During the 2024 UPSA Annual Leadership Lecture on June 18, Lord Paul Boateng, a Member of the House of Lords in the United Kingdom, called for Ghana to break free from its reliance on foreign aid.
He argued that this dependence hampers the country’s progress and growth.
Lord Boateng highlighted the exploitation of Africa‘s resources by powerful nations and their local collaborators, which has resulted in poverty and economic hardship across the continent.
“Those great powers, who have fed and continue to feed on Africa’s resources with their willing collaborators, have pulled Africa down in an impoverished and conflicted posture,” he asserted.
He stressed that reliance on external aid keeps Africa in a state of dependency and conflict. Furthermore, he pointed out a concerning trend in social media debates where many Ghanaians seem to value a Dutch passport more than a Ghanaian PhD.
“Say it isn’t so. And if it is so, it shouldn’t be so. We cannot allow it to continue to be so. Leadership must be at the heart of our response,” he declared.
Lord Paul Boateng criticized bad policies, poor governance, and ineffective leadership as major obstacles to development in Ghana. He emphasized the need for leaders to ensure equitable access to quality education to empower the youth and nurture future leaders.
In his concluding remarks, he urged students to seize leadership opportunities and take responsibility for shaping Ghana’s future, reinforcing the importance of strong leadership in overcoming the country’s challenges.
