President Akufo-Addo: We Shall Move Africa Beyond Aid
After assuming office since January 2017 as the current leader of Ghana, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has been making a name in the international arena for his idealistic views on the future of his country and for the whole African continent.
Fulfilling his promises and platform during the 2016 elections make the new president a busy man in Ghana. The list of Nana’s promises included free secondary education, more investments from abroad, and curbing corruption. Focusing and working hard to make good on his promises yielded commendable outcomes especially for the Ghanaian citizens who long for real change.
Nana’s Administration reported that education in government-run secondary schools, for instance, has been free since September 2017. A new role of special prosecutor was created to clamp down on corruption. And his ambitious projects of building dams and factories are on track.
Recently, President Akufo-Addo made headlines for his eloquent speech encouraging African leaders and citizens to be self-sufficient and self-reliant of the continent’s resources. This means without the interference of foreign aid and charities.
President Akufo-Addo said, “We no longer want to offer the justification for those who want to be rude and abusive about Africa and their people. and It’s time to build our economies that are not dependent on charity and handouts.”
The Ghanain president cited in his speech that amid the aid and handouts of foreign countries, African countries are still suffering from poverty.
“We have learned from long and bitter experience that no matter how generous the charity we would and indeed we have remained poor.”
Africa Has It All To Prosper
President Akufo-Addo said Africa is losing revenue for raw commodities because of too much dependence on foreign investors. People have a tendency to sell their raw goods instead of processing them on their own to double the money earned. One such example is the case of coffee beans.
The 73 year old leader encouraged African nations to change their old ways.
President Nana said, “It is time we were responsible for processing our own resources. It’s time to wean Africa. Manage our resources well – to generate wealth for our populace.”
President Akufo-Addo asserts that Africa has everything it needs to be self-sufficient. It can hurdle all its challenges in the 21st century. The continent has wide arrays of resources including rich minerals. This rich continent has the world’s second fastest economic growth rates and manpower.
The former attorney general stated, “Africa’s population is set to reach some two billion people in twenty years time. An African common market presents immense opportunities to bring prosperity to our continent with hard work, enterprise, innovation, and creativity. it is evident that the time for African integration should be now.”
On Peace
According to President Nana Addo, all his aspirations for Africa will not be possible without the common goal for peace which he described as “essential to the viability of the market.”
“We have to work to establish peace all over our great continent, a Pax Africana that has turned its back on terrorism, conflict and instability.”
In addition, President Akufo-Addo called for a new paradigm of leadership which is geared to “commitment to rule of law, respect for individual liberties and human rights and the principles of democratic accountability.”
He said, “We need leaders who are looking past commodities to position their countries in the global marketplace… leaders who are determined to free their peoples from a mindset of dependence on charity and handouts… leaders who are bent on mobilizing Africa’s own immeasurable resources to resolve Africa’s problems… leaders who recognize the connectedness of their peoples and economies to those of their neighbors.”
Finally, the visionary leader empowered all African leaders to help bring prosperity and dignity to the continent and impoverished communities.
Who is President Nana Addo?
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is the current president of Ghana. He was the Presidential candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Ghana’s 2016 polls. He won the election. Prior to winning the presidency in 2016, the former human rights lawyer contested and lost in 2008 and 2012.
Akufo-Addo received his primary education first at the Government Boys School, Adabraka, and later at the Rowe Road School, both in Accra Central. He went to England to study for his O-Level and A-Level examinations at Lancing College, Sussex. He subsequently studied law in the UK, and was called to the English Bar (Middle Temple) in July 1971. Akufo-Addo was called to the Ghana bar in July 1975.
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was born and raised in Ga-Maami (Accra Central) and in the Nima area of Accra. He is married to Rebecca Akufo-Addo (née Griffiths-Randolph). They have five daughters and five grandchildren.
