International donors do not heavily invest in Ghana because they love us, former President John Agyekum Kufuor has said.
Speaking at the graduation of the first batch of students of the Kufuor Scholars programme, the former President said the donors do what they do in a bid to promote their personal interests.
He therefore emphasized the need for Ghana to strategically position itself to get the best out of international agreements.
“…Whether from the East or West, none of them come because they love us .They come for what they can get and we must also learn what we want from them and learn to negotiate and take it,” said Mr. Kufuor.President Akufo-Addo a few weeks ago embarked on a state visit to China which among other things saw Ghana sign eight MoUs and agreements with China.
Some citizens have since expressed concerns over Ghana’s apparent reinvigorated relationship with China. They have argued that China stands to gain more from the deal than Ghana.
The criticism in most cases, has been occasioned by the government’s own pledge that it is seeking to build a Ghana Beyond Aid. There are also concerns that the country is not getting the best from the aid largely due to rising corruption levels.
But the Mr. Agyekum Kufuor indicated that Ghana still needs the support of international donors to support the economy and drive development at all levels.
He insisted that Ghana’s current phase of development requires some form of financial support from international partners.
“It is a matter of phasing. We are in a phase of development. We just do not get up and say no aid. They have exploited us enough so we take to empower ourselves, to build ourselves through education and through attracting investment, creating employment, so it gets to a point where now when they come, they meet their equals. So we have to be careful to say that now where we are, we will not go and ask for aid. We will do it, but only as a stage to empower us.”
Source: Citi News
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I hope the NDC will not jump in here to instigate a bad blood between the two wise men. If you read carefully you will appreciate that the two are saying the same thing the only difference is the platform or the venue. Nana said he wants to develop Ghana beyond aid, Ghana that will not depend on aid for budget or to pay public officers. And that we have to transform our economy such that we do away with the folly of doing the same Gudgisberg economics, over and over again and expecting different results. Aid per se is not a bad thing if it is genuinely intended for a good purpose and both the giver and the taker benefit from it., without strings or unfair restrictions attached to it. But if it is hangouts with an ostensible motive that would clearly not be healthy for both the giver and the taker. The President believes, it is a high time we developed our economy based on industries to produce our goods and services to back our currency, the cedi and he is in the hurry to achieve that. And I believe, it is very inspiring from our side of the world to hear that from a Leader.
Actually they want us all dead and have been on such a quest for over millennia now and still counting. If the aid comes with no conditions, but it does as part of the exploitative agenda. We just need to now also fully embrace and start securing our interests. We can therefore not be signing agreements for our resources in it's raw form in a ratio of 90% to 5% or 10% to our disadvantage with some measly sum tucked on as aid or for CSO's or to improve some obscure service of some institution, all the while, losing out on value addition processes to about 90% of the final product. At the end of the day, the aid is not in our interest.
Why not talk to that OlDMan to stop talking about those ***barred word*** things which has turned him and big stomach as the worse joker president Ghana has ever had
Full of wisdom. Let those who have ears hears and stop singing Ghana beyond aid. Well said former presido