There is no day I will not hear the phrase ‘Ghana is hard or things are hard here in Ghana’ when I place calls to friends and family currently living in Ghana. Even if I attempt to escape hearing this by dodging the phone calls—not because I do not care but because I cannot do much to redeem the situation, I still get to read similar phrases on social media by several Ghanaians.
With the country plunged in increasing economic hardship, being wheeled by ‘galloping’ inflation (used for absence of a better word), citizens are indeed finding times hard and the government seems to be equally struggling.
Despite the fact that I feel the incumbent government has a series of on-going misplaced priorities that need to be re-evaluated and resources redirected to ease the amassing hardship being suffered by the people, I also feel the crying has become too much and appropriate actions must be taken to put the government on its toes.
Are Ghanaians saying they will continue to cry out from their bedrooms and send countless short social media messages, hoping the government hears them and respond drastically to their plights so to find the much needed solution to their accumulating problems?
If for many months, the ‘plenty cry’ is not working, why not consider other appropriate avenues so that you can be heard? By this, I am talking about throwing stones at government officials or orchestrating doctored tapes for propaganda and shaming purposes. I am talking about considering some of the old forms of being heard and having issues urgently attended to.
By this, I mean the ‘plenty cry’ must end since it has been fruitless. It is time those who are crying from their bedrooms come out and seek the appropriate permissions to demonstrate in high numbers—so that their struggles will be given the needed attention and urgency.
Interestingly, while mass non-violent demonstration continues to be an effective tool in the West, for making strong statements and demanding actions from political leaders, this seems to have lost its prominence in the minds of Ghanaians.
If there is a perceived grievance or any form of increasing ‘injustice’ like being cried by Ghanaians—and after many months of social media and bedroom yells things are still getting worse, I believe it is time to forget the scorching sun and take to the street, peacefully.
If the ‘plenty cry’ of economic hardship is unaffected, then all must be feeling the burn irrespective of political affiliation or ideological stand. Therefore, it is time the political or whatever existing divide that exists is shaded off, so that there can be a unanimous loud shout for the government which can be rightly described as deaf (in relation to the on-going cries) to hear and take the needed pressing actions.
The next election (which is 3 years away) talk is pretty pitiful. If it is that bad, then enduring it for the next 3 years with probability of things getting worse will only make you mad. The government must be forced to hear the ‘plenty cry’ and must be required to take actions…
The good old political methods such as protest still do work but it seems we are too busy with social media and praying to God to the extent that we can’t put our boots on and sweat heavily from a march, to showcase our demand for those we put in power to come to our aid.
Enough of the propaganda gibberish…A difficult situation requires a difficult and real effort from those being affected.
Ghana is hard—surely it is hard everywhere but the important question is; what is being done to ensure that those who have the power to soften the situation are working around the clock to achieve this?
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