President John Dramani Mahama has stressed that Ghana’s economic independence cannot be achieved through slogans and repeated rhetoric but must be driven by concrete actions.

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Addressing the nation at the 68th Independence Day celebration at the Jubilee House on March 6, 2025, Mahama pointed out the ongoing debate over Ghana’s reliance on imports, donor aid, and IMF bailouts.

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He cautioned that while these concerns are valid, continuously voicing them without real solutions risks reducing them to mere clichés. He criticized the contradiction of calling for self-sufficiency while still depending on external financial assistance.

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“Discussions about our independence often highlight our reliance on imports, donor aid, and IMF bailout as signs of continued dependency. This reminder is repeated so often that, while undeniably real, it risks becoming a cliché.

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“Yet the entire efficacy of this reminder lies not in just repeating it but in our willingness to take decisive action. Actions that will break the chain of dependency, not just the empty rhetoric of Africa that is beyond aid.

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“Proclaiming self-reliance while matching straight but into the hands of the donor agencies, begging bowl in hand, is meaningless,” he stated.

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To address these challenges, Mahama reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to restoring economic stability by enforcing fiscal discipline and fostering self-sufficiency.

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“To break this cycle of spenders and restore our economy, my administration is formulating policies based on fiscal discipline and living within our means,” he stated.

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