Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, former Ghanaian Energy Minister and Vice-Presidential candidate for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), has challenged African leaders to prioritize political will and bold policymaking to advance the continent’s sustainability goals.
Speaking at the Alliance for Science Global Consortium meeting in Kenya, the seasoned statesman framed sustainability as a non-negotiable pillar for Africa’s socio-economic survival, urging leaders to look beyond short-term electoral gains.
“Africa’s sustainability crisis is not merely an environmental issue—it is a political and moral imperative,” said Opoku Prempeh during his keynote address titled “The Sustainability Challenge for Africa.” He warned that without urgent, coordinated action, future generations could inherit a continent crippled by climate disasters, resource depletion, and entrenched inequality.
Drawing from his experience as Ghana’s former Education and Energy Minister, Opoku Prempeh stressed that political leaders hold the keys to systemic change. “Sustainability does not happen in a vacuum. It requires leaders willing to enact policies that may not yield immediate applause but will secure our children’s future,” he asserted. He criticized the tendency of African governments to prioritize quick fixes over long-term strategies, citing climate change, deforestation, food insecurity, and reliance on extractive industries as existential threats demanding visionary leadership.
The former minister outlined actionable steps for policymakers, emphasizing the need for laws that protect ecosystems, investments in renewable energy, and partnerships to build climate-resilient infrastructure. He praised Senegal’s President Macky Sall for expanding renewable energy access and Ghana’s former President Nana Akufo-Addo for initiatives like the Green Ghana reforestation project and the promotion of sustainable agriculture. “These examples prove that progress is possible when leaders align policy with purpose,” he noted.
Opoku Prempeh also called for stronger international advocacy, urging African nations to unite in demanding equitable climate financing and technology transfers at global forums. “We cannot tackle these challenges in isolation. Our voices must be loud, clear, and united on platforms like the UN Climate Summit,” he said.
However, he cautioned that top-down policies alone are insufficient. Governments, he argued, must empower citizens through education and grassroots engagement. “Sustainability begins with awareness. When communities understand the stakes—clean water, food security, energy access—they become partners in progress,” he explained.
The address struck a sobering chord as Opoku Prempeh highlighted stark realities: over 600 million Africans lack electricity, 280 million face hunger, and climate-driven droughts and floods displace millions annually. “These are not statistics—they are emergencies,” he said. “Leadership means making tough choices today to prevent catastrophe tomorrow.”
His remarks come amid growing scrutiny of Africa’s development models, with critics arguing that reliance on foreign aid and resource extraction undermines self-sufficiency. Opoku Prempeh’s call for political courage reflects a broader push to redefine Africa’s trajectory—one where sustainability and equity are central to governance.
As the continent grapples with competing priorities, his message resonates as both a challenge and a roadmap: without political will, Africa’s sustainability ambitions risk remaining aspirational. For leaders, the time to act is now—or risk failing a generation.
