WHAT IS WRONG WITH US
By Professor Douglas Boateng
Chartered Director (UK IoD) | Chartered Engineer (UK) | Generationalist | Governance and Industrialisation Advocate and Strategist
There is a comforting lie we repeat to ourselves because it sounds righteous and conveniently relieves us of deeper responsibility. It goes like this: every wasted public cedi, dollar, or shilling is corruption. It is emotionally satisfying. It gives us villains. It fuels hashtags. It allows outrage without introspection. But here is the harder truth, the one we instinctively dodge because it turns the spotlight back on us: Not all waste is corruption. A significant portion of it is mismanagement, weak skills, shallow thinking, and leaders who genuinely do not know what to do. That truth is more dangerous than corruption. Corruption steals and hides. Incompetence spends openly, fails publicly, and yet is often excused, recycled, and even promoted. And that is where the deeper, more uncomfortable question must be asked: what is wrong with us?
WHY WE PREFER THE CORRUPTION NARRATIVE
Corruption is simple. Someone stole money. Arrest them. Case closed. Mismanagement is complicated. It forces societies to confront uncomfortable questions:
Was the person competent?
Did they understand the sector?
Were systems in place?
Was the project necessary in the first place?
Was anyone trained to run or maintain it?
Those questions are harder because they implicate not just individuals, but systems, cultures, and collective choices.
NyansaKasa (words of wisdom) captures this discomfort succinctly:
“It is easier to shout ‘thief’ than to ask ‘were you prepared?’”
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Corruption allows moral outrage. Incompetence demands reform. One excites crowds. The other demands thinking.
THE TWO FACES OF WASTE
Public waste generally comes from two sources. The first is corruption, the deliberate abuse of public office for private gain. This is real, damaging, and must be confronted decisively. The second is incompetence: spending badly due to poor knowledge, weak planning, insufficient capacity, or an inability to translate policy into action. Both destroy value. But they require very different solutions.
NyansaKasa (words of wisdom) puts it plainly:
“You arrest a thief. You retrain, reposition, or remove a fool.”
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When incompetence is treated as corruption, nothing improves. We jail a few offenders, change faces, and repeat the same mistakes with new actors.
WHEN MONEY IS SPENT, BUT NOTHING WORKS
Across many developing and even developed economies, public money is spent exactly as approved. Procurement rules are followed. Audits show no theft. Yet outcomes remain embarrassing.
Hospitals stand without doctors or equipment.
Factories are commissioned without raw materials or markets.
Roads lead to nowhere.
Digital systems are launched that no one uses.
Training programmes absorb millions yet produce no employable skills.
In 2020, several governments around the world procured emergency health equipment during the pandemic that never worked, expired in warehouses, or could not be integrated into existing systems. The money was not stolen. It was spent. And wasted.
NyansaKasa (words of wisdom) laughs aloud:
“The goat did not eat the money. The shepherd forgot why he bought grass.”
This is not corruption. It is poor capability.
WHY INCOMPETENCE IS MORE DANGEROUS THAN CORRUPTION
A corrupt official often steals discreetly and exits. An incompetent official remains, spends more, and multiplies damage. Mismanagement erodes morale, destroys institutional memory, and teaches organisations that failure carries no consequences. Over time, mediocrity becomes normal.
NyansaKasa (words of wisdom) warns:
“A leaking bucket teaches water to disrespect effort.”
This is why societies that tolerate incompetence struggle to grow. Resources increase, budgets expand, yet outcomes stagnate.
APPOINTMENTS WITHOUT CAPABILITY
Many wasteful decisions begin with appointments that prioritise loyalty, politics, or familiarity over competence. Running a hospital is not the same as running a campaign. Managing power generation is not the same as making speeches. Overseeing procurement is not the same as being trusted. Yet across many countries, key technical institutions are led by individuals without sector knowledge. The result is expensive confusion.
NyansaKasa (words of wisdom) puts it humorously:
“You do not give a drum to someone who fears noise.”
In complex economies, competence is not elitism. It is a necessity.
THE DEEPER PROBLEM: A MINDSET FAILURE
At the heart of persistent waste lies a mindset problem. We celebrate announcements more than outcomes. We value titles more than skills. We reward loyalty more than learning. We defend failure instead of correcting it. Mega projects are launched for political symbolism rather than economic logic. Budgets roll over annually with little evaluation of impact. Institutions reset with every election cycle.
NyansaKasa (words of wisdom) observes quietly:
“A people who love ceremonies more than systems will always pay for decorations with debt.”
This is not merely a leadership problem. It is societal.
THE ECONOMIC COST OF GETTING THIS WRONG
The cost of mismanagement is measurable. According to the African Development Bank, Africa loses between USD 70 billion and USD 90 billion annually to inefficiencies, leakages, and poor project execution. Illicit financial flows are part of this story, but so is abandoned infrastructure, poorly designed subsidies, and failed public enterprises.
The World Bank has repeatedly noted that weak public-sector capacity, not a lack of funding, is one of the primary constraints on development outcomes in many low- and middle-income countries. Talented professionals leave public service not because they hate their countries, but because systems frustrate competence and reward mediocrity.
NyansaKasa (words of wisdom) states it bluntly:
“When a village doubts its youth, the youth will seek another village.”
THE HOPEFUL TRUTH: INCOMPETENCE IS FIXABLE
Here lies the most important and hopeful insight: Incompetence is not destiny. It is correctable. Waste declines when knowledge increases. Productivity improves when people understand what they are doing. Economic challenges become manageable when societies shift from blame to capability building.
WHAT MUST CHANGE
- Match Roles to Competence, Not Loyalty
Public roles must have minimum technical and managerial requirements. Political trust cannot replace professional skill.
NyansaKasa (words of wisdom) reminds us:
“A blind man can be loyal, but he cannot drive.”
- Make Continuous Learning Non-Negotiable
Countries such as Singapore and Germany invest heavily in continuous training for civil servants. Skills are refreshed. Errors reduce. Value improves.
NyansaKasa (words of wisdom) notes:
“A sharpening knife cuts faster and wastes less meat.”
- Strengthen Mid-Level Technical Capacity
Most failures occur at the implementation level. Engineers, planners, supply chain professionals, and data analysts turn budgets into results.
NyansaKasa (words of wisdom) jokes:
“A general without soldiers only fights in speeches.”
- Budget for Results, Not Announcements
Outcome-based budgeting, performance contracts, and measurable indicators reduce waste.
NyansaKasa (words of wisdom) warns:
“Watering plastic flowers only impresses visitors, not hunger.”
- Build Internal Capacity Before Hiring Consultants
Consultants should complement, not replace, thinking.
NyansaKasa (words of wisdom) laughs:
“A report that cannot be used is just expensive poetry.”
- Allow Learning From Failure
Fear-based systems hide mistakes. Learning systems correct them.
NyansaKasa (words of wisdom) advises:
“A child who is beaten for asking questions will grow up breaking plates quietly.”
- Measure Impact, Not Just Compliance
Audits must examine outcomes, not only receipts.
NyansaKasa (words of wisdom) reminds us:
“Balanced books do not guarantee balanced lives.”
Citizens Must Also Reflect
Citizens often demand projects without understanding feasibility.
“We want a factory.”
“We want an airport.”
“We want a stadium.”
Even when population size, demand, or economics do not justify them.
NyansaKasa (words of wisdom) laughs knowingly:
“A village that demands a bridge without a river will still complain about floods.”
An informed citizenry that demands value, not spectacle, is essential.
FINAL REFLECTION
Wasteful expenditure is not always corruption.
Sometimes it is worse.
It is spending without thinking.
Leading without knowing.
Deciding without understanding.
The solution is not only punishment. It is reflection. It is a mindset change. It is an investment in knowledge, skills, systems, and people.
NyansaKasa (words of wisdom) leaves us with a final thought:
“When money meets wisdom, progress follows quietly. When money meets confusion, poverty applauds loudly.”
That is what is wrong with us. And that is what we must change.
Why africans cannot keep blaming the government when we refuse to change as citizens
