In 1959 the Government of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah made a significant statement, which has just caught on with us today as we celebrate 51 years of nationhood. The statement in part, said "the shortage of water "in Accra raises the need for investment in water across the country". The shortage of water in Accra today and indeed many parts of Ghana is an indication of successive governments ignoring the 1959 warning.

So serious is the shortage that children of school going age are seen all over the Accra searching for water, instead of attending classes. This water shortage comes at a time the management and distribution of water is in the hands of foreign contractors, which is in sharp contrast with the vision our founding fathers had to make Ghana the Star of Africa.

The clarion call was that we were going to take our destiny into our own hands. Dr. Kwame Nkrumah categorically stated "the Blackman was capable of handling his own affairs."

If after 51 years we cannot make water, the most basic and essential human need to our people without some form of involvement of foreign interests, then something is wrong along the line. When we were 50 years, we were in darkness, now we are 51 years and facing water crisis. Is this the best we can do as a nation? If indeed we need to depend on foreign donors for funds for any sector of our economy or the management of any sector, it should not be water.

President Kufuor in his Independence speech made reference to the natural resources Ghana has discovered recently and talked passionately about how we should harness the oil in particular for the benefit of all. This newspaper had expected the President to outline his government's plans to curb the water crisis.

We view water, and not oil as a natural resource that deserves better management and investment. We cannot drink oil and considering the fact that the lack of clean water is at the heart of many diseases plaguing many Ghanaians, we implore the government to take a critical look at water as a resource that needs harnessing for national development.

As we brood over 51 years of independence we need to rediscover the spirit of independence as it was in 1957. In doing that, we need to rediscover the self respect our founding fathers talked about, by once more taking our destiny into our own hands.

Ghana indeed remains a beacon of hope for the rest of Africa and has to keep the torch of Africa burning. Ayeeko! Ghana @51. Long Live Ghana, Long Live Africa.