Ghana’s Development and Economy after 66 years of Independence
6th March 2023 is Ghana’s 66th Independence Day anniversary and The Hot Seat of
NSG News wonders what is being celebrated and what should be our reflection.
After the independence from the British colonizers, and the emerging of Ghana’s
first President Dr Kwame Nkrumah, many were the industrialization projects
pointing Ghana on the course of Self-sufficiency. 66 years later and the question where is Ghana developmentally, infrastructural capacity across all sectors and industrially? In the quest to measure how far Ghana has come apart from the number of republics and finally the 4 th republic which looks to be stable irrespective of violence that is associated with elections resulting in loss of properties and lives,
many are factories established by Dr Kwame Nkrumah which are either dormant,
defunct or non-existent.
List of some of these factories
Akosombo Textiles Limited, The Aboso Glass Factory, Bonsa Tyre Factory, The
GIHOC Fibre Products Company, and Wenchi Tomato Factory, Bolgatanga Rice
Mills, Zuarungu Meat Processing Factory, Pwalugu Tomato Canning Factory,
Kumasi Shoe Factory, Tarkwa Bonsa Factory, Kade Match Factory, Saltpond
Ceramics, Takoradi Flour Mill, Bamboo Factory, Tema Food Complex, Nsawam
Cannery, Takoradi Paper Mill.
Most of these factories if not all are strategic for the processing of Ghana’s
abundant raw materials but as they are not available, the only option is to export
the unprocessed goods and products to other countries as raw materials.
Other factories non-operational since independence – Aveyitime rice project,
Aveyime shoe factory, the State Housing Corporation (SHC), the State
Construction Corporation (SCC), State Fisheries jus to mention a few.
It is evident Ghana’s economic predicaments is not by accident rather, due to the
refusal to follow in the footsteps of Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
Most road networks to major towns are in the worse state possible even major
roads connecting cities in some areas are in the worse state and near impossible to
drive on 66 years after independence.
A typical example is the Accra – Tema motorway which is now bereft of
maintenance and overwhelmed with pot and manholes.
The national airline, a pride of Ghana is missing in the skies.
If we take a look at other institutions like health service, education service, the level
of retrogression is evident with woefully inadequate facilities and some cases non-
existent and no change as yet especially as political leadership and prominent
individual in Ghana and their families seek medical care abroad.
The shamble called education system available to Ghanaians seems to suggest there
is no future in mind especially as political leadership and prominent individual in
Ghana educate their children abroad.
The stable electricity supply enjoyed over the years is now very erratic and
nicknamed dumsor. The erratic nature of electricity supply in the country is
disruptive to business and the result is noise pollution in every corner as hard
working Ghanaians mitigate the undesirable situation with gen sets.
It is alleged IMF and World Bank programs and policies implemented in Ghana is
a major contributing factor and leadership corruption.
Apart from the alleged failed developmental policies implemented by the primary
culprit “the most evil institution in the world – IMF, World Bank” and
corruption, the mentality and mind-set of Ghanaians in leadership positions, civil
and public servants and the country as whole is questionable as it seems there is no
iota of patriotism in their attitude and behaviour towards country.
In all these, Ghana has external debt of 575.7ghc.
All these failures notwithstanding, government is going to spend millions on state
banquets and parties to commemorate the 66 th Independence Day – 6 th March
2023.
Question is, what does Ghana have to showcase for the 66 years apart from and
what is Ghanaians going to be reflecting on for a change so that in the next four
years come the 70 th Independence Day celebration, Ghana would be in a much
better disposition economically, developmentally and with an increased
infrastructural capacity across all sectors.
Ghanaian to win themselves off the mentality and mind-set that, when it is from
the west it is better and superior and regain a righteous mind with boldness and
integrity to stand up to neo-colonialism to give Ghana the chance to thrive in and
with her endless abundant natural and human resources.
If Ghanaians can consciously make the words of the national anthem an everyday
way of life, Ghana would be a force to be reckoned with and the envy of the rest
of the world.
The Hot Seat – NSG News; God bless mother Ghana, long live the 4th republic.
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