Living On A Shoestring: Is It Time To Run?

Imagine buying a ball of kenkey which used to be 1gh cedi years ago for 5gh cedis today. Funny enough, every election year we have political parties tell us they aim to change so much but once they’re voted into power, it’s a whole new story.

Sometimes I sit down and think about how shitty our economy has become as a country over the years. Welcome to Africa, specifically Ghana where inflation affects everything in the country. A country where basic human needs have become a luxury to us.

Just take a walk along the streets of any city today and you’ll shed tears from what you’d see. So many kids and adults begging along the streets. Petty theft going on. Men and women , both young and old hawking under the scorchy sun in their quest to afford their next meal.

Aside for the big men up there, students, government and private workers, labourers, masons and everyone else isn’t left out in this hardship. When I tell you things are hard in Ghana, it’s not even a joke anymore. Aside someone who’s stupidly rich, I don’t think there’s any youth in Ghana who is able to eat three times a day. There’s always a formation going on when it comes to our daily meals. Either it’s 1:1:0 , 0:1:0 , or 0:1:1. If you know what I mean.

I have a couple of Nigerian friends who I interact with on a daily basis and it looks like Ghana isn’t the only country suffering from high cost of living. I’d like to believe it’s way better in Ghana because our cedi is doing a lot more better than the Nigerian Naira.

I’m not much of an economist but no one needs to tell me that as a country, the weight of our currency affects us a lot. Currently, $1 is equivalent to 13GHS which means our currency is of very little value out there. I remember how I struggled so much with my finances when I first traveled outside Ghana. To make things worse, I found myself in the US.

Thinking like an American, getting a burger, some fries and chicken for $10 wasn’t really a big deal. It seemed like quite a good deal to these white kids but me on the other hand didn’t find it as a cool deal. $10 then was about 130GHS then. I could spend 130GHS on food for some days and I wouldn’t even have to bother.

Even though I had so much fun on my trip, once I came down to Ghana, my bank account was almost dry. I just didn’t want to think about how much I had spent on my trip and how much it would cost when converted into my currency. I had to come to terms with the fact that, when you go to Rome, do what the Romans do.

I can attest to the fact that prices of goods and services in other countries are very low as compared to Ghana. You could buy a fully roasted chicken for about $3 in the US but that wouldn’t even get you close to some good chicken wings in Ghana.

Currently, I wouldn’t say I’m earning so much because no matter how much you’re earning in the current economy , it’s always very little for you. My earnings currently wouldn’t be able to do much for me if I was to find myself in Europe or somewhere else due to the value of our currency but tell you what? I’d be a rich woman if I was to be in Nigeria. Feel free to call me your sugar mommy.😂

I once worked on a project that had to do with brain drain. Basically, it was about how so many citizens in our country migrate to other countries to earn a living. Looking back , I think it would take a lot more than awareness to curb this canker in our country. If I got a visa and a flight ticket to any country of my choice, hell! I’m hopping on it.

With the skills I have now, I know that I would be able to do and earn much more than I am currently in my country. So why then would I reject an opportunity to make good use of my skills and live a better life. Even though I love my country so much, there’s an extent to what I can endure.

all images belong to me.