2023 has been a year filled with surprises, volatility, disappointment, unfulfilled expectations, cyclic shock waves and madness and unbridled mouths on our TV and radio stations.
As the New Year draws nearer and nearer, it is important that we take a deep breath, relax and focus on the ingredients that are key to our collective survival. We must get back on the horse and gallop away as we used to do.
This country has seen worse calamities before. In 1983, famine did strike the land and the nation nearly went on her knees. Out of desperation and the need to survive, people ate roots of some trees to survive.
People queued to buy kenkey before they could be cooked by kenkey sellers. The famine spread so wide that, parents struggled with their kids to lick empty bowls when they had consumed everything. In a matter of time people started to grow lean like Somali refugees of the early 90s.
To add insult to injury, Heaven refused to open up for the rain to fall. Wild bushfire consumed almost everything, including cocoa farms and other cash crops. Fisher folks returned from their fishing expeditions with empty boats.
That was when the term “Rawlings’ Chain” was coined. Hungry men, women and children became so lean that you could count their ribs and the holes between their necks and shoulders could store a bucketful of water.
In recent memory, the country experienced four years of power outages christened, ‘Dumso’. Factories collapsed, and workers were laid off. The economy crumbled and it seemed the country was ungovernable.
For the four years that we went through this hell, the people could only complain and stay in the dark. Investors refused to come and the nation was in danger of a total breakdown. In all these calamities, Ghana was able to come out of the troubled waters with chests out.
This country was proudly heading towards the Eldorado when another calamity came knocking on our doors. This time it did notstrike Ghana alone but the whole world. Scientists called it Corona Virus. People died like flies across the world and even the developed countries were mesmerized and taken unawares. Like the Plague of yesteryears, scientists around the world raced against time to find a remedy and thankfully, a vaccine was invented to combat the virus. The government took several measures to save lives and the president spoke to the nation periodically to remind us of the menace.
The “Fellow Ghanaians’ episode became a trademark of the president of the republic like Dr. Nkrumah’s ’Dawn Broadcast”. Nose masks became so popular that even mad men and women could be seen wearing them. That was patriotism at its highest peak.
Just when we were uncoiling ourselves from the grip of Coronavirus, Vladimir Putin, the President of the Russia Federation decided to invade Ukraine, a neighboring nation.That was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Fuel and food prices started skyrocketing and for the first time in the history of mankind, countries all over the world started feeling the pinch. And like Adolf Hitler another mad man in the person of Putin put the world on a tenterhook. Since that senseless invasion, the world has not been the same.
Prices of goods and services have hit the sky and food shortages are being experienced in many countries, especially Africa, the land of our death. Demonstrations are organized on daily basis by people in many countries because of high cost of living.
The world is on edge and countries are struggling to make ends meet. Even in oil rich countries like Nigeria, motorist queue to buy fuel and life is hell. Good days are gone in Nigeria where life was fine, very fine. Like the days of “Agege”, Nigerians are trooping to Ghana to make a living because times are very hard in their country. Ghanaians must thank God for small mercies.
Sometimes people spend too much time focusing on problems instead of focusing on opportunities. We have to keep the big picture in mind even when the details or our vision could be micromanaged in an unnecessary way.
We must remind ourselves that we are destined to succeed no matter the difficulties. Problems can be turned around to our advantage if we stay focused and work beyond human endurance. Surprising events can happen. You see, winners see problems as another way to prove themselves. The sages say if you don’t have problems, you don’t have ajob.I have said it many times that you can’t prove your merit on calm waters.
A behaviour I dislike about some Ghanaians is that they are always quick to criticize but slow to praise. When fuel prices started hitting the roof, political commentators and hired media men and women took Dr. Bawumia, the Chairman of the Economic Management Team to thecleaners on daily basis.
They used unprintable words to describe the fine gentleman but he kepthis cool. Unknown to Ghanaians the man and his team were busy on the drawing board. As the noises and insults went from bad to worse, Dr. Bawumia, the economic whiz-kid came out with the Gold for Oil solution. Doubting Thomases went to town to bastardize the idea and said it was not feasible. Today prices of petroleum products have stabilized and the Dollar problem is gradually improving.
What some people, particularly those who are desperately seeking for political power refuse to accept is that in the face of all the difficulties the economy is going through, projects are being executed.
The free SHS is going on, roads arebeing built, Agenda 111 is on track, students are being fed at schools,salaries arebeing paidevery month, the NationalHealth Insurance is operational andabove all, arm robbers and land guards are being subdued.
The Almighty God, He who delivered Israel is in full control. Somebody should help me say Halleluya!!!
By Eric Bawah