Greetings fellow Ghanaians 馃ぃ just as our president will say,
I go by the name 
In my very first post in this community, I'll be sharing a very brief topic about my country's resources.
The big question we usually ask ourselves in most African countries is whether the resources we have is a blessing or has been a reason for why we're seriously behind comparatively to other advanced countries.
One thing I've realized over the course of history is that mostly the countries that seem to be at a disadvantage in terms of natural resources are the countries that have people pushing harder to make it great.
Take a country like Saudi Arabia for example, Dubai was basically a desert and with the discovery of oil and the huge ambitions of the leaders, kings and princes, they have turned it into one of the world's most visited location.
Let me break this topic into some few points so everyone can understand.
Money Makers
Ghana has some really serious treasure in the form of gold and cocoa. We had so much gold we were referred to in history as "The Gold Coast" . Ghana is also recognized as one of the largest producers and exporters of cocoa. Indeed we do not lack resources at all.
I sat down as a Ghanaian thinking about my country and wondered one thing. 馃 - if we're the second largest producers of Cocoa, should we not also be the largest and best exporters of chocolate?
If we had so much gold, should we not be one of the biggest exporters of gold ornaments?
Gold mining is like a jackpot, bringing in money and jobs. Cocoa farming is like a reliable job that feeds many.
Not Betting Everything on One Horse
Now a country having different resources is basically like having different jobs. Being blessed by God or mother nature with so much natural resource is being blessed with job opportunities.
If one job isn't doing well, the other jobs can help out, making sure the economy stays steady and stable with enough jobs.
I believe it's time that we took these resources and focus on refining it and think about what we can give back to the world.
Making Life Better
We need to ensure that the money from exporting some of these natural resources like cocoa isn't wasted.
We need to ensure it's spent on improving things, like roads, schools, and hospitals, making life better for everyone.
The good news is that when I watch the evening news, I see a lot of great developments and one thing that I'm so happy about is our focus on IT related courses right now.
The world has already gone technological and its simply advancing. Countries with more tech based jobs and people filling those positions will see quick advancements.
The Not-So-Good Side Of Our Natural Resources
Messy Business
Sometimes, dealing with these resources can get a bit messy. Illegal activities like mining can harm the environment and cause conflicts. This is why it's great the government has placed some good measures to handle this. I'm a proud Ghanaian and really want to see us move forward.
Putting All Eggs in One Basket
Now sometimes because of our faith or trust in our natural resources, we tend to make the mistake of fully depending on it.
But the issue is that relying too much on one resource, like gold or oil, can be very risky. If their prices in the global market drops, it can create serious economic problems.
Nature Takes a Hit
One issues with natural resources is that getting these resources can harm nature and our environment. Trees are cut down, and pollution can mess up the environment.
When it comes to mining activities, it can lead to seriously damaging effects to our environment. This is why there's the need to be responsible about extracting the natural resources.
Rich Get Richer
Sadly, the wealth from these resources doesn't always reach everyone. It turns out most of the time, the rich guys that have access to the tools to get these natural resources get the benefits of these resources.
Their objective for investing into extracting these resources has always been personal profits.
So in the end, you live for decades in your own country and never really benefit directly from the natural resource.
Some people with money benefit more while others get left out.
Finding the Balance
To make sure these resources are more of a blessing than a curse or a problem, I believe there are things we need to do and I'll share a few of them.
Be Open and Honest
- People in charge of getting these resources need to be transparent and not hide anything. I strongly believe that corruption should be tackled.
Mix It Up
- Ghana shouldn't rely too much on one resource. It's like investing your money in different things instead of putting it all in one place. As we all know, keeping all eggs in one basket increases the risk of losing all the eggs in the event that basket falls.
Let's Take Care of Nature
- We should be careful not to harm the environment while getting these resources out. It's really as simple as that. We live on this wonderful land and keeping the land safe is for our own good.
Share the Wealth
I believe that all Ghanaians should fairly benefit from the natural resources through programs and support. It shouldn't be left entirely for the rich that have the tools to help extract the resources, although it's fair that the get a good portion since it was their investment.
To draw the curtains on my blog post today, whether Ghana's natural resources are a good thing or a problem really depends on how we handle them.
With the right decisions and moves, like being honest, diversifying, taking care of nature, and sharing the benefits, I'm very hopeful that we can make sure these resources are more of a good thing for everyone in Ghana. It's not going to be easy, but it's definitely worth the effort.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read today's blog post. I hope you enjoyed it and found it both insightful and entertaining. My blog posts are very open for any question or comment you may have regarding the blog topic.
Have a lovely day guys and catch you next time on Hive Ghana. Goodbye 鉂わ笍
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