This writing has been prompted by a story that was posted at the news section of Ghanaweb a few days ago, on violent unrest in Northern Ghana. One may ask when this trend in Northern Ghana will come to an end. As stated in the caption, the writing is fully dedicated to an infant from Northern Ghana whom I personally met about twenty years ago during a visit to Ghana.

Vital statistics have not been proclaimed on the percentage of the nation’s resources allocated for national security and law enforcement that is spent on the three regions of Northern Ghana. Although the statistics have not been publicized, could the effects be quite evident? Could the revelation be alarming?

It will be quite interesting to know what percentage of the national budget earmarked for law enforcement and security is spent on deadly chieftaincy disputes, inter- and intra-tribal conflicts, curbing arm robbery and containing the proliferation of illegal arms that fuel unnecessary, destructive and dangerous conflicts in the three regions of the north.

Could this money be used for the development of infrastructure, health care amenities and pre-high school educational institutions in these three northern regions of Ghana? Are instances of pre-high school kids getting tutelage under trees in the open air due to lack of classroom blocks a thing of the past so that residents of these regions and the nation at large can be complacent with regard to using these financial resources to provide these facilities in the northern regions of Ghana.

I dedicate this writing to an innocent infant of Northern Ghana derivative whom I saw with her mother at a suburb of Accra when I visited Ghana more than twenty years ago. As her mother watched helplessly, a large worm was emerging from her private parts area but I could not tell whether it was from her vagina or anus. It was very sad indeed. While she was growing up in Northern Ghana, I believe the existence of good health care amenities could have precluded the condition in which I saw her. She must be in her late twenties or early thirties now and wherever she is I wish her well and I hope that she has received the requisite medical care to improve her condition.

Could this infant be a paradigm of an innocent victim of wastage of national resources in the northern regions of Ghana perpetrated by the inhabitants themselves that could otherwise be applied justifiably and productively to the development of the three regions and the well being of the people therein?