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27.11.2015 General News

Political Parties Demands Strong Legal Backing Of 40year Plan

By Abubakari Seidu Ajarfor
Political Parties Demands Strong Legal Backing Of 40year Plan
27.11.2015 LISTEN

Political parties are saying that the Long Term National Development Plan must be given some legal backings so that it becomes a compulsory blueprint for all successive governments.

The political parties however reaffirm their support for the development of the 40 year plan because of its wider consultation which provides an opportunity for the citizens to take part in the decision making processes.

The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo, the Osu Mantse including representatives from the NDC, NPP, PPP, CPP, PNC and GCPP seems to have a common belief that the long term national development plan will provide a new dimension of building a better Ghana for all.

Speaking at a two consultation forum in Accra, Madam Eva Lokko, who represented the Progressive Peoples Party [PPP] said the PPP is congratulates the National Development Planning Commission [NDPC] for winning the battle of providing the country with a comprehensive and all inclusive 40year plan.

“We hope they [NDPC] will have all the legal backings that will empower them to enforce and direct all political parties irrespective of who comes into power to implement the 40year plan,” she stated.

Madam Eva Lokko urge other political parties to think outside the box and forget their “I know it all manifestoes” and rather adopt the 40year plan as a guiding principle that will lead all political party into the same direction of developing the country.

She added that the 40year plan should back the call for the elections of MMDAs by way of empowering citizens to hold elected members accountable.

Madam Eva Lokko said the 40year plan should be seen as document that will promote private sector growth, create jobs and provide preventive health care facilities across all the regions in the country.

“The NDPC is on the right road and we need to rally behind it so that if any party refuses to implement the 40year plan, we kick them out,” she intimated.

G. A. Agulijam, a representative from the People National Convention [PNC] said the development of the 40year plan must lead to providing a comprehensive blueprint that will be acceptable to the views of Ghanaians.

He said the only way the 40year plan can work in this country is to enforce discipline and commitment of governments in their day to day activities.

Mr. Agulijam added that the 40year plan must have, not just a long term plan but a categorical development imperatives, an attitude towards a new era of transformation.

John Ameka, a representative from the Great Consolidated Popular Party [GCPP] added that the country needs a domestication plan that will develop the agriculture sector and protect our water bodies.

According to him, there must be a plan that will increase food production, provide raw materials to feed our local industries and create jobs for the teeming unemployed youth in the country.

Yaw Adu-Larbi, representing the Convention Peoples Party [CPP], noted that the way forward for this country is to adopt a scientific base approach towards development.

According to him, the approach must be build towards industrialization of our local economy.

Similar concerns were raised by the representative from the New Patriotic Party [NPP], Kwadwo Baah Agyemang but added that the way forward for the plan is to create incentives for growth and development of this country.

He said the 40year plan must create opportunities for the youth, unleash their potentials, and the macroeconomic development of the country.

The Chairman of NDPC, Prof. Kwesi Botchway said the create deal of concerns expressed is the sustainability and the implementation of the 40year plan.

“We belief that the surest way to sustainability of the plan is the legitimisation of the process involved in the inclusive and participatory approach by the Commission,” he noted.

The Director General of the NDPC, Dr. Nii Moi Thompson indicated that the growing interest of Ghanaians is high because the 40year plan is going to improve the living standards for all Ghanaian today and in the future.

He noted that there were similar attempts to develop a long term plan for the country but that failed to materialise because it lacked the broad base approach and support of the country.

Dr. Nii Moi Thompson however intimated that the 40year plan is backed by Act 815.

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