This past weekend, I travelled to Kumasi to attend a funeral. As is often the case when travelling, I paid attention not only to the journey itself but also to the little details that shape one’s experience of public services. It was at Prempeh I International Airport that I encountered a lesson which, in my view, extends far beyond aviation and speaks directly to Ghana’s development agenda.

What impressed me most was not the terminal building or the modern facilities. Rather, it was the condition of the public washrooms. On my arrival, they were exceptionally clean. When I returned to the airport several hours later for my departure, I noticed that they were being cleaned again. It became clear that cleanliness was not the result of good fortune or light patronage. It was the outcome of a deliberate system of continuous maintenance.

I commend the management and staff of Prempeh I International Airport for recognising a simple but often overlooked truth: public facilities remain clean only when they are cleaned continuously. A washroom that serves hundreds of passengers each day cannot be cleaned once every morning and expected to remain in good condition until nightfall. Cleanliness in a busy public facility is achieved through consistency, supervision and discipline rather than occasional effort.

That observation led me to reflect on one of Ghana’s most persistent challenges: our maintenance culture. As a nation, we have demonstrated that we are capable of undertaking major infrastructure projects. We have built roads, hospitals, schools, markets, bridges and airports that compare favourably with those elsewhere on the continent. Yet our greatest weakness has often been preserving these investments after they have been commissioned.

Far too often, maintenance is treated as a secondary concern rather than an integral part of infrastructure development. Once the excitement surrounding a new project fades, attention shifts elsewhere. Routine inspections become less frequent, minor defects are ignored, and basic upkeep is postponed until deterioration becomes impossible to overlook.

By then, what could have been resolved through modest maintenance has become a major rehabilitation project requiring substantial public expenditure.

This tendency is partly driven by the perception that maintenance is expensive. Employing cleaners throughout the day, purchasing cleaning materials, replacing consumables, servicing equipment and carrying out regular inspections all require recurrent expenditure. In periods of fiscal constraint, these costs can appear burdensome, leading institutions to reduce maintenance activities in an effort to save money.

In reality, however, neglect is significantly more expensive than maintenance. The cost of cleaning a public washroom several times each day is negligible when compared with the cost of renovating one that has been allowed to deteriorate over several years. Similarly, replacing worn components before they fail is far less expensive than replacing entire systems. Preventive maintenance has long been recognised in engineering, asset management and public administration as the most cost-effective approach to preserving infrastructure.

This principle extends well beyond airport facilities. A leaking roof repaired promptly prevents extensive structural damage. A road maintained periodically avoids the enormous cost of complete reconstruction. A hospital whose plumbing, electrical systems and sanitation facilities are serviced regularly remains functional for decades longer than one whose maintenance is neglected. The same logic applies to schools, government offices, markets, courts and every other public asset funded by taxpayers.

There is also an important management lesson in what I observed. Clean facilities do not exist because employees are occasionally motivated to clean. They exist because management establishes systems, allocates resources, assigns responsibility and monitors performance. Someone must ensure that cleaning schedules are followed, that supplies are available and that standards are maintained throughout the day. Excellence is therefore not simply a matter of hardworking staff; it is the product of effective leadership and sound management systems.

Public confidence in government institutions is influenced by these everyday experiences. Citizens may never know how many policy meetings were held or how many operational directives were issued, but they immediately recognise whether a public washroom is hygienic, whether an office is well maintained or whether public facilities function as they should. The quality of maintenance therefore becomes one of the most visible indicators of the quality of governance itself.

There is also a compelling economic dimension to this discussion. Well-maintained public infrastructure lasts longer, delivers greater value for money and reduces the need for costly reconstruction projects. It also promotes tourism, enhances Ghana’s international image, improves public health and demonstrates respect for public resources. Every cedi spent on preventive maintenance protects many more cedis that would otherwise be required to replace assets prematurely.

As Ghana continues to invest in new infrastructure, equal attention must be paid to preserving what has already been built. The success of a nation should not be measured solely by the number of projects it commissions, but also by the condition of projects years after they have been handed over. Infrastructure development and maintenance are not competing priorities; they are complementary responsibilities that must proceed together.

My experience at Prempeh I International Airport reminded me that development is often revealed in the smallest details. A consistently clean public washroom may appear insignificant, but it reflects a culture of responsibility, accountability and respect for public assets. If that same philosophy were adopted across our public institutions, Ghana would not only build impressive infrastructure but would also preserve it for future generations. Ultimately, that is the hallmark of a truly developed nation.