Ghana more dependent today previously - Ofosu-Dorte

David Ofosu-Dorte is the Founder and Senior Partner at AB and David Africa. He recently expressed concerns about Ghana's dependency since independence. He believes this reflects issues in mindset, productivity, and political culture.

At the JoyNews and Amalgam of Professional Bodies Speaker Series, he discussed Ghana’s historical challenges. He linked these to chieftaincy, slavery, and colonization. These experiences have impacted generations, creating a society that struggles for true autonomy.

Ofosu-Dorte challenged the view of Ghana's independence. He argued that the nation never achieved full independence. Instead, it transitioned to self-rule while maintaining systems of dependency.

He stated, "We were never a dependent nation in the true sense." He explained that dependence means being entirely reliant on others. While we gained self-rule, he noted we are now more dependent than before.

He criticized post-colonial leadership for worsening this culture of dependence. Both civilian and military leaders have contributed to this issue. Citizens expect politicians to drive national change, leading to political sycophancy.

"Multi-party democracy was meant to liberate us," he said. However, it has led citizens to align with parties for personal gain. This deepens the worship of leaders rather than fostering genuine progress.

Ofosu-Dorte compared Ghana’s current state to ambitious projects from the 1960s. He mentioned Russia’s Sputnik One launch and America’s moon landing as examples of bold initiatives. He stressed the need for Ghana to reignite ambition and hard work.

"In a country with low productivity," he said, "increasing productivity is essential." Without rebuilding a confident and hardworking society, transformative change will remain out of reach.