2 Entities solicit views on national economic transformation
In a bid to create a social contract between Ghana's leaders and the citizenry, the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) and the African Centre for Economic Transformation (ACET) embarked on a Citizens' Engagement initiative.
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The project, which took place in seven regions across the country, was aimed at gathering the views of citizens on issues hindering the country's economic transformation. They are the Volta, Eastern, Ashanti, Western, Bono East, Northern, and Greater Accra regions.
The engagements focused on thematic areas such as Private Sector Development, Youth, Employment, Skills, Health, Climate Change, Fiscal Planning and Gender. Participants from diverse backgrounds, including farmers, traders, artisans, youth groups and individuals with disabilities, shared their challenges and recommendations.
In the Private Sector Development category, participants emphasised the need for affordable loans, reduced duties and taxes, capacity building and adoption of technology. They suggested that the government should allow the Central Bank to work independently to reduce interest rates, and banks should support individual business ideas.
Additionally, duties and taxes at the port should be reduced to boost exportation and importation, and traditional authorities should release litigation-free lands for development.
Participants
The youth, who represented a significant portion of the participants, highlighted the importance of inclusive education, merit-based recruitment, and holding governments accountable.
They emphasized that education should be tailored to meet the needs of the industry and business, and that merit and qualification should be considered in recruitment processes.
Participants also highlighted the need for access to education and healthcare for persons with disabilities. They suggested that school environments should be inclusive, and that herbal medicine should be properly packaged to attract the international market.
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Furthermore, the government should ensure easy access to facilities such as hospitals and schools for persons with disabilities and provide interpreters for those with hearing impairment.
The Citizens' Engagement initiative also focused on climate change, fiscal planning and gender. Participants emphasized the need for proper planning and management of resources to address climate change, and that the government should ensure gender equality in all aspects of development.
The engagements were successful in bringing together citizens from diverse backgrounds to share their concerns and recommendations. The initiative marked a crucial step towards creating a compact between Ghana's leaders and the citizenry, ensuring that the country's economic transformation benefits all.
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The success of the initiative is attributed to the collaboration between NCCE and ACET, which brought together their expertise and resources to engage citizens across the country.
The NCCE's presence in all 16 regions and 264 districts enabled them to reach a wide range of citizens, while ACET's expertise in economic transformation provided valuable insights into the challenges facing the country.
The Citizens' Engagement initiative demonstrates the power of citizen participation in shaping the country's future. By providing a platform for citizens to share their concerns and recommendations, the initiative has empowered Ghanaians to take an active role in shaping the country's economic transformation.
The compact that emerges from this initiative will serve as a social contract between Ghana's leaders and citizens, ensuring that the country's development benefits all.