According to former president John Mahama, Ghana’s current economic issues can be overcome by a cooperative relationship based on mutual respect between the government, civil society organizations, labor unions, the private sector, and important stakeholders.
On Tuesday, November 22, 2022, during a meeting with CSOs in Accra, Mr. Mahama declared: “I daresay that united, we are in a better position to help our country out of its current socio-economic predicament.”
“Partnership, collaboration, mutual respect, and a knowledge that governance and efforts to satisfy the needs of the average Ghanaian are a shared duty between notably, government, civil society, the private sector, labor, and other key stakeholders,” he observed, are what are needed.
Mr. Mahama praised CSOs for changing their combative stance to one of conversation.
According to Mr. Mahama, “there is currently a shift away from aggressive confrontations to constructive, civil conversations,” adding that “normally, the engagements with the government were confrontational, but now, it is more of a civil conversation.” They have also increased in relevance thanks to new capacities in terms of research and data analysis, acting as repositories for alternative policy ideas.
Mr. Mahama had urged Ghanaians to pray for his return a few days prior to his meeting with the CSOs in order to deliver the nation from the current sufferings.
He claimed that the declining church offerings are now a reflection of the difficult economic circumstances and he pleaded with Christians to pray for him and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to “rescue” Ghana from the current “suffering”
In Ho, Volta Region, at the E.P. Church’s 175th anniversary thanksgiving ceremony, Mr. Mahama exhorted Christians to share what little they have with others because times are tough.
He emphasized: “Especially, at this time when we all agree that things are hard. We must always preach Christian love in this time when money doesn’t like noise.”
The time has come, Mr. Mahama encouraged, “to demonstrate our Christian charity by loving our neighbors as ourselves.”
He advised Christians, “Therefore, whatever little you have to share, you should share with your neighbor.”
Mr. Mahama made the following comment, using a fundraising event at the church as a yardstick for assessing the severity of the financial difficulties: “I mean, we could tell the hardship in the system from the appeal for funds.”
When the amount was GH2,000, Madam Chair and a few other persons arrived and gave money. Then it was 1,000, then 500, then 200, and finally 100.
He said, “And when it came to the silver collection, 1, 2, the place was full, it shows that the pocket was not too good.”