NPP presidential candidate Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has proposed the development of long-term national masterplans for critical sectors of Ghana’s economy, which would be binding on successive governments regardless of the political party in power.

He believes such an approach would prevent incoming administrations from abandoning projects and policies initiated by their predecessors, ensuring continuity in national development and the completion of long-term infrastructure projects.

Dr Bawumia made the proposal following a series of engagements with Japanese development and engineering institutions as part of his visit to Japan.

In a statement recounting his engagements, he said his final day of formal meetings in Japan involved discussions with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Nippon Koei, CTI Engineering and Oriental Consultants Global.

The discussions focused on critical development challenges, including disaster risk reduction, coastal erosion, flood mitigation, transport planning and the development of masterplans for cities.

According to Dr Bawumia, what particularly impressed him about Japan was the country's long-term approach to national development, where successive governments and stakeholders build consensus around development plans and commit to implementing them over extended periods.

He observed that Japan's approach allows projects and development policies to continue for decades, with little risk of a new administration abandoning the work of its predecessor.

"Japan takes the long view. They build consensus around a plan and then commit to executing it over 30 years," he stated.

He contrasted this with Ghana's development approach, where, in his view, the absence of agreed national masterplans in several critical sectors has contributed to discontinuity in development initiatives whenever political power changes hands.

"That is a major difference between Japan and Ghana," he said.

Dr Bawumia argued that Ghana must move away from the practice where successive governments pursue different development priorities without necessarily building on the long-term plans of their predecessors.

He proposed that political parties reach a consensus on national masterplans in critical areas, particularly coastal erosion management, flood control and public transport, and formally commit themselves to their implementation.

Under the proposed arrangement, such plans would remain national development priorities irrespective of which political party wins an election and forms the next government.

"Let us have agreed masterplans in areas such as coastal erosion, flood control, and public transport - and let all political parties sign up to them," he said.

"So that no matter who forms the government, the plan will be executed until it is completed."

Dr. Bawumia stressed that his proposed approach would also require political parties to place long-term national development objectives above partisan considerations in selected strategic sectors.

The NPP presidential candidate believes Ghana can adopt aspects of Japan's planning model to build a development framework that successive governments would be committed to implementing.

Samira Bawumia Stuns Audience with ‘Asaase Yaa’ Poem at Literary Night