Ghana Has a Cancer

Akua Bonsu

There is a cancer eating at the fabric of our dear nation and it is thematically vehement. As you know, cancer does not build cells; it idles around until the body builds its own cells before it swoops in to destroy them. In Ghana today there are builders, and there are destroyers. The builders are relatively quiet. They go about their business of building our country and do not say much. In fact sometimes you wish they would say much, but they don’t. Then after they have left, or have installed their buildings, the destroyers come in and destroy what was built.

The first example of destroyers resides in cyberspace. They know who they are. As much time as they obviously spend on the internet, they are not known to author any articles that state precisely what they believe in. May be they deem it a lot of hard work to sit down and articulate ideas in an organized, coherent manner. So they wait…….. until someone authors an article that conflicts with their warped beliefs. Then here come the insults. (I expect a truckload of them on this piece).

The pattern is the same. They are usually the first to register their destructive comments as if they wait all day and all night with no jobs or schooling to occupy their time. The pattern also has the more constructive comments coming in later. This clearly indicates that the destructive commentators are idle, lazy, and unproductive. They obviously contribute little to humanity except to do the easy thing – hurl insults at those who take the pains to articulate ideas and dare to have them published.

I am daring all those who hurl insults at other authors to take a moment and write something original. Then they would have earned the right to criticize other authors. Until they “build” articles of their own, they cannot “destroy” others’ ideas, and would forever remain cowards and shameless nonentities for what they do to poison healthy debates that Ghana needs to move forward.

The next group of destroyers is unfortunately in government. After 18 months in office, they would be hard pressed to point to one substantive initiative that they have birthed, developed and implemented. Everything they have done amounts to destroying or at the very least undoing what the previous administration did.

During their time, health care was cash and carry. During their absence from government, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) was birthed, developed and implemented. Eighteen after their return the scheme is slowly being destroyed. School Feeding Program, Free Maternal Care for pregnant women, Freedom of Speech, Political Stability, and many more great initiatives that they could not institute, but which the previous government instituted are all in jeopardy under this National Destroyers’ Council (NDC) government.

It gets worse. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth was 5.7% in 2007 and 7.3% in 2008. Under their care in 2009, GDP growth was a paltry 3.5%. Inflation came all the way down from the 39% they left it in 2001. As at 2008, it was down to 16.5%. Under their care in 2009, it jumped back up to 19.3%. Now they claim it is down to 11%. Public debt as a percentage to our GDP in 2008 was 51.5%. Under their care in 2009, it jumped to 55.2%. Current account balance, which is the government’s own bank account internationally, was $3.5 billion as at 2008. Under their care in 2009, our balance had dropped to $1.4 billion.

External debt as at 2008 was at $5.06 billion. Under their care in 2009, it jumped to $5.84 billion. Ghana’s credit rating as at 2008 was B+. Under their care today, we have dropped to a B. As at the end of 2008 Ghana was considered “the best investment destination in Africa” by the World Bank. Today that acclaim is gone thanks to a bunch of myopic elements who, despite their claimed academic brilliance, can never see the bigger picture. What more do these National Destroyers Council have to do before we realize that they are destroying our country? I call on all Ghanaians of merit, and of sound mind, to stand up and resist these “Greedy (Team B) Bas____s” before they destroy our nation beyond repairs.

If the language is too strong, please forgive me; for it appears to be the only language they understand.

Akua Bonsu

[email protected]