Opinions of Thursday, 11 January 2024

Columnist: Anthony Obeng Afrane

One Village, One Harbour!

File photo File photo

It's common for politicians to make all manner of promises on political platforms during electioneering. Such utterances by politicians make the electorate think that the politician is capable of doing almost everything.

Many years ago, one of Ghana's past Heads of State was on a working tour to Kuntunase, a town that is more than 100 kilometres from the Coast. There was a durbar of chiefs in honour of the Head of State.

At one point, the leader of the nation asked the paramount chief of the area to name one very important need of his people. The paramount chief hesitated for a while, then one of his sub-chiefs whispered into his ears, "Nana, tell him we need a habour!" So, the paramount chief requested a habour in an inland region!

The sub-chief who made the suggestion had visited his son in Tema, and had gotten excited about the beauty of the harbour, and thought it wouldn't be bad if they got one at their village.

Even though some people have made notoriously preposterous promises and statements in the past, things are no longer getting funny. They now seem to be crossing the line of absurdity into that of deliration.

I have tolerated their One District, One Factory; and One Village, One Dam promises; and endured their railway line from the South to the North and the use of Ghana Card to make continental travel assurances; but wala hi, I can't stomach their idea of One Ghana Card, One car.

As soon as they mentioned that they were going to make it possible for the people of Ghana to buy cars with Ghana Cards, I remembered the ridiculous Kuntunase chief; and I said to myself, kai, matter come! When it is coming, it is doing. Yaanom will soon promise one village one harbour.