The Mayor of Cape Coast, Hon. George Justice Arthur, has cautioned that the growing lack of citizens’ trust in government institutions poses a significant threat to Ghana’s democratic growth and long-term prosperity.

Speaking during the marking of Ghana’s 69th Independence Day Anniversary at the Cape Coast Victoria Park on the theme "Building Prosperity, Restoring Hope," the Mayor emphasized that strong national development depends not only on policies and leadership but also on public confidence in state institutions.

According to Hon. George Justice Arthur, when citizens lose faith in public institutions, it weakens governance, undermines accountability and slows national progress.

“A nation cannot prosper when its citizens have little or no trust in the institutions meant to serve them. Rebuilding public confidence must therefore remain a national priority,” the Mayor stated.

He further highlighted that the way forward to building prosperity as a nation will include economic empowerment, where small businesses are supported in other to encourage entrepreneurship, investing in local industries and promoting innovation and technology.

In the wave of the celebration, Dr. Samuel Aryee Ofori, who is the Director of Programs and Research at Climate Change Advices Ghana and a Senior Lecturer at the School of Agriculture of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) elaborated on the need to safeguard the country's ecosystem, in conformity with efforts being pulled globally to aid Ghana's sanitation drive towards sustainable development.

He reiterated that "the emission of waste especially from plastics is the cause of global warming," thus the need to channel a conscious effort towards its eradication.

Dr. Ofori's address was made as Green Africa Youth Organization joined this year's Ghana's Independence at Cape Coast.

Sompaonline.com//Eric Annan