As Ghana marked its 68th Independence Day on March 6, Lawyer Amoak Afoko, former President of the Upper East Region branch of the Ghana Bar Association, stated that a critical turning point that derailed the country’s development was the 1966 coup that ousted Ghana’s first President, Kwame Nkrumah. He emphasized that decisions made after that period have contributed to Ghana’s stagnation, leaving the country facing many of the same challenges it confronted decades ago.
“I think we are where we are now because we got derailed, especially after 1966,” he said.
In an interview with A1 Radio, Lawyer Afoko called for a shift in mindset, particularly among today’s leaders and youth. He advocated for a stronger sense of unity and collaboration across Africa, arguing that Ghana cannot progress in isolation. He stressed the importance of building stronger ties with other African nations to ensure more coordinated and meaningful interactions across the continent.
“Today’s leaders, and for that matter the youth, must think Africa—how we can coordinate, how we can cooperate, how we can organize—so that we can interact in a more meaningful and structured way with other African countries,” he stated.
He also criticized Ghana’s continued dependence on Western financial institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF), arguing that reliance on such organizations has hindered the country’s ability to forge its own path. Instead, he called for a new way of thinking—one that moves away from Western influence and focuses on self-reliance and pan-African cooperation.
“There has to be a social reconstruction—not just of the mind—but we really need to go beyond the material things that our leaders are so focused on. Our leaders today are simply interested in power. They have not thought about educating us,” he remarked.
He expressed disappointment that successive governments and leaders have prioritized material gains and power over real societal development. He called for a social reconstruction in Ghana that goes beyond materialism and addresses the deeper need for educational and cultural reform. He stressed that the country’s leaders must prioritize the intellectual and social growth of the nation over personal ambition.
Despite these challenges, Lawyer Afoko remained optimistic about the future, noting that Ghana’s current leadership, which he described as focused, has the potential to drive positive change. He suggested that if the government, in collaboration with other African leaders, could reorganize and rethink their approach to governance and development, the next two or three decades could bring significant progress for the country and the continent as a whole.
“I think there should be a rethink. Fortunately, we have, if I may put it that way, a leader who appears to be focused. I believe that if he, together with other African leaders, can truly come together and take more constructive action, we might see a clearer path forward in the next 20 to 30 years,” he concluded.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Gifty Eyram Kudiabor|Bolgatanga
