Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has attributed the ongoing debate about whether obtaining a Dutch passport is better than earning a PhD in Ghana to the economic mismanagement by the current government.
He highlighted that such a debate, which reflects widespread despair among citizens, stems from the economic hardship caused by the ruling party.
Speaking at a public lecture organized by the Christian Service University in Kumasi on the theme “Sustainability of Democracy in Africa: The Ghanaian Experience,” Mahama pointed out that the debate underscores a loss of confidence and hope in Ghana’s future due to economic difficulties, corruption, and the mismanagement of national resources by the government.
“There’s widespread despair and anguish amongst our people, leading to an active debate on social media about whether securing a foreign passport to do a menial job in Europe is better than holding a PhD in Ghana. It’s the adversity into which our nation has been plunged; otherwise, there’s no basis for comparison between a visa and a PhD,” Mahama stated.
He argued that the Presidency should not be entrusted to those at the center of the current economic woes. According to Mahama, sustaining democracy in Ghana and Africa requires leadership committed to truth and honesty.
“Those whose glaring failures at economic management have sucked us into this vortex of despair, despite their lofty talk in opposition, and who now seek to flee the responsibility, cannot be rewarded with the presidency in this deep crisis. The presidency cannot be handed over to those who present themselves as the future when they are at the epicenter of our disastrous present,” he said.
“Leadership that is honest and accepts responsibility for challenges rather than passing the buck is the kind of leadership that sustains democracy,” Mahama added.
The public lecture was part of the 50th-anniversary celebrations of the Christian Service University.
