By Professor Douglas Boateng – CEng CDir
Across much of Africa, development often follows a recognizable script.
Projects are announced with optimism. Contracts are signed with urgency. Ground is broken with ceremony. Ribbons are cut with pride. Power plants, hospitals, schools, roads and public utilities rise with applause, then quietly decay without stewardship
A new hospital opens. A power plant comes online. A school block is unveiled. A highway is commissioned. A government office complex is inaugurated. For a moment, progress feels tangible. Then, gradually and almost imperceptibly, the narrative begins to shift.
Paint fades, Tiles crack, Generators fail, Roofs leak, Drainage systems choke, sometimes gutters are silted to points where they are virtually non-existent, Machines stall from wear and tear, Water supply becomes erratic, Electricity falters, Sewage systems overflow, Roads develop so many potholes, but for the patches of bitumen , you would wonder if there was ever bitumen laying on that road surface
Years later, what was once celebrated as development becomes a quiet testament to neglect. This is not a partisan critique. It is not confined to one administration, nor can it be attributed to a single policy failure. It is a longstanding pattern that has outlived governments and outpaced reform. And so, the question must be asked, soberly and without deflection:
What is wrong with us?
Building is visible. Maintenance is essential
There is nothing inherently flawed about the ambition to build. Infrastructure underpins economic growth, social mobility, and national confidence. However, construction is only the beginning.
Maintenance is what sustains value.
A hospital that is not maintained cannot reliably deliver care. A power plant that is not serviced cannot consistently generate electricity. A road that is not maintained cannot safely support movement. A school that deteriorates undermines the very purpose it was built to serve. Crucially, public utilities that are not maintained cannot meet the needs of the citizens they were designed to serve.
NyansaKasa (Words of Wisdom): “What is built once must be cared for many times.” Interpretation: Creation is an event. Preservation is a discipline.
The silent erosion of public utilities
Perhaps the most damaging consequence of this pattern lies in the gradual degradation of utility systems.
Water infrastructure deteriorates as pipelines leak, pumping stations falter, and treatment facilities receive inconsistent maintenance. Electricity networks weaken as transformers fail, transmission lines degrade, and maintenance cycles are deferred. Sewage systems, already strained, become overwhelmed by neglect, with predictable consequences for public health and the environment.
These are not isolated technical issues. They are systemic failures. Water, electricity, and sanitation are supply chains, not standalone services. When maintenance is ignored, the entire chain weakens. “A chain is only as strong as the part we neglect.” Weak links determine system performance.
A pattern normalised over decades
The persistence of this issue suggests something deeper than budgetary constraint or administrative oversight.
Governments have changed, Policies have evolved, Funding models have shifted, Yet the outcome remains strikingly familiar. We build quickly, but we maintain reluctantly. This is not an episodic failure. It is a systemic pattern. “A problem repeated becomes a culture.” Persistent outcomes reflect persistent behaviours. In this case, we could perhaps say misbehaviours
From asset creation to asset erosion
Across sectors, the consequences are increasingly evident. Energy infrastructure declines in efficiency due to inadequate servicing. Healthcare facilities struggle to function as equipment fails and repairs are delayed. Schools lose their effectiveness as environments deteriorate. Roads degrade, not because they were poorly conceived or constructed, but because; they were insufficiently maintained. The cycle is predictable.
Build. Celebrate. Neglect. Repair at greater cost.
Neglect does not save money. It merely postpones expenditure and in effect, multiplies it. “Neglect today becomes reconstruction tomorrow.” Preventive care reduces long-term cost. As the saying goes, “a stitch in time, saves nine”.
A continental challenge, not a national anomaly
This phenomenon is not confined to any single country. Across Africa, infrastructure is built with ambition but maintained with inconsistency. Water shortages persist despite abundant resources. Power instability occurs despite installed capacity. Sanitation challenges remain despite prior investment.
This is not a Ghanaian issue. It is an African one. “A shared mindset produces shared outcomes. Collective thinking shapes collective reality.
What others do differently
Elsewhere, maintenance is embedded within infrastructure strategy.
1. In many European countries, lifecycle costing is standard practice. Infrastructure is designed with long term upkeep in mind, supported by dedicated budgets and routine inspections.
2. In Japan, precision maintenance forms part of national discipline, ensuring infrastructure longevity.
3. In the United States, asset management frameworks guide infrastructure upkeep, even amid ongoing funding debates. These systems are not flawless, but they share a common principle:
Infrastructure is not treated as a one off achievement, but as a long term responsibility.
NyansaKasa (Words of Wisdom): “What is planned endures longer.” that means, Sustainability requires foresight. So, why does maintenance remain neglected? Part of the answer lies in visibility. Construction is visible. It can be launched, photographed, and celebrated. Maintenance however, is largely invisible. It happens quietly, without ceremony. As a result, political and public attention often gravitates towards new projects rather than the preservation of existing ones.
We reward what is seen and undervalue what sustains it.
“What is unseen is often undervalued.” Invisible systems sustain visible success. When one considers the economic and social cost of neglect, the implications extend far beyond the infrastructure.
1. Water losses increase through leakages.
2. Energy inefficiencies raise operational costs.
3. Sanitation failures contribute to disease outbreaks.
4. Transport inefficiencies reduce productivity.
These costs accumulate, often quietly, until they manifest as crises. Failure to maintain is, in effect, a decision to pay more later. “Deferred care multiplies cost.” Delay increases burden. A matter of mindset as much as money
While financing is often cited as a constraint, the issue is not solely financial. It is also cultural. Do we value continuity as much as we value initiation? Do we prioritise long term functionality over short-term visibility? Do we assign clear accountability for upkeep? Without a maintenance mindset, even well funded infrastructure will deteriorate. “Value is preserved through care.” Attention sustains assets.
What must change
Addressing this challenge requires both structural reform and a cultural shift.
I. Maintenance must be integrated into infrastructure planning from the outset.
II. Budgets for upkeep must be protected and ring fenced.
III. Utility systems must be managed as interconnected supply chains.
IV. Routine inspections must be institutionalised.
V. Accountability must be clear, measurable, and enforced.
Bottom-line is, infrastructure must be treated as an asset to be managed, not an event to be celebrated. “Care is what preserves value.” Sustained attention maintains usefulness. Progress is often measured by what is built. There is an urgent need to redefine progress. True progress should be measured by what endures.
Development is not simply construction. It is continuity.
“True progress is maintained progress.” Longevity defines success. Africa is building. That is undeniable. It is however, not enough to build. The more difficult question is whether we are sustaining what we build. So the question remains:
What is wrong with us?
1. Why do we invest heavily in creation but lightly in preservation?
2. Why do we celebrate beginnings but neglect continuity?
3. Why do we allow systems that sustain life and productivity to weaken?
“A nation that neglects maintenance repeats its costs.” Sustainability requires discipline. Africa’s future will not be defined by how much it builds, but by how well it maintains and sustains. Indeed, infrastructure is not a moment. It is a responsibility. Until that responsibility becomes embedded in both policy and mindset, progress will remain fragile.
