PAG calls for economic self-reliance, industrialisation on Nkrumah’s 117th birthday

The Progressive Alliance for Ghana (PAG) has called for a renewed focus on economic self-reliance, industrialisation and citizen ownership of Ghana’s productive economy, marking the 117th birth anniversary of the nation’s first Prime Minister and President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. A statement issued by PAG’s Flagbearer, Apostle Dr. John Enyonam Kpikpi, urged that commemorations of Nkrumah should inspire reflections on the kind of Ghana envisioned for future generations.

Nkrumah believed that political independence was meaningless without economic independence, and Ghana needed to improve its productive capacity, educate its citizens, industrialise and utilise its natural resources to enhance living standards. The party emphasized the need to rethink education and skills development to better prepare young people for the evolving job market, advocating for technical and vocational education, digital skills, entrepreneurship, apprenticeships, agriculture, manufacturing, mining services and the green-energy sector.

PAG stressed that young Ghanaians should be prepared not only to seek jobs but also to create and manage productive businesses, stating that graduates should ask, "What can I produce, what problem can I solve, and what enterprise can I build?" The party identified cooperatives as a means to foster economic ownership among farmers, small-scale miners, artisans, and young entrepreneurs, highlighting how well-organised cooperatives could improve access to finance, technology, markets, machinery, and processing facilities.

Specifically in agriculture, PAG argued that cooperative models could facilitate production aggregation, input access, storage, processing, and better market access. The party also urged a shift from exporting raw materials to greater domestic processing and value addition, emphasizing that resources like gold, bauxite, manganese, lithium, oil, gas, and agricultural commodities should contribute more directly to industrial transformation.

PAG highlighted that Ghana should focus on creating, not just extracting, value from its resources. Additionally, reliable and affordable energy was placed at the heart of PAG's development agenda, advocating for an energy strategy that supports households, agriculture, manufacturing, mining, technology, and small businesses while promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency.

The party questioned whether Ghana can produce more than it imports, empower young entrepreneurs, enable farmers and miners to capture more value, and develop institutions that serve generations rather than political cycles. Apostle Dr. Kpikpi urged that Nkrumah’s vision should become a continuous national project, not just a historical commemoration, and PAG reiterated its commitment to building a productive, self-reliant, and prosperous Ghana.