President John Mahama has called on African countries to break what he described as “triple dependency” on foreign powers and take stronger control of their economic future, as he addressed Zambia’s National Assembly in Lusaka.
Speaking during a state visit, President Mahama said Africa must move beyond political independence and focus on real economic transformation.
“Our forebears won us independence and nationhood. Now we must win the fight for economic transformation and prosperity for our people,” he told lawmakers.
He warned that changing global conditions, including shrinking aid and rising defence spending, were making self-reliance more urgent.
“Africa, therefore, faces a different pandemic – the pandemic of unfulfilled potential,” he said, pointing to youth unemployment, weak health systems and limited industrial growth.
President Mahama said many African countries remain trapped in what he called “triple dependency”.
He explained it as “dependency on external actors for security choices, dependency on donors for health and education systems, and dependency on suppliers of critical minerals while capturing little or no value”.
According to him, this situation “undermines genuine sovereignty” and must be reversed through cooperation and self-driven development.
He used the occasion to promote his “Accra Reset Initiative”, which he said aims to change how Africa engages with the global system.
“The Accra Reset advocates the forging of new partnerships to transform global systems that have been rigged against Africa,” he said.
President Mahama also outlined reforms his government has undertaken since returning to office in 2025.
He said his administration has focused on fiscal discipline, reducing the size of government and strengthening public institutions.
“We have chosen execution over excuses,” he said, noting that the number of ministers and deputy ministers had been reduced to 58.
He cited improvements in Ghana’s economy, saying inflation had fallen “from over 23.4 per cent at the end of 2024 to 3.8 per cent in January 2026”.
He added that “currency stability has been restored, with the Ghanaian cedi appreciating by 32 per cent”.
According to him, Ghana is also gradually exiting the IMF programme “with dignity as partners, not as supplicants”.
A major focus of the speech was Africa’s management of its natural resources.
President Mahama said the practice of granting concessions to speculators who profit without developing local capacity must end.
“The era of parceling out large-scale concessions to speculators who then flip them for huge profits must end,” he said.
He argued that indigenous companies should play a bigger role in mining and other extractive sectors.
Using Ghana as an example, he spoke about the establishment of the Gold Board to regulate gold exports.
He said gold exports from small-scale miners had increased “from 63 tons to 104 tons” in ten months, earning “over $10 billion in forex inflow”.
He added that Ghana has begun refining gold locally and plans to process manganese and bauxite instead of exporting raw ore.
President Mahama described Zambia as a “natural partner” for Ghana, especially in mining, agriculture, energy and manufacturing.
He announced that both countries had signed 10 Memorandums of Understanding to deepen cooperation.
One of them allows visa-free travel for all categories of passport holders between Ghana and Zambia.
“This is an important step towards the free movement of our people on the African continent,” he said.
He also called for stronger regional integration, saying Africa must build “shared manufacturing zones, integrated energy grids, and digital infrastructure”.
“No African country can survive in isolation,” he stressed.
On governance, President Mahama urged African leaders to strengthen institutions and fight corruption.
“Abuse of public trust must be punished,” he said.
Quoting former US President Barack Obama, he reminded the House that “Africa does not need strongmen, it needs strong institutions”.
He expressed concern about recent military takeovers in parts of West Africa, saying Ghana is determined to show that democracy can deliver development.
“Ghana is on a mission to prove that democracy works,” he said.
He also praised Zambia’s economic reforms and expressed confidence in its democratic process ahead of the August 2026 elections.
President Mahama said Ghana, as African Union Champion for Reparations, would soon sponsor a UN resolution on slavery.
He said the AU’s focus on reparations is “both a moral imperative and a forward-looking call to action”.
He also spoke about gender equality, noting that Ghana has elected its first female Vice President and passed an Affirmative Action law.
“Our Reset Agenda includes establishing a Women’s Development Bank,” he said, urging African countries to invest more in women.
“When we invest in women, we accelerate national development,” he added.
President Mahama urged African leaders to pursue unity in trade, finance and diplomacy.
“Unity must be our strategy, not just our slogan,” he said.
He reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to closer ties with Zambia and regional cooperation.
“Ghana remains steadfast in its commitment to strengthening cooperation with Zambia, guided by implementation, mutual respect, and shared destiny,” he said.
