Manifestoes should be linked with national development plan - PEF

Accra, Nov. 27, GNA - Nana Osei Bonsu, Chief Executive Officer of Private Enterprises Federation, has said that all manifestoes of political parties should be carved-out from the country's national development plan.

He said the framework for the plan should be mandatory as it was critical in ensuring continuity, transparency and efficiency since national development surpassed the interests of a political party.

Mr Bonsu said this on a panel discussion in Accra on the Ghana Journalists Association programme dubbed: 'Business Advocate' on Ghana Television on the relevance of the country's national development plan.

The programme was supported by BUSAC Fund, Denmark Embassy, United States Agency for International Development and the European Union.

Mr Bonsu said equally important was that the country's budget should be different from that of the National Development Planning Commission for the public to know the real money allotted to the Commission.

He said the Commission should be adequately funded to carry out its programmes and that the country's activities revolve around the Commission's mandate.

Mr Bonsu called for constitutional provisions that would bind successive governments to implement long-term national development plans.

'The national development plan should be private sector driven to ensure a holistic development because the sector plays an important role in transforming the socio-economic growth of the country,' he added.

He expressed concern about the influx of foreign companies in the country, calling on government to institute proactive policies to protect the local companies.

Mr Alfred Kwasi Opoku, Vice President of the Ghana Institute of Planners, said government should make public the budgetary allocation for the Commission for an improved planning.

He said the Institute subscribes to the long term national development plan, adding that the lack of consistency and continuity in different sectors of the country had affected developmental projects.

Dr Emmanuel Akwetey, Executive Director of the Institute of Democratic Governance, said the long-term plan should be implemented alongside a medium term plan, say four year term.

He said the budget for the Commission must take recognizance of the district assemblies since that is where the implementation takes place.

'The overall policy on the plan must be strategic, focus on governance framework, performance assessment, priority assessment and transparency approaches,' he added.

GNA