As an African citizen deeply rooted in Kwame Nkrumah’s legacy, I have had the opportunity to observe the situation in both West Africa and East Africa over the years.
In 2012, when I first set foot in Ghana, the exchange rate was 1.95 GHC per US dollar. Today, that rate has surged to 16.26 GHC per dollar. In comparison, the Ugandan shilling stood at 2,506.7 UGX per dollar in 2012, and now it’s 3,651.62 UGX per dollar.
This means the Ghanaian cedi has depreciated by an alarming 733.85%, while the Ugandan shilling has lost 45.67% of its value over the same period. One might be tempted to think Uganda has managed its economy better than Ghana, and while that holds some truth, the reality is that Africa as a whole is grappling with a dire economic situation.
It is no more encouraging to celebrate Botswana’s success with its population of only 2.5 million. As the Ugandan president once said, it’s like midgets competing to see who is taller—a minor achievement when the entire continent is in crisis.
The reality we face today reveals the failure of Western neoliberal policies and the exploitative nature of neocolonialism, masked as democracy. In Ghana, for example, the regular change of governments has not improved the lives of the majority. Meanwhile, Uganda—a landlocked country—is struggling in isolation under leadership that has failed to embrace continental cooperation, leaving it exposed to neocolonial manipulation.
This paints a picture of an Africa in confusion, one that is underproducing and failing to realize its vast potential. Ghana, like many African nations, remains a net importer of food, symbolizing the larger issue. Africa, with a population of 1.5 billion and a GDP of $3.5 trillion, accounts for 18% of the world’s population but less than 3% of global GDP. The Continent is under producing by 6 times, in actual terms Africa’s GDP should be $18 trillion as we speak.
This is a catastrophe that demands immediate action, yet African leaders seem to conduct business as usual, ignoring the urgency of the situation. If we do not act now, Africa’s future is in peril.
This situation must be reversed by halting the actions of those responsible for the confusion and stagnation of our continent. Africa is a land of immense potential, but it is currently being held back by underproductivity, misguided leadership, and the continued exploitation by foreign interests by foreigners, specially form western countries, many who are clothed in fake garments of investors.
The solution lies in African unity. The African Continental Unity Party (ACUP) offers a strategic framework to confront these realities head-on. This strategy is not about blame but about facing the challenges of our time head-on—from internal divisions and poor leadership to foreign interference in North Africa and continued Western exploitation.
The ACUP acknowledges these challenges and is committed to fighting against them as we march towards rapid African transformation (RAT). Our laser focused beginning with continental-scale development in key sectors like railways, energy, communications, and agriculture. This stems from the understanding that power must be secured for us to have a chance at fast tracking development and modernization, hence a Power base under the ACUP must be created NOW.
This is the vision that ACUP presents to all Africans—especially those in the intellectual, middle class, and diaspora. Together, we can drive the long-overdue reconstruction of Africa.
www.africanacup.org
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