Tomorrow Today: a tiny speck of how Ghana might look like

A narrative by Edna Otitiaku

Photo source: ojjdp.gov

I recently moved to a suburb of Accra beyond the Achimota forest, precisely Paraku estate on the Kisseman –Dome route.

Hilariously, I was welcomed with a break in to my apartment (and a housemate’s) exactly two weeks after moving in.  I was told that was the first of its kind in our house and yes, we have still not found the culprits; can you imagine?

 The first of a kind thievery is now an every two month visitation of which I have continuously been the first person to blow alarm because I either wake up too early (nightmares since the break in) or come home too late. It isn’t cool to be the bearer of bad news; it’s never a pleasant feeling.

Funny enough, they alternate the targets and steal money, laptops and provisions by forcing our windows open.

Security!?

Our house is gated and always locked. To think we will be secured. I guess a determined person is what thief is; “determined”. Despite all these targeted break-ins, I love my neighborhood and enjoy the camaraderie of my housemates.

What is my problem!?

 The turn from Achimota forest toward Kisseman (village junction) at day is a bustling business hub lined with pharmacies, eateries, food vendors, shops, car washes and drinking bars which is great for business.

At night, especially weekends, imagine all of the above coupled with traffic. That is how it gets.

An interesting observation on countless times has been the human activity. You would notice a lot of young people thronging the streets dancing to loud music, drinking and smoking.

The worrying bit is the number of underage girls and boys you would find there at 10 pm to the wee hours of morning. Not just dancing, but drinking hard liquor and openly smoking weed and cigarette with impunity. (I would know because I stop to purchase food on my way from town, sue me).

Fast forward this to the next five years; we would have a good number of young adults in my current neighborhood who would be school dropouts, teenage mothers, single parents, jobless or untrained young men and women, alcohol and drug addicts from just this stretch of road. This is our "Charity" beginning at "Home".

How does that affect me?

·         My two month visitation of thieves would increase.

·         My taxes would have more mouths to feed under government policies for the poor and needy eg LEAP

·         Substance abuse and mental disorders from substance abuse would increase. Treatment, management and prevention of the afore mentioned would steep up my taxes.

·         Security and general social wellbeing will be affected

All these from just this short stretch of road; multiply this by a few of other similar places and ask yourself if it affects you?

As a young mother I can treat my teenager as what he/she is, a teenager. Raise these young adults to know their life decisions are theirs and the repercussions there off.

Be firm on my child while under my roof (staying out late, drinking, smoking, hanging out with the wrong crowed etc. is a no no in my home);Providing the basic needs of my child especially girls. (This is because there are economic undertone at these particular hangouts);Enforcing basic laws such as, not selling alcohol to under 18, not smoking openly etc on the part of drinking spot operators.

For now, this is all I can do. What can you do?