Ghana: a nation of quick fixes

Cleaner roadsides, drains work and massive public bins with overflowing waste are non-existent.That is the ideal situation  that will be on the wish list of many Ghanaians in 2013.

But far from the ideal, if the stinking Achimota refuse dump is anything to go by then, we are far from that.

Throughout the yuletide season, residents of  Achimota including myself were subjected to the most horrible scents one can only imagine. The stench is yet to wear. I had to resort to emptying air freshners to be able to stay indoors.

Sadly, officials of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly are on the defensive with some funny excuses, including
the proverbial 'we are working around the clock.'

Apart from declaring the capital Millenium City which in itself sounds like a joke, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly has done little  to clear Accra of the filth that is almost everywhere.

In a world where fortune is being made from filth, the AMA is still thinking about the easy way out--landfills.

Admittedly, the attitude of Ghanaians towards waste management is an unforgivable.

From the leadership to the ordinary Ghanaian, we are all interested in quick fixes.

If our public school system is bad, we send our children to private schools; if the road leading to our homes is bad, the solution is four wheel drives; if your neigbour is noted for screaming at dawn in the name of praying, you either get yourself a sound proof window or leave home early before the shouting marathon begins.

Welcome 2013

Numbers have meanings. If you dive into the world of myths, numbers are significant. Christians see 7 as a representation of completion. God created the world 6 days and rested on the 7.

In some parts of the world, especially the US, the number 13 is synonymous with bad luck. It's considered unlucky to have 13 gifts, many buildings don't have a 13th floor and most people avoid getting married or buying a house on a day marked by this dreaded number. Especially superstitious folks even avoid driving on Friday the 13th.

In some parts of Ghana, you can’t give three fingers of plantain to people as gifts. It’s considered a taboo to do so.

From the above, one should be wary of the number 13 and for that matter 2013. But that is my line of thought.

2013 represent a year that I hope to turn things around for the better.  In 2013, I will save more, be closer  to God than before. Help those I can and create opportunities for myself and others.

Indeed, my church, Global Evangelical Church could not nail it better than declaring ‘2013 OUR YEAR OF DEVINE ACCELERATION.’