Ghana: ‘Africa Shining Star’ At 55th Republic Day

Ghana Republic Status:
The Republican state that endowed the full responsibility for Ghana, since 1960, to man her own affairs has not been entirely fulfilled – over the years. Or history shows us the relentless efforts of our fore-fathers and abolitionist who in their ways contributed to our liberation form the confrontation of colonialism-to- independence-to the present state of Republic. Hopes were very high as Ghana became the ‘Black Star” - the shining star of Africa-representing the hope and redemption of the continent, as we set outto the path of development and to the rest of Africa.

However , the setback has been as a result of a new confrontation far reaching beyond the colonialism of the independent state of Ghana and the rest of Africa, called neo-colonialism; a situation which according to late Julius Nyerere (first President of Tanzania) was when colonialism left Africa through the political door and entered through the economic door.

The major problem saddling the sovereignty of the Republican State of Ghana, like the rest of Africa is neo-colonialism and its economic exploitation-paving ways for the crises of underdevelopment, bad governance, political instability and corruption. It is truly subtle to understand how a nation boasting of abundant resource (both natural and artificial) is suffering from the dents of poverty and underdevelopment. Many are the problems in our state of Republic. Today, most Ghanaians would utter “dumsor”- the power crises, as the main problem defying their socio-economic development; something which many believe has come to stay. Although governments have tried, by dint of hard work to provide the ever growing demand in food, healthcare, infrastructure, education, etc, of the people, much is left to be desired.

The solution demands conscientious efforts. The Inga River in Congo is capable of providing 25 million kilowatts of electricity, which is estimated would be largest hydroelectric plant in the world. “The Inga project could go a long way towards electrifying the whole of Africa continent. “ (Source: Kwame Nkrumah 1963. Africa Must Unite. Heinmn Educ. Books. Ltd: pg 170). By far, this would have prevented poor power crisis. It is arguably true that no Africa nation can develop individually or in isolation from the rest of the continent. Two African nations, Ivory Coast and Ghana, produce more than half of the world’s cocoa (35 percent and 21 percent respectively). Overall, four Africa nations including Nigeria and Cameroon produce more that 68 percent of the world’s cocoa (Source: World Cocoa Foundation, 2014).

What prevents these West Africa nations from forming a cartel, like OPEC, to determine the price of cocoa in the world? It will not be anything extraordinary for Ghana, in her current Republican status to progressively develop. She would require the eccentric support of the rest of Africa. Like the United Africa, are today the economic powers of the world claiming imperialism. They had no choice but the essential need to liberate and unite the entire geographical land under one nation without the consideration of any minor. Ghana and the rest of Africa find themselves in the same geopolitics in which the individual Republican states cannot oust the shackles of neo-colonialism without unity. African Nationalism or Pan-Africanism remains the only solution to African confrontations.

Long live mother Ghana!