Opinions of Thursday, 5 April 2018

Columnist: Ahmed Abubakar Saddique

The Ghanaian dream ; Unlike the American dream, what does it mean to the common people?

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I have always had a dream and the last time I had a dream was when I was travelling from Yendi to Zabzugu.And in that dream, I saw a beautiful Ghana; One where there was high rise buildings, an uninterrupted flow of water and electricity, quality healthcare, quality, affordable and easily accessible educational system.

In that same dream, I saw a Ghana where you need not belong to a certain political party before enjoying some privileges, I saw a Ghana where hard work pays not the mere alienation to a certain political party. In that dream, I saw a Ghana, where you do not need to always blame the President even when there's lights out or blame the spirits when you see a lizard in your bedroom. I saw a Ghana, were joining a political party was a civic responsibility but not to fight, injure, chase out public officials from office and cease public property unlawfully when one's party wins a general election. I saw in that dream, a Ghana where, when a political party wins power, what it thinks of is not the next elections but to think of how the lives of the common people especially can be better off; the poverty, the disease, hunger, inequality, and others reduced.

I saw in that dream, a Ghana where everything was not left to Religion and Politics. I saw a Ghana where the love for each other was very deep .irrespective of your age, tribe, religion, political party and race, there was harmony amongst us.I saw a Ghana where there was so much Sacrifice, risk-taking and the commitment by Ghanaians to help build a better Ghana. I was simply HAPPY until when the vehicle I was in hit a pothole and I woke up. But, I believe, these and many others are the GHANAIAN DREAM every Ghanaian wants to dream of.

The American dream has it that " The belief that anyone, regardless of where they were born or what class they were born into, can attain their own version of success in a society where upward mobility is possible for everyone. The American dream is achieved through SACRIFICE, RISK TAKING and HARD WORK, not by CHANCE. Both native-born Americans and American immigrants pursue and can achieve the American dream. In contrast to other political and economic systems, such as communist dictatorships, America’s free-enterprise system makes possible the circumstances that allow individuals to go beyond meeting their basic needs to achieve SELF-ACTUALIZATION and PERSONAL FULFILLMENT.

Unlike the Ghanaian dream, the American dream is known and felt by the common people in America. How about those of us in Ghana?

The meaning of Ghanaian dream to the common people if you ask so many is in the wilderness. But, as President Nana Akufo Addo stated in his inaugural speech, that we need to have a new dream .yes, he's right. Leadership of our country must elaborate clearly to the common people about the visions of the country. So, that each and everyone can put it in mind and work towards achieving the Ghanaian dream through SACRIFICE and HARD WORK.

But if I may ask: What does the Ghanaian dream mean to you?

After all, if things get better, doesn't it get better for YOU and I?

God bless us and bless our homeland Ghana.

#THE-GHANAIAN-DREAM