By Sandra Agyeiwaa OTOO
The President of the Global Africa Trade Advisory Chamber (GATAC), Dr. Dominic Oduro-Antwi, has warned that the nation’s development trajectory will remain uneven unless political parties are compelled to align their policies with the country’s long-term national development plan.
He noted that although successive governments have rolled out notable initiatives over the years, the lack of continuity between administrations continues to weaken the overall impact of such efforts.
“Ghana’s development will remain uneven if political parties fail to align with the country’s long-term national plan, as policy discontinuity across administrations continues to weaken the impact of government initiatives,” he said.
Speaking in an interview, Dr. Oduro-Antwi explained that Ghana’s 40-year national development plan is intended to guide the country towards building a just, free and prosperous society by 2057.
However, he cautioned that the plan risks losing relevance if it is not consistently reflected in government policies.
According to him, while political parties across the spectrum often express similar ambitions for national transformation, they frequently fail to anchor their programmes within a coherent long-term development framework.
He stressed that this shared desire to improve the country highlights the need to place Ghana’s interests above partisan considerations.
“Everybody talks about making Ghana better. That tells you Ghana must come first,” he said.
Dr Oduro-Antwi emphasised that prioritising national interest over partisan agendas is critical to achieving sustainable, long-term outcomes, and called for greater discipline in governance and policy execution.
He proposed the introduction of a binding legal framework that would require political parties to incorporate elements of the national development plan into their manifestos before assuming office.
Such a measure, he argued, would ensure that successive governments build on existing programmes rather than abandoning them.
“When a government comes into power and there is a viable project, it must be continued. That is how nations develop,” he stated.
He further suggested that adherence to the national development framework should be treated as a prerequisite for governance in order to strengthen accountability and policy stability.
Beyond legislative reforms, Dr. Oduro-Antwi underscored the need for a shift in national mindset, urging both leaders and citizens to commit to a shared vision for development.
“The plan must not just exist as a document. It must guide decision-making, and we must also change our attitude as a country,” he said.
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