A member of the National Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving Committee, Hajia Hanatu Abubakar-Bimi, has urged Ghanaians to embrace a national value reset, saying it is essential to building a prosperous, disciplined and united country.
Speaking at the launch of the second edition of the National Prayer and Thanksgiving programme, she said Ghana’s development could not be achieved through government policies and programmes alone, stressing that every citizen has a role to play in nation building.
“The Ghana we want is not the sole responsibility of government. Nation building is a shared responsibility across all levels of society,” she said.
Hajia Hanatu argued that many of the country’s challenges stem from declining integrity, indiscipline, lack of accountability, dishonesty, disrespect for human dignity and growing divisions within society.
She said addressing these issues requires a collective commitment to values that promote national development and social cohesion.
According to her, national transformation begins with personal transformation. She explained that individuals, families, communities, schools, institutions and government all have interconnected roles in shaping the country’s future.
She said families must nurture responsible citizens, communities should encourage social responsibility, while schools and institutions must lead by example by promoting ethical behaviour and values driven systems.
Hajia Hanatu identified righteousness, responsibility, respect for human dignity, integrity, innovation, discipline, honesty and unity as the core values needed to build a stronger Ghana.
She said these values shape habits, influence character and culture, and ultimately define national identity.
A society built on integrity, she noted, would help reduce corruption, while responsibility would replace blame and apathy. Discipline would drive excellence, innovation would create opportunities, respect would strengthen relationships and unity would foster peace and development.
Drawing on both Christian and Islamic teachings, Hajia Hanatu cited Romans 12:2 and Qur’an 13:11, saying both scriptures emphasise the importance of personal transformation as a foundation for broader societal change.
She said the theme for this year’s programme, “Resetting Our Values to Build the Ghana We Want”, is a call on all Ghanaians to demonstrate positive values through their actions and daily conduct.
“By living these values through our actions, attitudes and conduct, we can restore trust, strengthen our nation and create a more prosperous future for all,” she said.
Hajia Hanatu called on citizens to support the campaign and work together to rebuild the nation, insisting that meaningful change begins with individual responsibility.
“The Ghana we want begins with each of us,” she said.
The National Prayer and Thanksgiving programme is expected to bring together people from different religious and social backgrounds to pray for national unity, peace and development, while promoting the shared values needed for Ghana’s progress.
