Ghana's Republican Statues And Development

Yesterday was exactly 55 years when Ghana attained a Republican status as a nation. Two words that refer to a Republican nation are sovereignty and self-determination. Sovereignty is what really gives us total power to control our destiny as a nation and self-determination relates to the free frame of mind and environment to decide, choose and act based on certain national core values.

As a people are we able to do things independently without any external power of control over us? In a Republic, people need to have a sense of feeling that empowers them to be positive, responsible and patriotic.  

Because these values help in building a stronger nation, our Republican status as a nation must be well communicated to every citizen to let them know that, the country's ultimate power rest in the ordinary Ghanaian and not just its leaders or institutions. It takes the right people to build and have better leaders, effective institutions and a strong nation.  

Our leaders should not allow themselves to be used by foreign powers against their own people. It is unfortunate that our everyday words, decisions actions,and almost everything we think, feel, say and do is not Ghanaian. Most of what we eat, wear, teach, learn, watch and practise in our everyday life are of other foreign cultures and nations. 

We are always at the receiving end of foreign aid, loans and humanitarian assistance. Our parliament and judiciary were not bold enough to demonstrate our Republican status when they recently purchased furniture from a foreign country instead of local manufacturers as a means of empowerment. Our leaders must be a clear manifestation of a Republican Ghana. The power of the ordinary Ghanaian should not be taken for granted. 

That power for the ordinary citizen was fought for through the sacrifice of our forefathers 55 years ago. It is important that our leaders represent our interests, values and ideals as Ghanaians and not their personal or political party policies and manifestos or do the biding of foreign powers. 

The need for a national campaign for a national development plan is now. We need empowered, positive and responsible people in authority to continue to execute a sustainable development agenda to firmly position Ghana in our quest to improve our status as a middle income country. We need a Ghana in which power truly belongs to the people to decide, choose and act on their own behalf because that is really what Republican Ghana means. 

BY: FRIMPONG MUSA - AN AFRICAN UNION YOUTH AMBASSADOR  FOUNDER & PRESIDENT, YOUTH WITHOUT BORDERS - GHANA  NATIONAL SECRETARY, GHANA MUSLIM MISSION YOUTH 

EMAIL:MOTIVATORFM@GMAIL.COM