Former Minister of Finance and Economic Planning , Professor Kwesi Botchwey
A Former Minister of Finance and Economic Planning under the Rawlings administration, Professor Kwesi Botchwey has asked his party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), to have the discipline to ensure effective participation in parliament.
He said the party must also have a clear objective policy agenda in order to keep the government of the day on its toes.
Asked what the NDC can do at the moment in order to drive issues that matter to Ghanaians to the forefront of discussions in the media while speaking at a forum organized by the Development Challenge, on Friday July 30, he said “This goes beyond the political parties but yes, the political parties are the main instruments for democratic practices so the NDC and all parties have a responsibility.
“In the end they should be able to influence not just the narrative but policy making in our development through canvassing and participating elections, winning power, getting to parliament, they are able to influence the passing of laws, legislations and keep government on their toes. This is by all political parties.
“But if you ask me about what the NDC can and should do, not just to influence the narrative, but to help set the right policies and help the implementation.
“The party itself must have clear objectives and must have the discipline to ensure that its participation in parliament is effective. It must itself have its own policy agenda that defines it.”
He added “The NDC as I understand it and as I have always understood it is a left or centre party, it is a social democratic party.
“Now, there is something happening and we need to understand that globally, all left or centre parties, all social democratic political parties the world over are in difficulties , they are increasingly being marginalized .
“If you take the Labour Party in the United Kingdom has not been in power for a long time, In Germany the NDP has not been in power for very long time, so it is a global phenomenon.
“It is in part the result of the demographic and other social changes that are taking place.”