Africa should learn from China, let’s earn our respect – Akufo-Addo tasks peers

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo believes Africa must work hard on its development paradigms if it will be respected in the comity of nations.

In his view, there is no amount of talk that can change the African narrative except hard work is put in to change the status quo if Africa is to tell her own story.

He cited the case of China as a perfect example of how a country can earn respect in the comity of nations. “I hear a lot about the need to change the narrative and tell our own good stories. As the saying goes, ‘nothing succeeds as success.’

“If we work at it, if we stop being beggars and spend Africa’s money inside the continent, Africa will not need to ask for respect from anyone. We would get the respect we deserve,” he told a gathering involving some of his peers at the just-ended US-African Leaders’ summit in Washington DC.

He cited how over 30 years ago, an American Ivy League varsity offered Mandarin for years without takers, yet today the course has packed halls. “It is not because of ease but because position of China has changed.

“Thirty years, twenty years ago, China was no where near where it is today, China does not ask anyone for respect now, she does not need it. Let us make our continent the prosperous and joyful place it should be and the respect will follow,” he concluded to applause.

His call for Africa to stop begging the West in the same speech has drawn lot of chatter especially on social media with a group of people calling him out for making such a statement in a week Ghana received bailout from the International Monetary Fund.

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