Regional Consultation on the Longterm National Development Plan
1 STATEMENT BY THE PEOPLE’S NATIONAL CONVENTION (PNC) Presented by George Agulijam Date: 12th November, 2015 Venue: Capital View Hotel, Koforidua Mr. Chairman, Honourable Regional Minister, Chiefs and Elders of the region, All protocols observed; Almost six decades after independence, the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) on behalf of Ghanaians is facilitating a process of putting in place a long-term development plan for our dear nation. The problem the PNC has with this initiative is that close to 60 years is just too late, but the good is that we are here to start to put in place this programme to transform our dear nation. Our position as a political party is that we believe in long-term development planning and we will therefore provide the needed support for the process. We are also happy with the participatory and inclusive approach, consulting all stakeholders across board to put in place a long-term development plan that will reflect the aspirations and development interests of the people of Ghana. We also endorse the team-building spirit and the support that NDPC has provided ever since we started collaborating on this process. We are very positive this process will lead to the preparation of a comprehensive long-term development plan to transform this nation such that some of us will see this country developing before we enter our graves. We have wasted so much time as a country. As a party, what we cannot guarantee is the determination, boldness and political will to implement the long-term development plan by the government. We have all seen, over the past 23 years, the approach to development by the two key political parties. Are we happy with it? What we can guarantee or the only way the PNC can guarantee a genuine and sustainable transformation and implementation of this plan, is if the PNC is voted into power.
REGIONAL CONSULTATION ON THE LONG-TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN Statement by the PNC ©NDPC, 12th November 2015
2 Mr. Chairman, We have reasons to say this. This is the seventh region we have been to in consulting regional stakeholders as part of the process of towards a long-term development plan. I am happy to say that the Eastern Region has behaved the PNC way. Why do I say that? The Eastern Region is the only region that we haven’t wasted time in starting the programme. Mr. Chairman, This is a credit for the Regional Minister: we thank you for your leadership. We also have to add that for every region we have been, the NDPC Commissioners for the various regions are always among the first people to be there. So the problem, really, is the politicians we have in this country and not any other person. So Mr. Regional Minister, thank you for behaving the PNC way and we pray that all other regional ministers will behave like you. We believe a long-term development plan is not a panacea for socioeconomic transformation, because development literature reveals that many more plans have fallen flat than the successes stories we have seen. There are a god number of factors that can transform this country. It is not about massive capital injection, it is not about development partners coming in to help us, not about IMF, not about the World Bank, it is about our human requirement, our level of discipline, our achievement coefficient, how hungry we are to transform this country, how dedicated we are, how committed we are. We don’t have to import these human resource requirements. Mr. Chairman, We are very grateful for this opportunity, and we as political parties have united in this process and will support this process to the end. Thank you very much.
REGIONAL CONSULTATION ON THE LONG-TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN Statement by the PNC ©NDPC, 12th November 2015
REGIONAL CONSULTATION ON THE LONG-TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN Statement by the PNC ©NDPC, 12th November 2015
2 Mr. Chairman, We have reasons to say this. This is the seventh region we have been to in consulting regional stakeholders as part of the process of towards a long-term development plan. I am happy to say that the Eastern Region has behaved the PNC way. Why do I say that? The Eastern Region is the only region that we haven’t wasted time in starting the programme. Mr. Chairman, This is a credit for the Regional Minister: we thank you for your leadership. We also have to add that for every region we have been, the NDPC Commissioners for the various regions are always among the first people to be there. So the problem, really, is the politicians we have in this country and not any other person. So Mr. Regional Minister, thank you for behaving the PNC way and we pray that all other regional ministers will behave like you. We believe a long-term development plan is not a panacea for socioeconomic transformation, because development literature reveals that many more plans have fallen flat than the successes stories we have seen. There are a god number of factors that can transform this country. It is not about massive capital injection, it is not about development partners coming in to help us, not about IMF, not about the World Bank, it is about our human requirement, our level of discipline, our achievement coefficient, how hungry we are to transform this country, how dedicated we are, how committed we are. We don’t have to import these human resource requirements. Mr. Chairman, We are very grateful for this opportunity, and we as political parties have united in this process and will support this process to the end. Thank you very much.
REGIONAL CONSULTATION ON THE LONG-TERM NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN Statement by the PNC ©NDPC, 12th November 2015
