I have often wondered why the Ghanaian who is so destructive and disobedient suddenly becomes so law abiding when he travels to Europe, America or any other country. Some have postulated it's because the laws in those countries work but I think the problem is to do with a worrying mindset we have.
For example is there any business for government that is performing well or better than its equally ranked private entity? The answer is a big no and this is due to this mentality am talking about.
So what's this mentality?- The mindset of looking at things owned by the government or state as if it's for someone else, probably a slave master and we run it down as a payback.
Unfortunately when these facilities collapse and we can't find jobs or get those that under pay then we start complaining.
One example is what's happening in ECG now.
If we will be truthful to ourselves ECG is performing poorly and this is not solely because of the lack of needed investment. It can also be attributed to this worrying mindset I am talking about.
Example, I had not received my bill for almost 14months and in that period I followed up several times and even got PURC to follow up on four (4) occasions but it took ECG 14 months to give me a bill even with the follow ups.
Why would it bother any person or people involved in producing the bills to be diligent? After all they would be paid at the end of the month whether they were productive or not.
They will be the same people taking to the streets that they don't have jobs or government should compensate them when these institutions or facilities collapse.
Am sharing this piece because over the past 3 weeks I have had patients who come to me and ask for excuse duty because they are tired ,underpaid or feel overused by these foreigners (Chinese, Indians, Arabs, Europeans...etc).
Unfortunately, I can't pity them because, these same people, give them the same job set up by government with the best working conditions and they will run it down.
Some people have even "privatized" government work especially those in Lands commission, DVLA, town and Country, Survey Department, Hospitals, Passport Office etc- making people go through hell to get the right thing done. They make it almost impossible for the Ghanaian to get anything done without exploiting or extorting monies from them. However, these are the jobs the nation pays them monthly to do.
I have news for all of us, if we don't change this “worrying mindset " and see that everything for Ghana is for us and work as we would for our own jobs to make our country great and strong then we should be ready for modern day slavery.
ECG would be sold and the people would have to sweat for any cedi they earn.
This modern day slavery is not far from you and me, it is actually at your door and it’s your mindset that will make you a slave or not.
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The Writer is a medical doctor.
Email: shangles007@yahoo.com