Former General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong, has expressed concern over Ghana’s heavy reliance on foreign support, warning that it is affecting the country’s ability to take firm national decisions.
Speaking on Dwaso Nsem on Adom FM, he admitted that Ghana’s difficulty in fully implementing certain policies, including the LGBTQ Bill, is partly due to dependence on external partners, particularly from the European Union and the United States.
According to him, many projects—both public and private—depend heavily on donor funding, including some of his own initiatives.
He explained that in several instances, after preparing project proposals and documentation, funding has been withheld at the final stage because the intended projects conflicted with the policies of donor countries.
“Sometimes, after putting all project documents together, when it is time for funds to be released to commence work, donors, particularly from the European Union and the United States, decline support, citing conflicts with their domestic policies,” he said.
Rev. Opuni-Frimpong noted that a significant portion of Ghana’s educational and health infrastructure is supported by foreign donors, making the country highly dependent on external assistance.
He questioned how long Ghana would continue on this path, stressing that the level of dependency is excessive and not beneficial to long-term national development.
Citing a recent example, he referenced the decision by Burkina Faso to ban the export of tomatoes, which negatively impacted Ghana and triggered public concern due to the country’s reliance on imports.
He also pointed to the “Ghana Beyond Aid” agenda, describing it as a commendable initiative with the potential to transform the economy, but one that has not been fully realised.
Rev. Opuni-Frimpong emphasised that reducing dependency should be a national priority, urging leadership to take bold and strategic decisions to strengthen Ghana’s self-reliance.
He further called on the President to focus on policies and actions that will leave a lasting legacy and ensure sustainable development beyond his tenure.
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