'You refuses to practice things that made them' — Apostle Appiah warns politicians against comparing Ghana to US, UK

The Head Pastor of Faith Outreach Ministries at Oforikrom in Kumasi, Apostle John Kwaku Appiah, has criticised Ghanaian politicians for repeatedly comparing the country's economic challenges to the economies of the United States and the United Kingdom, describing the practice as misleading and unhelpful.

Speaking in an interview with The Correspondent, Apostle Appiah said political leaders should stop using advanced Western economies as reference points for Ghana's development struggles, arguing that such comparisons ignore the vast differences in governance, institutional development and economic history.

According to him, the achievements of the US and UK are the result of centuries of commitment to the rule of law, accountability, transparency and hard work.

"These countries are far ahead in civilisation," he said, stressing that their success was built on principles that have been consistently upheld over time.

He argued that attempts to compare Ghana's economy to those of developed nations are intellectually dishonest and fail to address the real causes of the country's developmental setbacks.

Despite Ghana's abundant natural resources and human capital, Apostle Appiah noted that progress has remained slow due to weak enforcement of laws, poor governance and a lack of accountability among political leaders.

"Political lip service has become the order of the day," he stated. "Politicians claim Ghana can become like America or the UK, yet they refuse to practise the very things that make those countries strong."

The pastor also pointed to Malaysia as an example of a country that was once on a similar developmental path as Ghana but has since achieved significant economic transformation through discipline, strategic planning and effective leadership.

He said Ghana continues to struggle because of what he described as greed, selfishness and divisive politics, which have hindered national development.

Apostle Appiah further identified the lack of transparency and accountability in the management of public resources as a major obstacle to progress.

He maintained that Ghana's transformation would not come through comparisons with foreign nations but through a sincere commitment to strengthening the country's moral values, institutions and legal systems.

According to him, lasting national development can only be achieved when leaders and citizens alike uphold integrity, respect the rule of law and embrace values rooted in truth, responsibility and the fear of God.