Dr. Patrick Essien, Deputy Director for Mining at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has argued that Ghana’s democracy and patriotic spirit, while important, are insufficient to achieve genuine economic independence without a strong, skills-oriented education system.
Speaking as a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) expert and Founder of Molex Foundation Africa, Dr. Essien stressed that political freedom must be matched with the practical capacity to add value to the country’s natural resources.
“Patriotism cannot smelt gold into machinery, and democracy cannot turn cocoa into global brands,” he stated.
Dr. Essien noted that Ghana’s continued dependence on exporting raw materials and importing finished goods exposes deep weaknesses in practical skills, industrial capacity, and value addition. He pointed out that countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, China, and Japan achieved rapid development by deliberately aligning education, skills training, industrial policy, and access to finance.
He warned that without a decisive shift in Ghana’s education system toward skills development, production, and innovation, the country risks betraying the vision of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, who championed economic self-reliance and industrialization.
According to Dr. Essien, Ghana is not short of resources or opportunities; rather, it lacks the strategic coordination, political will, and sustained commitment required to convert potential into production and long-term economic growth.
Story: Nyamebeye Kofi Ansah Sasraku