Koforidua Hosts Workshop On Co-Ordinated Programme of Economic and Social Development Policies

By Richard Akuffo K.

A workshop to disseminate the Co-ordinated Programme of Economic and Social Development Policies (CPESDP) for 2017-2024, which was launched by the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in April, 2018 has taken place in Koforidua.

Article 36 clause 5 of the 1992 Republican Constitution of Ghana enjoins Government to present its co-ordinated programme of economic and social development policies including agricultural and industrial programmes at all levels in all regions to Parliament within two years after assuming office.

Addressing participants, Professor Gyan Baffuor, Minister for Planning, indicated that the CPESDP captured the divergent aspirations of the people into a formidable shared vision that would be translated into plans, programmes, policies and actions to be pursued in all regions, districts and in all sectors of the economy.

Professor Baffuor said the national policy document outlined the vision of the President and offered a comprehensive diagnosis and analysis of the socio-economic challenges and presented new approaches to addressing them.

He said, with specific programmes and interventions, CPESDP gave a clear sense of the direction and the development chart the President wanted the country to follow which would then serve as a basis of the economic and social mobilisation as well as guidance for future governments.

He said the policy document was an embodiment of the President's experiences and convictions and the aspirations of the people and reflected the International development environment. He added that it was a forward-looking document indicating the development path to chart, a reference source to validating decisions and actions, and an indicator for assessing performances and accomplishments, thereby setting the stage for taking Ghana beyond aid.

Mr Eric Kwakye Dafuor, Eastern Regional Minister, who spoke on the theme for the national policy--An Agenda For Jobs Creation, Prosperity And Equal Opportunities For All--said the CPESDP captured aspirations for Ghanaians to guide planning, policy formulation, implementation measurement and assessment of government policies, programmes and actions to be pursued in all sectors of the economy.

He said the new economic and social policy regime was to create an optimistic, self-confident and prosperous nation through the creative exploitation of the country's human and natural resources within a democratic, open and fair society in which mutual trust and economic opportunities existed for all.

Mr Dafuor said implementation of the policy document needed a strong and strategic collaboration among public and private sector institutions to propel the economy for jobs, wealth and prosperity for all.

Some officials from the Planning Ministry took participants through the goals and objectives of the CPESDP and outlined the policy direction of the program such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and linkages with CPESDP, the role of CSOs, private sector implementation of the CPESDP and the District Dissemination of CPESDP.

Read Full Story