By: Sarah Baafi
Ghanaian actor and media personality Oscar Provencal has called for a shift in national mindset towards long-term, inclusive development, as discussions intensify over plans by former President John Dramani Mahama to construct an airport and convention centre in Kwahu.
Speaking on the GTV Breakfast Show, Provencal used the conversation to highlight deeper structural and cultural challenges that could affect the sustainability of such large-scale projects.
While acknowledging the potential economic and tourism benefits of the proposed Kwahu airport and convention centre, he stressed that infrastructure alone is not enough to guarantee long-term impact.
“We must build systems that outlive individuals,” he noted, warning that many Ghanaian ventures collapse because knowledge, networks, and operational experience are often not passed on.
Provencal drew comparisons with other cultures where children are integrated into family businesses from an early age, learning practical skills alongside formal education. According to him, this approach ensures continuity and resilience across generations something he believes Ghana must adopt if it is to fully benefit from major national investments.
He criticised what he described as an increasingly individualistic mindset, where people build wealth and businesses without preparing successors. “When the founder is gone, everything goes with them,” he said, adding that this weakens both family enterprises and the broader economy.
The actor further linked this mindset to changing social values, noting that traditional practices that once promoted unity and shared responsibility are gradually fading. He warned that without a deliberate effort to rebuild this sense of collective purpose, even well-intentioned development projects could struggle to achieve lasting success.
The discussion comes in the wake of renewed attention on Kwahu as a potential hub for tourism and investment, following Mahama’s announcement of plans to develop key infrastructure in the area.
Provencal urged policymakers, academics, and citizens alike to interrogate the cultural dimensions of development, suggesting that universities could play a role in researching and addressing these issues.
He concluded by encouraging Ghanaians to support local industries and creatives, stressing that national growth must be both economic and cultural.
As debate continues over the feasibility and impact of the Kwahu projects, Provencal’s remarks have added a broader perspective one that challenges not just policy, but mindset.
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