Minister of Environment, science, technology, and Innovation, Dr Kwaku Afriyie, has urged African leaders to take responsibility for their own development and to stop putting too much reliance on the West for solutions.
According to him, Ghana has been able to solve some critical health problems in the past and has demonstrated a sense of ability and innovation.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Africa Economic Summit, Dr Afriyie cited several examples of Ghana’s track record in solving issues including the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said “If we can perform very well in the health system, we’ve managed to abolish so many diseases, and guinea worms, among others. We have reduced it and we have formed a program called the expanded program of Immunization I am a product of that programme. And so, I’ve seen how we’ve co-operated together to make this happen.
“So, in the economic realm too, we can do the same. I’m saying that we should not use Western standards to define things and make things difficult for us as if we are perpetually at the bottom of the heap. Because there are so many things that are going on for us that they do not have and we can bring it into the conversation and say that Africa is also here. I’m not romanticizing poverty but we can grow at our own pace and get our own development out of that,” he added.
The Africa Economic Summit has been instituted to bring forward new perspectives and stimulate strategic discussions around Africa’s economic challenges and policy priorities.
Heads of State, Ministers, Law Makers, Governors, Heads of Financial Institutions, CEOs of Leading Companies in Africa, and other stakeholders will gather for a two-day candid discussion and high-level networking to provide strategic guidelines on the competitiveness of African nations.