A social progressive policy think tank, Think Progress Ghana, has urged the government to focus on four key areas of the economy to enhance development in the country.
The not-for-profit think tank, in a press release dated January 24, 2024, stated that the government should direct its attention to the economy, energy, education, and health sectors.
“We draw attention to pressing areas of hindrance and bottlenecks to our development and national cohesion, namely energy supply, state of economy, quality of education, health care delivery, and ethical behaviour in Government. These are pointers to social strife which should drive the Government to make prudent and pragmatic choices to address them,” the think tank added.
Read the full press statement below:
THINK PROGRESS GHANA ON NEW YEAR POINTERS OF STRIFE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 24, 2024
Think Progress Ghana, a not-for-profit, social progressive public policy Think Tank, aims to bridge the gap between intellectuals, researchers, politicians, and policymakers in policy formation and implementation in Ghana. In this New Year Message, we draw attention to pressing areas of hindrance and bottlenecks to our development and national cohesion, namely energy supply, state of economy, quality of education, health care delivery, and ethical behaviour in Government. These are pointers to social strife which should drive the Government to make prudent and pragmatic choices to address them.
1. State of Energy supply:
One of the key indicators of economic growth is the consistent and affordable energy supply which the current government has failed to deliver. The Volta Dam spillage and the downstream havoc wrecked on unsuspecting citizens, homes and properties are further manifestations of government’s unsatisfactory energy policy. We are currently experiencing intermittent supply of energy (alias Dumsor), with its attendant consequences for industry and human life. There would be no meaningful industrialization without having adequate and reliable energy supply. Hence, it is very crucial for the Government to pay full attention to our energy challenges and find permanent solutions. We urge the Government to begin a fruitful dialogue with the Independent Power Generators- Ghana, and start paying the US$2.4 billion it owes them.
2. State of Economy:
Ghana is in a miserable economic mess – excessive borrowing, over employment in the public sector, wastage of public funds, profligate spending by the executive, massive corruption; imported inflation around 54% as Cedi continues to fall against international currencies; increase in fuel prices and the multiplier effect on prices of goods rising over 350% since 2022. Unfortunately, there is no evidence of turning the corner soon. Think Progress Ghana believes we are at the precipice of social implosion if the Government does not show practical and verifiable signs of dealing with the economic problems soon, and if campaign activities/politicking in an election year are excessive and carelessly pursued.
3. State of Pre-Tertiary Education:
The Government’s flagship Free SHS program is in disarray. In 2022, a KNUST lecturer could not reconcile how students who scored “A” grades in science could not do basic calculus. In 2023, the University of Ghana reported that 3rd year students in the 4-year undergraduate degrees who scored a GPA of less than 2.0 would be dismissed. And reports of massive failures in the teacher trainee licensure examinations, low remuneration of teachers, poorly trained teachers, inadequate feeding of boarding school students which is also affecting their academic performance – all point to the need for a review of the educational system. Think Progress Ghana believes in free SHS but not the way it is being implemented. We add to widespread calls for a review that needs not be dishonestly dismissed by the Government in an election year as a call for cancellation of the free SHS.
4. State of Health:
We continue to have significant deficits in our health care infrastructure. Think Progress Ghana calls on government to expedite operability of neglected health care infrastructure. Think Progress Ghana also repeats our call on government to embark on a comprehensive review of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to ensure effective management of chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiac, kidney and pulmonary diseases. In view of the unrealistic tariffs for health services and drugs (e.g. prescription drugs GHS500 in 2022 to GHS4,000 now and monthly Blood Pressure Tabs from GHS375 to GHS1,500), patients choose between food and medication, between delivering babies at home or in a hospital, or deferring health care if they cannot afford to go to the hospital.
Concluding Remarks
The Government must seriously pay special attention to the forgoing pointers in the current climate of helplessness that may otherwise result in social upheaval in an election year.
*Think Progress Ghana calls on the government to curb the self-serving, corrupt, and ostensibly neo liberal policies that have led us into the current harsh economic situation in Ghana.
*We call on the legislature to faithfully discharge their role as a watchdog in this election year and for legislators (MPs) to be always mindful of the hardships of the electorates they serve when they decide and vote in parliament.
*We call on the Government to marshal experts in the various endeavours irrespective of their political, ethnic, or religious affiliations to help steer the affairs of our beloved country out of the perilous state we find ourselves.
*We call on Ghanaians to remain law-abiding and peaceful citizens and vote their conscience come December 7, 2024.
Long live Ghana,
Long live the 4th Republic of Ghana.
***END***
Signed on behalf of Think Progress Ghana
Prof Anthony Mawuli Sallar
Senior Fellow & Executive Director, Think Progress Ghana
Dr. Francis Atsu
Senior Fellow, Think Progress Ghana
Mr. Phidelis Mawunyo Ebledzi Fellow, Think Progress Ghana