Former Finance Minister and ex-Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, has issued a sweeping call for national moral renewal, warning that Ghana’s future depends as much on character as it does on policy and economic reforms.
In a New Year message to Ghanaians at home and abroad as the country enters 2026, Dr Duffuor said the nation stands “at a critical crossroads” and must confront what he described as a deepening erosion of discipline, integrity and public-spiritedness.
“A new year is more than a change in calendar. It is a national moment of reckoning,” he said, urging citizens to reflect honestly on the country’s direction and the values shaping public life.
Dr Duffuor cautioned that indiscipline on the roads, environmental neglect and the abuse of public trust were steadily undermining Ghana’s institutions and moral foundations.
“Our nation stands at a critical crossroads. We must address uncomfortable truths because ‘truth with danger saves generation’,” he stated, adding that “the erosion of discipline, the weakening of moral restraint and the dominance of self-centeredness over selflessness increasingly define our public life.”
Calling for a deliberate reset, the former central bank governor stressed the need for leadership rooted in both competence and ethics, particularly among the younger generation.
“We must mentor the young ones to be deep rooted in integrity before acquisition of skills. Skills without integrity are insufficient. Integrity without skills is incomplete,” he said. “Our nation needs both because, integrity and skills are the two pillars of leadership.”
Dr Duffuor also advocated stronger investment in religious and moral values across society, arguing that national transformation cannot be achieved through policy alone.
“National transformation will not begin in policy alone. It must begin with character,” he said, while calling for a generation that “values truth, keeps its word, respects life and places the public good above private gain.”
Despite his sober assessment, Dr Duffuor struck an optimistic tone, reminding Ghanaians of the country’s history of resilience and sacrifice.
“Ghana’s story has never been one of despair. It has always been one of resilience, conscience and renewal,” he noted, urging citizens to draw inspiration from the selflessness of the nation’s forebears.
He emphasised that moral renewal is a shared responsibility, not one confined to government.
“Renewal is not the responsibility of government alone. It is the duty of every parent, teacher, professional, faith leader and public servant,” Dr Duffuor said, adding that when integrity becomes the standard, “corruption loses its grip.”
Framing 2026 as a decisive year, he challenged Ghanaians to act collectively to restore the country’s values and secure a stronger future. “The New Year, 2026 is therefore a defining moment for us all,” he said. “Let history record that when Ghana faced moral decline, we the people rose with courage and conviction.”
Dr Duffuor ended his message with a call for unity and renewed national purpose: “May the year renew our conscience, strengthen our unity and awaken in us a shared commitment to the Ghana we owe ourselves and generations yet unborn.”
“Happy New Year, and May Ghana rise to be the Great Nation we all want.”
Source: www.kumasimail.com
