Every Ghanaian Must Contribute to Nation-Building – Cardinal Turkson

His Eminence Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, Chancellor of the Pontifical Academies of Sciences and Social Sciences, has called on Ghanaians to actively participate in national development, stressing that building a prosperous country is a collective responsibility – not one that rests solely on the President or government.

Speaking on Channel One TV, Cardinal Turkson underscored the importance of civic duty and urged all citizens to recognise their role in shaping Ghana’s future.

“Ghana is not the President. The nation and the country Ghana are not just the President, his Ministers, the Cabinet, the government, or the people who elected them. Different people are elected to different positions,” he stated.

“It is only fair to recognise that nation-building is not solely the task of the leadership, but also of all citizens.”

He emphasised that while the state is mandated to promote development and governance, those efforts can only succeed if individuals also see themselves as active contributors.

“Living in a nation or state is the relational context in which we develop everything we have. On occasions like July 1, we must recognise that everyone has a role to play. Nation-building is not the task of leadership alone – it involves everyone,” he added.

Cardinal Turkson encouraged Ghanaians to take their civic duties seriously—from daily contributions to national life to thoughtful participation in elections by choosing leaders who reflect their values and aspirations.

He further urged the clergy and government appointees to foster unity and work collaboratively with President John Dramani Mahama in advancing national development.

Reflecting on the role of the clergy during the 2024 election season, he emphasised the need to maintain a strong and united relationship with the President.

“For me, it was important that all the team that helped the President to do all of this [National Day of Prayer] must recognise their unity with him,” he said.

He cautioned that both the clergy and ministers must view their responsibilities in relation to the President’s leadership to ensure coherence in governance.

“Ministers [clergy] must recognise that what they do gains meaning and significance only in relation to the leader [Mahama]. We do this by sharing in his spirit.

“There must be harmony, communication—whatever term you use, that union must exist. It cannot be everyone going their own way, otherwise it’s not a united form of governance,” he added.