Ghana President Nana Akuffo-Addo asks Africa to stop ‘begging’ culture
Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo has asked African countries to cease ‘begging’ for help from Western countries.
Akufo-Addo says the begging culture has made African countries lose global respect.
In his remarks at the US-Africa Leaders’ Summit in Washington DC, Akufo-Addo encouraged African leaders to change poor perceptions about the continent.
“If we stop being beggars and spend African money inside the continent, Africa will not need to ask for respect from anyone, we will get the respect we deserve. If we make it prosperous as it should be, respect will follow,” Mr Akufo-Addo said.
He urged African leaders to work together as a way of lifting one another.
“Africans are more resilient outside the continent than inside. We must bear in mind that to the outside world, [there’s] nothing like Nigeria, Ghana or Kenya, we are simply Africans. Our destiny as people depends on each other,” he said.
The president stressed that the continent had skills and manpower but needed concerted political will to make “Africa work”.
Mr Akufo-Addo’s remarks came on the day the International Monetary Fund agreed to give Ghana a loan of Sh305 Billion to alleviate an unprecedented economic downturn in the West African country.
More than 50 African leaders are in Washington to discuss cooperation with the US amid growing Chinese and Russian influence on the continent.
African governments heavily borrow from the East and West to fund development projects.
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