Features
Any justificationfor Ghana’s rising public debt?
One of the countries in the world that owes a lot in terms of public debt is the United States of America which is about the richest and the most powerful country occupying the surface of the earth.
Even though the United States owes a huge debt to many countries in the world, it cannot be said that it is threatening the existence of its citizens because it uses the money in a manner that helps to cater for the interest of the American people. In other words, as long as a country that owes huge public debt is able to invest its resources wisely and undertake productive ventures with the money borrowed, it will go a long way to solidify the lifestyle and standard of living of its people.
It is only when money that should be well invested is wasted that we can say the future will become bleak for the country concerned. If money is borrowed in huge quantities but utilised to undertake tremendous development projects which go to enhance the productive capacity of the economy, it will not be seen as waste, but a form of investment that will ultimately influence the country’s direction of growth in a positive manner.
Developmental government programmes
If this is the case, then we need to be careful about how we crucify certain governments for going in for money for developmental purposes. If a country, like Ghana, borrows so much money without a corresponding record of investment, then people must begin to show concern about this trend. But, if on the other hand, what is borrowed, even if high, is used to undertake programmes that will be in the interest of the country, then we need not be worried over such a situation.
Due to the over-politicisation of issues in this country, matters concerning borrowing have always been overstretched beyond reasonable limits of analysis such that sometimes, we wonder whether to sit and fold our arms while we could have gone in to borrow money to stimulate growth in certain parts of the economy. There is no doubt that we need to be careful about borrowing but if it is used to resuscitate and strengthen the economy for a more positive productive growth, we need to embrace it.
Free SHS and TVET
If more debts are contracted to add to our total debt stock but there is no basis for such a development, then we all have to show concern about it, but if the debt stock is going up because of investment in areas such as road construction, strengthening of the health sector, building of educational infrastructure, especially the free SHS and TVET, then we need to put aside all jokes and analyse issues in the right way so that we would all come to the right and acceptable conclusion.
Current debate
A current debate ongoing among certain individuals and groups of people in the country is the rising public debt which has hit a high level of GH¢286.9 billion. This figure appears to be very high but did not come out by chance. Rather, it is the result of a combination of factors which have brought about this huge public debt.
A number of reasons can account for rising public debt. One such factor is that if in the past things were not managed well, the result will be a rapid rise in the debts facing the nation. Debts may be accrued in form of investment or rapid construction of infrastructure to facilitate socio-economic development.
When this happens, the development that has taken place can help to generate extra incomes which in turn may cover the debts previously incurred. On the other hand, if previous accumulated debts are not put to good use in form of investment the result will be escalating the level of public debt. Again, some of the debts came about as a result of judgement debts and unreasonable interest rates incurred in connection with some deals connected with some of the power agreements contracted in the past.
Current public debt
Ghana’s current debt of GH¢286.9 billion represents 74.4 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product. On the face of it the debt looks too high but did it just rise like that? Certainly, no.
Available records show that the country’s public debt more than tripled between 2012 and 2016. It will, therefore, stand to reason that the numerous debts that were incurred between 2012 and 2016 could not be invested well as a result of which the public debt level kept getting higher and higher.
In a way, this unfavourable economic situation greatly impacted on the lifestyle of the people in the country and this together with non-availability of adequate electricity made economic life unbearable, hence the massive votes against the then NDC led government in December ,2016.
Surviving economically
The people in this country must continue to survive economically and live well. For this reason, the Akufo-Addo administration has negotiated for more loans to help construct more roads and other forms of infrastructure in form of schools, hospitals and other development projects.
The implementation of the free secondary school system which is good for the country has also affected the debt stock of the country. The free SHS, free Technical schools and free Vocational schools have led to the accumulation of some billions of Ghana Cedis.
Some of these covered water and electricity extension projects in various parts of the country. For example, for the first time Tamale in the Northern Region can now boast of a beautiful interchange. Such interchange projects have been duplicated in places such as Tema, Obetsebi-Lamptey Circle in Accra and Nsawam area.
COVID-19 pandemic
Just as things were moving on well under the Akufo-Addo administration, the pandemic known as COVID-19 hit the world including Ghana, throwing out of gear all infrastructure programmes that had been planned for the country.
The COVID-19 further affected the revenue base of the country and increased expenditures to further higher levels. This is what has led to the debt to GDP ratio of 74.4 per cent as of November 2020.
These and many other challenges have contributed to the economic problems facing the country. For many countries in the world, including France, Britain, USA, Germany and others, economic conditions have not been easy. What this means is that things are not easy. Thus, the situation calls for prudent economic management and implementation of programmes.
In spite of all these, Ghana as a country has done well in managing its economy, especially in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic which has led to the collapse of many economic and business activities in the country. Small businesses for example are being supported by the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI).
Mobilisation of resources to carry out development projects in the country has not been easy but with great determination and commitment, irrespective of the challenges, the Akufo-Addo administration is likely to make it to the admiration of all Ghanaians.
Dr. Kofi Amponsah-Bediako
Attention-Deficit or Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is often mistaken for laziness or indiscipline. In consulting rooms across Accra and in reports from school teachers, the pattern repeats: children who are bright but forgetful, parents who feel helpless, teachers who see incompleteness.
Research is clear-Barkley (2015) and others describe ADHD as a difference in the brain’s regulation of alertness, impulse and working memory, not a lack of effort.
The family’s role begins with structure. Regular sleep, predictable meal and homework times, and a simple visual list (uniform → books → water → corridor) provide the external scaffolding of these children need. Praise what is completed—“You opened the book and wrote the first sentence”-instead of rebuking what is missing.
Schools can help by seating the child front-row and centre, giving short written plus verbal instructions, allowing brief movement breaks, using quiet nonverbal cues and, where possible, grading effort and method as well as neatness. These adjustments reduce conflict and raise submission rates without lowering standards.
Couples and caregivers should share roles: one grounds, one pivots, and both protect rest. Shame-“bad parenting, bad child”-needs replacing with fact: different wiring, needs scaffolding.
Outcomes improve not by promises of perfection but by daily routines, clear limits and warmed connection. One homework slot kept, one instruction chunked, one calm repair after blurting-these small wins shift the family climate and let the child be seen beyond the label.
Resource
• CPAC (award-winning Mental Health and Counselling Facility): 0559850604 / 0551428486
Source: REV. COUNSELLOR PRINCE OFFEI’s insights on special needs support, relationships, and mental health in Ghana. He is a leading mental health professional, lecturer, ADR Expert/Arbitrator, renowned author, and marriage counsellor at COUNSELLOR PRINCE & ASSOCIATES CONSULT (CPAC COUNSELLOR TRAINING INSTITUTE) – 0551428486 /0559850604.
WEBSITES:
https://princeoffei22.wixsite.com/author
https://princeoffei22.wixsite.com/website
After two weeks of hectic activity up north, I drove to the Tamale airport, parked the car at the Civil Aviation car park as usual, paid the usual parking fee and boarded the plane for Accra.
Over the last two weeks, I had shuffled between three sites where work was close to completion.
One was a seed warehouse, where farmers would come and pick up good quality maize, sorghum and other planting material.
The other was a health facility for new mothers, where they were given basic training on good nutrition and small scale business.
And the third was a set of big boreholes for three farming communities.
The projects usually ran on schedule, but a good deal of time was spent building rapport with the local people, to ensure that they would be well patronised and maintained.
It was great to be working in a situation where one’s work was well appreciated. But it certainly involved a lot of work, and proactivity. And I made sure that I recorded updates online before going to bed in the evening.
When the plane took off, my mind shifted to issues in Accra, the big city. The young guys at my office had done some good work. They had secured five or six houses on a row in a good part of the city, and were close to securing the last.
When we got this property, unusually, Abena greeted them casually, and appeared to be comfortable in the guy’s company.
I was quite disappointed to hear that, because until the last few weeks, it seemed as if Abena and I were heading in a good direction. Apart from the affection I had for her, I liked her family. I decided to take it easy, and allow things to fall in whatever direction.
Normally I would take a taxi to her house from the airport, and pick her up to my place. This time I went to my sisters’ joint, where they sat by me while I enjoyed a drink and a good meal.
“So Little Brother,” Sister Beesiwa said, “what is it we are hearing about our wife-to-be?”
“When did you conclude that she was your wife-to-be? And what have you heard? I’ve only heard a couple of whispers. Ebo and Nana Kwame called to say that they have seen her in the company of—”
“Well said Little Brother,” Sister Baaba said. “By the way, Nana Kwame called an hour ago to ask if you had arrived because he could not reach you. Someone had told him that Jennifer had boasted to someone that she had connected Abena to a wealthy guy who would take care of her.”
I was beginning to understand. For some time, Abena had been asking me what work I was doing up north, and after I had explained it to her, she kept asking. So I think Jennifer fed her with false stories about me in order to get her to move to the Ampadu guy. Jennifer must have been well compensated for her efforts.
“In that case,” Sister Beesiwa said, “you should be glad that Abena is out of your way. She is easily swayed. Anyone who would make a relationship decision based on a friend’s instigation lacks good sense. I hope the guy is as wealthy as they say?”
“Who gets wealthy running a supermarket chain in Ghana?” Sister Baaba said. “Our supermarkets sell mostly imported products. Look at the foreign exchange rate. And remember that Ghanaians buy second-hand shoes and clothes. Supermarkets are not good business here. Perhaps they are showing off that they are wealthy, but in reality they are not doing so well.”
“Amen to that,” I said. “I’m beginning to understand. For some time, Abena had been asking me what work I was doing up north, and after I had explained it to her, she kept asking. So I think Jennifer fed her with false stories about me in order to get her to move to the Ampadu guy. Jennifer must have been well compensated for her efforts.”
She said that David Forson was only an agricultural extension worker in the north who did not have the resources to take care of a beautiful girl like her. And apart from being wealthy, the guy comes from an influential family, so Abena had done much better leaving a miserable civil servant like you for him.
“Amen to that,” I said. “I’m beginning to understand. For some time, Abena had been asking me what work I was doing up north, and after I had explained it to her, she kept asking. We would be able to sell all five houses to one big corporate customer, and we had already spoken to a property dealer who was trying to find a buyer in order to get a good commission.
That was going to be my biggest break. I had asked the boys to look for a large tract of land on the outskirts of the city where we could develop our own set of buildings, blocks of storey houses and upscale apartments. Things were going according to plan, and I was quietly excited. However, things were not going so well regarding my relationship with Abena.
My buddies Ebo and Nana Kwame had called to say that they met Abena and her friend Jennifer enjoying lunch with a guy, and Ebo believed that Jennifer was ‘promoting’ an affair between Jennifer and the guy. They were of the view that the promotion seemed to be going in the guy’s favour, because only an agricultural extension worker in the north who did not have the resources to take care of a beautiful girl like her.
And apart from being wealthy, the guy comes from an influential family, so Abena had done much better leaving a miserable civil servant like you for him.
“As I’ve already said, I will stop by her place, but I will mind my own business from now. Hey, let’s talk family. How are our parents? And my brothers-in-law? And my nephews and nieces? Why don’t we meet on Sunday? I’m going to drop my bags at my place, and go to see Mama and Dad.”
