Even though I’ve visited a lot of countries, the only third world country I have been to is Ghana and as such, I will rely on the accounts of several people that most of the African third world countries are in the same pot with Ghana when it comes to road development.
Over the years, a lot has changed for good in Ghana and the taste of Ghanaians have become more polished and sophisticated.
Ghanaians have a strong desire for everything foreign, even if these things do not sit well with their environment, level of development or cannot be fully enjoyed within the Ghanaian setting.
It would be impossible to control the wants of people based on the fact that the government is unable to satisfy the needed conditions which would be necessary for the people to fully enjoy their wants. But at least, common sense must come to play when you live in Ghana and you decide to spend huge sums of money on something with a range of choice such as a car…
The capital of Ghana-Accra is full of expensive and ‘soft’ cars—a clear indication that some few people are doing better. To some extent, this may be a good sign of progress, a measure which would place some Ghanaians amongst those driving some of the most expensive cars in the world.
It certainly feels good to look around Accra on a hot day and find the latest cars running around, just as you would find in London, Copenhagen or New York. The Black man has also worked hard and to be frank, he deserves to enjoy whatever his pocket can fetch him.
However, when you look at the roads that these cars are being driven on in Accra, London, Copenhagen and New York, you would realize that, the black man in Accra has not consider something important—and not just his pocket, I mean, the ROADS.
It wouldn’t be wrong or a slap in the face of the Ghanaian government to say, Ghana has the worst roads I have ever seen—and considering my introduction, this is in fact the truth. Maybe when I visit Nigeria or any other place I’ve heard has horrendous roads, I will then be able to place Ghana in a slight better position.
The capital city of Ghana is full of deep pot holes and I am not talking about the outskirts, central Accra is equally worse as the remote areas. And this is when you are on main roads which have been tarred. A little drive off the main roads and you will be met with feeder roads, as if you’ve travelled thousands of miles into a village…
On these pot holes roads and feeder roads with far deeper holes are all manner of expensive German and American cars—-not designed for anything such as those rough roads.
Anywhere in Europe or America with such bad roads (like in those farm areas), the residents will mostly buy the sort of vehicles meant to be driven on such rough surfaces. But in Ghana, it seems our taste for the high life clouds our judgements when it comes to purchases so we continue to import into the ‘desert’ all manner of floor sweeping cars.
I wouldn’t want to know how much most of the owners of these expensive but not meant for Ghana’s roads cars pay in repairs each a year. Of course if they can afford these expensive cars, repairs should not be a problem—but wouldn’t it be wise to get the roads fixed so you could properly enjoy your hard purchase?
The roads must be taken care of by the government and not just that, a lot more must be taken care by the government which ends each day without fixing anything. Since it is obvious that the government does not care about fixing the roads to enable anyone drive their expensive cars on there, why don’t we look more into the private road construction and maintenance systems which work perfectly in many parts of the world?
In some places in UK, certain roads are private—in the sense that, they were constructed and are being maintained by private individuals who mostly charge a little toll on their usage.
If the government of Ghana cannot be bothered or does not have the resource to construct or maintain the main roads in the capital city, fixing the side or outskirt roads which lead to people’s houses have definitely never been part of the bigger dream. Therefore, what stops the rich men driving those expensive cars on those terrible roads to do something to enable them have real value for their cars?
Then again, how many of such roads can the private citizens construct or repair? Perhaps, it is the high car taste of Ghanaians who have no option than to use those bad roads that must be altered…
I guess there are so many cars made for such rough roads for sale but the problem is; the Ghanaian wants what is on the streets of the first world countries too—even if our roads serve as a hindrance.