Tip-toeing to 7th floor: May the eagle soar above Ghana’s needs
Of all the images that emerged on social media on 6th March as we celebrated Ghana at 69, there is one which made some impact and stuck with me that whole week, even to this day.
Having done so many rounds on different WhatsApp platforms, this particular one had a black eagle with the Ghana flag firmly in its beak.
It flew higher and higher with the national anthem in the background.
Did whoever designed that message seek to use an eagle because of its spiritual symbolism and power?
The eagle is said to be man’s connection to the divine; it soars higher than any other bird, and it is said to bring the message of renewed life.
Intriguingly, it is believed that if an individual goes through a tough time, the eagle not only signals a new beginning but also provides the person with the stamina and resilience to endure the difficulties.
Was it a good sign then, to have the eagle soar on wings above all else, giving Ghanaians a message of resilience at the dawn of our 70th anniversary in 2027?
As a believer, I have accepted and interpreted the symbolisms of both the eagle and the number 70 in many positive ways.
The number 70 in the Bible indicates completion, divine order or restoration.
The Israelites, God’s own people, endured 70 years in exile after which the Lord led them to return to Jerusalem to occupy their own land.
Will Ghana, another of God’s favourite countries by all standards, return to glory at 70 years?
Ghana, our beloved country’s blessings have kept soaring with the discovery of one natural resource or the other.
We are sitting on a pot of gold, along with many other natural resources, including world-leading commodities such as gold, oil and cocoa.
We have no reason to be so poor as to go and borrow and leave our people in abject poverty, with families sometimes not able to afford three meals a day.
Come to think of it, there are countries in the world that do not have even a quarter of our riches, in terms of valuable resources.
Yet, they have managed their scarce resources in a way that their people live in prosperity and are even able to export left over gleans to countries in need.
The message of the eagle on our 69th independence day, therefore, seems apt.
It is nothing too complex that our leaders over the decades have been oblivious to.
Ghana has, and Ghana can make living rich and comfortable for its inhabitants.
Our leaders travel far and near and they see the developments others have been able to afford their citizens.
They attend high-level international developmental meetings and workshops.
They contribute to discussions and they bring back great learning.
However, nothing translates forthe people.
Jobs
As the nation battles with high levels of unemployment, and where 500,000 able youths are for example, chasing only 100,500 vacancies in the Services alone, the eagle is sounding a message of hope for jobs for the teeming youth of Ghana at the dawn of our year of perfection.
There is every reason to believe that the private sector is our answer to job creation.
If we are endowed with such rich natural resources, where are the manufacturing concerns that can turn those raw materials into finished products for both local and foreign markets?
At the dawn of our year of prosperity, we should be able to say no to the export of our raw materials and concentrate on adding value by processing our own and perhaps exporting the excesses.
There are some manufacturing concerns that can take up the challenge with a favourable push by the government.
The employment opportunities such local manufacturers will bring through their value chain as well as finished products cannot be imagined.
But manufacturing aside, there are simple chain of businesses that the Assemblies should look into for the benefit of those residents and businesses they take revenue from.
It is time for the Ministry of Local Government to begin to create incentives for and encourage the Assemblies that would be serious about partnering their residents to help lift waste from communities as well as overall cleanliness.
Such Assemblies should be publicly honoured and given incentives to do even more.
Businesses involved in waste management and clearing of filth in our cities, towns and villages are on my mind here.
The mere introduction of a healthy competition on cleanest Assemblies amongst the Metro, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) is good enough to encourage job creation while keeping the country clean and free from filth.
Much has been spoken about the tons of garbage generated in our cities alone.
We talk a lot about clearing our cities and towns of filth.
But we have never been successful with creating structured employment for those who want to earn a monthly income from the sector.
By the time we hit the age of 70, this time next year, at least, the hope of the eagle in employment creation would have soared beyond our expectations.
Let us be serious about opportunities in value creation and keeping our towns and cities clean.
Writer’s E-mail:
