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Covid-19 Out, Hunger In, A dilemma of choice

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COVID-19 Out, Hunger In, is the dilemma of choice that confronts many of us. “We are our choices.” ― Jean-Paul Sartre. We all have the experience of believing the option we opt for when faced with two alternatives. But many of us have not been stared in the face by two options that could both lead to death.

The COVID-19 has offered the poor and vulnerable and to some extent the rich an option between contracting COVID-19 should we break bounds or face hunger indoors.

The dilemma of choice indeed. Do we observe the lockdown regulations without food to survive on or break the restrictions and lockdown rules just to find something to eat to survive the next night and day? This is the dilemma of choice facing many in Africa which may become worsened should the lockdowns be extended in the interest of public health and safety whiles many have depleted their stocks in 21 days already.

The biggest problem of Africans with Ghana in mind is that most of us do not have savings that will last us at least three months when the minimum months of savings for emergency survival is 6 months.

COVID-19 has revealed the poor saving culture of Ghanaians. Little to none have enough saved against unforeseen emergencies, especially those who work in the informal sector. In fact, the third reason for holding money is never considered, let alone the second. The lack of savings towards emergencies at the micro and macroeconomic levels is never considered.

But with the impact of COVID-19 chocking many of us, it is worth facing the bitter truth that the saving culture of many is weak hence this has aggravated the sufferings of the masses. The transaction motive has outweighed the precautionary and the speculative motives for holding money. The reasons for holding money include taking care of unforeseen emergencies and coronavirus fits into this category.

In Ghana, one of the quick protective shields of not being able to save is that earnings are low and many leave from hand to mouth daily.

However, many of us have never been ready for such an emergency, including our government for this. Today, hunger and the lack of money in the pocket of many across Africa can lead to more deaths if these lockdowns are extended a few more weeks for many.

Unfortunately, many countries including those in Africa do not have the needed buffer stock of basic food steeples to feed its mass uninfected population. The COVID-19 pandemic has enlightened many on the need to save irrespective of your income against unforeseen misfortunes.

Roy T. Bennett said “Beliefs are choices. First, you choose your beliefs. Then your beliefs affect your choices.”

For nearly all of us, we need to survive and win over hunger to fight the COVID-19. This calls for the ordinary people having enough to sustain them. We don’t want our children to start crying so loud because they are hungry although are have started in silence, frowning every passing hour without food but cannot complain. COVID-19 must bring forth a self-reliant and agile Africa, and this is the time to learn to do it.

Politicians must for the first time in Africa be selfless, see the citizens as their own brothers and sisters, take decisions in the best interest of the people to ensure it provides enough to feed them. But do we have stocks to feed our nations in Africa at all?

We must gear our efforts towards the same goal without conflict, then we can deal with this common enemy. This is not the time to complain of insufficiency, it is the time to innovate solutions first to cure people’s hunger then they can stay indoors to help fight the COVID-19 outside.

If only our leaders can feed the people they will gladly stay indoors. Let us deal with the hunger, we don’t want to die of hunger nor covid-19.

Source: NewsGhana24.com | Wisdom Hammond