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A national development framework that reflects the development aspirations of citizens from which future medium-term development plans will be derived was yesterday launched in Accra.
Known as the “Vision 2057: Long-term National Development Perspective Framework (LTNDPF)”, the document will among other uses, serve as a guide and reference point for the preparation of manifestos by all political parties to ensure that the long-term vision and goals for the development of the nation captured in the 1992 Constitution are not compromised.
The framework, prepared by the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), was jointly unveiled by the former Chairman of the Committee of Experts that drafted the 1992 Constitution and Paramount Chief of Asante Asokore in the Ashanti Region, Nana Dr Susubiribi Krobea Asante, and a former Chief Justice, Justice Sophia Akuffo, who were supported by other dignitaries at the event.
It specifies how Ghana would look like in terms of its social, economic and environmental development by 2057 when it attains 100 years. The eight chapters of the 111-page document highlights the vision, goal, drivers of transformation and targets which could be attained by 32 years’ period.
The targets are economic and social development; natural and built environment; governance and emergency preparedness and resilience; the effective delivery of vision 2057, as well as two appendices that show results of the framework and the Map of Ghana.
The document hopes to achieve the ultimate vision of the country which should be “a free, just, prosperous and self-reliant nation which secures the welfare and happiness of its citizens while playing a lead role in international affairs".
The Chairman of the NDPC, Prof. George Gyan-Baffour, called on the government and Parliament to support the commission by formulating a Constitutional Instrument to enable it to compel political parties to align their manifestos with the document.
He said the establishment of the NDPC under the 1992 Constitution laid the foundation for a comprehensive approach to development planning, culminating in the introduction of long-term development frameworks such as Ghana Vision 2020.
Others were Long-term National Development Plan of Ghana (2018-2057), Ghana @100, and the subsequent Coordinated Programmes of Economic and Social Development Policies (CPESDPs). Prof. Gyan-Baffour also explained that with Vision 2057, “we chart a bold course towards a brighter future guided by lessons learned from past experiences informed by global commitments”.
Roadmap
The NDPC chairman further said that the document provided a roadmap for achieving the nation's collective aspirations by the time the country would be celebrating its centenary anniversary in 2057.
Prof. Gyan-Baffour said the NDPC, upon extensive consultations with stakeholders, came to the realisation that instead of a rigid, prescriptive plan for the country, developing a flexible long-term guiding document was the way to go.
That, he said, would allow future generations and governments the freedom “to steer the nation's course with their projects, programmes and actions while remaining true to the overarching vision of the country in building a free, just prosperous and self-reliant nation as enshrined in our 1992 Constitution”.
The Director-General of NDPC, Dr Kodjo Esseim Mensah-Abrampa, also said the document would enable citizens, media and civil society organisations to demand accountability from duty-bearers.
For his part, Nana Dr Asante said: “Under our brand of multi-party politics where competitive manifestos are dominant and policies and programmes embarked on by one administration may be abandoned by another, achieving long-term development goals may be elusive.”
He, therefore, said there was the need for a stable development planning regime which would not permit deviation by successive governments.
