There is some euphoria in the country’s air. That’s because our cedi is performing wonders. From about GHC15.00 to $1.00 before January 7, 2025 to now about GHC10.50 to $1.00.
Trotro patrons are overjoyed by a 15% decrease in fares. Not all of them though- some recalcitrant drivers have refused to comply. They have either stuck to the old fares or reduced by 10%.
And the trotro patrons at the receiving end of these non-compliant drivers’ actions have not taken it lightly. The story is told of an instance where the passengers refused to pay the fare demanded by the trotro mate. The driver got so angry that mid-way into the journey, he returned to the pick-up point and asked all the passengers to alight- ‘He won’t do again.’
Car owners are not left out in the revelry- fuel price reduction has resulted in some savings on this recurrent expenditure item. At worst, the same amount of fuel bought now, can take one a few more kilometers than before, prior to the gauge showing red.
Therefore, those who are happy seem to be in the majority, and the government is receiving all the plaudits. ‘Ato is Forsing’ is the new name of the Minister of Finance- Dr Cassiel Ato Forson.
But after he went to Parliament in the night under certificate of urgency to add GHC1.00 to the cost of fuel per litre, the goodwill enjoyed by government seems to be waning. The refrain now is that they give with the right hand and take back with the left- You remove E-levy and introduce ‘Dumsor levy,’ they claim.
Ghana’s vulnerable
Yet, there is one group of Ghanaians who are indifferent to the goings on. They live under the Kwame Nkrumah interchange, formerly called ‘circle’ and the allays around the area. And the name of their choice of operational area should raise eyebrows- Kwame Nkrumah… the visionary first President whose marvelous work was cut short and led us into the current state we find ourselves.
They have built their own world in which they do anything possible to survive the challenges of this life. The ‘anything’ includes stealing from persons they consider better off than they are. Upon passing through the circle area, such “well to do” persons are deprived of their valuables, especially mobile phones.
The females among them sell what their mama gave them for food and skimpy clothes. Those who are a bit morally upright engage in menial jobs such as truck pushing, head pottering and petty trading.
Wonim RED?
Unfortunately, in the quest to enhance their energy levels for greater performance, they have resorted a dangerous source- Energy drinks or Opioids tablet (RED 225), a potent painkiller for severe pains. The 225mg dose of tramadol, is not meant for recreational use, but these desperate young ones do just that.
Many of them have become addicted to this drug to the extent that instead of enhancement, their energies are ‘wasted’ on sleep- even when seated, standing or driving. And when you query them, they ask Wonim RED? To wit, do you know RED?
I saw this phenomenon of sleep-standing and sleep-seated on social media and bought into a narrative that it was not real. That it is content created for curious minds. It therefore came to me as shock when right in front of me, in a jammed traffic opposite my direction, I saw a trotro driver doze off.
Not in the normal fast-paced fashion of head dropping either forward, backward or side ways. It was a real slow motion. And when he got a nudge from the passenger in the front seat to drive on, the obviously RED-intoxicated driver wiped his face with a dirty duster and sped off- Dangerous!! I remarked.
Hooked on RED
Then one of my colleagues at TV3 took a camera to town to find out why some young men and women will spend much of the money they earn from their menial, sometimes illicit and dangerous jobs on medications that harm rather than heal them.
The outcome was mind-boggling. Here are excerpts from Godwin Asediba’s documentary titled “Hooked on RED: Ghana’s Opioid nightmare.”
“My investigation led me to Odawna, the epicenter of Accra’s Kwame Nkrumah Circle, where the trade in Red 225 thrives unchecked. Here, the drug flows freely, its allure drowning out warnings from authorities.
I met Safia Azumi Faustina, a 29-year-old mother whose trembling body and vacant eyes told a story of surrender. For as little as 20 Ghana cedis, she offered herself for sex, her life reeling under the weight of Red 225.
“My parents never gave me reason to believe in second chances,” she said, her voice sharp yet fragile. “Sometimes I bleed, and when it gets bad, I take some pills to feel relieved.” A mother to a 9-year-old boy, Safia’s fleeting moments of joy are overshadowed by the drug’s grip.
Heyford Kwesi Bosompeng, a 40-year-old who has battled addiction for over two decades, explained its rise.
“That’s what the boys are heavily into now,” he said. “Those who smoke weed are lying low because of police arrests. They used to hide to take the pills, but now you see them openly on the streets. They’re not sick, yet they’re constantly on medication.”
Nearby, 26-year-old Kwabeba Osei admitted to using Red to “relax” after work or enhance intimacy with his wife. “It makes her happy,” he said, acknowledging his addiction but feeling powerless to stop.
The epidemic isn’t confined to Accra. In Kumasi’s Asawase, I met Philip David, a 31-year-old tricycle operator who has used Red for nearly five years. Each morning, he visits the local ghetto to stock up, keeping pills close to “boost” his strength for the day.
“I took some last night, and it works for a long time,” he said. “For many girls and boys, Red has become like a sex pill. I’m addicted. I want to stop, but I still find myself taking it.”
In Aboabo Royal, a slum notorious for lawlessness, young men dissolve Red into energy drinks, believing it amplifies the high.
A community leader admitted to trying the drug but stopped after witnessing its dangers. “You see addicts by the roadside, hit by cars before they realize what’s happened,” he said. Another youth, reluctant to admit his habit, claimed he only takes it “sometimes” for scrap work, his master disapproving.
In Ash-Town, the youth are shadows of themselves, defending Red as a source of energy and confidence. “The drug helps us think and work hard,” one said defiantly. “If they stop it, we’ll take guns and rob in broad daylight. Red calms me.” Another added, “I take it like medicine. If I don’t, I won’t feel active all day.”
The Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment warns of a looming workforce deficit if the crisis isn’t addressed. “This threat is real,” the Minister, George Opare-Addo said. “Our tertiary institutions are becoming epicenters. We must enforce measures to stop the drug from entering the market.” Yet, with under-resourced rehab centers and weak enforcement, the path forward is uncertain.”
It’s time to go
Certainly, the path is certain. It is for government to hold the pull by the horns as far as this matter is concerned. That is, become concerned and act accordingly. These are willing souls for the national development effort. They have gone wayward because they can’t see their way clear.
Not addressing this issue wholistically could have dangerous consequences for the country. Here is why- “If they stop it, we’ll take guns and rob in broad daylight.” At least, now they are not engaged in armed robbery. The time to strategise on how to reform these young ones and put their energies to better use is now.
Thankfully, the Minister for Youth Development is alarmed. That’s a good sign. What is left is for the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, as well as the ministers of Health, Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh and Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson to join forces with Mr Opare -Addo to tackle this issue head on.
Their terms of reference are clear. It is contained in the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana- The Directive Principles of State Policy as spelt out under Chapter 6, Article 36 (1) of the Constitution requires the State, and for that matter the government, to “… take all necessary action to ensure that the national economy is managed in such a manner as to maximize the rate of economic development and to secure the maximum WELFARE, freedom and happiness of every person in Ghana and to PROVIDE ADEQUATE MEANS OF LIVELIHOOD and SUITABLE EMPLOYMENT and PUBLIC ASSISTANCE TO THE NEEDY.
Very often, we the citizens fail to hold the government to the dictates of the Constitution which serves as the manual, based on which this country is supposed to be governed. Obviously, it is because most of us are not aware. Those who are aware also choose and pick when to demand our pound of flesh for us.
On the other hand, the government and its agencies use their knowledge of the aspects of the Constitution which serve their interest to keep taxing us for the development of the country. Unfortunately, when it comes to using these taxes for our benefit, they find all the excuses. If you ask for evidence, this article will become lengthier.
You should see the state of deprivation and squalor in which the subjects of Godwin Asediba’s documentary live. It is as if they don’t belong to this country, that they do not pay tolls. They sleep under the interchange whether rain or shine.
They always appear unkempt, an indication of not having bathed in weeks. The potential of an increased health burden on the Ghana Health Service is nigh.
Power of the State
It is a crime under the country’s Criminal Offences Act 29, 1960 to kill. So, if as a parent I decide to kill my child because I am unable to cater for his or her needs, the State will come after me for murder. My own child that I brought into this world oo!
Yet, the State fails to cater for my child when for any reason, I am unable to do so. Why?
Again, if I cannot cater for my child, hence decide to sell him or her, the State will charge and prosecute me for human trafficking or slave dealing. My personal property oo!
The question therefore, is why can’t the State actors aforementioned take care of these obviously responsible-parentless youth whose lives are wasting away?
If the saying “the youth are a country’s greatest asset” is anything to go by, then the time to act is now.
Responsibility of the State
Clearly, the framers of the 1992 Constitution anticipated and provided for the vulnerable in our society. What is left is for the managers of the State to ensure that these provisions are implemented.
And it is doable, considering the amount of money that we waste on projects that we subsequently abandon upon change of governments. The National Cathedral and Saglemi housing projects give me palpitations anytime I see those sites on TV. Millions if not billions of cedis gone down the drain.
As if that is not enough, some public servants in the previous administration have allegedly decided to own state funds by devising various means to transfer same into their private accounts- GHC548 million cedis of State funds supposedly taken by 12 persons at National Service Authority and another GHC49 million by one person for security reasons.
Not to mention the $45 million allegedly paid by COCOBOD the one who is commonly known by the name “You can’t” in the Akan language, for no work done. Money that could do so much for our brothers and sisters who have been left to their fates under the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange in Accra. And Asawase in Kumasi.
As alluded to above, the Directive Principles of State Policy offers the blueprint regarding how Ghana’s vulnerable should be catered for, but our leaders- the politicians, have failed us. To make amends, henceforth, let those who find themselves in public office use the content of the public purse to satisfy the needs of the public.
For, as one of my favourite highlife artistes, Amakye Dede, said in one of his songs, “Bebrebe yi, enfa yen kosi hwiii”- all this State funds looting is vanity.
Y3b3 san ehyia – That’s goodbye in Twi.
Let God Lead! Follow Him directly, not through any human.
The writer is the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Columnist of the Year- 2022. He is the author of two books whose contents share knowledge on how anyone desirous of writing like him can do so. Eric can be reached via email [email protected]
