The negative impact of the raging Russia-Ukraine war; What Ghana and the rest of the Africa must do now

June 23, 2023

5 minutes read

Undoubtedly the current raging war between Russia and Ukraine is impacting negatively and bringing untold economic hardships and suffering to the people of Ghana and of the other African countries; as they are severely hit by the negative resulting conditions from this war.
This unfortunate situation is manifesting as skype and soaring fuel prices; which has created severe economic hardships and suffering of the Ghanaian people and the rest of the African countries.
Food products of grains such as corn, guinea corn, rice, millet, wheat etc keep on rising on a galloping spree and one knows not what will be the ultimate outcome of this dreadful situation.
As long as this war continues, Ghana and the rest of Africa will bear the resulting negative impact as stated in the immediate foregoing.
It is therefore imperative that Ghana as the star of Africa must take some practical workable drastic actions now that will help positively in a way to offset and absorb the prevailing economic hardships and sufferings of Ghanaians at the present time. And these positive workable drastic actions can serve also as a prototype for emulation by other African countries.
Meanwhile, as the Russia-Ukraine war continues, it is prudent that Ghanaians; and for that matter Africans must pray earnestly to God for an immediate end to this dreadful war. It is very necessary that Ghana and the rest of African countries must not show any support, whether morale or moral or whatever to Russia, as this war is not justified in any way on the part of Russia.
This is the thinking, reasoning and the consciousness of many God-fearing and morally-minded people all over the world of the present raging conflict between the two countries.
Ghana and the rest of the African countries must therefore not show any sympathy or empathy to Russia in her present feverish efforts through diplomacy to convince the world that they are justified to launch this offensive war against peaceful Ukrainians for a plausible reason or package of reasons that they will advance for their offensive attack of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Ghana as a blessed country with inexhaustible natural resources and as the star of Africa should immediately start an action-oriented programme to enhance and to step up her food products such as millet, corn, guinea corn, rice, beans, wheat, cassava, yam, cocoyam etc reminiscent of the famous Operation Feed Yourself (OFY) of the 1970’s under the late General Kutu Acheampong rule of Ghana.
This practical drastic action-oriented programme will definitely result in bumper food harvests and food abundance.
And this will greatly help Ghanaians to contain and to absorb the present prevailing economic hardships and suffering that Ghanaians are experiencing, owing to the negative impact of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. This practical approach for food products, and in abundance for home consumption; and even for export to other African and non-African countries is definitely achievable as it was in the case during the era of the late General Kutu Acheampong’s rule of Ghana in the mid 1970’s.
Similarly, other African countries such as Nigeria, Cote d’ Ivoire, Cameroon, Senegal, Benin, Burkina Faso, Togo, Mali, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Egypt, Angola, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon etc can adopt this kind of practical approach of abundant food production as a means of cushioning the people to absorb the current soaring fuel prices and its adverse effects on African economics and the resulting hardships and suffering of the people of Africa as a result of the raging Russia-Ukraine war.
In the light of what is adversely happening now in Ghana and the context of cost of living among the masses as portrayed in this article, I suggest that the Ministry of Food and Agriculture must immediately devise a master plan or blue print for that matter, to organise and to mobilise the masses for the stepping up of food production as stated earlier in this article with avowed aim to help Ghanaians to contain and keep their heads above the waters of these impacting negative results that are manifesting from the Russia – Ukraine war.
Furthermore, I do also suggest that the Ministry of Food and Agriculture should refer to the files and records of the unprecedented level of food production in the country during the era of late General Kutu Acheampong’s rule of Ghana in this pattern and approach of food production to the letter; or need be to make some changes for improvement on this pattern and approach.
The next step for the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to take, is to infuse this practical way of food production with its entire modern operation of food production for all the people of Ghana.
This great challenging task should be undertaken by bureaucrats, technocrats, authorities and experts in the various aspects of agriculture and food production in the Ghanaian situation.These personalities should constitute a specialist high-powered committee whose chairmanship and headship must be the Minister of Food and Agriculture.
This specialist committee’s onerous duty, is to work very fast in the implementation of the practical action-oriented food production programme for the country. The Minister should direct and monitor the performance of this specialist committee with the aim of the realisation of immediate results.
Furthermore, I also suggest that this master plan for the maximisation of food production, should be made accessible and available to other African countries, since they are also bearing the brunt of the negative impact of the Russia-Ukraine War, economically and socially for their survival.
The fact and stark truth is that Ghana and the rest of the African countries will suffer economic hardships as long as the Russia-Ukraine war continues.
And for this reason Ghana, the star of Africa should outrightly reject Russia’s present feverish diplomacy of soliciting for sympathy and empathy in her war against Ukraine, besides embarking on a key strategic practical programme for the maximisation of food production as a way of solving the severe economic problems and hardships that are adversely affecting the cost of living of Ghanaians, and other African peoples at the present time.
In my opinion, I firmly believe that if Ghana takes the suggestions of approach that had been articulated in this article, i.e the outright rejection of Russia’s diplomacy for support and the maximisation of food production by African countries, they will work positively and effectively for the handling of the prevailing negative impact on African economies, emanating from the Russia-Ukraine war.
Finally, I am optimistic and firmly believe that Ghana will rise up to the occasion and lead the rest of Africa to withstand this negative impact of the Russia-Ukraine war.
After all Ghana had never been found wanting in African affairs on the world scene in the past; and for this reason, Ghana is surely going to live up to expectation as far as the present Russia-Ukraine combat and its resulting negative impact is concerned.