Nigeria’s stability key to Ghana’s security - President Mahama
Ghanaian President John Mahama has emphasised the strong bond between Ghana and Nigeria, describing Nigeria as being of ‘keen security interest’ to the Ghanaian people. Speaking as the Special Guest
Ghanaian President John Mahama has emphasised the strong bond between Ghana and Nigeria, describing Nigeria as being of 'keen security interest' to the Ghanaian people.
Speaking as the Special Guest of Honour and Chief Host at the 4th edition of the African Heritage Awards held in Accra on Saturday, Mahama combined light-hearted cultural observations with a firm call for a paradigm shift in how Africa manages its vast natural resources.
He described Ghana and Nigeria as twins of the same mother, adding that the only friction between the two countries usually arises over 'Jollof rice and football'.
Mahama noted that many people in Ghana migrated from Nigeria and trace their roots to the Yoruba kingdoms, which makes Nigeria’s stability very important to Ghana.
“Ghana and Nigeria are twins of the same mother, except when we fight over Jollof and football. Otherwise, you know we are the same people.
“A lot of the people in Ghana migrated from Nigeria. They find their roots in the Yoruba kingdoms and all that… and so, Nigeria is of keen security interest to us", Mahama said.
Highlighting Nigeria’s large population, he explained that Ghana’s prayers for its neighbour are rooted in both brotherhood and self-interest.
He said that if Nigeria does well, Ghana will also do well, because Ghana does not want millions of Nigerians drifting into the smaller country due to economic or social challenges.
He humourously added that he wakes up every day praying for Nigeria to get its act together.
“If Nigeria does well, Ghana does well,” he said. “I mean, when you have cousins, 250 million of them, you want them to do well so that 1 million of them don’t come drifting towards a small country like Ghana.
“So every day I wake up, I pray for Nigeria, I say God let Nigeria get their act together.”
Beyond bilateral relations, President Mahama called for a radical change in how African countries approach investments and the management of their natural resources.
He observed that the global order is shifting, with humanitarian assistance dwindling and countries redirecting aid towards defence spending.
“We need to make a paradigm shift in how we have considered investments, how we’ve considered our natural resources and everything in Africa.
“The world is changing, the global order is changing, and we must adapt to the changes. After the Second World War, we all agreed that we had a multilateral system and each was his brother’s keeper.
“After the arms race came to an end, we said there was going to be a dividend, a nuclear dividend which would make sure that everybody on this earth enjoys a decent standard of living. I mean, clearly, things are shifting from what we all anticipated. Humanitarian assistance is dwindling, countries are reducing their ODA and using it more for defence purposes and all that", he said
He warned that Africa can no longer afford to sit with a begging bowl.
The president criticised the practice of granting huge concessions to foreign companies, which often create wealthy enclaves surrounded by African poverty and leave local communities without basic infrastructure such as clean drinking water.
He stressed that Africa’s natural resources, including gold, lithium, oil and gas, were given by God and that the era of such generous concessions to outsiders must come to an end.
“Africa cannot sit with a cup in hand and go begging. One of the major assets we have is what nature gave us. We didn’t put the gold in the ground, we didn’t put the lithium in the ground, we didn’t put the oil and gas in the ground.
“God gave it to us, and so like I’ve said in many places, those days of huge concessions gifted to foreign companies and set up huge you know rich enclaves next to African poverty where there’s no clean drinking water, those days are coming to an end,” he added.
Mahama pointed to the African Continental Free Trade Area as a step in the right direction, despite its early challenges.
He noted that trade between African countries is already increasing and expressed confidence that the continent has the capacity to create prosperity and dignity for its people.
Mahama said, “We must take advantage of what God has gifted us to make sure that we’re able to create prosperity for our people, and we can do it.
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“We started with the African continental free trade area, we do have teething problems, but I’m sure that it’s a good sign. Already, we can see that trade between our countries is increasing, and so we do have the capacity to be able to create prosperity for our people and dignity.”
He concluded by stressing that Africa’s future depends on good leadership combined with the continent’s intellectual capital and human resources.
Mahama expressed belief that with proper leadership and unity, Africa can positively transform its people's lives.
“We continue to fight and represent our countries. We want to show that leadership can make a change because I believe that if we get proper leadership in Africa and we work together, we have some of the best brains, we have wonderful people, we’ll be able to make a change in the lives of our people,” he added.
The immediate past President of the African Development Bank, Akinwumi Adesina, was among those conferred with the African Lifetime Achievement Award at the event.
