By Ghanaian standards, the parade proceeded in an efficient manner. Troops in traditional uniforms marched past the President first, followed by each regiment of the police and armed forces. New for this year was a special forces unit, decked out in camouflage gear and brandishing all kinds of modern weaponry.
The glossy nature of the parade was intended to demonstrate the significant resources available to this country. This was picked up in the press coverage in the days after the event as newspapers proceeded to pay tributes to Ghana's achievements as one of the fastest developing countries in Africa. It is clear that many Ghanaians regard themselves as privileged and fortunate by the standards of this continent.
As I come to the end of my stay here I have begun to think about the progress Ghana has made and the direction it needs to take if it is to truly join the developed world. In many ways, the newspapers commenting on the parade were justified in their optimism. Ghana has plenty of attributes its African neighbours can be jealous of. It has been free of war since independence was declared. It has been genuinely democratic since the 90s and has overseen two successful hand overs of power between political parties. Infrastructure is pretty good and education is fast improving. When you look for these things in other west African countries such as Sierra Leone, Nigeria, the Ivory Coast, Guinea, Liberia etc, it is easy to understand why Ghanaians are proud of their achievements.
Despite this, Ghana faces significant challenges before the dreams of its founders can be realised. The reality is that life is very hard for the vast majority of people here. Unemployment is rife and if you have no job, you have no money. There is no state support for the unemployed in Ghana. Many people scratch out a living by selling goods on the side of roads or at congested markets. There is an almost cavalier attitude towards life and death: since the opening of a new motorway in Accra last month 34 pedestrians have already died on the road. Corruption continues to plague society - it is widely expected for example that you must bribe police officers when they perform routine traffic inspections.
All of these things hold Ghana back and prevent it from becoming the first world country it inspires to be. The harshness of life is easy to witness. All one has to do to view real poverty is to take a short walk into the slums of Accra, Cape Coast or Kumasi. People in these places literally have nothing at all and the scenes are a far cry from the shiny military hardware on offer at the parade.
One last thing, however. It is a cliché that Africans are the happiest people on Earth in spite of their poor living conditions. After two months in this country though I can honestly say that it is true. The warmth and humour of the people is the most unforgettable thing about Ghana. Everywhere you go you encounter friendliness, jokes, music, dancing, and happiness. This is prosperity that cannot be recorded in studies or statistics. It is this that will stay with me as I leave Ghana and return to my 'first world' home.
Insightful, well written and well structured. No use of academic sources however which brings down the mark. Overall i would grade this a 76%. Well done.
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