Support CPESDP To Change Ghana’s Developmental History

The Minister for Planning, Prof George Gyan Baffour has called on Ghanaians to support the government’s Coordinated Programme of Economic and Special Development Policies (CPESDP), which seek to address the socio-economic challenges under which Ghana is reeling.

He noted that the policies capture the development plans, which are to be pursued at the regional and district levels.

According to him, CPESDP is a comprehensive development agenda, which spurns from 2017-2024, and launched by the President in April, to serve as an economic and social mobilisation on the grounds of development.

The Coordinated Programme is in fulfilment of Article 36, Clause 5 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, which demands 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, and in all the regions of Ghana.

He announced that in the quest to propagate the policies, they have been to Eastern Region, Central, Western Upper East, Upper West, Brong Ahafo and Ashanti to disseminate the CPESDP.

Prof George Gyan-Baffour, who made these disclosures at a regional dissemination of the Coordinated Programme of Economic and Social Development Policies (CPESDP), explained that Ghana, in her Fourth Republic, has four of such blueprint documents.

However, the Prof Baffour, who doubles as the Member of Parliament for Wenchi in the Brong Ahafo Region, noted this is the first time a sitting President has presented his development agenda to Parliament earlier than any other elected president.

He told the forum where metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCES) were largely present that CPESDP encompasses the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Agenda, and reminded the MMDCE's that the policy is going to be the fulcrum of Ghana’s development in every nook and cranny of the country.

The Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, Mrs. Elizabeth Agyemang, noted that the programme, dubbed “An Agenda for Jobs: Creating Prosperity and Equal Opportunity for All”, aims to establish a strong economy which hinges on five pillars of growth and development, namely, Revitalising the Economy, Transforming Agriculture and Industry, Strengthening Social Protection and Inclusion, Revamping, and Social Infrastructure and Institutional Reform.

The Deputy Regional Minister mentioned that these interventions intend to address the demands of Ghanaians, and that the government has been reliably informed that coordinating programmes of economic and social form the basis for ministries and agencies, as well as municipal and district assemblies, to prepare respective medium term plans and strategies for implementing the policies under their agenda.

Mrs. Agyemang stressed the importance for all participants to be well informed of the programme.

In a presentation, Dr. Kwadwo Mensah-Abrampah of the Ministry of Planning explained that the CPESDP Economic Growth seeks to restore and manufacture micro economic stability, industrial transformation, private sector development, agricultural and rural development, and formalisation of the economy.

On social development, Dr. Mensah-Abrampah explained that the CPESDP entails educational and training, health employment, decent work, food security, population management, water and sanitation, poverty inequality, gender and sports empowerment, child, family and welfare.