The future of young people is too important for waste — Ato Forson

Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has emphasized the importance of maximizing value for money in the New Economy agenda, emphasizing that Ghana cannot afford to squander resources meant to create opportunities for its youth. Speaking at the University of Ghana, Forson stated that any investments made under the programme should be measured by their capacity to generate employment, bolster businesses, and enhance livelihoods.

"The New Economy must be disciplined because the future of young people is too important for waste," he asserted. "Every cedi must work. Every project must pass the test of value for money."

The Finance Minister outlined five key questions that investments should be evaluated against: whether they will increase productivity, create jobs, expand exports, support private enterprise, and improve the lives of Ghanaians. "If it cannot answer these questions, then it does not belong at the center of this transformation," Forson warned. He stressed that spending discipline is directly linked to the prospects of young Ghanaians, making productive investment and employment central to the programme's success.

Forson also highlighted that discipline must be coupled with the ambition to tackle the country's challenges. "It must be bold because the scale of the problem is large," he said. He called for widespread national participation in implementing the programme, stressing that economic transformation cannot be achieved by the government alone. "And it must be national because transformation cannot be carried by government alone."