The Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State, Togbe Afede XIV, has described corruption as a major stumbling block to Ghana’s development, citing the extreme desperation endured by Ghanaians between 2022 and 2024.
He says the period was marked by pervasive corruption that left many Ghanaians preferring xenophobic conditions abroad to the economic hardship at home.
Speaking at the 2026 Asogli Te Za celebration on Saturday, October 3, 2026, Togbe Afede said the situation drove some citizens to extreme measures.
“We saw so much desperation on the part of Ghanaians, where we saw Ghanaians preferring xenophobic lives, xenophobic isolation in countries like South Africa, as opposed to the stifling economic conditions back at home,” he said.
Togbe Afede said the consequences were dire, with about 134 suicides recorded in 2024 alone. “Suicide rate in 2024 was about 134 in just one year,” he said.
He said the situation worsened in the first half of 2025, when 175 cases were recorded.
“Given the consequences, spilling over into 2025, we saw an even bigger upsurge in the first half of 2025 to 175. That is really bad indeed,” he said.
The overlord of the Asogli State linked part of the desperation to losses suffered under the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) introduced to salvage the economy as a result of the excessive borrowing by the then administration.
“We saw desperation coming from people losing a lot of their life savings through the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme,” he noted, describing as disgraceful, the award of scholarships meant for needy students to top government officials at the time.
“One of the most disgraceful for me is to find top government officials also taking government scholarships to study abroad. Scholarships that were intended for the needy,” he said.
According to him, some beneficiaries even included their spouses and children on the scholarship.
“And we’re still to find some recipients also having along with them their spouses and children as beneficiaries of scholarship funds,” he said, expressing worry over the fact that some people defended such act.
“But very worryingly, we saw people defend some of these ugly and naked acts of corruption,” he said.
Togbe Afede further highlighted the role of honesty and respect for truth as critical instruments in the fight against corruption.
This year’s celebration also marked the 23rd Anniversary of the ascension of Togbe Afede XIV as Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State.
Corruption poses greatest threat to Ghana’s development – Togbe Afede
