National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has called on African leaders to move beyond strong political statements and take concrete steps toward economic transformation across the continent.

He said meaningful progress in Africa depends not on rhetoric but on practical actions such as competent governance, industrialisation, technological advancement, stronger regional integration and improved negotiation capacity on the global stage.

Mr. Asiedu Nketia made the remarks at the 3rd Meeting of the Standing Committee of the International Movement for the Freedom of Nations, held in St. Petersburg, Russia, on June 25, 2026.

He stressed that the struggle against neocolonialism will only succeed if African countries shift from exporting raw materials to adding value, become producers rather than consumers of technology, and build institutions capable of transforming political independence into economic strength.

According to him, sovereignty must be matched with capacity, adding that freedom should translate into shared prosperity for African nations.

He referenced Ghana’s first President, Kwame Nkrumah, noting that the warning that political independence without economic independence is incomplete remains relevant in today’s global system.

Mr. Asiedu Nketia said Africa’s progress in addressing these challenges will determine not only the continent’s future but also its influence in shaping the global order for generations to come.

He also criticised aspects of the current international economic system, calling for reforms that give developing countries greater influence in global governance structures.

He argued that global influence is shaped not only by military or political power, but also by control over the rules governing finance, trade, technology, intellectual property and investment.

According to him, representation in international institutions must go beyond physical presence to include meaningful participation in decision-making processes.

“A world in which some nations consistently write the rules while others are expected merely to comply with them cannot indefinitely claim to embody genuine equality among sovereign states,” he stated.