At the 14th Leadership Dialogue held on August 28, 2024, legal expert Tsatsu Tsikata emphasized the pivotal role of the upcoming 2024 election in shaping Ghana’s future.
He argued that the country needs a leader who can effectively mobilize its resources to navigate the current economic crises.
Mr Tsikata, addressing attendees at the event organized by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) in collaboration with Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES-Ghana), provided an insightful analysis of how the nation arrived at its present economic challenges.
He highlighted that ongoing mismanagement of resources has exacerbated the crisis and called for a leader focused on leveraging the country’s assets to drive meaningful recovery.
Speaking on the theme; “Can Ghana Rise from the Ashes?”, the accomplished lawyer noted that Ghanaians will not give room to any leadership group that will only be interested in exploiting the resources for their personal benefit.
“The stakes now are too high. Ghana is in a state of severe crisis; the people of Ghana, whose future is at stake, will not forgive those who seek power for their own personal aggrandizement,” he stated.
“We need leaders who have faith in the people, who will harness the power of the people and the God-given resources of our land to rebuild the nation,” he added.
Tsatsu Tsikata also shared his anticipation for the 2024 election manifestos, expressing his hope that political parties will detail their strategies for utilizing the country’s resources to support their proposed policies and commitments.
“What I’m interested in, first of all, is some discussion of the resources that are going to be potentially available to the nation, and how resources will be mobilised to implement the promises. When I get to read the manifestos, I will be interested in the realism of the promises based on the potential resources.
“My hope is that over the next few months, there will be a conversation about the resources that are expected to be available, including the outlook for earnings from our natural resources, as well as any further engagement with the IMF and other sources of capital. Empty promises are worthless to the electorate, and even if they seem to win you votes, the time of reckoning comes, and you end up being found wanting. While there are many features of our current national decline that are worthy of consideration,” Tsikata pointed out.
The Leadership Dialogue Series, hosted by CSJ, a progressive think tank, serves as its premier civic education platform.
Over the years, this series has aimed to foster widespread political engagement and patriotic values by featuring thought-provoking discussions with experts and influential national leaders.