Ghana's cry for change: Leaders' greed, suppressed demonstrations, and the urgency for accountability

Despite the challenges faced by Ghanaians, they remain resilient in the face of adversity. Just like a shark preying on young fish in the sea, the struggles of the hardworking fishermen who leave their homes from dawn to dusk to make a living are swallowed by the vastness of the sea.

It is disheartening that some leaders have ignored the pleas of the people who, through democracy, entrusted them with power, hoping that they would govern the country thoughtfully. Instead, these leaders have chosen to prioritize their own interests, filling their pockets and wardrobes with the hard-earned money of the poor citizens, market women, and disabled shoemakers.

Accountability is a word that these leaders despise. As elected officials, it is crucial for them to be accountable for their actions and fulfill the promises they made to the people who voted for them. However, these leaders shy away from being answerable to the citizens. Ironically, they are adept at telling lies to other countries when seeking loans, and once they secure the funds, they use them for personal gain or establish private companies abroad, in addition to misusing taxpayer money.

The second word that these leaders fear is "demonstration." Demonstrations are a legitimate democratic tool that allows citizens to express their grievances to the government. However, the current government perceives protests and demonstrations as attempts to overthrow them. Consequently, the police forcefully suppress these demonstrations, arresting some individuals who participate. The recent FixTheCountry demonstration in Ghana is a clear example of this.

The promises made by the President of Ghana and his Vice President, Dr. Mahamoud Bawumia, have burdened Ghanaians across various sectors, including education, health, economy, and telecommunications. Despite making numerous promises, the Vice President has failed to fulfill any of them.

From pledging to secure a Chinese investment of $18 billion for development in the country to promising that every Ghanaian would have a bank account by the end of 2018, none of these commitments have materialized.

Other unfulfilled promises include the construction of 570 dams in 2017, reducing the corporate tax rate from 25% to 20%, providing incentives for the hospitality and creative arts industries, and giving every senior high school student a tablet.

It is disheartening to note that Ghana leads the competition among African countries in borrowing money from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to fund infrastructure projects, particularly road networks.

Despite these borrowings, poor road conditions persist, leading to fatal accidents on the Tema motorway and leaving behind orphans and widows. The borrowed funds, intended for economic development, have not yielded the desired results.

Ghana currently resembles a broken vehicle that requires the expertise of a wise, selfless, visionary, and determined mechanic to fix it. Corruption, violence, theft, and fraud are rampant. Children study on bare floors in classrooms with no prospects for their education.

Pregnant women die due to the lack of adequate clinics and hospitals for safe delivery. Meanwhile, the government imposes taxes on almost everything in the country, including sanitary pads for women, self-taught skills, blogging, and MCing.

It is a distressing reality that Ghana, a country with immense potential, is plagued by these challenges. Addressing these issues requires the collective effort of the government, citizens, and civil society to create a brighter future for all Ghanaians.