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How some people have underdeveloped Ghana
• Illegal mining activities have degraded our rich lands and polluted some of our water bodies, among others
When Nana Nkosuohene, the Odikro of Nkatiekrom swore before his people that he was determined to stamp out corruption from society, many were those who doubted him because previous leaders in that village could not measure up to that expectation.
However, when this Odikro assumed power and was installed as such, he began to come out with changes that in no time the entire community benefitted from. Until the time of this progressive and dynamic Odikro, many were those who felt that he could not implement his plans to make life better.
He kept telling his subjects that Rome was not built in a day, so if he was given the needed support, he would be able to come out with the desired results. With time, he proved his critics wrong and after some time, everyone turned round to praise the Odikro of Nkatiekrom, Nana Nkosuohene. Many were those who were involved in corrupt practices and laziness, a negative development that turned back the clock of progress. But determined as he was, Nana Nkosuohene was able to make progress and develop his community for the common good. This situation is comparable to what is happening in Ghana today.
HIGH HOPES
The high hopes of Ghanaians for quality life in the years after independence, having taken their political destiny into their own hands by virtue of their independence on March 6, 1957, were comparable to rains from the sky surely bound to fall to the ground.
So high were the hopes that, it was thought that within a few years after independence the country would be able to produce enough food and industrial goods to satisfy its needs and even have surplus for export, build up dependable or reliable infrastructure in the form of transportation systems – air, land and sea – as well as reliable energy and water supplies, among others, not forgetting quality social services in the form of good health, education and comfortable welfare systems. However, this was not to be because the pace of development at all fronts has been abysmally slow and below expectation.
SECTORS
The educational sector, for example, has been moving forward and backward, failing to equip the youth with the requisite knowledge and skills needed to address the challenges the nation is facing. It is interesting to note that at a time when the country needed a consolidation of direction towards the achievement of goals in the educational sector, a result-oriented Senior High School (SHS) system, for example, was reversed in 2013 from its original four-year duration to three years to create two streams of SHS graduates at the time to fight over limited places in tertiary/professional institutions.
Again, one crucial problem was accessibility to SHS as well as technical and vocational institutions at the second-cycle level. Fortunately, President Akufo-Addo’s free education policy at this level took effect in September 2017 to reduce the burden on parents and open up accessibility to many students.
Many people, including government officials, tend to focus on only expansion in accessibility to SHS under President Akufo-Addo. What many of them fail to point out is increase accessibility to vocational and technical schools. Indeed, government is rightly encouraging many people not only to focus on grammar education, i.e. SHS, but technical as well as vocational education which have all been made free, alongside the SHS, under President Akufo-Addo.
Besides, the energy sector has been poorly managed over the years, resulting in serious consequences. With good maintenance culture, the Akosombo and Kpong dams together with the Bui dam, Atoabo Gas plant and the Aboadze thermal plant could ensure steady supply of energy. In addition, independent power producers as well as exploitation of new sources of energy, if well executed, could have a more positive impact on the country’s economy.
Unfortunately, what did we see recently or a few years ago under the previous government? We saw unreliable, erratic power supply that came to be known as “dumsor”. Until recently when the situation improved, power generation proved to be inadequate while its distribution was so poorly done that it led to frequent power outages, sometimes leading to destruction of gadgets, burning of homes and offices and even loss of precious lives.
GOODS AND SERVICES
In addition, Ghanaians appear not prepared to produce their own goods and services for the nation, preferring massive importation of goods which has led to the growth of foreign economies rather than that of Ghana. The current government’s Planting For Food and Jobs programme will help to address this problem. Similarly, our value-added exports have dwindled over the years, bringing in far less revenue than expected.
It is the hope of Ghanaians that the One-District, One-Factory programme will be successfully implemented to result in value-added exports. This is important because massive imports have not helped the country.
No outsider will come to Ghana to build this nation for Ghanaians. Yet, many people care less about the future of this country while corruption has become the order of the day. It is a common thing to find political leaders linking up with certain individuals and organisations to dupe the nation in various ways. This behaviour, unwarranted as it is, is what, for example, has led to what may be called the “woyomisation” of the economy of Ghana.
SELF DESTRUCTION
As a young person studying at the University of Ghana for a Bachelor’s Degree some years back, I was introduced to a book titled “How Europe Under-developed Africa” by Walter Rodney. The author sought to put the woes of Africa on the Europeans who cheated Africans through what was perceived to be exploitative trade. While this was true to some extent, it makes Africans not responsible for their own misdeeds. In the same way when we come to Ghana, Ghanaians also cannot escape blame for the sorry state of affairs in the country today, especially after 64 years of political independence.
Our problems relate to poor attitude to work, illegal mining, embezzlement of public funds, humongous corruption, lack of patriotism, poor sanitation, lack of proper planning, etc. In light of all this, is it not right to raise questions on the need for critical self-auditing?
If it is, then the urgent desire and determination to re-think our positions towards a selfless, positive, realistic, and result-oriented transformation, in line with President Akufo-Addo’s vision, is what we need now!!!
All Ghanaians need to agree to this and realise that we need to put our heads and efforts together to rebuild our country now that we have a leader who is genuinely prepared to lead the way to achieve our avowed national aspiration, progress and development.
Contact email/whatsApp address of author:
Pradmat201@gmail.com (0553318911)
BY DR KOFI AMPONSAH-BEDIAKO
On Sunday, October 11, 2026, it was the turn of Ghanaian Catholics in Finland to lead the singing in the church service of the African Catholic Chaplaincy in Finland (ACCF).
It was indeed a spirit-filled feeling for worshippers present. And for the Ghanaian migrants, the occasion also brought back to them memories of church services in their home country, Ghana.
The ACCF has a roster for each country/community to sing from time to time. Next Sunday will be the turn of the Nigerian community. Other communities that usually sing are the Kenyan/Tanzanian community, the Cameroonian, the Ugandan, group, etc.
A powerful religious experience
The mass services of the Chaplaincy usually give a powerful religious experience and a display of cultural diversity, especially in occasions such as when the Bishop of Helsinki, Bishop Raimo Goyarrola, celebrated mass with the Chaplaincy on Pentecost Day, May 24, 2026.
There was a similar time of spiritual joy last month (September 27, 2026) when Emeritus Bishop Teemu Sippo, former Bishop of Helsinki, visited the Chaplaincy. Bishop Teemu was the main celebrant, assisted by the Chaplain, Reverend Father Thomas Otieno.
Last Sunday, Reverend Father Bernard Sor, a Ghanaian Catholic priest based in Austria, was the main celebrant in the mass service where he performed a rite of baptism. Fr Bernard had celebrated mass a few months ago when he visited his sister and her husband in Helsinki. 
All these well-attended religious occasions indeed leave lasting memories. The homilies (peaching) by the priests usually emphasize religious tenets such as the importance of loving and serving God in truth, existing in peace with our fellow humans to promote unity in diversity, etc.
Unity in diversity and a colourful display of cultures
The African Chaplaincy church services usually produce impressive displays of diverse cultures from different parts of Africa and elsewhere. The events are often spiced by rich cultural displays of dances and colourful attires which are a delight to watch.
On special occasions, members of the Ghanaian Catholic community, in their gay and colourful kente attire and with adowa dance and music, usually lead the procession into the church. Other communities such as the Cameroonian, Nigerian, Kenyan and Tanzanian as well as Sudanese/South Sudanese groups also put up well-choreographed performances from their cultures.
The African Catholic Chaplaincy in Finland
The African Chaplaincy was founded on June 4, 2017, which was a Pentecost Sunday, in a Pontifical High Mass celebrated by Monsignor Emeritus Sippo S.C.I., the then Bishop of Helsinki, at the St. Mary’s Catholic Parish Church in Helsinki.
The Chaplaincy was created by Bishop Teemu in collaboration with the Diocesan body when they detected a great flocking of African immigrants to Finland, the majority of whom were Catholics. This was to give the immigrants a possibility to integrate into the Finnish society by worshiping as Catholics and in their African cultural identity.
The responsibility of the Chaplaincy was given by Bishop Teemu to Father Dr Leonard Wobilla Shwei, who is thus the first Chaplain and ably led the Chaplaincy. He was succeeded a few years ago by Father Thomas Otieno, who continues to move the Chaplaincy forward. Thank you!
GHANA MATTERS column appears fortnightly. Written in simple, layman’s terms, it concentrates on matters about Ghana and beyond. It focuses on everyday life issues relating to the social, cultural, economic, religious, political, health, sports, youth, gender, etc. It strives to remind us all that Ghana comes first. The column also takes a candid look at the meanings and repercussions of our actions, especially those things we take for granted or even ignore. There are key Ghanaian values we should uphold rather than disregard with impunity. We should not overlook the obvious. We need to search for the hidden or deeply embedded values and try to project them.
With Dr Perpetual Crentsil
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She did not find out he was cheating. She found out he was drowning.
It was two weeks after their beautiful wedding. The jollof was still in the fridge. A loan officer called her number-not his-and politely asked, “Madam, please tell your husband to pay his overdue loan. We have been calling him.”
That was how she discovered her new husband had entered their marriage with a hidden debt of over GH¢ 40,000. No cheating. No other woman. Just a financial secret.
And that is how many Ghanaian marriages begin to die. Not with a shout, but with a secret alert on a phone.
We prepare for the wedding. We do not prepare for the wallet.
What is money honesty?
Let me define it simply. Money honesty is not that you both earn the same. It is that you both know the same. It is the ability to sit down and say without fear:
“This is how much I earn.”
“This is how much I owe.”
“This is how I was raised to see money.”
“This is what scares me about money.”
Financial transparency is not about control. It is about clarity. You cannot build trust on top of secrets.
Many couples tell me, “Counsellor, we love each other, love will handle money.” I always answer, “Love is the car, but money honesty is the fuel. Love without honesty cannot move.”
How To Buy Your Marriage Insurance Today – My 5-Step Protocol
If you are engaged, newly married, or even 20 years in marriage, you can still fix this. At Counsellor Prince & Associates Consult—CPAC, this is what I give couples:
Step 1: The 90-Minute Money Naked Session.
No phones, no blame. Each partner writes down on paper: Monthly income, monthly debts, monthly family obligations, savings, and your biggest money fear. Then you exchange papers. Read it. Don’t react for 24 hours. Just absorb.
Step 2: Create OUR Money, YOUR Money, My Money.
You need three pots. OUR money for rent, food, school fees, utilities, properties, and the like— joint contribution. YOUR money and MY money—a small agreed allowance no one questions. This stops the feeling of being controlled.
Step 3: The No-Secret Debt Rule.
Agree from today: No new loan, no new hire purchase, no new family financial commitment above GHS 500 without telling each other first. Not permission, but information.
Step 4: Talk About Your Money Personality.
Are you a Spender or a Saver? Are you Risky or Safe? Most Ghanaian marriages are a Spender married to a Saver. Neither is wrong. But if you don’t understand your partner’s personality, you will call his saving “stinginess” and her spending “wastefulness.”
Step 5: Do a Monthly 30-Minute Money Date
Not an argument date. Light, with tea. “How did we do this month? What worried you? What should we plan for next month?” Couples who do this divorce far less.
My Final Word
Before you say “I Do” at the altar, have pre-marital counselling and also have the money talk on the sofa.
Ask your partner:
“If I lost my job today, how long can we survive?”
“What debt are you bringing into this marriage?”
“How much do you send to your family monthly and will that continue?”
If he or she gets angry that you asked, don’t get married yet. A person who is angry about accountability will be abusive about money.
Marriage insurance is not bought at Star Assurance or Enterprise. It is bought in honest conversations when no one is watching.
The wedding costs one day. The marriage costs a lifetime. Don’t enter a lifetime contract and covenant with hidden costs.
You can still insure your marriage today.
Source:
Counselor Prince Offei, CPAC’s founder, is a leading Mental Health Professional, Marriage Counsellor, Author, ADR Expert/Arbitrator, and Spectator Newspaper Columnist. He writes on relationships, marriage, parenting, special needs support, and their connection to mental health. For therapy, counselling, or enquiries, contact Counselor Prince & Associates Consult (CPAC) in Accra on 0559850604 / 0551428486.
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