Instant reflections of life in Ghana today

Thursday, December 21^st 2023

First today this – 

“A Conference aimed at fostering collaboration, sharing knowledge and formulating strategies to enhance the country’s fire preparedness and response is underway in Accra. The three-day conference which started last Wednesday, offers the Ghana National Fire Service the opportunity to delve into challenges it faces on the field of work and also identify strategies to overcome them. The Chairman of the Fire Service Council, Kwame Anyimadu Antwi, who spoke on behalf of the Minister for the Interior, Ambrose Dery, said fires had devastating consequences on lives, property and the environment.”

Fire tenders often drive past my office here in Sussex as our road is the main link between two parts of the town. I don’t give any thought to it because they are there. This is not so common in developing countries. There is a fire service in Ghana but they do not have the resources is to make it what it needs to be. Citizens have to deal with fires themselves most of the time. A house next door to our base caught fire recently and we all had to rush out and do we could. I don’t see this as criticism of the Ghana fire service. It depends on citizens doing what they can for themselves when they can do it. 

Now this – 

“Loans from global financiers can also help buffer a country’s finances until they can come up with a sustainable solution to their economic problems. A loan from the IMF can boost a country’s credibility in the eyes of foreign investors. This rise in trust may result in higher foreign investment and better access to global capital markets. However, these loans if not managed properly could hurt an economy. Aside from the fact that debts owed in general can cause financial stress in any economy, as it represents an expense for which the country must take responsibility. IMF loans often come with stringent conditions, including austerity measures such as reducing public spending, cutting subsidies, and implementing tax increases.”

Indeed! These strings can make life extremely difficult for a country like Ghana, which according to recent figures has a debt of 1,644,377.000 (US dollars). Getting the economy right is a huge challenge. 

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