President John Dramani Mahama has issued a stern warning to global powers, stressing that Africa will not be compelled to choose between economic development and environmental sustainability.
Speaking in Accra at the opening of the 80th anniversary commemoration of the historic Fifth Pan-African Congress —
first held in Manchester in 1945 — Mr Mahama said Africa must enter global negotiations with confidence, clarity and non-negotiable demands.
“The world must understand that Africa will not be asked to choose between development and sustainability. We demand both. Indeed, we deserve both, and we will pursue both,” he said, drawing loud applause from the packed auditorium at the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park in Accra on Tuesday evening.
President Mahama reflected on the original 1945 Manchester Congress, describing it as the pivotal moment that set Africa on the path to liberation from colonial rule.
According to him, the event marked the awakening of a continent that refused to accept domination.
“Eighty years ago… the Fifth Pan-African Congress became the turning point that accelerated the liberation of our continent from colonial domination,” he recalled.
He noted that leaders such as Kwame Nkrumah, Jomo Kenyatta, Ras Makonnen and Marcus Garvey carried with them “the collective hope of millions of oppressed Africans,” insisting that Africa must unite and shape its own destiny.
He stressed that although colonial rule may have ended, Africa is now confronted with newer, more complex forms of domination — economic, technological, ideological and political.
“Our generation faces new forms of domination, some subtle, some obvious,” he cautioned, adding that despite the continent’s wealth, it remains “rich in natural resources but poor in global influence.”
Mr Mahama highlighted the urgent priorities facing the continent: economic transformation, technological sovereignty, climate justice, regional integration and democratic accountability.
He insisted that Ghana’s national agenda must align with a broader Pan-African mission.
“Our vision for a reset Ghana is inseparable from the vision of a reset Africa,” he stated.
One of the significant announcements he made was the introduction of a “League of African Free Movement,” which will initially involve seven African countries agreeing to abolish visa requirements among themselves.
He revealed that he would be writing formally to the leaders of the participating states.
“For those seven countries, if any of our citizens want to travel to each other’s countries, they won’t require a visa,” he said, calling it a practical step toward unity.
He expressed disappointment that Africans still faced travel hurdles within their own continent, saying, “it is a shame that we still have to travel to each other’s countries asking for a visa.”
He also emphasised the need for responsible leadership, calling on African governments to manage their economies transparently, protect rights and create opportunities for the continent’s large youth population.
He argued that climate negotiations must be approached from a position of fairness, noting that although Africa contributes the least to global emissions, it suffers the harshest climate impacts.
He urged African leaders, youth and workers to recommit to the ideals that guided the liberation struggle eight decades ago. “Africans will determine Africa’s destiny.
“Not by external forces, not by global markets, not by geopolitical competition, but by the courage, creativity and unity of the African people,” he stressed.
The two-day international conference gathered African scholars, activists, political leaders and members of the diaspora, all united in reaffirming the Pan-African vision that began in Manchester and continues to shape Africa’s quest for dignity, prosperity and global respect.
The historic event, organised by Accra-based Pan-African Progressive Front (PPF), will be climaxed on Wednesday with an Accra Declaration that will serve as a roadmap for Africa in years to come.
The conference will adopt another declaration demanding reparations. All of Africa awaits historical justice — recognition of the West’s crimes and repentance for them.
On the opening day, the participants discussed specific steps to obtain reparations in the near future: the waiver of payments on loans with onerous terms, the creation of a single African reparations fund, and customs duties on goods from former colonizers.
The conference participants were united in their desire to collectively achieve historical justice. The former colonizers must pay for their crimes!
