by Samuel Sarpong, Ghana, 7 June 1997
THEME = DEMOCRACY
On 6 March 1957, Ghana's first President, Dr.Kwame Nkrumah stood before a record crowd in Accra and delivered the freedom message to his people. "At long last, the battle (against British colonialism) has ended, and Ghana, our beloved country is free for ever". (The same site is now Dr Nkrumah's final resting place).
The ecstasy, the joy, and the frenzy that followed the proclamation were felt all over Africa. Nkrumah and those with him on the rostrum, wept for joy as the crowd for the first time, realised what it meant to be free from colonialism and they gave vent to their feelings.
They had every right to rejoice, because they had fought for freedom, and prospects were bright for the young nation - the first black African country in modern times to shake off the yoke of colonialism. Ghana had important natural resources - gold, diamonds, cocoa, timber and fertile land.
For Dr.Nkrumah, it was an opportunity to prove that the African could handle his own affairs. He therefore embarked on an aggressive national development programme. Educational facilities, rural health services, the development of major industries were all given top priority.
On 24 February 1996, Nkrumah was overthrown by the military. Since then, there have been five military coups and during that time, two civilian governments have been ousted. In 1992, the country reverted to constitutional rule.
Ghana has been celebrating its forty years of independence with pomp and pageantry, but have President Kwame Nkrumah's aspirations remained but a dream?
Education's in a mess. Less than 40% of those children who enrol in primary school, continue on to secondary school. The quality of education has also fallen, because new educational reforms introduced by the authorities have been choked by logistical problems. Education, which was a right in Ghana's glorious days, is now a privilege. Some parents can't afford to pay the high school fees to keep their children in school.
Dr.Ebenezer Ako-Adjei is an elder statesman who was one of those to the forefront of Ghana's independence. He thinks the objectives of independence have not been achieved. "Forty years of independence have passed and we are still exporting cocoa and timber in their raw form! At the same time, corruption has eaten into the fabric of society".
In a Statement to mark the anniversary, the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference condemned the "unchecked corrupt activities of government functionaries and people in positions of trust". They said: "We are living in a nation of naked corruption which has become endemic and almost irremovable".
The judiciary is seen to be sympathetic to the executive's demands. Seeing how the judiciary handles some cases in which the government has a vested interest, many people now have no confidence in the courts.
It is becoming difficult to forge a national identity now, as, following the recent elections, tribal politics are on the increase. Also, statements by some national leaders have caused inter-tribal fiction.
Then there's the pattern of debate in Parliament. When national issues are under discussion, party loyalties take precedence over national considerations. At the time of writing, due to a stand-off between the Opposition and the government on the issue of the re- appointment of ministers, these two bodies have joined battle in the Supreme Court.
The economy has three major problems: 1) How to control inflation, 2) What to do about the growing numbers of unemployed citizens. (Unemployment stands at about 25% in the urban areas). 3) How to make better use of available financial resources.
The fact is: Ghana is straddled with an external debt of about five billion dollars - this figures exclude the 1996 long term borrowing.
Fifteen years after the introduction of the Structural Adjustment Programme, the country has yet to take off - in spite of the fact that the government has strictly followed the prescriptions of the International Monetary Fund (IMF): such as the liberalisation of trade; privatisation of state enterprises; the withdrawal of subsidies on such essential services as education and health.
Indeed, rapidly increasing poverty and harsh living standards are testing the faith Ghanaians have in their country and future. Dr. Joe Abbey of the Accra-based Centre for Economic Policy and Analysis says: "If Ghana can't solve the poverty question, it's goodbye to social and political stability".
Ghana's clarion call should be: "Work together for progress". Ghanaians need: fair play; the best of Government- Opposition cooperation; an impartial judiciary to ensure justice; a deep concern by government for the people's plight.
At 40, life should be beginning again for Ghana.
END