Tema, Dec. 28, GNA – The Office of the Senior Presidential Advisor is to institutionalise the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda through specific goals that would be embraced by all Ghanaians.
Consequently, it has spelt out pillars of the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda, which hinge on a commitment to a Ghana Beyond Aid Charter that specifies key values and attitudinal foundations necessary for pursuing the vision.
The goals would ensure commitment to policy and institutional reforms necessary for driving the agenda, mobilizing and motivating Ghanaians to contribute and embrace the vision and the reforms.
The pillars also focus on the formation of an effective Social Partnership between the Government and key stakeholders in society to prosecute Ghana Beyond Aid as an ongoing national agenda, rather than as a particular plan of the Government in power.
Dr Eric Yeboah, Secretary Ghana Beyond Aid Committee, which operates under the Office of the Senior Presidential Advisor, Mr Yaw Osafo Marfo, stated this at the Ghana News Agency Boardroom Dialogue.
The GNA Boardroom platform serves as a weekly media interaction with state and non-state operators to speak on topical issues of national interest.
Dr Yeboah said the goals would create an inclusive and nationally-owned vision and approach for a more robust and enduring environment for implementing development programmes.
He said the Social Partnership Framework will ensure a nationally agreed vision, goals and reforms in attitudes and behaviour.
However, each Government may draw up and pursue its plan of programmes and investment projects.
Dr Yeboah said Ghana Beyond Aid requires that we foster a spirit of collaboration among all stakeholders in Ghana’s development including the individual Ghanaian, Business, Labour and Government, among others, in pursuit of rapid economic growth and job creation.
He said the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda had been divided into five broad goals—building, Wealthy, Inclusive, Sustainable, Empowered, and Resilient (WISER) Society.
“These goals are consistent with those in the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s Coordinated Programme of Economic and Social Development Policies (2017-2024).
Therefore, to pursue effectively the Ghana Beyond Aid and build a W.I.S.E.R Ghana in the shortest possible time, “we have to rid ourselves of the mindset of dependency and do things differently in Ghana.
“We, therefore, resolve and pledge to embrace attitudinal change and be more committed to the fundamental values: Patriotism; Honesty; Respect; Discipline; Volunteerism; and Self-reliance,” Dr Yeboah noted.
Dr Yeboah, however, expressed concern about indiscipline, especially in the area of sanitation, stressing that the government was spending a lot of money in paying people and getting the necessary equipment to ensure that the nation was clean but the indiscipline act of some Ghanaians was making it difficult to achieve this aim.
“We must be disciplined enough to stop littering the street and also do the right thing to help keep our communities clean,” he said.
He, therefore, urged Ghanaians to embrace a new mindset to help the government because non-compliance could have a huge financial cost.
“This can cause the government to use revenues meant for other pressing issues to solve the ones that could be taken care of individually,” Dr Yeboah said.
Mr Francis Ameyibor, GNA Tema Regional Manager, explained that the Boardroom Dialogue formed part of a broader objective of the Agency towards revamping its operations.
Mr Ameyibor said the GNA found it necessary to engage economists to help educate the people as part of the agency’s contribution towards good governance.