Ghana’s Development will Remain Backward – Lecturer
In a candid assessment of Ghana’s development trajectory, Dr. Eric Bimpong, a lecturer at KAAF University College has expressed grave concerns about the nation’s future prospects, predicting a backward slide in the next 5 to 10 years.
Dr. Bimpong, a prominent commentator on socio-economic issues, emphasized that the absence of a coherent national policy has hindered progress and resulted in a political landscape driven by manifestoes rather than a strategic vision.
“Ghana will go backwards in the next 5 to 10 years because since I was born, I have realised we have no national policy,” he said in an interview on Opemsuo Radio’s Nkwantannanso with Kofi Boakye on September 25.
Lamenting the state of affairs in Ghana, he argued that ‘things’ have worsened under the Fourth Republic, attributing this decline to the dominance of politics over national development.
According to him, politicians often prioritize their manifestoes over aligning with a comprehensive national policy.
“Things worsened under the 4th Republic. Because under this Republic, Ghana is under the influence of politics. The manifestoes given by politicians, is it what the country needs? Is it according to the national policy? We should have a national policy so that manifestoes match them.”
He pointed out that Ghana once had a National Development Planning Commission. However, politicians eventually abandoned the idea, fearing it would expose their shortcomings.
Dr. Bimpong stressed the importance of having national policies in key areas such as housing, health, and education. He highlighted the lack of progress in affordable housing and the delay in completing projects like the Sewuah Hospital as examples of the consequences of the absence of a comprehensive national policy.
“Any civilized country has a national policy,” Dr. Bimpong said, drawing attention to the need for a group of experts to formulate a coherent vision for Ghana’s future. He called on citizens to champion the cause of establishing a national policy, emphasizing that the nation’s development could only advance with a clear and unified vision.
“Why should we be hungry when we have programmes like ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’?” he questioned.
Story by Adwoa S. Danso
