Akufo-Addo’s U-turn a disgrace to Ghana, Africa – Captain Smart

Blessed Godsbrain Smart, known in the media front as Captain Smart has taken a swipe on President Akufo-Addo’s U-turn to secure aid from Europe, specifically on President Macron’s land.

Captain Smart indicated on the Smart Show on Smart TV that, President’s Akufo-Addo’s message to Emmanuel Macron about Africa beyond aid, which was lauded by the entire continent when the latter visited Ghana is a direct contradiction to what he exhibited at the recent African Union summit in France.

After his visit to the African Union summit in Abidjan in December 2017, French President, Emmanuel Macron visited some African countries including Ghana. During a joint press conference by the two leaders, President Akufo-Addo told Macron that, “We can no longer pursue a policy for our countries and regions that is based on the support given by the West, France or the European Union. This has not worked and it will not work,”

He added that, “It is not right for a country like Ghana – 60 years after its independence – to depend on the generosity of European taxpayers when it comes to financial means for health or education.”

These words, which clearly depicted the President’s commitment towards his “Ghana beyond Aid” agenda was expected by many to serve as the beginning of the end of borrowing from the West.

However, several aids have since been sought from the West where many overlooked it until the President went to the very Macron to plead on behalf of Africa for its debts to be quashed.

Aside from that, President Akufo-Addo has secured a €170 million to construct the Development Bank Ghana, which many see as a mockery and disgrace to Ghana and the continent as a whole.

In a discussion with his guest, Okatakyie Afrifa-Mensah, a former presenter with Happy FM, Mr. Smart indicated what President Akufo-Addo did is baffling and mind boggling.

“President Akufo-Addo has done something that baffles me. When you talk about respect in Africa, it is built on fear so anytime a youth rises to speak to happenings to reengineer the faculties of the people, we say the person is disrespectful. Nana Addo has gone to beg the same person he told Africa can be independent from to forgive our debts. Nana, you have disgraced us. I was watching a station in Nigeria and what almost the whole Africa congratulated you for saying [in 2017], today, they’re all mocking at you for making a U-turn” he said.

He quizzed “if an amount of GHS16.1 billion has been spent on the banking sector reform according to documents from government, do we have to borrow a €170 million to open a bank? If we can raise GHS16.1 billion and we go and beg for €170m, then it’s a disgrace.”

Captain Smart further noted the Bank of Ghana in their own press conference indicated there were too many banks in the country, and whilst the “National Investment Bank is struggling, I don’t see the need to open a new [Development] bank.”

“During President Kufuor’s time when you [Nana Addo] were the Attorney General, the value of Ghana’s bauxite was estimated at $38.7 billion yet you’ve given it to China for $2 billion and despite all our mineral resources, we couldn’t raise a common €170 million,” he stated.