Ghana flag
It’s been sixty-five years since we gained independence from our colonial masters.
To my understanding, independence simply means being free from colonial rule, and internal and external suppression. From this basic definition, I don’t think we are truly independent.
In the colonial era, people suffered from extreme poverty, indignity, injustice, and other forms of inhumane treatment. Today, people are still suffering from the same acts. Why?!
Ghana is abundantly endowed with resources, from natural resources to human resources. Selfish people exploit all these resources to enrich themselves rather than serve the common good of the people.
Some places in Ghana still have no access to portable drinking water, inadequate health facilities, and poor road networks, but no one seems to care. A deliberate national policy backed by law can solve all these basic societal challenges if only we truly care about the well-being of our people as leaders. Poor people are really suffering in Ghana, no opportunities for them.
Our leaders have been subjected to internal and external control making it difficult for them to carry out their civic duties. Sponsored leaders that are elected into offices cannot serve the interest of the electorates but rather the interest of the sponsors is served. Very sad.
Corruption is at its peak. Systems must change to ensure effectiveness; relationships between leaders and followers must also change for a better future.
The youth of today are overly ambitious, they want to wake up tomorrow and become very rich and powerful without putting in the necessary efforts. They don’t even care whether what they are doing is acceptable or not. They just want to do it for something in return, and that’s money. We must all have in mind that true ambition requires patience.
We are not content with what we have. We always want more, and that engenders greed.
Ghanaians have to revisit their history passionately, relearn their lessons again and make amendments.
African leaders must come together to devise lasting ways to solve our unique problems in Africa selflessly.
As Dr. Kwame Nkrumah said: “Our independence is meaningless unless it is linked up with the total liberation of Africa.”
Until our last breath, we will continue to speak against injustice.