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A Professor of International Relations and Diplomacy at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Lord Mawuko-Yevogah, has launched a 242-page book addressing the paradox of political independence and economic dependency and proposed “a deliberate and intentional policy” to add value to Ghana’s raw materials to attract competitive pricing at the world market.
The academic literature demonstrated that political independence was not a guarantee of economic development and advanced the argument for strengthening sub-regional cooperation before venturing onto the international stage to trade on fair terms, rather than in an exploitative manner, as is currently being experienced.
Influenced by the writings of Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Prof. Mawuko-Yevogha proposed ways to break the cycle of dependency and structural stagnation and to enable the capacity to flourish as a people.
The launch of the book titled: “Independency: political independency and economic dependency in Ghana,” last Wednesday at GIMPA in Accra attracted people from all walks of life, including those in academia, students, politicians and the ordinary Ghanaian.
Chiefly among those who graced the occasion were the Member of Parliament for the Ketu North Constituency, Edem Agbana, the board Chair of Cocobod and former national chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, as well as some chiefs and people from Afife in the Volta Region, hometown of the professor.
More than GHc 100,000.00 was realised from the initial sale of the book, with Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, buying the first copy for GHc 10,000.00 and Dr Ofosu Ampofo and the office of the Vice-President buying 10 copies for GHc 31,000.00.
The book provides both diagnosis and prescription for addressing post-colonial structural deficiencies by offering a strategic deployment of Africa’s natural resources, human capital, investment capacity, south-south cooperation, and regional integration.
The book also examines the paradox of exercising sovereignty and political agency, while operating within enduring conditions of global dependency, revealing the complex interplay between external pressures and domestic aspirations.
Prof. Mawuko-Yevogah told the Daily Graphic in an interview that the book was a blueprint for providing practical solutions to Ghana’s current economic challenges and for remaining competitive across all fronts.
“The main object is not to make money but to contribute to academic knowledge and to serve as a guide to those in authority in shifting the economy from the overreliance on foreign aid,” he said.
In his contribution, the MP for Ketu North, Edem Agbana, commended Prof. Mawuko-Yevogah for his consistency in building the intellectual capacity of many people, urging everyone to document their life history by writing books.
“I’m happy that Prof. Mawuko-Yevogah is impacting the Ghanaian society positively and contributing to knowledge in academia,” he said.
