While it is true that the government of Ghana has a responsibility to its citizens in terms of the provision of basic social amenities, it is equally true that we as individuals, as leaders of our families and as leaders of our communities can offer invaluable help in this course. Today, while reading a story on the joy news channel, I was reminded of just how important our role can be towards nation building. The story was told regarding the efforts of Nana Agyei Panin, the chief of Deduako, a farming community in the Bosomtwe District of Ashanti Region.
Apparently, the chief and his people had been calling upon several successive governments to help the community with some basic infrastructures including a school building, a tarred road, portable water and a toilet facility. Tired of waiting, the chief spearheaded several initiatives to get these thing for his people from his own means. According to Joy news' report, he single-handedly funded the tarring of the main road linking the town to the district capital, Kuntenase. As if that was not enough, he also put up a classroom block for the local basic school and water supply system at the cost of Ghs50,000. Nana Agyei is reported to have said the following while inaugurating these projects:
I am putting up a school which is at the lintel level. We now have water. I don't misuse the money I get from the stool on cars. I think about my people’s welfare first. Nananom, I implore you to use resources attached to your stools to the benefit of the people. Those resources are not your personal property.Don't use them to buy expensive vehicles and build mansions for yourselves.
Personally, I believe there is a lot we can learn from the chief's gesture:
First, that we can not always wait for the government to do everything for us, at some point, we are going to have to take charge of our lives.
And secondly, were ever we find ourselves as leaders, we have a responsibility to our subjects. Even as we are on this steemit platform, there are leaders who see to the day to day activities of the community. People who ensure that the platform does not lose its usefulness. It is very crucial that they stay conscious of the fact that they have a responsibility to the rest of us.
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Source: Myjoyonline