Renowned cardiac surgeon and former presidential contender Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng voiced his concerns about Ghana’s slow progress despite years of post-independence stability. During a discussion on Citi TV, the former Minister for Environment, Science, and Technology said, “Our current issues highlight a glaring absence of visionary leadership.”
As of July 2023, Bank of Ghana’s records paint a bleak picture. The country’s public debt shot up by ¢96.1 billion in just the first four months of the year, totaling an alarming ¢569.3 billion by April 2023. This is roughly 71.1% of Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), or about $52 billion. What’s behind this jump? Primarily, it’s the depreciation of the cedi and an increase in domestic debt.
According to a report by My Joy Online, Prof. Frimpong-Boateng drew attention to the long-term consequences of poor governance. “We might overlook corruption, incompetence, and mismanagement for a while, but they always come back to haunt us,” he warned.
For Frimpong-Boateng, the way forward for Ghana is self-reliance. He stressed that while external borrowing can be an option, it should not be a habit. “We can seek external help from time to time, but it shouldn’t be our go-to strategy,” he advised.
Prof. Frimpong-Boateng also praised the contributions of Ghana’s first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. “His vision gave rise to entities like the Academy of Sciences,” he said. However, he lamented that many of Nkrumah’s achievements have been undone by subsequent leaders.
Ghana stands at a critical juncture. The need for visionary leadership, a commitment to self-reliance, and a revival of the pioneering spirit epitomized by figures like Nkrumah has never been more pressing.
