‘A serious country cannot start afresh every four years’ – Asiedu Nketiah

Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, the National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has criticized Ghana's tendency to discontinue or substantially alter development programs whenever political power changes hands. He argues that this practice undermines long-term national development and suggests that Ghana needs to foster a culture of institutional and policy continuity.

"A serious country cannot start afresh every four years," Mr. Nketiah said during the 4th Bono Regional Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Awards in Sunyani. He noted that governments often change the name or structure of existing programs, sometimes spending additional public funds to achieve similar outcomes. While acknowledging that failing policies should be discontinued, Mr. Nketiah emphasized that effective programs should be improved and maintained for citizens' benefit.

He urged successive governments to build on what is working rather than repeatedly starting from scratch. Mr. Nketiah also highlighted the need for forward-looking investments in industrial land, skills development, infrastructure, and agriculture to address predictable pressures such as population growth, urban expansion, and changing labor market requirements.

He called for consistency in national economic planning and urged political leaders to learn from past mistakes to avoid repeating them. He also emphasized the importance of journalists in long-term accountability by tracking government commitments, maintaining accurate records of projects, expenditure, and outcomes to ensure transparency and facilitate informed decision-making.