NPP ditching 40-year development plan for a 10-year plan – Sam George

NDC Member of Parliament for the Ningo Prampram constituency, Sam George, is accusing the Akufo-Addo government of ditching the 40-year development plan, for a ten-year plan that is being prepared.

“I think they [NPP government] are also trying to develop a ten-year plan. Instead of having a national plan every government seems to be wanting to develop its own development plan,” he said on Citi FM/Citi TV’s news analysis programme, The Big Issue on Saturday.

The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) under the chairmanship of economist Kwesi Botchwey within a period of two years, put together a long-term National Development Plan for the country which was to span a period of 40 years.

The plan was aimed at shaping Ghana’s future and complementing the existing medium-term development plans of the country.

Dr. Botchwey had prior to the December 2016 general elections advised the various political parties not to neglect the implementation of Ghana’s National Development Plan.

According to him, the plan must be incorporated into political parties’ manifestos to ensure the country’s set development targets are met in spite of political transitions.

But former Director-General of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Dr. Nii Moi Thompson, has complained that the advice has not been adhered to.

Sam George, also a former presidential staffer, said on The Big Issue that the NPP will never use the 40-year development plan.

“This government, then in opposition, stayed away from the processes that led to the creation of this 40-year plan and said Ghana does not need a 40-year development plan. So they were opposed to that 40-year development plan. So they’ve come into government and once they’ve made their position known, you don’t expect them to use it,” he added.

Source: citinewsroom.com