Government to rely on private sector to achieve ‘GbA’ agenda – Minister
Professor George Gyan-Baffour, the Minister of Planning at the weekend said the government is relying mostly on civil society and the private sector actors to achieve its vision of developing ‘Ghana beyond Aid’(GbA) agenda.
He said a robust civil society and the private sector performers remained key partners of any developing nation, thus the need for the sector to be well-abreast with visions of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the nation.
Prof Gyan-Baffour who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Wenchi Constituency in the Brong-Ahafo Region made the statement at a dissemination workshop on the “Coordinated Programme of Economic and Social Development Policies (CPESDP) 2017-2024” in Sunyani.
He repeated government’s call on civil society and the private sector actors to facilitate direct interventions particularly at the District levels to ensure dissemination of the policy and promote accountability in the implementation process.
The purpose of the nationwide workshop was to disseminate, educate and provide information on the objectives of CPESDP.
An agenda for jobs: creating prosperity and equal opportunity for all, President Akufo-Addo in April this year launched the CPESDP, which outlined his vision for the nation and the specific programmes and interventions to achieve the vision(s).
The document, which is a guide to the government in the management of the country, seeks to help the President to achieve his vision to develop “an optimistic, self-confident and prosperous nation, through the creative exploitation of the country’s human and natural resources”.
Prof. Gyan-Baffour explained the CPESDP captured the divergent aspirations of people into a formidable shared vision that was being translated into plans, programmes and actions to be pursued in all regions, districts and in all sectors of the economy.
This, he added was why it was imperative and required active engagements and contributions of civil society and private sector actors for the government to achieve her vision of accelerated growth and national development.
“The CPESDP is an embodiment of the President’s experience and convictions, the aspirations of the people of Ghana and also reflects the international development agenda that our country has agreed to pursue”.
“it is a forward looking document indicating the development path to chart, a reference source for validating decisions and actions and an indicator for assessing performance and accomplishment”, the Minister explained.
Mr Collins Osei, the Executive Director of the Save Our Environment Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation, on behalf of the civil society organisations (CSOs), said it was an undeniable fact that Ghana could succeed without the complimentary role of the civil society.
To achieve the objectives of the CPESDP, he said civil society would leverage her competencies to facilitate constructive engagement between citizens and government on the day-to-day implementation of the document.
Describing the document as an essential ingredient of representative democracy, Mr Osei said the CSOs would take advantage of coordinated programme and ride on the goodwill amply demonstrated by President Akufo-Addo to help citizens to voice their aspirations, concerns and alternatives for consideration by policy makers.
President Akufo-Addo presented the CPESDP, which is in fulfilment of Article 36, clause five of the 1992 Constitution, to Parliament in November 2017 and makes him the first President in the history of Ghana to have satisfied the constitutional requirement.
Article 36, clause five requires that “within two years after assuming office, the President shall present to Parliament a coordinated programme of economic and social development policies, including agricultural and industrial programmes at all levels in the regions of Ghana”.
Source: GNA