Page 134 - Afrika Must Unite

BUILDING SOCIALISM IN GHANA I i g
gives her one of the highest densities in the world. These are
factors which bear directly upon the planning for industrial
development and economic independence. They provide both
causes and solutions in the drawing up of programmes, and the
degree of adjustment that is made to the problems which they
also raise will depend upon the economic course that is taken.
In Ghana, we have embarked on the socialist path to progress.
We want to see full employment, good housing and equal
opportunity for education and cultural advancement for all the
people up to the highest level possible. This means th a t:
- prices of goods must not exceed wages;
- house rentals must be within the means of all groups;
- social welfare services must be open to all;
- educational and cultural amenities must be available to
everyone.
It means, in short, that the real income and standard of life of all
farmers and workers must rise appreciably.
I have already made it clear that colonial rule precluded that
accumulation of capital among our citizens which would have
assisted thorough-going private investment in industrial con­
struction. It has, therefore, been left to government, as the holder
of the means, to play the role of m ain entrepreneur in laying the
basis of the national economic and social advancement. If we
turned over to private interests the going concerns capitalized
out of national funds and national effort, as some of our critics
would like to see us do, we should be betraying the trust of the
great masses of our people for the greedy interests of a small
coterie of individuals, probably in alliance with foreign
capitalists. Production for private profit deprives a large section
of the people of the goods and services produced. If, therefore, we
are to fulfil our pledge to the people and achieve the programme
set out above, socialism is our only alternative. For socialism
assumes the public ownership of the means of production, the
land and its resources, and the use of those means in fulfilment
of the people’s needs.
Socialism, above all, is predicated upon the ability to satisfy
those needs. It is obvious, therefore, that Ghana at this time is
not possessed of the socialist means. Indeed, we have still to lay
the actual foundations on which they can be built, the modern-