68 Years Later: To love Ghana is to expect more from Ghana

As we celebrate another year of our independence, these words echo louder within me than ever before. Sixty-eight years ago, our forebears stepped into a new dawn, hopeful and energized by dreams of a brighter future. Today, the legacy they handed to us demands that we reflect honestly and rigorously on the Ghana we’ve inherited, the Ghana we experience now, and more importantly, the Ghana we must build for future generations.

I don’t think I have ever “marched” for Ghana before, but every single time 6th March draws closer, I am filled with memories of young children in starched kokonte uniforms (the stiff, heavily-starched cotton uniforms that have become synonymous with our independence celebrations), clutching miniature Ghana flags, marching in step.

My first true experience of this in person was at the Jackson Park in Koforidua, the air thick with the scent of kelewele and domedo and the vibrant harmonies of “Y?n Ara Asaase Ni“. I remember my chest swelling with pride, even though I’d yet to understand the weight of the occasion. Today, the pride remains, but it is tempered by a restless urgency. To love Ghana is not merely to celebrate her; it is to demand better for her and to hold her to the luminous standard our founders envisioned.

When Kwame Nkrumah stood before the Old Polo Grounds on March 6, 1957, declaring Ghana “free forever,” he ignited a flame that burned across Africa. Our nation was a beacon, a testament to what Black resilience could achieve. The early years saw remarkable progress: the Akosombo Dam electrifying dreams, the Tema Harbour linking us to the world, and free education sowing seeds of opportunity. My grandmother, a schoolteacher in Agbozume, often recounted how families pooled resources to buy radios just to hear Nkrumah’s speeches. “We were poor,” she’d say, “but we believed we were building a giant.”

Yet, 68 years later, that giant walks with a limp. The dam’s turbines sputter under mismanagement, the harbour chokes on bureaucracy, and our classrooms crumble while politicians pose with textbooks for photo ops. While we’ve achieved democratic stability that many nations around us envy and periodic economic growth that demonstrates our potential, we must acknowledge the challenges that persist. What happened to the audacity of hope?

We cannot feign ignorance to the cracks in our foundation. In my short lifetime alone, I’ve witnessed:

The 1990s: Rawlings’ “revolution” promising accountability, yet whispers of coup-era violence lingered. I remember not much of this period, but I am told a lot by family and books that tell the story from a singular perspective.

The 2000s: Kufuor’s NHIS and School Feeding Program, milestones overshadowed by the grotesque opulence of “Woyomegate.”

The 2010s: Dumsor plunging homes and hospitals into darkness, while officials diverted funds for luxury SUVs.

The 2020s: COVID-19 relief funds vanishing faster than ventilator imports, and kayayei girls still hauling loads under Makola’s scorching sun.

Our economy, once the envy of West Africa, now staggers under debt (GHS 742.0 billion, 71% of GDP). Corruption bleeds us dry, Ghana ranks 80th out of 180 on Transparency International’s index, yet convictions remain as rare as snow in Tamale. Meanwhile, our youth flee in droves via “Japa” or perilous Mediterranean routes. How did we become a nation that exports its future? This reality demands our honest confrontation.

Growing up, I was taught to be proud of our rich history, our resilient spirit, and our vibrant cultures. Yet, as I enter a phase of life defined by deeper responsibility and clearer reflection, pride alone feels insufficient. Pride must be coupled with accountability and relentless ambition if our beloved Ghana is to fulfil its true potential.

At 68 years, Ghana is neither too young to remain naive nor too old to change course. We stand at a pivotal moment, able to see clearly the consequences of choices made, good and bad. Our democracy has matured, yes, but its benefits remain unevenly distributed. Our cities expand, yet urbanization has not equated to universal prosperity. Our youth grow increasingly connected to global opportunities, yet local barriers persist stubbornly, limiting their potential.

We must ask ourselves difficult questions: Why, despite significant investments in the energy sector, do many Ghanaians still navigate life with unpredictable power supply? Why does our healthcare system, despite pockets of excellence, remain inaccessible to many? Why does our education system, with its proud history, struggle to produce graduates fully prepared for today’s job market?

The Paradox of Patriotism

Here lies the paradox: true patriots are not cheerleaders but truth-tellers. To love Ghana is to rage against the 14-year-old girl in Bawku who studies under a tree. It is to revolt when an estimated 17,000 newborns die annually due to preventable causes (Ghana Health Service, 2022). It is to demand why illegal mining (galamsey) annihilates our rivers despite protests and being used by politicians as populism to win elections.

Our culture of silence, rooted in respect for authority, has become a straitjacket. We whisper about scandals over fufu, yet recoil from protests. We praise leaders who deliver mediocrity, rather than holding them to the standard of excellence our nation deserves. This was not the vision of our independence movement. But our forebears did not shake off colonial chains, only for us to kneel to complacency.

Our beloved Ghana has always promised more, yet too often delivered less. This gap between promise and reality isn’t just the fault of leaders; it reflects collective acceptance. We’ve too easily settled for incremental progress where transformative change is needed. Independence demands not just celebration but vigilance, critique, and a healthy intolerance for anything less than our nation’s full potential.

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Today, we need to dream more ambitiously while acting more concretely. Imagine a Ghana where education isn’t just accessible but innovative, equipping young people not just with knowledge but with the creativity and technical skills to lead in technology, arts, and global commerce. This is not an impossible dream, it is the necessary next chapter of our national story.

Visualize cities and communities where sustainable development and thoughtful urban planning work in harmony with economic growth, creating environments that are not only livable but thriving. Picture healthcare systems capable not just of addressing crises, but proactively enhancing life expectancy and quality of life across all regions.

To achieve this vision, we must embrace a fundamental truth: the country we desire won’t emerge simply by wishing for it. It will require persistent, collective action. 

These visions require practical steps:

1. Citizen Engagement Beyond Elections: We must reimagine citizenship as an ongoing responsibility, not a quadrennial activity. Our role extends beyond voting or engaging during elections. This means forming and joining community watchdog groups, participating in local government consultations, and using digital platforms to monitor government commitments. Active citizenship means accountability at every level, community engagement, holding our leaders to their promises, and modelling integrity and excellence in our daily lives
2. Institutional Renewal: We need to strengthen our independent institutions—from the EC to the CHRAJ—not just through funding but through public engagement and support. We must dismantle the “big man” syndrome. Elected officials are employees, not emperors. Let us audit their work like shareholders, scrutinize budgets, attend town halls, and vote with our minds, not tribal allegiances.
3. Educational Transformation: Beyond infrastructure, we must reimagine curriculum and teaching methods to emphasize critical thinking, innovation, and practical application. The success stories of technical education centres in Kumasi show what’s possible.
4. Economic Diversification: With 57% of Ghanaians under 25, our development strategy must centre on job creation across multiple sectors. The growth of tech startups in Accra demonstrates potential that could be replicated in Wa, Tamale, and Koforidua with targeted policies and infrastructure investments. Imagine agro-industries in Ejura, and green energy startups in Ada. Let’s fund the National Entrepreneurship Plan beyond press releases.
5. Cultural Renaissance: Our musicians, artists, and traditional leaders hold significant influence that could be channelled toward accountability and national development. Let Highlife songs decry corruption, and traditional leaders revive communal labour for community projects.

As we reflect on independence, let’s embrace both the pride in our achievements and responsibility for our future. True patriotism means demanding better, not out of dissatisfaction but from a profound belief in Ghana’s boundless potential. Our love must be fierce, unyielding, and uncompromising.

Ghana’s story is still being written, with each of us holding a pen. The next chapters can reflect a nation that has learned from its past while boldly embracing its future—a nation where the child marching on Independence Day grows up in a society that matches the promise of those celebrations.

For, as Nkrumah reminded us, “Those who would judge us merely by the heights we have achieved would do well to remember the depths from which we began.” Today, we might add: those who love Ghana truly must judge us not only by how far we’ve come, but by how much further we can go together.

To love Ghana is to expect more; because she deserves nothing less.

The post 68 Years Later: To love Ghana is to expect more from Ghana first appeared on 3News.

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