Ghana’s president Nana Akufo-Addo has underlined Ghana’s new found interest in China as a glorious path to growth and development rather than a new pact for recolonization by a superpower.

Addressing the 73^rd UN Assembly in the US, the West African leader was unequivocal in stating the development trajectory Ghana and other African countries have practised over the years has not yielded the desired rate of development.

“We are trying a different one,” he assured, one which is to “forge relations with China,” he hinted.

“We know we must get our population educated and trained. We are certain about it. We must address our infrastructural deficit. The traditional methods of tackling these problems will not provide the answer. We are looking at new ways of solving this. Ghana like many countries in Africa is forging relations with China to make arrangements to help address part of our infrastructure deficits,” he said.

For many who have entertained fears that dealing with China for infrastructure development might be a trap for recolonization by a superpower, the president turned to world history to allay their fears.

“It was at the turn of the 20^th Century that China’s first railways were built by Western companies, financed by Western loans to a nearly bankrupt China dynasty and it was under those circumstances that the strategic port called Honkong was leased for 99 years and the rest, as the saying goes, is history.

“Today the former victims of Western Railways imperialism is lending billions to countries throughout Africa, Asia and Europe to construct not just railways but Highways ports power plants and many businesses,” he stated.

He said Ghana must build roads, bridges ports, railways, schools hospitals and provide jobs for its youth and will take the new path to achieve that.

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