The Vice President of Data Bank Ghana, Reverend Daniel Ogbarmey-Tetteh on Thursday called on Ghanaians to redress the entrenched political polarization, which he described as “a hurdle” to ensure positive progress.
He said if Ghanaians accept that the country is bigger than any one political party, best brains from all political divide could be tapped in resolving the current challenges confronting the country instead of “waiting for things to move from bad to worse every four years”.
Rev Ogbarmey, who is also the General Overseer of the New Creation Chapel International, was speaking at the 138th Founder’s Day Celebration of the Mfantsipim School in Cape Coast, on the theme: “Ghana at crossroads; need to adopt the ideals of the Mfantsipim Heritage.”
The annual celebration brought together board and administrative members, old students, past headmasters, teaching and non-teaching staff, and current students of the school, which is the first Secondary School in Ghana, founded on April 3, 1876.
Rev Ogbarmey- Tetteh, an old boy, said the depreciation of the cedi, the rising inflation and its push effect on interest rates, coupled with unemployment are indicative that the nation is at crossroads, but instead of Ghanaians focusing on the course of actions that would solve the problems , precious time being spent on issues that are ordinary.
“We need to deal frontally with issues rather than be skittish about them.”
He noted that despite calls for the patronage of made in Ghana products, the country is still hooked onto foreign goods, leading to huge import bills which are mounting pressure on the local currency.
He asked: “Is the reliance on imports because of an acquired taste or because we don’t have local substitutes in terms of quality and quantity?”
Rev Ogbarmey-Tetteh noted that dealing with the country’s infrastructure deficit is an important trigger to economic growth which calls for a better approach.
He said the heritage of Mfantsipim especially that of the “Faithful Eight” and the founding fathers who achieved great things in spite of constraints speak volumes to the fact that a group of people could produce far reaching results if they put their minds to it.
Rev Ogbarmey-Tetteh said one of the highlights of the Mfantsipim heritage is to produce individuals who are patriotic, rise above partisanship and exude selfless leadership to render services to the community, nation and continent.
The Senior Associate Pastor of Covenant Family Community Church, Rev Emmanuel Ansah, who presided over the function said the inspiring history of “the Mfantsipim Faithful Eight” accomplished so much with little opportunity, including the “Dwen Hwe Kan” Motto of the school.
He said the vision of the founding fathers, the positive fighting spirit in the school hymn, among others raised a spirit of courage, loyalty and dedication in every Mfantsipim student.
Mr Kofi Esson, Chief of Staff, Tullow Ghana Limited, sponsors of the School’s Science Laboratory Renovation Project, described Mfantsipim products as having mental capacity, mental honesty, moral courage and discipline.
The Mfantsipim Old Boys Association, 1984 presented a cheque for GH¢100,000.00 towards the School’s Infirmary Expansion Project, while the 1978 year group donated 20 flat screen computers for the ICT Centre.
A delegation of the School Board and Administration paid a courtesy call on Osabarima Kwesi Atta II, paramount Chief of Cape Coast and the family of John Mensah Sarbah, one of the founding members of Mfantsipim.