The Greek philosopher Socrates was accused, tried, and found guilty of “corrupting the minds” of young people and sentenced to death. Despite having the opportunity to escape, he refused and instead chose to face his fate.

His reasoning to his friends and pupils was profound: he had lived under the laws of Athens his entire life, benefiting from the structures they provided. These laws, he noted, had afforded him and his parents the freedoms they had enjoyed.

For Socrates, obedience to the law was not based on convenience. It was a duty owed in exchange for the benefits of citizenship. Socrates's unwavering position (to his detriment) represents a deep commitment to what he believed was his duty to uphold his side of the social compact between the individual and the state, wherein citizens give up certain freedoms in return for good governance (at least that is the expectation), stability, and justice.

The reference to Socrates is not meant to bore the reader with elementary philosophy but rather to provide a foundation for critical reflection on the relationship between the citizenry and the state in today’s Ghana.

In my humble opinion, many citizens have kept their side of the bargain in Ghana. Sadly, our leaders seem to have no clear understanding of their responsibilities under this social compact.

As Ghanaians, we enter an implicit contract with our leaders by accepting citizenship, respecting laws, paying taxes, and subordinating some of our liberties to the state. This contract is not one-sided; for all we give up as citizens, we expect our leaders to reciprocate by governing in our best interest.

Leadership is not a privilege to be wielded over the people but a mandate to serve, a responsibility that should be executed with integrity, prudence, and accountability.

However, in Ghana, the execution of this social compact has been deeply flawed. We have often placed our trust in individuals who do not grasp the weight of this responsibility.

Leadership in many places in Ghana has too often been characterized by self-interest, mismanagement, and a glaring disconnect from the plight of the average citizen.

Our collective faith in governance has been tested repeatedly by political leaders who seem oblivious to the true meaning of the social compact they are meant to uphold. Maybe they know it but pretend they do not, so they do whatever pleases them.

A just society thrives on mutual obligations. When we elect leaders, we expect them to govern wisely, provide us with security and economic stability, protect our rights, and act in our interest, not sometimes, but always. Yet, barring a few periods in our post-independence history, Ghana’s leaders have repeatedly failed to uphold their end of the bargain.

The consequences of this failure are evident: a struggling economy, weak public institutions, and an eroding sense of trust between the government and the people. Worse yet, there are occasional breakdowns in law and order, even within institutions that should be the most disciplined.

One of the fundamental challenges of leadership in Ghana is the lack of a clear understanding of this social compact. A well-functioning government recognizes that its primary responsibility is to act in the best interests of its people. This means prioritizing accountability, prudent resource management, and policies that genuinely reflect the people's needs.

A government that understands its role in this social compact would exhibit discipline in governance and be efficient and careful in using the nation's resources.

Unfortunately, successive governments have demonstrated the opposite. Excessive spending, weak fiscal discipline, and a lack of accountability have led to economic mismanagement, widening inequality, and growing public frustration. Of course, this frustration has occasionally boiled over.

Resources that should be dedicated to essential services, education, healthcare, and infrastructure are often misallocated, siphoned off through corruption, or wasted on frivolous projects that serve no public interest. Our leaders seem to have no concept of priorities.

A stark example of this misplaced priority is in Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, a supposed Center of Excellence frequently lacking critical medical equipment. If Korle Bu the gold is rusting, what will all the irons of smaller hospitals do?

Meanwhile, government officials travel abroad on taxpayer money for medical treatment. How does this reflect a commitment to the social compact? Why should political appointees enjoy perks such as clothing allowances, garden boys, and multiple vehicles when the average citizen struggles for their daily bread? Why pay the cocoa farmer a pittance and use the cocoa proceeds to buy Toyota Landcruisers for public officials when the so-called cocoa roads are death traps?

These are not merely lapses in judgment; they are breaches of the fundamental trust that should exist between the government and its people. They are examples of violations of the social compact.

This persistent pattern of governance failure has deepened the disconnect between the state and our people, making it increasingly difficult for citizens to trust that their sacrifices are reciprocated with responsible leadership.

Unsurprisingly, people have started identifying with parties instead of the nation, expecting that when the political party they support is in power, it must translate to some benefit or largesse exclusively for them.

Our leaders must urgently rethink the paths they have led us on for so long. They must recognize that their mandate is not entitlement but service. They must commit to ethical leadership, fiscal responsibility, and policies prioritizing national interest over personal gain.

A mindset change is mandatory, one that places the welfare of the average Ghanaian at the center of governance rather than relegating it to an afterthought.

If this shift does not occur, the divide between the government and the citizenry will continue to widen, trust in public institutions will further erode, and the future of our beloved Ghana will remain bleak. It's about time our politicians and leaders kept their side of the bargain.

Ghana’s progress depends on restoring the essence of the social compact, which must be honored in deeds, not in empty political promises, and ensuring that leadership truly serves the people rather than itself.

Finally, it's still dawn for the current government, but dusk is not too far away. I hope we promptly restore trust and commit to the social compact. I hope this is not too much to ask.