Mr Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament has warned that President Akufo-Addo’s newfound slogan – Ghana Beyond Aid – is a dangerous rhetoric that could retard progress.
“He was my very good friend in parliament, but I completely disagree with him because the development partners are completely confused as to what we mean by that.”
Mr Bagbin who was speaking to the Media after a radio programme in Accra said the propaganda that had become the personal gospel of the President has jolted the country’s donors into confusion that could possibly lead to an abrupt disengagement of badly needed help.
“Due to the confusion within donor circles, people have become especially expectant of an unavailable blueprint from the NPP government in respect of the rhetoric.”
The Second Deputy Speaker, who is also the MP for Nadowli/Kaleo warned government to reconsider the sloganeering.
Mr Bagbin had called on government to come out with a comprehensive official document on Ghana beyond Aid to put to rest various speculations that were making the rounds.
Giving a historical background to the important global aid culture, Mr Bagbin said “Aid does not just come out of the blue, not from the magnanimity of the donor countries, aid come out of a struggle by the oppressed, the exploited and the poor nations.
“You will recall that after the first and second world wars, the economies of these (less developed) countries, were so devastated that they were struggling to survive and they had to look back at these poor nations and to use their might at that time to support the poor nations.
“And it is the economies of the poor nations that sustained them to develop. So when the poor nations started putting pressure for compensation, the developed nations quickly decided to respond,” Hon. Bagbin said.
Mr Bagbin said Ghana did not need aid to develop because the aid that the country was receiving over the years was in a way misapplied.
“Again, aid is not just giving out without being attached to a programme of government. If rather, we present a programme and end up not doing exactly that, then you can raise such issues but they are attached to programmes that are even approved by development partners.”
He said anybody that wanted evidence about Ghana’s dire need for aid, should go to the health sector where many Ghanaian children were dying of childhood killer diseases because donor countries had cut back on vaccine donations.
He also dismissed claims that Ghana had enough natural resources to ride on into the sunny days of “Ghana Beyond Aid” pointing out that in the digital age, natural resource is not what is needed for development.
“You don’t develop by relying on your natural resources, you develop a nation by relying on your education; developing your minds to be able to create things, not just the raw materials, no! You have to add some value to what actually you market and that comes from your mind. And that is why research, technology, mathematics and science are key to the development of every society.
“And so the natural resources we have to renegotiate the agreement but how do you do that when you don’t have the mind power to negotiate properly…You don’t need natural resources to develop software!” Hon. Bagbin said.
Source: GNA
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Listen to this riff-raff.U want to be president?Go nd learn from Hannah Tetteh.
Sometimes I wonder; is it like all the s-t-u-p-id people in Ghana are in the NDC or it is when you join that you get that way.Tell me what natural resources does China ,Japan ,South Korea have?Yet these countries are all developed. When th13ves are in charge ,it does not matter what you have. It's like fetching water into a basket. Gbabin is one great disappointment. I thought he had some brains.
Read Deutronomy 28:12. "Deny your taste,deny the indulgence of appetite, save your pence and pay your debts Work them off asfast as possible. Whenyou can stand forth afree man again, owing no man anything, you will have achieved a great victry" - Ellen G. White, Councselon Stewardsship p. 257.
VISIONLESS BAGBIN.THANK YOUR CONSTITUENT FOR ALWAYS GIVEN YOU A JOB AT THE PARLIAMENT. BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOT DONE ANY SERIOUS BUSINESS IN YOUR PRIVATE LIFE TO LIVE A LIFE YOU ARE LIVING NOW.
I bet you, if you meet Bagbin privately he will say a different thing from what is printed here. You have to sympathise with him. He wants to be NDC presidential candidate. The NDC has a certain mantra, 'Criticize within, Defend outside'. He is compelled by circumstances to say things that will appeal to the NDC people, otherwise, he should forget about his ambition to be their presidential candidate. If you are close to him, just investigate this for us.
Today is the saddest day of my life...I weep for Ama Ghana..wait a minute did he say he is one of those that wants to lead the ndc?Jesus Christ now I know the sort of people the ndc are.....geeee I CANT THINK FAR...
I couldn't agree with Stephen Hawking better when he said " The greatest enemy to knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge" until I read Bagbin's take on this so-called "Lethal Rhetoric Slogan" as some empty-headed and visionless fellows refer to it.
How can you manage Ghana if you think with the resources still need aid before we can develop, then come again? You can help Ghana if you are going to depend on aid. It takes courageous ppl to make this attempt
It is possible if corrupt id i ots and criminals like you and sent to jail.
It is possible if corrupt ***barred word*** and criminals like you and sent to jail.