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Senior Psychologist, Professor Joseph Osafo has raised concerns about the attitudes of some Ghanaians towards national development.

The Acting Head of Centre for Ageing Studies at the University of Ghana stated that many of the citizenry engage in deviant acts that stall the country's development due to their "poverty mentality".

According to him, the poverty mentality blocks their sound reasoning, making them behave in ways that shock the nation.

He was commenting on news about the theft of bolts holding the bridge to the Tema motorway.

Workers from the Bridge Maintenance Unit of the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) have started replacing the bolts holding the corrugated metals in the tunnel that connects Tema Community 18 to Borteyman, according to a publication by the Graphic newspaper.

About 1400 out of the 2000 bolts holding the motorway concrete are said to have been removed by thieves.

The incident which was discovered through assessment show the missing bolts have compromised the structural integrity of the bridge, making it susceptible to collapse if not repaired immediately.

Addressing this issue during Peace FM's "Kokrokoo", Professor Joseph Osafo found it difficult understanding why people would steal bolts holding a bridge to prevent collapse or any kind of danger to the cars and people who use it.

To him, this shows how the minds of some Ghanaians are messed up, however he blamed it on poverty.

"Poverty is a disease. If you stay in a country where people suffer up to some level, this attitude won't be strange to you because what happens is that the people's mind is all about survival. He is not thinking about other consequences", he said.

He called for a radical change in attitude as well as an improvement in the lives of the citizenry to avoid these socially awkward acts.

To him, one of the solutions to this problem is by ensuring there is "dignity in living".