World Cup Qualification Bring Ghanaians Temporary Relief Amidst Steep Economic Decline

Ghanaians have been thrown into jubilant celebration following the country's national team, the Black Stars' March 29 qualification for the World Cup in Qatar later this year.

The celebrations are a welcome temporary relief for Ghanaians from their country's present steeply declining economy which has induced hardship and worsening living conditions for most, especially since last year.

Prices of petroleum products have increased for over five times since last January, triggering skyrocketing inflationary levels.

For instance, diesel now sells at between GH¢10 and GH¢11 per litre (equivalent to US $1.33/N554 and US $1.46/N610 respectively), while the price of petrol has crossed the GH¢9 (equivalent to US $1.20/N500) mark at some filling stations. They previously sold, up till last January, at GHC6.90 (US$0.92/N382) for diesel and GHC6.70 (US$0.89/N371) for petrol.

This has led to an upsurge in food and general prices.

A recent report by the Ghana Statistical Service noted that petroleum and food prices are the major driving forces of inflation in Ghana in recent times.

Transport operators have also increased fares by 20 per cent following the rise in fuel prices, after they last increased fares in February this year.

But, after a goalless draw in Kumasi on March 25, Ghanaians are now celebrating their qualification for the next World Cup after the national team, the the Black Stars , on March 29 held Nigeria's Super Eagles to a 1-1 in the second leg of their qualifier at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja. The Black Stars' goal in Abuja, however, qualified them for the global derby based on the global football governing body FIFA's rules, which counts an away goal as two.

Many parts of the country have, as a result of that victory, been thrown into a state of celebration.

From the seat of Ghana's Presidency at the Jubilee House to streets across the country, and from the parliament to radio and television commentaries and talk-shows and right onto social media, the mood has understandably been jubilant, though somewhat shadowed by consciousness of covid-19.

Ghana’s President Akufo-Addo celebrated his country's qualification with engaging dance steps in his office at the Jubilee House presidential mansion in Accra.

March 29, ironically, was also President Akufo-Addo's 78th birthday, therefore making the Black Stars’ qualification an ideal birthday present.

A video released by President Akufo-Addo's office showed the Ghanaian President taking joyous dance steps in his office moments after the Black Stars' the qualification. Ghana's Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia is also seen in the video with Akufo-Addo as both rejoiced over Ghana's qualification.

Ghana's qualification was also a god-send for Akufo-Addo as it helped divert the attention of Ghanaians, even if temporarily, from his government's speedy enactment in parliament on the same March 29 of a bill to introduce the draconian electronic levy tax, or e-levy tax. The e-levy, a tax on mobile money transactions in Ghana, had been vehemently resisted, since it was first tabled by the finance minister last November in Ghana's hung parliament, by the parliamentary caucus of the opposition National Democratic Congress, NDC, as well as by over 80 per cent of Ghanaians.

Debates on the e-levy bill, which the government said it needs to revive Ghana's currently comatose economy that had recently been downgraded by major global ratings agencies, had been suspended last January, but was suddenly brought back to parliament on March 29 and passed within minutes, riding on the strategic moment of the Nigeria-Ghana derby in Abuja, and the vital shift of national attention that the match necessarily elicited among Ghanaians.

On the streets of Accra, the capital city, some motorists blared vehicle horns in celebration of the Black Stars' qualification, just as jubilant fans also set off firecrackers in other parts of the city, including the ever-busy Nkrumah Circle area of Accra.

It was, however, open season on Nigeria and Nigerians in Ghana on major local radio and television networks, with most stations seemingly competed with each other on who would be nastiest in bashing Nigeria and Nigerians.

Reporting from television viewing centers in the popular Osu-Oxford Street suburb of Accra, a roving reporter for a major local television network in Accra, on live-television, mocked Nigeria and Nigerians as small babies pretending to be big boys. He said the Abuja derby sealed Ghana's supremacy over Nigeria in football, music and entertainment, as well as in the jollof war.

Jollof war refers to a spurious debate over which is the best, between Nigerian jollof rice and Ghana jollof rice.

In Tema, Ghana's port city, fans poured onto the streets on Tuesday evening to celebrate the country's qualification.

Fans expressed their joy over the hard work put in by the Black Stars to triumph over rivals Nigeria and take one of five tickets to represent Africa at the World Cup.

As in Accra, there were not much crowd at drinking bars as many Ghanaians complain of dry pockets due to the country's economic challenges. But, motorists blared horns, and many blew their vuvuzelas in celebration.

After one of the nation’s worst AFCON performances at the recent edition in Cameroon, Ghanaians now see the Black Stars to have redeemed themselves by beating Nigeria with a technical away goal.

"The eagles must be less than “apetupres”! They couldn’t do what Comoros did," Noble, a Black Stars' fan, said of Nigeria's Super Eagles.

Congratulating the Black Stars, a fan who gave his name as Dwarf, however, noted that there is still more room for improvement in the Ghana national team.

Smelly, another fan, warned Nigerians that "your 200 million plus population can never take what belongs to us (Ghana). Eveey good thing in your zoogeria was introduced to you by Ghanaians including football and even the fight for independence."

Hailing the qualification of his country's national team, Kojo Samuel said that the "Black Stars are on the move for the victories.......more tactics for you the Ghana black Stars with the blessing of God to you and Oman Ghana wo nyame nedzen mu Ogyamanase"

Ghana have appeared at three previous editions of the FIFA World Cup, doing so in 2006, 2010 and 2014.

Nigeria, on the other hand, has a record of six world cup appearances, doing so in 1994, 1998, 2002, 2010, 2014 and 2018.