Ghana has “abundant natural resources” but in the midst of the plenty, the citizens are still poor because corruption has eaten into every sector of society, according to the 2012 flagbearer of the Progressive People’s Party.

Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom said it is also sad that Ghanaians do not value their own while others celebrate their human resource.

“We have suffered under leaders - political, religious, business and social, who have promised a lot to be given the opportunity to lead but have disappointed the people with selfish partisan political and ethnic/tribal approach to governance,” the businessman said in a statement to mark Ghana’s 58th Independence Day anniversary on his Facebook page.

According to him, Ghana “is in a deadly embrace with corruption, the rot that is killing our national spirit. That rot gave birth to dumsor. That rot is what has sent us back again to the IMF.”

For him, the only panacea is to “wage a relentless war on the twin evils of corruption and tribalism. We must honour the national promise embedded in our constitution to give equal opportunity to all so that all our citizens can be the best that they are willing to work hard for.”

He added: “It is time to make education a right through free, compulsory education through high school. We must turn politics into an opportunity to serve and not a path to grab the nation's riches for oneself. We need competent, incorruptible leadership to make our independence worthwhile for all the people.”