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Opinions of Friday, 4 January 2019

Columnist: Joel Savage

Why travelling to Ghana, scares me to death

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After working very hard in a foreign land, it should have been an exciting experience if one intends to travel to his country of birth but I don't feel that way. My heart pounds in my chest like a criminal running from the law anytime I want to travel to Ghana.

Ghana is one of the famous countries in the world, not even Africa, because of the achievements of Kwame Nkrumah, the first prime minister of the country, who rallied behind and supported other African leaders to fight colonial powers for independence.

A publication about Ghana caught my attention some time ago: Ghana: "What’s so special in this country that everyone is talking about and wish to visit there?” It’s true, Ghana is a nice country because they treat foreigners like queens and kings, however, they treat their own nationals like street rubbish dumped at a refuse site.

Nothing in Ghana works in a good condition or the right way. The system is so corrupt that it has affected the judiciary system. The leaders make noise and boast over achievements but when in Ghana from abroad you will realize how miserable Ghana is as a country.

Even the church mouse which has nothing to feed on sometimes feel comfortable than poor ordinary Ghanaians because of the church's communion.

At times, I wonder if Ghanaian leaders take time to walk around the city to see how dirty the environments of Ghana is. Yes, Ghanaian leaders would have taken certain things into consideration or work efficiently, if any of them would have disguised himself and walk with ordinary citizens in the cities throughout Ghana.

They don’t visit the city; instead, they ride in expensive motorcade surrounded and protected by the police on motorcycles, often disturbing public peace with the blurring noise of siren, finding their way through the congested stinky environments of Accra.

The fact that nothing including the law works in Ghana scares me so much that my heart pounds in my chest whenever ready to travel to this lawless country without shame.

The only thing common in Ghanaian papers is: ‘ A mechanic jailed for stealing a goat or hen, but the corrupt Ghanaian leaders are enjoying impunity because no one sees what they do.

Corruption is so severe that like a virus it has infested Ghana beyond remedy. Businesses and banks have collapsed. The position at the moment in the Ghana Ports Authority reveals the sad and depressive state of Ghana.

Officials at the port think the best way to redeem their corruptible activities and help build Ghana is to inflate custom duties on imported goods.

Therefore, businessmen, entrepreneurs, and foreigners bringing in raw materials or commodities have to pay over two hundred percent more than purchasing price.

Ghana is now like a sinking ship and every effort to salvage it isn’t working, yet political parties want us to believe that they are performing miracles. Why must I feel this way when visiting my beloved Ghana?

I always wish to settle finally in Ghana. I sat beside a chief and bought land and invested 10,000 Euros. The project is under construction when people with cutlasses stormed the place, claiming the land is theirs.

The chief sold the same land to more than one person. Would I feel happy when coming to Ghana? If the law of a country works, such a thing will never happen and if Ghana is not corrupt, such things wouldn’t take place. The leaders are corrupt and greedy.

Ghana is sick a nation because the country is in the hands of sick leaders, and frankly speaking, many of the Ghanaian leaders need psychiatric evaluation because what is happening in the country is not normal.