Dr. Samuel Sarpong Ankrah, Founder and Leader of the Alternative Force for Action (AFA), has delivered a scathing critique of Ghana’s political landscape, blaming the country’s poor state of industrialization and economic management on entrenched political practices.
In an interview on ABC News Ghana, with Joshua Nana Kwame Ayiri, Dr. Ankrah condemned the current political approach as disastrous, stating, “Our style of politics have messed us up.”
He cited the cocoa industry as a prime example of mismanagement, revealing that while the industry is valued at GHS300 billion, just two countries produce 80% of the cocoa but only share a mere GHS6 billion.
He lamented the continuous borrowing by COCOBOD to pay farmers and highlighted the decline in cocoa production from 900,000-1,000,000 metric tonnes to about 500,000.
Dr. Ankrah, who is running as an independent candidate for the presidency in the December 7, 2024 election, emphasized the need for competent leadership to steer Ghana into the 21st century.
“COCOBOD constantly go to the capital market and borrow money to come and pay farmers over the years, and we think thats okay, we are comfortable with it? Production of cocoa has even gone down.”
“We used to produce 900,000 to 1 million metric tones a year and now it has gotten down to about 500,000. And no body is asking questions. Clearly, we’ve lost it as a nation, our style of politics have messed us up.”
“Our leaders can’t take decisions that will move us into the 21st Century.”
He criticized Ghana’s major political parties, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP), accusing them of leading the country back into a neo-colonial state.
He argued that these parties prioritize the interests of a select few over the general populace, thus hindering the nation’s progress.
Addressing the media, Dr. Ankrah pointed out that the major parties are failing to make crucial decisions that could advance Ghana, particularly in the oil sector.
“Decisions are being taken by parties which you sit back as an expert and it’s worrying,” he remarked.
He accused the NDC and NPP of being complicit in decisions that benefit a few rather than the nation at large, including in critical areas like oil production and refining.
Dr. Ankrah’s campaign approach emphasizes direct engagement with the people, rather than relying solely on media platforms.
He recounted his interactions with Shea Butter women in DaMango, stressing the importance of understanding the ground realities over media portrayals.
His experience as an investment banker and development economist, including his roles with AIG (Ghana) and AIG International (Switzerland), lends credibility to his critique of the current economic policies.
As Ghana approaches the election, Dr. Ankrah’s remarks spotlight broader concerns about the direction of the country’s governance and economic policies.
His candidacy presents a challenge to the established parties, advocating for a shift away from what he describes as neo-colonialist practices toward a more inclusive and effective governance model.
