Let’s have an Independent National Development Planning Commission

It is a well known political fact that Ghana does not have a sustainable, pragmatic and factual national development plan.
The lack of the said plan, which is a major cause of our under development, can be attributed to the following:
1. Our partisan politics that breeds too much self-interest to the detriment of national interest
2. The destructive political conflicts that go on within the various political parties.
3. The situation whereby the main opposition party and the party in power are usually at each other’s throat in and out of parliament.
4. The cycle of refusal of the main opposition party to see the goodness in what the party in power does.
In view of the above stated appendages of partisan politics that are destroying our “moving forward” agenda and which seems to be incurable, just because partisan politics is not seen as a means to serve our nation, but a lucrative business venture by which we amass wealth; it is very important and crucial that we sit up as a nation and agitate for an Independent National Development Planning Commission which should be free from partisan politics. A plan that political parties cannot gamble with or easily ignore for political expediencies.
The said commission should be composed of states men and women (who are experts in their fields of work) from all or some of the recognized bodies in Ghana.
The commission should be empowered by our constitution to engage in a proper prioritization of the needs of Ghana, drawing up a sustainable, pragmatic and factual national development plan. The said plan should be geared towards bridging the gab between the few rich and the poor.
The development plan in question and the funds needed to execute it should have the approval of parliament. After approval, the said plan should be given to the executive arm of government for execution under the supervision of the National Development Planning Commission. The said commission should have offices in all the district capitals.
A change in government SHOULD NOT in anyway affect the execution of the plan, unless circumstances demand it. Any changes in the plan should have the approval of parliament in order that we may be able to have a sustainable national development plan for our dear mother Ghana.
The members of the said commission should be changed positively after a limited number of years for the good of our country. Let us all be mindful of the fact that the black race is different from the white race in many ways and therefore, we should not copy verbatim from the white race and as a result, sacrifice our systematic national development on the altar of partisan politics, otherwise, the “better Ghana” that we are searching for after fifty three (53) years of independence will be an illusion.
The gab between the few rich and the poor majority will get worst. The poor will get poorer inspite of the fact that Ghana is blessed with huge natural and human resources.
Let the several years of political experiences that we have gained as a nation, open our eyes to see, believe and accept the fact that African partisan politics breeds too much self-interest to the detriment of national interest. Let us also believe that it will not take us anywhere and it will not benefit majority of Africans, no matter how long we live with it.
We should also note that Ghana’s problems cannot only be blamed on bad leadership, but also on a people sunk into corruption, embezzlement, laziness, lateness and dishonestly.
Let us therefore, pray seriously to God, to grant us His grace to enable us to allow Him to liberate us from our evil activities that have caused so much damage to our systematic national development so that the “better Ghana” that we are all dreaming of after fifty three (53) years of independence, may be a reality.

By Rev. Fr. Ignatius Amponsah
P. O. Box 147, Nsawam
Tel: 03421 22263 / 0209 062367
Email: difficultcat2@yahoo.com