On the 26th of August, I was watching the Metro mid-day news with very little attention when a scene in the news caught my eyes. It was the heartbreaking sight of people sleeping on the street at night. I saw bed nets hanging from tree branches and erected sticks with mothers and their babies sleeping peacefully on mats in these bed nets. These unfortunate people sleeping in front of kiosk and shops without decent shelter over their heads are left at the mercy of cold winds and mosquitoes and on bad days the rain. I could just imagine how the young girls defended themselves when attacked by “notorious guys”. Am sure that is the reason for their incessant pregnancies and birth and numerous stories of abandoned babies in gutters and refuse dumps.
Watching the news felt like deja vous. Yes! I remember now. It was that early evening around 5 o’clock when I decided to stay behind at my aunt’s shop at Kaneshie while mum did the shopping. That night was the fist time I saw people dressing up after a shower and preparing for bed right in front of a kiosk. I was so dump-founded. I was so amazed. At that moment I ask myself where are they from? Don’t they have homes and comfortable beds lying empty somewhere in the villages? The news gave me mixed feelings because somehow I blamed them for causing their own predicaments. But at the same time I also felt pity because I was sure they were there in search of greener pastures and a better future for themselves and their unborn children.
I sometimes weep when I see these street children; our future leaders selling and making ends meat on the street when they are supposed to be at school. It is so sad.
Then I ask myself; what are our leaders, (I mean the government), what are they doing to solve this problem? What are we all doing to change this situation? Because I know you and I can, in our own small way do something about this situation. I believe this problem is mainly because the villages and areas these people come from are deprived and underdeveloped and lack the necessary facilities that the cities have. Also the education is poor plus there are few job opportunities in those areas. I believe that if the government spends some money on developing these deprived areas a good number of the people would be discouraged from migrating to the big cities to seek greener pasture. I might sound childish by saying this but I believe there are some well to do citizens who can spare a little “cash”. We got to help each other to make life better. What are tour riches if I am poor? A “Twi” proverb says prapra m’tsi na minso minprapra w’atsi nti na nnomaa baano nantiw no. Meaning, it is because of scratch my back, I scratch your back, (reciprocity), that two birds fly together. We are one people and we can help each other. We must not leave them to their fate to perish in their poverty and ignorance. I also believe that educating them and enlightening them can also change the situation. Because if these people change their mind set and stay in their respective areas I am sure they could help build and develop the areas.
Before I end I would like to pick a few lines from WUTAH’S latest song, BURNING DESIRE;
SO MANY NIGHTS HAVE I CRIED TILL MY TEARS RAINED NO MORE JUST TO SEE MY BURNING DESIRE SO MANY NIGHTS HAVE I SUNG TILL MY HEART SUNG NO MORE JUST TO SEE MY BURNING DESIRE.
Yes! My burning desire is to see a nation where everybody can afford a living. Where we all can live in comfortable homes, eat a three square meal and have good education. Is that too much to ask? No! I believe not. We can do it and God help us.
NAA KARLEY CLEGG
GHANA INSTITUTE OF JOURNALISM. LEVEL 200
