Economy

Ambassador Kwame Tenkorang writes on the absence of the Culture of Maintenance on state infrastructure and facilities

Asempa DawuroAsempa Dawuro
Jan 14, 2024 - 07:16
 0  75
Ambassador Kwame Tenkorang writes on the absence of the Culture of Maintenance on state infrastructure and facilities

In a way, poorer people understand better the wise saying that; a stitch in time saves nine. Other option is a trip to the shop to find and buy new clothes.

It is not as if the alternative of buying of new clothes comes easy. The years of savings represent the cost of not stitching in time.

 If you're poorer than others then you see the wisdom in taking steps to carefully husband what you have in order not to incur extra costs to maintain what you have.

 In spite of this wisdom, those who should be aware rather choose the path of foolishness.

For example, a country called Ghana, not among the richer nations of the world, gloats that "we don't have A maintenance culture", and we walk away contented, into the sunset. It is more like we only love something that is new.

How to keep it looking new is our lack of " maintenance culture " which serves us conveniently as our default setting.

This way, we can watch everything fall apart with the excuse that the world understands that we don't have a maintenance culture.

Has anybody else seen pictures circulating on social media of the state of some parts of The Osu Castle, formerly the Christianborg Castle? I was devastated with what I saw.

It is an edifice that has served modern Ghana in various capacities. Until 2013, it was the seat of government where Presidents operated from.

 The Presidency, the Cabinet and everything to symbolize the allure and power of the executive wing of the republic was there. Then, all that was relocated to the flagstaff/jubilee house and the Osu Castle became history.

It does not matter that a few operations still take place there. Unfortunately, this scenario is just the proverbial tip of the iceberg.

Does anybody remember the Essipong Stadium? JOB 600, until it was ceded to Parliament? Our roads? Our hospitals including the Okomfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), and other medical centers? The various hotels we sold? On and on and on. Never ending saga.

After all, we don't have a maintenance culture! How many times have we not heard our 'leaders' admonish us, at the ceremonial commissioning of one edifice/project or the other, that it should be adequately maintained? All that goes through one ear to the other and out.

 Nobody makes budgetary allocation for maintenance and if you do, it remains on the paper that it's written on.

Back to The Osu Castle of all places. If the Ghana government has no intention of restoring the castle to what was its 'glory', there are alternative measures to consider.

 An option is to invite private involvement, on the principle of shared participation, to refurbish and operate a museum.

A tourist attraction on its own, the castle can attract interest which can easily pay for any initial investment spent to refurbish it.

Another option is to invite the Danish government to take possession and manage it.

The Danes, as the original owners, have always had an eye on the castle, which reminds them of the greatness and grandeur of their past. They will gladly and gleefully accept an offer.

 For Ghana, the Danish option will cement our failure as an independent nation in the eyes of the world. Can we, for now, accept the reality that maintenance is an integral part of nation building and of life.

 We need to revise our mental attitude towards maintenance and know that such little drops make an ocean. Other people and nations have edifices/monuments dating back as far as the imagination and history can go.

We can do same, if we put our mind to it. Individual property owners do not sit and watch their investment go down the drain. A stitch in time.

The Writer, Ambassador Kwame A. Tenkorang, is the General Secretary, Council on Foreign Relations -Ghana.

Tags:

Previous Article

Weaker, retrogressive governments shiver anytime Prof PLO Lumumba is scheduled t...

Next Article

See Something, Say Something: National Intelligence Bureau arrests 8 Nigerians.

What's Your Reaction?

like

dislike

love

funny

angry

sad

wow

Asempa Dawuro
Asempa Dawuro

Related Posts

Goaso Diocesan Catholic Co - operative Society - Kenyasi Posts GH¢365,656.44 Net Surplus In The 2023 Financial Year.

Goaso Diocesan Catholic Co - operative Society - Kenyas...

Asempa Dawuro Jun 12, 2024  0  61

Blessing Multi limited, the trusted travel and consultancy services, wishes its clients a joyous holidays

Blessing Multi limited, the trusted travel and consulta...

Asempa Dawuro Dec 23, 2023  0  149

EU, UNIDO WACOMP Project Impacts Over 48,000 SMES, Develops 16 Standards To Boost Export Competitiveness In Ghana

EU, UNIDO WACOMP Project Impacts Over 48,000 SMES, Deve...

Asempa Dawuro Oct 18, 2024  0  75