President John Dramani Mahama inspecting the guard of honour at the Flagstaf House during the Independence Day Anniversary

That stark reality of stagnation, President Mahama said, must not dampen the spirits of citizens but spur them on to strive for rapid devel­opment.

“For if our forebears, armed with far less, did not permit their backs to be broken by the repressive and exploitative colonial administration representing imperial power, how can we, their progenies, armed with far more, despair in the face of these challenges?” he quizzed.

Rather than perpetually decrying the failures of recent times, he said, every independence anniversary must present an opportunity to account for the legacy being built for the next generation.

To him, the current generation is merely custodians of the resources of the country for future generations and must do well to guard and put them to judicial use for the future.

He said as President, he was com­mitted to providing the bold leader­ship and the clarity of vision needed to navigate the turbulent economic waters being sailed currently while safeguarding the future.

The story of Ghana’s self-reliance, characterised by donor support, loans and IMF bailouts defeated the pur­pose of the independence the country attained, he noted.

This cliché, President Mahama said, needed to be defeated with actions that would break the chain of depen­dency rather than stick to a slogan like “a country beyond aid”.

Some students in a cultural display
Some Security officers at the event

President Mahama outlined a raft of interventions his government intended rolling out to break from the shackle of reliance.

The interventions include the vaunted 24-hour economy initiative, investments in infrastructure and agriculture among other sectors.

He rallied the citizenry to put their weight behind the government to deliver the needed economic reforms that would set the tone for sustainable growth and development.

“This is a defining moment but policies alone, no matter how well couched or intentioned, will not change our reality. Action will change that reality.”

“Young Ghanaians must step up to the plate, seize those opportunities and contribute to building a self-suffi­cient nation. Ghana’s economic future is in your hands,” he said.

 BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI