Ghana’s Problem is not Corruption

Time and over again we have heard it repeatedly said in Ghana that our leaders are corrupt but this is not really the case.
You could take me to the literature of politics in Ghana and pinpoint some key figures who mishandled monies placed in their hands. Yet this same literature might reveal interesting facts or truths that would amaze you.

First of all, let us ask ourselves this vital question? Looking at the full picture of Ghana what is the estimated total amount of money we have there in our system or that is ours for which we wouldn’t have to pay any interest back on to any institution like we do for loans? Anything below 1 trillion Ghana cedis at this present time is peanuts. You may never know. This is so because the capital you have for any business speaks volumes of itself.

Ghana’s case now is like that of a businessman who direly needs about 100 000 Ghana cedis to expand his small business but has only 10 Ghana cedis in hand. This is such that his needs far outweigh the money he has in hand. It is mind plaguing and mind torturing. There would be the real temptation to even abuse that minute sum you have.

Having your needs already listed down, if care be not taken you could throw it all to the dogs or you could use it unwisely. Do not judge our leaders when this happens. We might plainly say our leaders our corrupt in this situation but looking at the real scenario they are not.
The cure for Ghana’s economic woes begins by estimating exactly how much money we need to transform Ghana into a better place. Say, how much capital does Ghana need to turn the nation into a very beautiful land?

You would marvel that 500 billion Ghana cedis does not amount to anything. I wonder why when a financial institution in foreign lands gives Ghana 1 billion US dollars as loan sum to develop our country you would see the aged throwing their walking sticks into the air in an attempt to dance, whilst some youths in exuberance would want to place their heads on the floors and begin to dance with their legs in the air as though we had had a very great major relief.But this sum is loan for which we would have to pay back with interest.

I happen to have been a student studying countless websites of churches in foreign lands and I see “Donate to Support Ukraine,” “Pastoral Care”, “Donate to Support Earthquake / Disaster Victims” etc. Knowing Ghana’s plight, have our leaders thought of meeting churches in foreign lands (and even the mosques there) to place before them the dire need to support Ghana financially so we could develop our cities and villages well than what we are now doing? In a way we would not have to pay back with interest?

When Ghana becomes a better place they stand to enjoy and benefit more. They could come for picnics here. They could come for vacations and holidays here. They could avoid the seasonal winter’s snow by spending that time in their numbers here. They could bring their wards here to enjoy the taste and fun of schooling in Ghana. For instance, we could have some American universities having their campuses here in Ghana alongside our African universities where both foreigners and our nationals alike could sit in the same lecture room and study together.

So you see, when you imburse sufficient funds into the hands of a politician to fund a project and he/she is surrounded with a multitude of loved ones who are so hungry, destitute, ailing or dying, there is often the unguarded temptation to channel a large chunk of that money to save the lives of the too many needy folks around him. In so doing we cannot conclude that our political leaders are corrupt.

By Ebenezer K N Baiden-Amissah

Legon Accra Ghana