Everyone’s Ancestor Has Been A Worthy Contributor To Ghana, Let No One Question Your Ghanaianness — Jane Naana

Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyeman says Ghana can not be owned by few tribes who feel superior to other tribes whose ancestors also contributed greatly to the attainment of Ghana.

She noted that under no circumstance should one's nationality be questioned.

Speaking at her official inauguration as running mate to Mr John Mahama on Monday, 27 July, she stated, “Let our politics deviate from this unproductive path of injustice and non-peace. Ghana does not belong to any select few. We, the people, all of us, are the protectors and owners of this country for our collective good and for that of generations unborn.”

She added “What makes Ghana so special is that – despite our various ethnic groups, religions, and diverse backgrounds – we all come together as one people under one flag, inspired by the sacrifices of our ancestors to create a great country. And everyone’s ancestor has been a worthy contributor to this space now called Ghana, whose artificial borders, sadly, we seek to make even more artificial, as if our continent has not suffered enough from the initial assault. Everyone matters. We have come too far as a nation to still cling to our primordial tribal bigotries”.

Prof Jane Naana stressed, “Whether you are Ga, Mfantse, Sisali, Ewe, Gonja, Asante, Nzema, Mamprusi, or any other ethnic group, you are valued as a Ghanaian. You have every right to walk with confidence, with a high resolve to make huge contributions to this nation. Let nobody, let no-one question your identity or patriotism. It is time to put all these needless, unproductive and backward distractions behind us and get on with the serious business of nation building. The time is now.”

She has also observed that Ghana has come far to allow tribal bigotry to hinder the progress of this country.

She intimated, “the choice we have in this election is clear: we can either build a Ghana where every citizen regardless of background is afforded equal opportunity to become their best selves. Or we can continue on a path where a few people attempt to control and dictate the destiny of the people who have given them the privilege to govern”.

According to her, the 21st century is nearly 20% over. “We shouldn’t be here, as a country, living with inexcusable insanitary conditions, with our babies still dying of malaria; our women delivering on the bare floor, our youth bewildered and unable to see their way ahead, parents confused about the future their children face and the quality of education they are getting. If we choose to be anywhere as a country, the destination should not include a place where a 90-year-old woman, Akua Denteh, is stoned to death because someone has decided that she is a witch. I call on our security agencies to convince us that she has not died in vain”.

“... The very foundations of our democracy is so threatened by unimaginable levels of arrogance, intolerance and violence; humans playing God; our economy is struggling; our tongues tied to the roof of our mouths; our citizens feeling unsafe; our farmers unsure of when to plant crops due to climate change; our environments under severe threats; our youth perishing on their way to find better lives; our institutions to which we should run for succor rapidly losing credibility; children who should be in school becoming unwitting brides, when we all know that marriage is not a child’s business”, she bemoaned.