'If Kwame Nkrumah returns today, he will collapse before reaching Accra' – Dr. Hassan Ayariga

In a candid interview on GTV Breakfast’s Manifesto Watch segment, Hassan Ayariga, presidential candidate of the All Peoples Congress (APC), delivered a stinging assessment of Ghana’s current state, declaring that if Kwame Nkrumah, the nation’s founding father, was to return today, “he will collapse before he gets to Accra.”

Dr. Ayariga lamented the disillusionment among Ghanaian youth, emphasising that many young people no longer take pride in their country and would readily seek opportunities abroad.

“Young people do not take pride in Ghana today and will not hesitate to leave for foreign lands when they get the chance,” Dr Ayariga told Maltiti Sayida Sadick, the show’s host.

Regulating Forex and Ending Foreign Currency Transactions:

Ayariga’s proposed policies focus heavily on economic reform, with a promise to regulate foreign exchange bureaus and foreign accounts.

“There will be no foreign currency transactions under my presidency,” he declared, aiming to restore financial control to the Ghanaian government.

The APC flagbearer argued that Ghanaian businesses are struggling while their foreign counterparts thrive, blaming corruption and mismanagement rather than external factors like the Russia-Ukraine war for Ghana’s current woes.

“Our problem is not the Russian-Ukraine war; our problem is corruption,” Ayariga asserted.

7 Pillars for Economic Transformation:

Ayariga outlined seven key pillars of his manifesto: nationalisation, modernisation, industrialisation, digitisation, commercialisation, domestication, and globalisation.

He stressed that under his government, data would play a central role in tracking the wealth of Ghanaians and guiding policy decisions.

“We are going to police this country with the implementation of a data system where we track the wealth growth of Ghanaians and harmonise the data from all institutions to inform policy direction,” he said.

3-Tier Passport System to Restore Value:

One of Ayariga’s standout proposals is a three-tier Ghanaian passport system, which would include green, blue, and red passports.

He criticised the current state of the Ghanaian passport, claiming it has lost its value.

“I won’t sell Ghanaian passports to foreigners for 50,000 Ghana cedis like other politicians are promising,” he stated, taking a swipe at what he described as unethical practices by political opponents.

Ayariga’s vision for Ghana involves sweeping reforms aimed at restoring national pride, economic sovereignty, and social justice.

His manifesto, grounded in strong anti-corruption measures and economic restructuring, seeks to bring the power back into the hands of Ghanaians.