Vacancy - better leaders needed!

As far back as I can remember, at least over the last 40 years, life for majority of Ghanaians has never been easy. When we were very young most of our parents really struggled to take care of us. Most households survived on a tight budget.

Forty years down the line, it does not look like much has changed. There is still a lot of austerity around in addition to widespread disenchantment and demoralisation among Ghanaians about life.

People have become more inward-looking, hungry for opportunities to break out of austerity and to be able to live their dream lives. Others have simply become cynical and have lost faith in any expectation that things could get better. They have simply resigned themselves to a life of poverty and hopelessness. We need to get out of this quagmire.

Our unfortunate circumstances as a people are in spite of the fact that we are endowed with many resources; arable lands, mineral resources, water resources, a well-endowed human resource, and lately crude oil. All these are in addition to great policies which have been put in place to ensure the proper exploitation of all these resources.

It appears that the more resources and policies we are blessed with, the worse our situation gets, with successive governments failing to demonstrate appreciation of this unfortunate situation. This has occasioned a national movement whereby the led and the leaders all keep going round in circles; alas! A lot of activity but no true progress.

In spite of all these challenges, we love being Ghanaians, and are proud of our peaceful and hospitable, fun-loving disposition. We seem to have learnt to be content with our circumstances and would settle for less than optimal life conditions.

We love our designation as the Black Star of Africa regardless of the fact that we are no longer streets ahead of the other sub-Saharan countries. When compared to our peers at independence, we have made little or no progress.

Countries like Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea are light years away from us. Most unfortunately, very soon we may not be able to see the tail-lights of even Rwanda.  The more worrying is the fact that we do not appear to be eager to do the things that would take us to such desirable destinations.

Obstacles

It is obvious to anyone who peers behind the façade that there are two huge boulders in our way on our march to progress. First, is the failure of our institutions to work and to be independent. As long as our systems and institutions remain weak and are subject to the self-centred machinations of politicians and well-placed individuals, this country’s fortunes will remain unchanged and in the doldrums. The second is best described or placed under the broad areas of leadership and commitment.

The virtual exhaustion of that sense of patriotism and willingness on the part of the Ghanaian to work with commitment for Ghana has developed over the years as a result of a perception of corruption and lack of patriotism among the top officials and influential citizens of this country.

The ordinary Ghanaian believes that people in positions of authority are ‘chopping’ Ghana’s money. They, therefore, see no reason why they should sweat and toil for mother Ghana. Their efforts should be for themselves and their families, not for the nation.

A country of self-centred people cannot expect to prosper because in striving for personal prosperity; by lining our own pockets with the funds meant for development and undermining the policies and laws, we have emasculated and rendered useless the many wonderful plans designed to fast-track national progress, to put it bluntly. The percentage of Ghanaians who would let an opportunity to rape the nation’s kitty pass is unfortunately very small indeed.

Corruption and development are not cozy bed mates. It is not possible for us to get to any desirable destination when those that are expected to lead us are corrupt. This is because the cognitive resources or brain power required to work our way to this destination is finite (not unlimited).

We are all constrained within a 24-hours day. Coupled with limited cognitive resources I propose that it is not possible to lead this nation to this destination, if we are expending a lot of the available cognitive resources on finding ways in which we can steal from the national kitty without getting caught. A milieu poisoned by corruption, laziness, indiscipline, partisanship, ill-will, tribalism, selfishness, and greed can never fertilise worthwhile national development.

Who is to blame?

The question that is begging for answers is who is responsible for this unfortunate state of affairs?  A sizeable chunk of the blame falls on the leadership of this country.

Until Ghana gets leaders who work to change the perception that politicians and government officials are enriching themselves at the expense of the rest of us, widespread corruption would prevail.

The nation is in need of leaders who have the following and allegiance of Ghanaians. Leaders who can get ordinary citizens to become more conscious of their behaviour and how it sustains corruption and leaders who will instill discipline in every facet of our national life. Leadership is a product of a leader and followers.

Without cultivating the followership of Ghanaians no leader should expect this country to prosper. If the people do not work for the leader but work against him by seeking their personal selfish agenda, such a leader is bound to fail.

Ghana needs leaders who would encourage and strengthen our systems and institutions rather than exploit them for selfish political and personal gain.

Leaders who are capable of taking us somewhere and whose principles and actions inspire in us a patriotic desire to do what is right and a willingness to sacrifice our personal agenda in the interest of the state.

Under this form of leadership wrong would be dealt with without exception. With regard to suffering, we have always been enduring it, but the time has come when suffering, for nothing must stop for suffering for a good reason and for a better tomorrow to begin.

The search is on now. Ghanaians collectively say “Vacancy: Better leaders needed!”.

God bless our homeland Ghana.