Towards Economic Independence, How Prepared Are We as A Nation?

The statement “the independence of Ghana is meaningless unless it links up with the total liberation of the African continent” was the statement that ushered Ghana into political freedom by our liberation fathers.

The baton therefore was transferred to us when the same freedom fighters asserted that “the African is capable of managing his own affairs”, a statement which we must justify to the outside world that after the baton was handed to us, we indeed can manage our affairs.

The upcoming rains, which has presented perennial problems to the country each year is another challenge to test us whether indeed we are capable of managing our own affairs

Ghana is one of the countries that have some of the best laws, there is again the challenge testing us in terms of justifying the fact that we can manage our own affairs through excellent law enforcement and adherence to national rules and regulations.

There are lots of issues that justifies the fact that we have not so much showed the world how indeed we can manage our own affairs.

The President in his maiden inaugural speech asked Ghanaians to be participants and not spectators. Indeed how far have been participants? How far have the ‘watchers of the watchmen’ been active participants in our economic emancipation drive? How far is Mother Ghana ready to take the challenge of showing the world that indeed the African can manage his own affairs?

This calls for political will on the part of policy makers to ensure that the ‘wrongs are righted’ and people are held accountable for actions and inactions that hampers this economic independence drive. Political will that will ensure fiscal discipline and innovation to help fuel the growth we all need.

It also needs attitudinal and mental revolution of all and sundry, for all to understand that if we are to show the world that indeed we can manage our affairs, we are ready to let go the attitude of littering our gutters in order that when it rains, it does not result in floods.

It also require true selfless patriotism on the part of all our socio-political and economic fiber, such that the Ghanaian will love his / her country to the extent of willingly paying his/her tax, that the politician or civil servant will realise that engaging in corruption and corruptible practices is suffocating mother Ghana to death, that all of us will know that ultimately, Ghana should be able to steer her affairs without aid.

The Chronicle Newspaper wish to bring to the attention of Ghana that the blood of our forefathers shed, the path of reference set and the posterity that stares us in the face tomorrow present another opportunity for us to re-invent the wheel of our current economic agenda, social involvement and our general national attempt towards the justification to the whole world that indeed “the black man is capable of managing his own affairs”. After all, our destiny is in our own hands, and with determination, we can also one day say “The economic independence of Ghana is meaningless, unless it links up with the total economic liberation of the African continent”.

By: Frederick E. Aggrey