An environmental advocate, Nana Dwomoh Sarpong has called for the government's reset agenda to be implemented as a comprehensive transformation that touches every sector of the nation.
He believes that a piecemeal approach will yield limited benefits.
In an interview, he said to maximise the advantages of this reset, it must encompass a radical rethinking of the economy, healthcare system, job creation strategies, environmental policies, agriculture and other critical areas of national development.
Healthcare: a litmus test
A central aspect of his argument is a strong condemnation of medical tourism by public officials. He stated, “It is an indictment on our national conscience. While our citizens queue at under-resourced clinics, our leaders fly abroad for medical care. This medical tourism by our officials is not a symbol of status but a monument to failure. It drains our foreign exchange and, more critically, undermines their incentive to fix what is broken here. Why would they care about a broken MRI machine at Korle Bu when they can get a scan in London?”
He emphasises, “Our health sector is not in the best shape. The ultimate test of its viability is when those in power are compelled to use it themselves.”
For Nana Sarpong, a genuine health sector reset must include a policy mandating that officials use domestic healthcare facilities, thereby creating a strong incentive to improve them.
Linking other sectors
Nana Sarpong pivoted to another crisis, he declared a similar reset was needed in agriculture. “We must feed ourselves. It is a curse to import basic foodstuffs we have the land and sun to produce. A revitalised agro-sector will guarantee food sufficiency and create surplus for export, boosting our economy. It is a national shame to export raw materials only to import the very food that should nourish our people,” he posited.
He also highlighted the inseparable link between a healthy economy and a healthy environment, warning that prosperity is unattainable “while our rivers, the very source of life, are under threat from galamsey.”
While he praised recent aviation initiatives, he called for more strategic reforms to strengthen Ghana's position as a regional hub.
Regarding education, he described the sector as the “bedrock of national prosperity” and urged for a curriculum reset to provide relevant, technology-focused learning for the youth.
