DAY 20: DON'T WAIT FOR THE GOVERNMENT

“Don’t wait for the government “

I've heard this statement countless times and anytime I hear it my feelings about it doesn't change; I hate it.

Last month, someone I respect repeated this statement. I cringed just a little bit but I fixed my attitude fast fast.

I know you might be wondering why this didn't yield the same effect of disdain.

First reason is that my bias was active. 

Yes, I was being selective with my reactions. I was surprised by the sheer audacity of the first group of people who happened to be politicians, leaders of institutions, people appointed into positions to make stuff work failing their duties and shunning responsibility.

These people are responsible for providing the amenities and opportunities yet were throwing jargons like this around. Shifting the responsibility from themselves to the taxpayer. This man (the one I respect) however, was not a politician, I've listened to him enough to have a certain level of trust in his person. It is interesting how the carrier of the message is vital in the reception of the message.

Not that I didn't think it was good advice, I just felt that those people had no right to give it. If they fulfilled their duties properly, they wouldn't have to give that advice in the first place.

Now to the crux of the matter.

Waiting for the government is literally putting your life on hold. Waiting for them to enact favourable policies or provide the necessary conditions is self sabotage. It seems as if everyone is more concerned with eating their fill and filling their own pockets before checking if their neighbour has eaten. The crumbs are thrown to the average Ghanaian who has no “connections” to make do, to make something meaningful out of. 

So for the average Ghanaian, “don't wait for the government” is life-saving advice.

It is a call to resourcefulness and improvisation. To make something out of little, sometimes nothing. 

It has turned us into some of the most creative people in both bad and good ways. People creatively creating business or finding creative ways to steal either from the national cake or their brother's cake.

Some of the best innovators we have are people who took things into their own hands and decided to turn little to something.

So yeah, don't wait for the government, they're not that reliable. Infact, don't wait for anybody.