Ghana is a country in deep social, economic and political crises. People are morose and despondent. There is a pervading sentiment that things are not getting any better. On the surface people would appear apathetic and resigned. Probed deeper, however, one senses a deep sense of frustration and anger: a sense of impotence and yet fury that things can go so wrong!
The Ghanaian Paradox
The situation is paradoxical due to the fact that the Ghanaian economy has been performing relatively well and, at times, spectacularly.[1] Despite this, the bulk of the population faces crushing misery. The level of unemployment is staggering. For those “lucky” enough to have a job, salaries can barely sustain an individual without a family even for a week: the minimum wage is around GHS 170 (roughly $40) a month. Outside of the most successful private sector operatives, virtually no one in Ghana can honestly say that they survive on their salaries.
There is economic hardship everywhere. There are simply few income-earning opportunities and many of the youth and children are reduced to hawking for a pittance. It would be a gross mistake also to overlook the misery of the aged, retired people, and the disabled just because they are not in the streets begging or hawking.
The prices of public utilities, when available (electricity and water), are astronomically high. Housing is unaffordable and many landlords require rents be paid years in advance. Parents cannot afford to pay school fees even though they are highly subsidized.
There is near universal admission that the development outcomes have been poor, to say the least.[2] But the political class has ready-made explanations. The ruling government ascribes the outcomes to the unfavorable external environment. The government is also quick to point at the previous administration, claiming that it did much worse or bears part of the blame for the “crisis”. To the opposition, it is divine retribution meted out to Ghanaians for voting them out of office in 2016, which event Ghanaians are now regretting.[3]
The Social Atmosphere
But the problem is much more deep-seated than economic hardships. Simply stated, there is general malaise that everything is all wrong! Many social commentators lament that Ghana faces social, moral, and economic crises. Indeed, the atmosphere is poisonous everywhere.[4] Ghanaians have become “disempowered” and, as a result, are forced to resort to “survivalist” strategies.
The Anatomy of a Disempowered Society
A high-profile friend of mine confessed that he is weary of greeting acquaintances that he encounters in the street because it invariably ends up with requests for assistance. The requests range from money, assistance to get a job, an introduction to a well-placed government official (for a contract) or a judge (if they have a case pending in court), assistance for admission and scholarship to an educational institution for their wards, etc. More often than not, their wards would be eminently qualified to be admitted. But when interrogated why an intervention is necessary, the refrain was always the same: “without your intervention, there is absolutely no hope that my ward will even be considered”.
Indeed, there is a very pervasive feeling among people that nothing that they do on their own will make a difference in their lives. Moreover, people believe that they will only succeed if there is divine intervention or they are able recruit powerful people to plead their case. This, we contend, is a very important element (other than pure piety) in the fact that, at times, people who can least afford it go to extraordinary lengths to make monetary sacrifices through their pastors so that their prayers will be heard.
Many Ghanaians, much more so than ever in Ghana’s history, have a strong faith in the power of prayer. Prayers can heal, prayers will inoculate the leadership against sickness, and guide their decision making along the right path. Prayers can open the door to riches and happiness and not just the gates to heaven.
Equally, there is strong faith in the power of redemption and forgiveness. It is remarkable how quickly many a Ghanaian will drop to their knees to ask for forgiveness or a favor. Sometimes, they will mobilize a whole delegation of elders and respected people to plead for forgiveness or to thank you for having forgiven the same. If an individual fails to forgive despite entreaties to do so, he is characterized as insensitive or wicked. If an individual fails to gain redemption despite prayers, then it is obvious that he/she lacked sufficient faith in the power of prayers.
The Survivalist Society.
Disempowerment (and the accompanying forgiveness syndrome) is a logical outcome of a society in which the harsh economic conditions oblige people to adopt survivalist coping strategies. In the mid-1970s till 1984, one often heard that “Ghanaians are magicians” for their ability to survive on very meagre salaries and a situation of penury. Many people, during this period relied on remittances from their families if they had any abroad, food aid, and standing in long queues for whatever provisions they could get their hands on. There was the sense and the reality that penury was generalized. Almost everyone was affected. Everyone did what he/she had to do in order to survive.
The difference in today’s Ghana is the fact that the vast majority of Ghanaians have to adopt survivalist strategies in the face of an apparently vibrant economy! This majority seeks to emulate the very few who are flourishing with predictable results. But there are only Hobson’s choices open to many in Ghana today. Bluntly put, Ghanaians are faced with the choice of remaining true to their values and struggling; or to do what the minority does (no matter how unsavory) and flourish; or to steal and/or prostitute oneself in order to survive.
The Fallacy of Composition reigns supreme
The fallacy of composition in economics is often used to describe anti-social behavior (example refusal to pay taxes) which may benefit an individual only if the vast majority play according to the social rules and norms. There are many examples of the fallacy of composition at play in Ghana as a result of the emulation of the anti-social few by the majority of Ghanaians. Thus, everyone seeks to flout traffic regulations (as government officials routinely do) with the result that traffic jams become legendary. In court cases, both sides seek to influence judges with monetary inducements. Everyone seeks to get ahead at the expense of his/her neighbour. Victims of fraudulent land sales quickly unload their purchases before the unsuspecting buyer realizes that there are problems and so on. In short, everyone does it so no one gets ahead!
Disempowerment and Survival are not Congenital Ghanaian Traits
In an otherwise humorous and enjoyable read, a social commentator described Ghanaians as gullible, unquestioning of sudden wealth, bow to money rather than values, and only love “winners”.[5] It is our contention, however, that disempowerment of (adoption of survivalist strategies by) the Ghanaian population is neither new nor unique to Ghana. This situation is the result of a dysfunctional political and economic system. In a dysfunctional democratic state, the legitimacy of the leadership (the source of power) does not emanate from the ruled except in a formal sense that the population votes for a government every four years. Money (the undisclosed, unaccounted, unaudited campaign contributions by party financiers) becomes the means through which leadership gains power. This does not bode well for the accountability of the leadership to the electorate.
[1]See https://www.brookings.edu/blog/africa-in-focus/2018/07/18/politics-policy-and-implementation-the-ghanaian-paradox/
[2]Former President j j Rawlings states bluntly that Ghana is hard. The President Akuffo Ado while delivering a speech at a Ghanaian community in New York, USA denied that the situation is a crisis. He, however, acknowledged “some difficulties in the lives of ordinary people in Ghana, due to events that were out of our control, which we have to find a way to accommodate”.
[3]https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/politics/Mahama-mocks-Ghanaians-for-voting-NPP-716015
[4]In his June 4th2016 message, Flight Lt Jerry John Rawlings put it this way:
“As we mark the 37thAnniversary of the June 4th, I note with pain and anguish that the poisonous and agitated environment, the attitude of the leaders, the unprecedented level of dishonesty, exploitation, abuse and misuse of the Judiciary and the Security Agencies, and the arrogance of appointed and elected officials have returned”.
Brigadier-General Nunoo-Mensah a man noted for his blunt speaking also laments “After Nkrumah’s overthrow, to be honest with you we are retrogressing”. And the reason that Ghana is not moving forward is “very complex”.
[5]https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/features/5-typical-Ghanaian-characteristics-the-menzgold-saga-has-exposed-716311
