Dear Honorable Ghanaians, as a citizen, I want to take this opportunity to share my views with you. I should be very excited over your critiques and criticisms. And I would also be pleased to accept your opinions as well.
On 7th January 2025, Ghana shall be inaugurating a new president as the leader of our nation. And as a concerned Ghanaian, I would like to share my vision of the type of leader our motherland should hire to lead our great nation.
Ghana is now 66 years old. Unfortunately, we have very little to show for this old age even though our Almighty Father and Allah has blessed us with almost every type of mineral resources and great intellect.
Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, our first president, made tremendous strides. These included the establishment of the Akosombo dam, the Tema harbor, free education for the northern part of the country, mass education, free health care, and above all, a great step towards “The Ghana Young Pioneers, and the African Personality”.
The Young Pioneers and African Personality movements were basically aimed at making us know ourselves and to use this spirit to be able to galvanize ourselves as a people and as a nation. And with this identification of ourselves, we would have translated our knowledge, strength and resources into wealth.
Through Nkrumah’s vision, we realized that he was the true leader because he provided direction and guidance by inspiring people to stand for a cause. He was compassionate, competent, transformational and courageous.
Dr. Nkrumah was an exceptional leader because he served the best interests of the people and he possessed goals greater than achieving his personal glory.
I do believe that Ghana has had certain leaders that have alsodemonstrated various leadership qualities, such as selflessness, honesty, vision, integrity, compassion, and incorruptibility. These persons include Dr. James E. K. Aggrey, Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia, Dr. Joseph Boakye Danquah, Mr. Simon Diedong Dombo, TettehQuarshie, Yaa Asantewaa (the Queenmother of Ejisu) and many others. These individuals were selfless and, more significantly, NOT CORRUPT!
Dr. Aggrey is recognized for educating and inspiring the black population and Africans through his words “ Nothing but the best is good enough for Africa”.
Dr. Kwame Nkrumah is recognized for his belief of a new Africa, independent and absolutely free from imperialism that was founded upon the conception of one and united Africa, drawing its strength from modern science and technology and from the traditional African values of egalitarianism.
Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia is recognized for educating the people of Ghana on the paradigm of democracy, and on Civic Responsibility.
Dr. Joseph Boakye Danquah on the other hand, was a scholar, lawyer, statesman and a politician who is also credited with giving Ghana its current name.
Mr. S. D. Dombo was a chief, Douri-Na, and a teacher. He was reputed to be the first educated chieftain in the Upper West Region of Ghana. He formed and led the Northern People’s Party (NPP) in the Gold Coast which was aimed at protecting the interest of those in the Northern region of Ghana.
Tetteh Quarshie was a pre-independent Ghanaian agriculturist and the person directly responsible for the introduction of cocoa crops to Ghana, which today constitute the major export crops of the Ghanaian economy.
Yaa Asantewaa was the Queenmother of Ejisu and a mother. She was an intellectual, a politician, a human rights activist, a queen and a war leader. She became famous for commanding the Ashanti Kings in the War of the Golden Stool, against British colonial rule, to defend and protect the sovereign independence of the Golden Stool.
All these mentioned individuals in our history, depict leaders thatwere willing to accept responsibility and the ability to inspire their people. They exhibited honesty, love for their heritage, intellect, and above all, they were all transformational leaders.
It took a competent, visionary, mature, selfless, and incorruptible man, in the person of Deng Xiaoping, to transform China into a far-reaching market-economic reformed nation. And if one wants to achieve excellence, then it is advisable to emulate the examples of those who have already done so.
I have cited these personalities to demonstrate true Leadership because they never tried to control their people.
Instead, they inspired their people, encouraged them to understand matters at home, and used education to guide them towards success.
These personalities were true leaders because they were not afraid to make demands of the people they led. These leaders were true ones because they established flagship programs towards developments in the infrastructure, education, health, security, and the general economy of our great nation.
My most beloved Ghanaians, I propose that we look closely at those candidates vying for the presidency of Ghana to determine their integrity and how they can hold themselves accountable. Let us look out for the candidate who demonstrates honesty, has a vision, competency and among many other.
Let us refrain from looking for the candidate because of his tribe, religious affiliation and corruptive antics. Let us look for The President of Ghana that we can All be proud of.
Dear Ghanaians, kindly bear with me that the factors for The True Leader in Ghana from 7th January 2025 should be based on honesty, vision, incorruptibility, inspirational, and transformational.
This is my first epistle to you. I shall come back to you with my
second episode.
God bless our Homeland Ghana and make us great and strong!
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Eur Ing. Thompson Sarkodie-Gyan, D.Sc., VDI, FInstMC
Retired Tenured Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering
College of Engineering
University of Texas, USA
Email: tsarkodi@utep.edu