Ghana: some who sacrificed
At the dawn of the 21st century, Ghana entered a new era of democracy and economic progress. After forty-three years of independence, the nascent state had finally thrown off the shackles of one-party rule and military rule; and the discovery of offshore oil reserves provided the opportunity to advance to middle-income status and beyond. Forty-three years is a long time to wait for the benefits of freedom, and many of the hopeful young people who welcomed the birth of a new country on March 6, 1957 did not survive to see their dreams realized. Others, born in the new Ghana, faced decades of turmoil and deprivation and spent more than half their lives struggling to find a way forward for themselves, their families and their country.
After the Kwame Nkrumah dictatorship and the first two military coups, life for many people in the early 1970s was bordering on unbearable. Young people almost universally harbored the ambition to leave the country, and a large number succeeded. For those unable to board a plane to Europe or the US, seemingly oil-rich Nigeria became the destination of choice. The most favored group were graduates from Ghana’s three internationally recognized universities who could gain a place on a course at a Western university leading to a higher degree and eventual employment in an advanced economy. A few, however, were inspired by the vision of a new Ghana and devoted themselves to the long-term and self-sacrificing task of economic development for their homeland.
For the graduates to stay in Ghana and dedicate themselves to the development of their country, it took a lot of courage and determination. They faced a life of relative poverty and ridicule from their extended families for not providing the benefits sent home by their peers who escaped abroad. It was unlikely that they would ever own a home or buy a new car, but they would see the ambitious housing projects and expensive new vehicles financed from afar by their expatriate peers. His consolation in the 1970s lay in the many opportunities that existed to promote small businesses and grassroots industries, helping the local economy take important steps toward self-sufficiency. However, all this failed in 1983 through the machinations of the IMF, and the most dedicated patriots were thrown into a new wave of soul-searching. If the multinational corporations were able to undo a decade of serious development efforts in a few months, perhaps self-preservation required one to join the multinational corporations.
Life was far from easy for Ghanaians during the first four decades of independence, and those who benefited from higher education at the expense of the nation faced a moral dilemma. Devoting one’s energy and knowledge to the development of the local economy required a serious sacrifice that affected the well-being not only of oneself but also of one’s extended family. That some have taken this rocky path of honor deserves the recognition and acclaim of all who now enjoy a better life in a new century.
