Founder and Senior Partner at AB and David Africa, David Ofosu-Dorte, has urged Ghanaians to move away from the entrenched belief that political leaders alone are responsible for national transformation.

Speaking at the JoyNews and Amalgam of Professional Bodies Speaker Series, he stated that the responsibility of building a prosperous nation lies equally with its citizens.

According to him, the culture of depending solely on leaders to solve national challenges has disempowered the ordinary Ghanaian, reinforcing a cycle of dependency that hampers real progress.

“We tend to see those who go into political leadership as solely responsible for transforming society. But that is not true. We are all responsible for this transformation if we truly want to see change,” he stressed on Monday, April 28.

Tracing the roots of this mentality, Mr Ofosu-Dorte pointed to historical experiences such as chieftaincy systems, slavery, colonization, and post-independence governance that fostered a culture of leader worship and citizen passivity. Over generations, he said, this history has shaped a societal mindset that places leaders on pedestals while absolving ordinary people of their civic responsibilities.

He further criticised the country’s current political environment, noting that multi-party democracy, rather than empowering citizens, has intensified political divisions and personal loyalties at the expense of collective national interests.

“Multi-party democracy was meant to liberate us, but instead, it has created a situation where citizens align themselves with political parties for personal benefit. As a result, the active, engaged citizenry needed to drive national progress has been weakened,” he said.

Ofosu-Dorte called for a fundamental shift in mindset, urging citizens to actively participate in nation-building beyond voting and political partisanship. He advocated for a return to a spirit of ambition, innovation, and hard work reminiscent of the major national projects of the 1960s.

"We must rebuild the 'can-do' spirit among our people. Nation-building requires more than politics — it demands collective action, sacrifice, and a proactive citizenry," he stated.