The father Ghana never had

Throughout Ghana’s post-independence history, the country has longed for a true Father of the Nation — not just in title, but in action. 

A leader who doesn’t just speak well or charm the people during election seasons, but one who understands the sacred duty of leadership: to protect the inheritance of the people and uplift generations beyond their time.

Today, Ghana stands on the edge of a turning point. For the first time in its history, President John Dramani Mahama has reportedly taken steps to reclaim full control over some of Ghana’s gold mines, a move that, if fully implemented, will not only shake the foundations of foreign exploitation but also establish him as the first Ghanaian leader to truly challenge the legacy of economic colonisation head-on.

Gold: The blood of the land
Ghana, once known as the Gold Coast, is a nation whose very name is tied to the sacred element of gold. It is no accident.

Gold has been the backbone of Ghana’s wealth for centuries, long before colonial powers arrived.

But since independence in 1957, the gold has slipped further away from the hands of the people and deeper into the pockets of foreign multinationals.

Today, over 90 per cent of Ghana’s gold mining industry is controlled by foreign companies and, in return, the nation receives minimal royalties, polluted rivers, destroyed farmlands and impoverished mining communities.

This has been the tragedy of Ghana, a rich country made poor by bad deals, weak leadership and a political elite that often prefers foreign approval over national prosperity.

That is why Mahama’s recent move stands out like a golden sunrise over decades of darkness.

It is something no president before him has dared to do, not because it wasn’t possible, but because it requires a lion’s heart and a father’s love.

For over six decades, Ghana’s leaders have watched as billions of dollars in gold were extracted and shipped overseas, while the people in mining towns remained poor and underdeveloped.

Year after year, leaders spoke of economic growth, yet the wealth of the land never translated into prosperity for the people.

In this long history of deferred dreams, Mahama’s initiative is not just policy — it is prophecy being revived.

Beyond politics:

A father’s spirit

What makes this moment different is not just the boldness of the act, but the spirit behind it.

This is not simply about nationalising mines or renegotiating contracts.

This is about reclaiming dignity, asserting sovereignty and protecting the inheritance of future generations.

In African tradition, a father is not merely the one who provides — he is the one who protects.

A father secures the land so his children can build on it.

A father lays the foundation, even if he never lived to see the house finished.

A father sometimes makes unpopular choices today, for the sake of tomorrow.

That is the kind of leadership Ghana has lacked for too long.

Leaders who see four-year terms instead of 400-year visions.

Leaders who think like politicians, not patriarchs.

Why this move matters now

The timing of this initiative could not be more critical. Ghana is currently in a financial crisis, once again entangled in IMF loans and foreign debt traps.

The cedi continues to lose value, inflation is choking families and unemployment is robbing the youth of hope.

Meanwhile, the country’s gold continues to flow out, enriching foreign shareholders while Ghana begs for aid.

Taking control of the gold mines is not a radical idea — it is a rational act of survival.

It is the first real step toward using Ghana’s wealth to solve Ghana’s problems.

With sovereign control, the government can:

Establish a National Gold Reserve to back a future gold-linked currency.

Use gold revenues to invest in agriculture, education, healthcare and infrastructure.

Create domestic industries around gold refining and jewellery manufacturing.

Negotiate from a position of strength in international trade and finance.

This is how true national development begins — not with borrowed dollars, but with bold decisions.

Enemies of progress

Of course, such a move will not come without resistance. Foreign companies will fight back.

Western media will run hit pieces.

Local politicians on foreign payrolls will scream “corruption” or “dictatorship.”

Even some Ghanaians, conditioned by decades of economic dependency, will fear change.

But that is the price of real leadership.

A true father is not afraid of his children’s temporary anger.

He knows that discipline today will bring freedom tomorrow.

A true father does not bow to external pressure — he bows only to truth, justice and the ancestors who watch from beyond.

If President Mahama can withstand the political heat, resist the temptation of personal enrichment, and walk this path with integrity, he will stand alone in the pages of Ghana’s history as a liberator in a suit — not with guns, but with guts.

Call to all Ghanaians

This is not the time to sit on the sidelines.

This is not the time to play party politics.

This is the time to rise as citizens, not spectators.

Ghanaians must hold Mahama accountable — but not through cynicism or sabotage. 

Through support, pressure and collaboration.

Let us remind ourselves: a father can only lead if the children are ready to follow with faith and discipline.

If President Mahama succeeds in this historic mission to reclaim Ghana’s gold mines, he will have done what no president before him has dared to do: return the wealth of the land into the hands of its rightful owners — the people.

He will not only be remembered as a former president — he will be remembered as the Father Ghana Never Had.

A man who stood between his nation and economic slavery, and chose to fight. A man who looked at a broken legacy and dared to rebuild it.

A man who saw gold not as a commodity, but as a covenant between the land and its people.
May this be the beginning of a new Ghana — proud, sovereign and truly rich.