President Mahama Calls for Long-Term National Development Plan Transcending Electoral Cycles
President of the Republic of Ghana H.E John Dramani Mahama has addressed the growing national interest in a long-term national development plan, emphasizing the need for a stable and predictable path that transcends electoral cycles and partisan politics.
Speaking during the inauguration of the Eighth National Development Planning Commission today at the Jubilee House, established under Articles 86 and 87 of the 1992 Constitution, President Mahama emphasized, Ghanaians increasingly demand a stable and predictable path for national development that transcends our electoral cycles and partisan politics.
President Mahama quoted Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, highlighting the importance of a clear vision for economic development and the need for a longer view to achieve radical transformation.
“ Here, I’m reminded of the words of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah in his visionary seven year development plan, and he stated the economic policies will lack direction and consistency, unless they are firmly related to a clear vision of the structure of the economy towards which we are moving. It is only in the longer view, he said, longer view, that it is rational to project any really radical transformation of our economic system. And it goes on to say, in the very short period, we remain prisoners of our past. And so there already, Nkrumah was projecting that we should have a longer view of our path of development.” President Mahama.
He cited , nearly 70 years after independence, our economy continues to rely heavily on a narrow range of primary commodities with limited diversification and value addition.
He said this reality reflects the persistence of structural constraints that continued to hold us back, proof that in many respects, Ghana remain, as Nkrumah said, “prisoners of our past”.
President Mahama mentions various long-term development frameworks, including the Ghana Beyond Aid Charter, Ghana at 100, and Vision 2057, and urges the commission to consolidate these efforts into a coherent national development plan.
“Since the completion of the 40 year national development plan in 2017 under the leadership of Dr Nil Moi Thompson, who now returns to chair the commission, other frameworks with similar long term ambitions have emerged. Notable among these are the Ghana beyond aid Charter, the Ghana at 100 long term development framework, and the vision 2057, perspective framework.” He added.
