President Nana Akufo-Addo says Ghana no longer has an excuse to remain an underdeveloped country after 60 years of independence from colonial rule.
In a nine-page speech and in 2,757 words, he pointed out the after successfully fighting off colonial rule in order to take charge of its own destiny, “we have run out of excuses” for failing to provide a “dignified life for the mass of our people”.
He expressed sadness that the “economic dividend that was meant to accompany our freedom has still not materialised.”
Ghana’s 5th President, speaking at the 60th-anniversary parade to mark Ghana’s independence, stressed that “it is time to set Ghana to rights and get our country to where it should be.”
The 73-year old president dedicated six pages of his speech to throw light on epic moments of the nationalist struggle for independence.
He was particular to renew the limelight on the efforts of the likes of John Mensah Sarbah, Joseph Casely Hayford, J. W. Sey, J.P Brown.
He suggested that had it not been for their resistance against the Crown Lands Bill, the British would have taken over all lands as it happened in Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia amongst others.
Lands were distributed to European settlers and left the indigenes with little to call their own.
President Akufo-Addo paid homage to at least 17 historical figures in Ghana in at least six different fields of endeavour which he said contributed to Ghana’s development as a nation.
He mentioned lesser know figures like J.A. Braimah, the Gonja scholar and statesman who wrote insightful publications about the Gonja people.
He eulogised two market women Dede Ashikisham and Akua Shorshorshor, famous market queens, who financed Kwame Nkrumah and the nationalist movement from their successful businesses.
After telling the story of historical struggles, the President condemned the level of poverty in Ghana as ‘unacceptable’.
According to ‘The Ghana Poverty and Inequality Report –2016’ authored by UNICEF, rural poverty is now almost 4 times as high as urban poverty compared to twice as high in the 1990s.
It notes that the wealthiest 10% consume around one third of all national consumption, whereas the poorest 10% consume just 1.72% concluding that income inequalities are widening.
Informed by such conditions, the President touched on the significance of the theme of the Diamond Jubilee celebration, ‘moblizing for Ghana’s future’.
“Let us mobilize for the happy and prosperous Ghana of tomorrow, in which all of us, including our youth, our women and the vulnerable in our society, will have equal opportunities to realise their potential, and build lives of dignity”.
Read the full text of President Akufo Addo’s speech.
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