President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has underscored the importance of adhering to the rule of law in Ghana.
He says without adhering to the rule of law, the country will not achieve the expected economic properity.
Speaking at the 67th Independence Day parade in the Eastern Region on Wednesday, March 6, he said “I am optimistic that, together with other initiatives of this Government, we are on the verge of a breakthrough in our economic fortunes. I must mention another important ingredient in the democratic structure, which is needed for economic prosperity, which is the rule of law.”
Businesses can only prosper in an atmosphere that guarantees the rule of law, he added.
“My compatriots, the rule of law is not an alien concept, and it is not something that can be applied selectively. For it to be effective, and have a positive influence, it must be applicable to all aspects of our lives, and to all of us; on the streets, in offices and work places; to junior officials, and Chief Executives, to traditional leaders and Members of Parliament, to famous artistes and footballers and, yes, to the President.
“We cannot hope for economic prosperity without adhering to the rule of law. There are a few amongst us who equate the freedom that was proclaimed at the arrival of independence with the freedom to ignore the rules and regulations that should guide our lives. Aspirations for prosperity go hand-in-hand with the discipline necessary for the rule of law.
“Fellow Ghanaians, on the day we celebrate our nationhood, we cannot and should not leave out a reference to the physical state of the land that constitutes Ghana. We cannot claim to love Ghana when we treat with such disdain and total careless abandon, the forests, the rivers, the vegetation, the creatures and the soils that make up Ghana.
“The Almighty has been kind and generous to us, and our beautiful land deserves to be treated with tender loving care. Unless we change how we treat the land, future generations would not recognise the Ghana they read about in the land we bequeath to them.
“I stay firm in my conviction that extracting the minerals we have been blessed with should not lead to the destruction of the forests and rivers. We should dedicate ourselves anew to taking care of Ghana. I must, at this stage, reaffirm Government’s continued commitment to providing the support for victims of the recent, extensive flooding in downstream communities, in the Greater Accra, Eastern and Volta Regions, caused by the spillage of the Akosombo Dam last year – a necessary action which was taken to maintain the dam’s structural integrity. As set out in the 2024 budget, Government has set aside two hundred and twenty million cedis (GH¢220 million), of which eighty million cedis (GH¢80 million) has already been released by the Ministry of Finance, to support the ongoing rehabilitation efforts for the affected communities. Government will stop at nothing to restore normalcy to the lives and livelihoods of all affected persons.”
