President John Dramani Mahama has set up a 7-member committee tasked to plan for the much-awaited National Economic Dialogue (NED) in the coming days. This is done in fulfillment to a promise by President Mahama to convene an economic dialogue as part of his 120-day social contract with Ghanaians.
The 7-member planning committee will be chaired by Dr. Ishmael Yamson. The Committee among other things is tasked to develop a comprehensive agenda for the conference, coordinate speaker and panelist selections, and manage the logistical arrangements for the programme such as venue and transportation. The committee is also tasked to organise and facilitate panel discussions, workshops and breakout sessions; identify and invite moderators and rapporteurs. Lastly, the planning committee is expected to prepare a detailed report including policy recommendations for presentation to the President. The NED Planning Committee has 4 weeks to submit its report.
The National Economic Dialogue will offer a platform for dialogue and consultation on the country’s pressing development challenges. It will also discuss policy trade-offs and build consensus on reforms needed to transform Ghana into a high-growth, inclusive and resilient economy. By the end of the conference, the government envisions NED to achieve the following:
- Communicate the true state of Ghana’s economy to stakeholders and the people of Ghana
- Develop a homegrown fiscal consolidation programme to guide the national budget
- Highlight key structural reforms and policy priorities essential for resetting the economy.
The other members of the planning committee are Dr. KY Amoako, Professor John Gatsi. Mohammed Samara, Nelly Mireku, Anthony Sarpong and Ernest De-Graft Egyir.