According to him, although it is possible for Ghana’s economic structure to be transformed to allow for private sector and light industrialization to thrive, the process will require political commitment and putting in place the right systems.
Mr Casely Hayford was responding to a claim by the Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Akufo Addo,that the NPP is preparing a comprehensive programme of industrialization and modernization that can transform Ghana’s economy in a matter of a decade.
Nana Addo made the assertion after addressing a closing ceremony of a workshop organized for NPP researchers from the ten regions on Wednesday March 9.
He said he was drawing a lot of inspiration from the Brazilian experience, where within a matter of a decade, President Lula da Silva, managed to transform the nation “from a perennial underachiever into one with strong economic clout, and model social programs which have brought unprecedented prosperity to the people.”
However, Mr Casely-Hayford told Citi News that most often, it is the capacity of leaders that makes the difference rather than the type of development model adopted.
“Nana has chosen the Brazilian model and the Brazilian has worked because of public private partnership. I have to assume that when he talks about learning from Brazil that is what he is referring to. Not only has it worked in Brazil it has worked in India as well. If he adopts the public private partnership model where private sector brings capital to the table and then makes its money of the back of the infrastructural developments in association with government it works. Contrary to the other types of models, the Singaporean and the Malaysian models which has a lot more government involvements has also worked. So it not about the system that you accept but the people who you choose to enable you implement what you have chosen”.
Meanwhile, a member of the NPP communications team, Yaw Buabeng Asamoah in a reaction told Citi News that the NPP will provide a visionary and focussed leadership to achieve its goals.
“Nana is offering us that leadership, vision, trust, the optimism that we as Ghanaians can do it because Brazil has done it and we can do it too, we have the resources. He believes in a focussed leadership that prepares itself before coming into government”.
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