have a badly managed airline, which obviously does not see itself in the service business. I am not sure if it really now knows what it is, in terms of its products and services.

Then thirdly we have a nation, which has its image at stake, after working hard to establish some respectable position in the world order, especially within the sub-region of West Africa.

Baffled, because the solution in real terms is simple. To execute it may be challenging but not impossible. However, we continue to allow a business entity to hold people hostage, and this is acceptable in a civilized country?

The nation, should see the bigger picture, and put its so-called new ?credit worthy status? on the line. Credit is used wisely and used to one?s advantage. It should not just be a position that receives praise. It is a facility, which needs to be managed and utilized in times of need to address unexpected events.

Use our credit facilities, to secure the necessary planes, in the short term, to resolve these problems now. Get the people to their destinations at all costs. Then, seek to find ways to fix the airline problem.

The nation has more to lose, than Ghana Air does. So why is it allowing this to happen? Why are we still risking the image of the nation to such great extent? Why are we risking the lives of people? Some may have medical conditions, to attend to. Others have lost jobs they left. Others too have had lives totally shattered due to separation as a result of this issue.

Are we that insensitive as nation?

There is always a cost of doing business. ?Real? companies always measure the risk, and do so frequently, as a result, implement controls to mitigate this risk continuously. This should be the same for our national industries.

Tourism in particular, should see the risk that in-action of the airline is creating, and find a way to mitigate the related risk. This is a problem for the whole country and not just the airline company, which technically is owned by the nation of Ghana. Let us please do the right thing.

Remember, the high remittances in recent times, comes from these same people who have been held hostage, and are not earning any income to remit to Ghana, for as long as they are held there. Even upon returning some may have to start life all over again, as their employers may be sympathetic with their plight, but business must go on as usual.

Views expressed by the author(s) do not necessarily reflect those of GhanaHomePage.