Beyond Governments: Acheampong's Warning That Ghana Still Hasn't Heeded

“I can go today and the SMC Government can go, but the problems of the nation will still remain, unless the people as a whole change from their greed, avarice and other social evils that afflict us.”

General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong took over the reins of power following the bloodless coup d’état he led, which ousted the Kofi Abrefa Busia regime in 1972. He made that declaration at a time when Ghana’s economy was in dire straits. Black marketeering was rampant, and there was a deep crisis of confidence in public life.

Corruption, nepotism, and other social evils had permeated every stratum of public service. There was no probity and no accountability.

More than four decades later, his words still ring true. Governments have come and gone. Constitutions have been written and rewritten. But the problems Acheampong spoke of have persisted. Change does not come merely with a change in government. It comes when the people who man our systems and institutions adhere to the tenets of probity and accountability, and live with honesty, integrity, and discipline.

His message was simple and hard: no administration, however well-meaning, can outrun a people who have not decided to change from within. The root cause is moral and civic, not just political.

Acheampong was calling for a moral revolution, not a political one. That moral revolution must start in the home. Integrity must characterize our daily lives, even in small things. There must be accountability and value for money in the use of the public purse. We must inculcate in the young the spirit of patriotism. They should respect and protect public property. Public office must be seen as an opportunity for selfless service, not as a means to amass wealth at the expense of the public good.

Good leadership matters. Strong systems, institutions, and policies are also needed. But systems fail when the people running them have not changed themselves.

Conclusion
If the SMC went and the problems remained, what will happen if this government goes? The answer lies in “the people as a whole.” We must build a stronger and better Ghana on the foundations of honesty, integrity, patriotism, probity, and accountability. As Jerry Rawlings put it so well: “Let us not be content with changing governments. Let us change attitudes.”

Personal Quotes

1. “Public office is a call to service -with humility, honesty, integrity and dignity – not a platform for personal aggrandizement.”-Abundant Robert K. AWOLUGUTU
2. “No nation prospers until those in charge are diligent and incorruptible.”- Abundant Robert K AWOLUGUTU
3. “The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.” -Plato

With love and blessings,
Abundant Robert K. AWOLUGUTU
Writer and author