The administration of a country I know comes with many challenges. And success can only be attained when these challenges are resolved. Now there's the issue of instability in fuel prices- in Ghana, Africa and the world at large. If you've read about the dependency theory you will wonder why the major bodies or organizations whose decisions (on important economic resources) greatly affect the world particularly with Africa or the "third worlds," are mostly centered in the "Western world."
The dependency theory postulates that the world has been polarized into two blocs: the core, which is composed of a few rich countries and the peripheral countries which consist of many poor countries. The core (Western world) takes advantage of its technical know how, superior infrastructure, and its economic power to be in the lead. The role of the periphery is to supply the core with its resources thereby making it impossible for them to ever catch up.
This inconveniences has been going on for many years. So, what could possibly be the solution to this disparity? The theory recommends that Nationally, all developing nations should come together as a unified force to share their human resources, technical know- how, and natural or material resources. That, there should be free border movement of persons, goods and services, among other national strategies.
On the international front, the theory proposes that the "third world" should form more allegiances with each other by establishing representative bodies like the African Union and ECOWAS,so as to have strong and official base to present their arguments and concerns during international Summits.
It's important to note that there's always been Western or foreign investors in Ghana and the whole of Africa. Leaders receive huge grants, aids, and loans from donor countries in a bid to revamp the economy, put up infrastructural facilities and upgrade the living conditions of the citizenry. Ironically, this is far from the reality on the ground. There's still accommodation problems, poor sanitation and the main issue under scrutiny- high utility tariffs. The cause of all these mismanagement, poor prioritization and mockery- is it our trusted leaders, ourselves, who is the cause?
Now, the recommendations had seem to be working, particularly in some few States. However, the results are unsatisfactory. The unification of Africa, free and easy inter-boundary movement of people and goods, and the sharing of expert human resources, has in most cases been hindered by the unsolved issues of civil unrest, corruption, language difference, unemployment, poverty, and the "power drunkenness" of some leaders. The problem seem never to end.
Crucially, some nations have found crude oil. Because some lack the machinery to drill this resource they're not able to set or determine its price, value or worth. Instead, the price is fixed by the international market. Recently, Ghana also has found this wealth. The Jubilee Partners are the technical team drilling the crude oil. In a contract with the Ghana government on the percentage of the oil worth to be given them, its "shockingly disgusting" to note that the country received less than 20%, and even irritating our representatives seem content and "proud." After all, any rise in petroleum prices doesn't affect them but to the disadvantage of most or all Ghanaians whose grievances, protests, petitions, are often unheeded to.
My question is: Can a ( or an always) fluctuating fuel price be dealt with? and What strategies are most economically appropriate to help minimize or eradicate the impact of high tariffs on peoples standard of living?
As I usually say, there's great hope and also a great fear. In other words, there's anticipation that things will someday work out well. If it doesn't then so emerges the fear of unimaginable catastrophe in every circles of the lives of leaders and the "rank and file."
There are committed government officials whose integrity, selflessness and sense of duty will translate in the transformation of Ghanaians, Africa, and the world. For now, we're waiting patiently for a change, a positive change.
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