AGI President Dr Kwesi H. Ayim Darke addressed the National Development Summit 2023
AGI President Dr Kwesi H. Ayim Darke addressed the National Development Summit 2023
The summit, which took place at the Alisa Hotel yesterday Wednesday 20th December 2023, gathered over 200 experts in policy formulation who commit to comprehensive discussions on the way forward for maintaining inclusive growth and shared prosperity for national strategy and plan.
The outcome of the summit will be incorporated in Ghana’s draft Long-Term National Development Perspective Framework to be implemented over successive political administrations.
Dr. Kwesi H. Ayim Darke expressed his appreciation for AGI to be called on to present its position on the national strategic plan.
He said that the private sector is a driver for every economy in the world and the fulcrum on which all national strategic plans must revolve.
He said the private sector functions transcend beyond political regimes and therefore the developmental model for national agenda must feature industrialisation prominently as a key driver for economic growth.
He assured that the AGI will support the Commission’s mandate through sharing Ideas, proposals, and experiential knowledge gathered over the years.
The National Development Summit is of utmost importance as it provides a critical platform for Ghana to address the challenges and shortcomings in its development agenda. Historically, the country has faced setbacks in implementing comprehensive development frameworks due to factors such as inadequate integration with the national budget and the need for external debt relief arrangements.
The objective of the key was to foster constructive dialogue, build societal consensus and shape policy solutions that improve the living standards of all Ghanaians.
This summit serves as an opportunity to foster national consensus and create ownership of a joint long-term vision. By engaging key stakeholders, government agencies, civil society organizations, the private sector and international partners, the summit aims to create a collaborative and inclusive environment for dialogue and decision-making.
Through this platform, Ghana can align its development priorities, strategies, and investments with a shared long-term vision. Such a joint vision can be incorporated into political party manifestoes, ensuring commitment to its implementation across different administrations. Ultimately, the Summit seeks to establish strategic recommendations that transcend political cycles and guide the nation towards sustainable, inclusive, and transformative development. It emphasizes the need for continuity, coherence, and effective resource allocation in Ghana’s pursuit of its development aspirations.
Key topics for deliberations ranged diversifying Ghana’s economy, increasing agricultural productivity, enhancing access to quality education and healthcare, upgrading infrastructure, strengthening climate resilience, combatting threats like illegal mining and unplanne urbanisation, improving public service delivery and accountability, and mitigating risks like flooding.