As a citizen of Ghana with much curiousity about my economy, I could confirm that the pandemic has done the Ghana's economy more harm than good. Honestly, before the pandemic I cannot say that the economy with the population over 30 millions was that excellent but it was good.
Since the economy could not be built in a day, it was in the process of better transformation gradually before the pandemic. The pandemic setting in the economy has worsen things up but not to the extent that is beyond fixing. Though it could be fixed but will take time. I cannot be specific about how long it's going to take for the government to fix it.
I think it may depend on the long and short term measures approach for development by the government. The citizens would all have to bear this challenges together and wait for the right season since we are not in normal times.
Talking of the pandemic effect before and after, there are some important areas I need to harmmer on since they have been effected so badly.
1. SOCIALIZATION.
Before the pandemic human interaction and mingling was very inspiring and lovely. You could find people greeting one another by shaking hands, going to interesting places together with alms around one another, eating closely with one another and doing all other kinds of activities which involve a close Meetup events. It was moments that makes one realise the very essence of humanity.
Our former way of socialization begin to change after the pandemic in Ghana and other countries. The introduction of nose masks and face shield waring which sometimes makes it difficult to identify a known person if you don't take a closer look, the use of hand sanitizers, washing of hands properly with soap and running water are now the protocols we need to comply with to help protect ourselves from this pandemic.
The handshakes which I missed so much is not allowed for now due to the fear of virus spread. Of late we don't mingle, eat, dance, play, drink, walk, talk closely together but rather observe social distancing. For now the only friends we could hold closely to us are our phones and other electronic gadgets. We no longer visit our friends, relatives and other people house often as we used to do before the pandemic since we sometimes fear we may get the infection of the virus from them and they too also fear to come to our house for visitation for the same reason.
2. Education.
Before the pandemic Ghana education system was moving on well in a normal way as other countries were experiencing. Things here also changed after the pandemic. I remember all schools (from the lower level to tertiary level) were closed on March 2020 and opened on July 2020. It was this same time that places (Greater Accra and Ashanti region) where the pandemic was severe went to lockdown. It was a partial lockdown by then since the virus had not spread across the whole country.
Acedermicaly and psychologically the students were affected especially the final students who by then haven't cover all the syllabus and still had a final exams to write few months ahead. As a result of this they were not able to pass as expected, though their performances were up to average. Parents and teachers didn't blame them that much because they knew it wasn't the students fault.
3. Health.
Before the pandemic Ghana's health sector was experiencing some challenges but the government and the workers there were managing to put things in place to make it more advanced than as it used to be. Things has now worsen up in the health sector after the pandemic. There are also pressure on the hospital facilities since the active recording cases of the pandemic keeps on rising daily and this is making it difficult for health sector to contain all the infected patients.
Dues the pressure on hospital facilities some people have volunteered by offering their buildings to be used as quarantine places for the infected patients. Due to the pandemic the government don't have enough funds to facilitate the health sector but he is still trying to do his best.
4. Food and agriculture.
Before the pandemic the government of Ghana did initiate a policy to help strengthen the agriculture sector. Fortunately he was lucky to have the success of the policy initiation before the COVID19 outbreak. The policy was about growing food and other plants in larger quantities for home use and exportation. After the COVID19 outbreak there haven't been much food problems since the country has grown enough local foods of which some have already been harvested, whiles others are nearly the harvesting stage.
What we lack on food and agriculture sector are actually the plants and food crops which don't survive on Ghana's soil for instance apple and grapefruit. These and some other plants we don't grow in Ghana are what we import into the country.
5. Importation and exportation.
Before the pandemic Ghana's borders to other countries were opened for importation and exportation. Export and import charges were not that huge when you compare to the ones after the COVID19 outbreak.
Of late, after the pandemic, import and export charges are more higher than the previous ones when there was no COVID19 outbreak. It would take one a lot of money to either import or export a commodity in or out of the country. Most business personnels who involve in import and export business has stopped such business since they don't have enough money to pay the huge charges involved.
Left with the few ones who have the capability to pay for the huge charges in the import and export business. In my opinion, I cannot blame the government that much for such huge charges on import and export since it was much better than this before the pandemic.
Conclusion.
With the above detailed reasons you could realise that the COVID19 outbreak has really cause a lot of damages to Ghana's economy but not to the point which is beyond fixing. I hopefully believe it would be fixed some day but not in this pandemic era. May be in future when there is no pandemic. Time will tell.
These are just my thoughts.
Thanks for stopping by and reading through.
This content is originally authored by I, Achi7.
For other interesting articles of mine to read you could also find me on noise.cash with the link below 👇
https://noise.cash/u/Acheampongl
Lead image credit goes to 👇 unsplash.com
