The President of the Republic of Ghana, H.E John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday launched the Ghana Infrastructure Plan (GIP) to accelerate development nationwide.
Speaking at the launch on Wednesday, 22 October, the President stated that the Ghana Infrastructure Plan (GIP) introduces one-state planning models that promote balance, regional development, and equitable access to opportunities.
“This new approach aligns our infrastructure development with our government’s big push agenda, the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The Ghana Infrastructure Plan introduces one-state planning models that promote balance, regional development, and equitable access to opportunities,” he said.
The event was held at the College of Surgeons and Physicians in Accra, under the theme, “The GIP is the Foundation of Ghana’s Long-term National Development.”
The President added that as a nation, we can not progress when there is an imbalance in economic development, therefore, there is the need for government to set up standards, a special vehicle to accelerate development in the Coastal, Middle-East, and Northern parts of the country.
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“We must stop that development imbalance, because every child finishes senior high school in the North. After a certain period of time, no economic opportunity, no economic opportunities, everybody is headed towards a crack. And that’s what we said.
“It just shows, geographically, what the imbalance is. Every industry is in Accra. All foreign direct investment is coming into Accra.
“The incentives that have been given to rebalance development have not been very effective. And we want to find a way of making them more effective. And that’s why we are suggesting an agricultural pact in the northern part of the country, where we will redirect some of the foreign investors who want to invest, and give them the necessary incentives, instead of settling in Accra, to move up to the North, to create jobs so that the young people can have opportunities there, and not drift down to the South,” he said.
President Mahama emphasised the need to develop multi-sectoral mechanisms to ensure infrastructure supports agriculture, industry, education, and healthcare systems effectively.
He further highlighted the importance of institutional reforms to promote continuity across governments, ending the recurring cycle of project abandonment after transitions.
“It operationalizes the government infrastructure plan to generate high-impact investments that will one complete abandoned and delayed projects in accordance with Article 35, Clause 7 of the 1992 Constitution, which mandates every government to continue and execute projects and programs that were commenced previously.
“To revitalize the government infrastructure investment fund that is given, to finance programs that are self-sustaining and commercially viable, to generate thousands of quality jobs for young people through public works and local contracting, to strengthen the institutional capacity for project preparation, monitoring, and evaluation,” he added.
He added, “Today we reaffirm this provision as the essential framework of national transformation. It is therefore with great pride that I officially launch the Ghana Infrastructure Plan, not as a new idea, but as a renewed commitment to the promise of a sustainable and inclusive infrastructure development for all Ghanaians.”
The Ghana Infrastructure Plan (GIP) is a long-term national infrastructure framework produced by the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC). Its aim is to chart Ghana’s infrastructure development from 2018 to 2047, aligning with aspirations for high‐income status by 2057.
