By Mubanga Mubanga
Ghanaian President John Mahama says Africa does not need strong men by strong institutions, stressing that Parliament and the Judiciary must be independent of the executive.
Speaking during his address to Parliament on Thursday, President Mahama said the institutions and laws to fight corruption must be allowed to operate without fear or favour.
“Africa needs transparent and accountable leadership. The institutions and laws to fight corruption must be allowed to operate without fear or favour. Abuse of public trust must be punished. We must protect public resources and use them efficiently for the good of our people,” Mahama said. “As President (Barack) Obama said during a visit to Ghana, and l quote, he said ‘Africa does not need strong men. It needs strong institutions’. We must build our democratic institutions to be independent and efficient. Parliament and Judiciary must work independently in the public access. Leaders must respect their oath of office to respect the constitution.”
And President Mahama said Ghana was changing the narrative on the export of critical minerals like gold.
He said the country had put up a board to control and regulate the exports of gold. He stressed that the locals needed to be encouraged to participate in the extraction of gold.
“In Ghana, mining and extractive sectors play a significant role in our economy. And much like Zambia and other African countries, where the loss of critical minerals like gold, bauxite and manganese, and yet very little value is added to these minerals locally. My country is changing that narrative,” President Mahama said. “Too many African countries remain trapped in what l describe as triple dependence. Dependence on external actors for security choices. Dependency on donors for the health and education system. And dependency on supplies of critical minerals, while capturing little or no value.
“This condition undermines genuine sovereignty. History teaches us however, that crisis can sharpen resolve. And so, Africa must take its destiny into its own hands.”
President Mahama said the responsibility of the current generation of leaders was to fight for economic transformation because the past generation of African leaders delivered independence to the African continent.
”The responsibility of our generation is clear, that is to translate historic solidarity and political goodwill into concrete economic and social dividend. Forbearers won us independence and nationhood. Now, we must win the fight for economic transformation and prosperity for our people,” President Mahama said. “We must confront the battle of the economic emancipation of our country, at a time when global geo politics is undergoing a tectonic shift.”
President Mahama said to achieve economic transformation, Africa needed to use endowment of natural resources to its advantage.
“To achieve economic transformation, Africa must not be ashamed to leverage its comparative advantage in its natural resources endowment. Africa must exercise greater sovereignty over its natural resources,” President Mahama said. “If it is to create prosperity for the people the era where all large scales of concession to speculators, who then turn around and inflate them for large profit, must end.”
Meanwhile, President Mahama said Zambia shared a historic bond with Ghana.
“This visit reaffirms the bond between Zambia. Bonds that have forged during the historic struggle for Africa’s political emancipation. Under the visionary leadership of Dr Kwame Nkrumah and Dr Kenneth David Kaunda,” said President Mahama. “Their shared pan-African conviction, sacrifice and courage lay the foundation on which our two nations and indeed our continent continue to build.”
