There’s a sound you can always trust to fill a trotro, echo in offices, or headline a radio call-in show. It’s not gospel music or football commentary – it’s complaints. It’s like the easiest conversation starter between Ghanaians. It’s how we break the ice and go off!
“Ghana is hard.”
“Everything is messed up.”
“Nothing works in this country.”
“Ei, Wo hao ne sɛn?”
In fact there used to be a popular radio show of the same name (I don’t know if it’s still running) where callers were asked “Wo hao ne sɛn?” which translates to “What’s your complaint” and caller after caller eloquently lays out their complaints… and sometimes a proposed solution.
Complaining, often the opening lines of countless conversations every single day reveal a deeper truth about who we have become.
While expressing concerns is a vital aspect of civic engagement, an overemphasis on complaining without corresponding action can lead to a culture of negativity and helplessness.
Could this be why when it comes to taking action, there’s a pervasive sense of resignation?
DISEMPOWERING FREQUENCY
Constant complaining without seeking solutions fosters a low-vibrational mindset. This state of being is characterized by negativity, blame, and a sense of powerlessness. It hampers personal growth and stifles national development.
Moreover, this mindset can become self-perpetuating. When individuals consistently focus on problems without considering solutions, it reinforces a belief that issues are insurmountable, leading to apathy and disengagement.
We Are Masters of Diagnosis, But Strangers to Healing
Yes, we see the problems. Clearly. Vividly. We talk about them at length, pass them around like hot gossip, chew them, dissect them… and then do nothing.
We’ve normalized complaint as a substitute for contribution.
We’ve confused criticism with courage.
We’ve mistaken observation for action.
In Ghana, complaining is now a national pastime, a release valve we use to cope with a system that often feels broken. But here’s the harsh truth: IT’S NOT SOLVING ANYTHING. It’s not changing anything. If anything, it’s breeding apathy, helplessness, and a toxic comfort in pointing fingers instead of lifting hands.
The Low-Vibrational Trap
To complain without acting is to live in a low-vibrational state. A mindset rooted in frustration, blame, and inertia. It drains energy instead of generating it. It attracts more chaos than clarity.
It’s easy to spot what’s wrong. That takes no skill.
But to see what could be, and to move toward it, that’s the higher path.
A society that only complains without contributing becomes stuck in its own loop of stagnation. And we’re there.
If You Can Complain About It, You Can Contribute to It
I want to challenge every Ghanaian reading this:
If you can name a problem, you should be able to name at least three ways to fix it, or three ways you can help.
Because to constantly see the wrong and never see a path to making it right… that’s not awareness. That’s a blind spot. And maybe, just maybe, the problem isn’t out there. It’s in us.
We’ve built mental habits that default to tearing things down rather than building things up. We scrutinize more than we support. We speak despair more than we speak hope. We amplify the mess, but rarely multiply the solutions.
And that is a spiritual, mental, and cultural trap.
Cultural Mirrors: Why Are We Like This?
Let’s ask the uncomfortable question: Why are we like this?
• Is it because the systems failed us, so now we’ve chosen the safety of resignation?
• Is it trauma passed down – believing that nothing we do makes a difference?
• Is it the way we were raised – to complain in private but never act in public?
• Or is it simply easier to join the choir of complainers than to be the odd one building something in the dirt? (Misery loves company so perhaps it’s easier to sing the chorus than the solo)
Whatever the cause, the result is this: We’ve become overly aware of what’s wrong, but under-invested in what’s right.
The Power of Solution-Oriented Thinking
To break free from this cycle, we must cultivate a solution-oriented mindset. Here’s how:
Self-Reflection: Before voicing a complaint, ask yourself, “What can I do to address this issue?” This shift in perspective encourages proactive behaviour. So before you complain, write down three solutions. Even if they’re small, train your brain to seek answers and not just problem.
Community Engagement: Collaborate with others to find collective solutions. Community-driven initiatives often yield sustainable results. So don’t just call out what’s broken, fix something around you. Volunteer. Support someone’s initiative.
Empowerment Through Education: Equip yourself and others with knowledge and skills to effect change. Education fosters critical thinking and innovation.
Celebrate Progress: Acknowledge and celebrate small victories. Recognizing progress boosts morale and motivates continued efforts.
Call out contribution: The next time someone around you is always complaining, ask them kindly: “So what are you going to do about it?” Plant the seed of action.
Rise Higher
This isn’t about pretending things are fine. They’re not. It’s about refusing to live in complaint mode, to make a higher choice, a higher vibration.
Because if the only thing you bring to the table is what’s wrong, you’ve become part of the problem.
It’s time to raise our energy. Raise our standards. Raise our expectations, not just of Ghana, but of ourselves.
Let’s become a generation of doers, not dwellers. Let’s break the complaint addiction. Let’s channel our frustration into formation, building, fixing, leading, changing.
Because Ghana won’t change until we do.
Let’s challenge ourselves to not only identify problems but also to become active participants in crafting solutions. In doing so, we elevate not just our individual lives but the collective well-being of Ghana.
A Call to Action
It’s time to transition from a culture of complaint to one of constructive action. By embracing a higher-vibrational mindset focused on solutions, we can drive meaningful change in our communities and nation.
This week, fix one thing, big or small, that’s been bothering you. Then share what you did with the hashtag #MoreSolutionsGH. Let’s flood the feed with solutions.
Let’s move from complaints to solutions. Let’s raise the vibration of this nation.
#ianjazziwrites #dearghanaians #FellowGhanaians #bethechange #lesscomplaintsmoresolutions
References:
1. Peace Fm Video 1 https://web.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=780853547257130
2. Peace Fm Video 2 https://web.facebook.com/Peace104.3FM/videos/780853547257130
3. Rethinking Citizen Voice: Radio Call-ins in Accra (Research PDF) https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/…/20120814…