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President John Mahama has hailed the National Development Planning Commission’s determination to develop a framework document to serve as a long term development plan for the country. Delivering the keynote address to signify commencement of work for the 40-year development plan, President Mahama expressed optimism that the NDPC’s action will reflect the aspirations of Ghanaians.

This, he said, will help the nation to draw important lessons from its challenges and achievements. “Together today we are taking a clear and collective decision not to repeat the mistakes of our past… “It is a process that should afford us the opportunity to have honest and open discussions of our aspirations as a people and what we need to do to realise these aspirations.”

Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission Dr Kwesi Botchwey has assured that the 40-development plan will be binding on successive governments.

Dr. Botchwey is confident that the document will guide the development agenda of the country. “In comparing ourselves with countries that have done better at development - the likes of South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Botswana, Kenya, Mauritius, Seychelles, Jamaica, Tunisia, Morocco - it is easy to fall into a feeling of some hopelessness and worse, even cynicism; a feeling that perhaps there is something wrong with the Ghanaian,” he said, but stressed this cannot be allowed to happen.