Speaking on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York , Ablakwa argued that Africa's natural wealth should allow the continent to move away from relying on external assistance.

“You cannot be the most blessed continent in the world and still be dependent and waiting for handouts from outside,” Ablakwa said.

He said Ghana plans to stop exporting raw materials, including cocoa, gold and bauxite, by 2030 and instead increase domestic processing.

“We are going to add value. We are going to industrialise and make sure that we have resource sovereignty,” he stressed.

Ablakwa also called for a rethink of Africa's relationships with its longstanding international partners.

“This business of, ‘These are my traditional allies. These were our colonial masters. These are the people who have always been with us’ - it doesn’t work,” he added, calling instead for “win-win partnerships” without exploitation or conditionalities.

He also revealed that Ghana's Cabinet had recently discussed possible membership of BRICS.

“Let me disclose that our Cabinet has considered BRICS membership recently, and we are taking a very positive view of BRICS. So a lot is changing,” he continued.

Ghana hosts the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat in Accra.

Ablakwa said intra-African trade remains at around 14%, arguing that increasing trade between African countries could help reduce dependence on external partners.

The exact date of filming could not be independently verified.