By Emmanuel Oti Acheampong
The Independence Square of Ghana is currently sitting on a time bomb as the spectator awaits just a little pressure to collapse.
The over-60-year-old national monument wallows in cracks and filth.
The historical national monument, which serves both national and private ceremonies, currently has its spectator seats removed, leaving the concrete cracked with visible iron rods bearing its teeth.
A visit to the square revealed that all the seats under the spectator sheds have been removed, and the concrete at the sheds also cracked, making it dangerous for patrons who go for recreation and visit if no events are being held there.
The vast, empty expanse of concrete, overlooked by spectator stands of Stalinesque grace, also faces sanitation issues as plastic wastes have taken over its sheds.
Not only are the seats removed, leaving cracked concrete, but the sheds have also been overtaken by mentally disabled persons and other homeless individuals who find solace under the sheds and contribute immensely to the filth.
The question a patron asked upon the visit was if the government or people in charge are waiting for a disaster to act or are waiting for the next independence parade to fix them.
The enviable state monument needs to be given all the attention it deserves, not only when it’s national parades.
This quietly proves the lack of maintenance culture in the country, Ghana, which has led to the dilapidation of various national and state structures.