Ghana is a nation of immense promise, yet we struggle with a persistent problem that quietly undermines our governance, public safety, and national discipline: we tolerate too many small wrongs. Littering, illegal parking, open defecation, minor bribery, noise pollution, misuse of state vehicles, unlicensed street vending, non-compliance with building regulations, and countless everyday infractions have become normalised.
Individually these behaviours may appear harmless. Collectively they erode our sense of order.
This is what the Broken Windows Theory explains so powerfully.
Understanding the Theory
The Broken Windows Theory, developed by James Wilson and George Kelling, argues that visible signs of disorder and unchecked minor violations create an environment where more serious crimes and dysfunction flourish. When a single broken window is left unrepaired, it signals that the community does not care and soon more windows are broken.
In governance terms, tolerating small breaches sends a message that the system is weak. It establishes a culture where bending rules becomes normal, and where impunity slowly expands from petty behaviour to institutional corruption and organised crime.
Ghana’s current social atmosphere reflects this escalation.
Every Ghanaian can list countless “small” wrongs we see daily:
• Motorbikes jumping red lights with no fear of sanction
• Street trading blocking walkways and roads
• Drivers creating unauthorised third lanes
• Citizens throwing rubbish out of car windows
• Residents building on watercourses because “everyone is doing it”
• Petty bribery becoming the default for routine services
• Noise pollution at dawn and dusk with no consequences
• Illegal structures mushrooming overnight
• People refusing to queue because enforcement is absent.
These are our “broken windows.”
They signal to society that following rules are optional.
The danger is simple: when a society normalises minor disorder, it unconsciously trains its population to disregard major rules.
That is how nations lose their moral fibre not through a single collapse, but through thousands of tolerated infractions.
Take Singapore, for instance, it did not become one of the safest, cleanest, most orderly countries in the world by accident. It was the result of uncompromising enforcement of minor offences, such as:
• Littering
• Jaywalking
• Vandalism
• Spitting in public
• Unauthorised street hawking
• Noise violations
• Illegal building modifications
The state sent a clear message:
Small wrongs matter, because they create the conditions for bigger wrongs.
This strict enforcement produced three outcomes: A Culture of Discipline, Reduced Crime and Predictable Governance. Singapore proves that society rises to the standard it consistently enforces.
What Ghana Can Learn: Five Governing Principles
Based on the theory and global best practice, Ghana needs a new philosophy of governance one that treats small violations as threats to national order.
1. Enforce Minor Offences Consistently
Laws against littering, noise, unauthorised parking, petty bribery, and illegal vending must be enforced every day, everywhere.
Consistency builds credibility.
2. Strengthen Municipal Law Enforcement
Local government should be empowered with well-trained, well-supervised, corruption-resistant enforcement teams. Urban order cannot be maintained without capable frontline enforcement.
3. Public Officials Must Model Discipline
When state actors break small rules : sirens misused, queues jumped, vehicles driven on shoulders citizens lose all respect for the law.
4. Simplify Compliance
Provide clear signage, simplify licensing processes, create transparent fine systems, and digitise routine approvals. When rules are easy to follow, more people follow them.
5. Swift Sanctions, Not Endless Warnings
Warnings do not deter habitual offenders.
Sanctions which are fair, predictable, and immediate reset societal expectations.
What Ghana needs is not draconian policing, but predictable, everyday order. The Broken Windows Theory shows that big reforms often start with small, symbolic victories:
• Clean streets
• Organised walkways
• Obedience to traffic lights
• Disciplined queues
• Respect for public spaces
• Elimination of petty extortion
• Removal of illegal structures
• Timely compliance with local regulations
These “small wins” recalibrate society’s expectations and restore civic responsibility. They communicate that Ghana is a serious country, a disciplined country, a country where rules matter.
Conclusion:
Ghana’s governance challenges are not insurmountable. They stem from a mindset that treats small violations as harmless inconveniences. But nations fail and succeed on the strength of their everyday discipline.
If we consistently fix our broken windows, enforce our minor rules, and cultivate a culture of order, Ghana can achieve the kind of societal transformation that Singapore exemplifies.
The path to national excellence is not mysterious. It begins with the little things we choose to tolerate or refuse to tolerate today.
Lom Nuku Ahlijah is a Ghanaian lawyer, academic, and entrepreneur whose work bridges law, policy, and business. He is the author of Ghana Energy Law and Policy: Electricity and leads initiatives such as the Ghana Energy Hub. His writings explore how legal frameworks can drive development in Ghana and beyond.
About the Author
