I believe that Ghana is destined to be a shining star. A little land blessed with tremendous resources to be self-sufficient and share the surplus with the rest of the world. However, sixty years after political independence, the nation remains a rising star, sometimes a dim one, struggling to shine out the promise it holds.
The one and most important thing that needs to engage our attention at this moment; is the missing blueprint for the transformation of our nation “FROM THIRD WORLD TO FIRST” within one generation (thirty calendar years) by replacing a defective foundation with a solid one necessary for creation of a developed nation state with global influence from Africa.
Getting the basics right:
We must begin with an analysis of the political, social and economic systems that have driven the governance trajectory from 1992 when the Fourth Republican dispensation kicked in after a decade of military rule to present; comparing it every now and then to our “classmate” countries that had attained independence the same time as Ghana in the late 1950s, imagining all along what Ghana would have been had it had good governance throughout six decades of existence as a sovereign nation-state.
While I do not intend to exaggerate the small progress we have made, I must acknowledge the efforts made by successive administrations towards attainment of the ultimate and while striking the wakeup call for all to rise up to the endless opportunities our generation has been offered; to halt the one step forward two steps backward movement that has characterised our development story; falling forward with no options of turning back. Forward to transformational development now or never!
Since Ghana, the black star of Africa began to rise; it has played a key role in the establishment of good governance on the African continent. Our democracy has been acknowledged all over the world albeit imperfect. We have also become an oil producing nation, a development that promises to make available the needed financial resources to help develop our dear country early.
Mobilisation of resources:
What happens to Ghana politically, economically and socially will be replicated in almost all African countries south of the Sahara in the next generation. It has happened before.
As soon as Ghana attained political independence in 1957, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah who led the struggle for independence declared: “our independence in meaningless unless it is linked to the total liberation of the African continent.” That declaration translated into the reality of many states attaining independence soon after Ghana, as our success became the catalyst that drove the need for self-determination from colonial rule from a matter of course to a matter of urgency.
In the same way, we are at the proverbial crossroads. What we do to establish Ghana as a wealthy, open, inclusive, transparent and accountable society that runs on strong institutions, apart from holding elections every four years to elect or re-elect our presidents and parliamentarians, will determine whether the star that has been rising since 1957, will shine the much awaited light to the world or stay rising till eternity.
Taking action:
The vision of a first world Ghana is attainable – if we collectively believe and work towards it. Leadership with this belief and a great appreciation of the task at hand, as well as the multi-skilled capacity to lead and manage the complexities of re-building an already grown nation must begin to emerge to take action.
Nation building is dynamic with a great deal of uncertainties in space and time. But if we envision Ghana again, and keep our brightly beamed light on its great nation destiny, nudging and teasing out its people and leaders to not only apply their instincts to maintain the status quo, but move to combine instinct with purpose as the only tried and tested avenue left to reach its potential as an influential actor in the global public square, where it belongs; we can make it in our life time.
The Last Uprising
…with William Dowokpor
