That Ghana will be the beacon of hope of Africa is enthralling and can be attained if and only if we are really thirsty and hunger-stricken for this highly admirable accolade.
My beloved nation, Ghana, no doubt has made enormous strides in the past and consequently is labeled the pacesetter of many gigantic achievements on the Continent and the world at large. How great a feeling? However, with no iota of contradiction and with a strong conviction coupled with the highest sense of patriotism I averred that the beacon of hope of the land of the Black People, Africa, cannot be Ghana in its present state of affairs and cannot be in the years to come until the missing intermediate-selflessness-is perfectly inculcated into the reaction chain. Should we in our present state claimed to be the beacon of the ever glamorous and enriched Continent that undoubtedly will be an understatement and an obvious display of low image to this Continent as that will then imply this is the continent of little performers. This I will never concord.
The degree of the potency of the human resources of Ghana is incredibly colossal. The human resource of any nation unarguably is the firm and unshakable foundation upon which any worthwhile development thrives since it is the only factor that can manipulate all other parameters needed for any developmental programme. This, therefore, makes it irresistible and irreplaceable. Many emerging and undoubtedly, developed nations (in my view) like India, China and Malaysia which are now our most preferred places of visit and a continual pouring of praises can only boast of their heights due to the high level of efficiency of their human resources. It appears a dream to me, to say the least, that we repeatedly wallow in this glamorous accolade but are virtually unprepared to working towards that direction.
Folks, the world has seen our human resource expertise in many engaging fields that tend around the fortunes of the developed countries: distinguished scientists (medics, engineers etc.) some of who left the shores of their lovely nation to work in prestigious organizations in the Diaspora probably because we cannot tap their potentials and our law luminaries unmistakably have changed for the better the lives of many people both within and out of our country. These ace lawyers serve on many renowned judicial committees of many nations and highly performing international bodies the world all over. The mass of highly effective entrepreneurs and administrators our beloved nation is endowed with cannot be overemphasized. From finance through commerce to industry, these gallant men and women have survived and continue to survive in many flourishing untapped avenues. The celebrated teachers of our land cannot be overlooked. They are making strenuous efforts which are turning around the potentials of the minds of our young ones into one of productiveness and world wide competitiveness. The food sector of many countries have been changed by our proud farmers despite the minimal result being achieved by this land of their own birth in this same sector. The communications experts are all around here, however, only God knows when this much needed sector will receive the needed boost in Ghana.
Moreover, the natural resources needed by the above brains for immense economic development are more than needed on our land. Yes, you heard me right; the natural resources are more than needed. The highly priceless gold our Maker has blessed us with seems to be of no value to us. In addition, the soaring quality of cocoa being produced by our industrious but less cared about farmers sells high on the markets. Diamond, bauxite, salt and manganese among others are some other attractive minerals our land has not forgetting the evergreen forests booming with life. Yeah, I cannot forget about the large water bodies like River Volta worthy of great economic potentials flowing across the longest portion from the country: from the South to the North. Almost all the most decorated places on earth have portions using one or more of these minerals. That not withstanding, we are again blessed with oil and gas maybe to test our readiness to enjoy better lives despite the many unused and wrongly used ones available already. May God hear the prayers of that little boy praying today for a better future for Ghana.
The number of outspoken civil societies and forward-focused religious organizations in this country cannot be overlooked. Civil societies who are society changers and most of who freely and fairly seem to be on the top of defending, preserving and protecting the rights of our people are enormous. For instance, the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, Federation of Women Lawyers and so on have their success stories to tell whenever the opportunity springs up. My beloved nation who gives to her citizens the option to free worship has some of the finest religious bodies with competent and world-acclaimed leaders who sit at table with their compatriots the world over in their respective denominations. These bodies apart from propagating their religious beliefs also get involve in building the physical lives of our people. Also, non-governmental organizations (NGO) who are making great strides in helping the people of this land engage in the provision of water, low to medium income generating ventures, women empowerment and the like. These NGOs have increasingly being building the capacity of our people for higher productivity but why are we still here? Something might be missing somewhere.
The array of state institutions in this dear nation of ours, I humbly submit to you my dear reader that that is adequate for massive development if we really want the development we wish for. This is a country where the three arms of government are deemed to be at work. Notwithstanding the essence of their presence, more work needed to be done by these institutions. One main function that my little brain can immediately recollect from its cerebrum is that these three arms must act as checks on one another. But what are they really doing? The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Serious Fraud Office (SFO) and other highly important agencies and institutions are the same ones which are making it great else where but where not in Ghana?
Our world-acknowledged security services no doubt stand tall among the best in the world. Most security threatened nations the world over have experienced, seen and feel the dexterity of our soldiers and others on their lands. The ECOWAS, AU and UN depend to appreciable extents on these gallant men and women of our motherland in times of crises. What else do we need? But again, are we as a nation deriving the best out of our security agencies internally? Are these agencies and institutions which must be strictly (yes, strictly) independent and therefore act as such strengthened to be and do so? How can’t we enjoy the best of protection internally from our security agencies?
Renowned educational institutions of higher learning whose names have been recorded in the prestigious halls of fame of education on this planet for churning out all-round persons of worth are right here in Ghana. These institutions, both public and private, have and continued to turn out men and women of great minds who are performing extremely stupendously in various fields of human engagements. To them, they are working on many research works into many unknown areas and coming out with new discoveries. But is this the reality? Even if it is so, what is the essence of those outcomes?
Friends, despite the aforementioned few blessings we received probably because we requested for them as we often do when asserting our identity as Ghanaians: “God bless our homeland Ghana”, we are virtually at where we were before today just because of the missing intermediate-selflessness.
I humbly but profoundly submit to you, my dearest reader, that selflessness is the intermediate in the reaction chain to link the many resources we have to the ever better standards of life and development that has been but a mirage and has eluded many generations before us, even us and the would-be generations if they should tread this same line. Our ability to recognize that the welfare of the next person around us is the welfare of the larger mass of people is what we need to know and do. Patriotism to me, cannot but be selfless to one’s nation. To be proud of Ghana as it seems we almost always at the slightest opportunity want to let people know must be a burning desire to be partners in developing the next person near us hence the need for selfless engagements.
Selflessness, though, needed on the part of all of us, its requirements is highly essential on our leaders. Leaders who must come to the realization that bettering the lives of their people who willingly decided to follow them, is the main essence of leadership is the prerequisite in emancipating us from being drawers of water and hewers of wood to be enjoyers of better living. Leaders who must agree that we do not care about what they know but how what they know can be used in bettering our lives so as to make Ghana the Black Star of Africa that will glitter even in the dungeon and shackles of the worst, darkened and down-trodden circumstances.
The world is expectantly awaiting, she is sleepless for us to move ahead upon the realization that we are the magnate of true development and freedom on the continent, she wants us to provide solutions to the many afflictions being suffered by our fellows. Here comes the answer, the missing intermediate we’ve been awaiting – selflessness. Our leaders especially the political leadership must remember that we cannot continue to have them at the pinnacle of the echelons in society when the many resources of ours have been entrusted into their hands to be used to improve but not to “deprove” us . Selflessness is the hallmark of becoming the true beacon of hope of Africa. Comrades, let’s imbibe into our system the highest level of selflessness and above the sky will be our limit.
Folks, your thought today can make the world better tomorrow.
Dear reader, this is my x'mas gift to Ghana and Africa. Thanks.
