Commentary on Obama’s address to Parliament

President Barack Obama’s Address comprised a myriad of issues directed at not only parliament and the people of Ghana but the entire African Region. It revealed a new US African policy on foreign investment, trade and bilateral relations. He called on African leaders to see foreign assistance not as an end in itself but as a means to an end.

Foreign aid for Africa is necessary but will fail to yield positive results if Africans fail to take their destiny into their own hands and strive to lay down positive-inclined, formidable foundation to propel the continent towards a higher pedestal of development. There is no reason why in the midst of abundant natural resources the continent should continue to wallow in poverty, squalor, deprivation and unacceptable low standards of living.

What Africa needs is not ready-made handouts, but determination and commitment on the part of all governments and people for an efficient and purposeful development of her human resources since the most important resources of any continent is the human resource base. This is the time for Africa to marshal all forms of diversity on the continent and transform them into a great source of strength to unleash the great potentials of the continent.

One major point made by President Obama was that Africans can build Africa not as a result of efforts of individual giants such as Kwame Nkrumah and Jomo Kenyata, but through the contribution of everyone on the continent. This calls for the renewal of the African self and mind as well as a new era of regenerative commitment and redirection geared towards propelling real growth from within. Growth on the continent must be internally stimulated and engendered, not externally engineered since in the words of President Obama, Africa’s future depends on herself.

Again, it was not for nothing that the American President drew a correlation between good governance and development. Wherever there is rule of law, transparency and good governance, all sections of society become consciously galvanized into an integral process of practical result-oriented plans and programmes that bring about a desired, much-cherished development from all and for all.

This is why everyone must be encouraged to fully participate in the process of governance characterized by respect for human rights, non-discriminatory practices, politics of all-inclusiveness of ideas, rule of law and commitment to the tenets of democracy.

For Ghana in particular the democratic and constitutional path chosen by Ghanaians must be sustained and improved to let the country continue to serve as a model for the rest of the continent.

President Obama’s address to African should not be made to fall on death ears and go to waste because his presentation was positive, though-provoking, inspirational and well intentioned, containing all the development-oriented ingredients needed to achieve great results for Ghana and Africa.

BY KOFI AMPONSAH-BEDIAKO, MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT, GHANA STANDARDS BOARD