Vice President Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang says government is focused on building Ghana from the ground up, with greater attention to the needs of people at the base of the pyramid.
She said the approach is centred on investments in infrastructure, healthcare, education and other areas that directly affect the majority of Ghanaians.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang made the remarks when she met members of the Ghanaian community in Kigali, Rwanda, on the sidelines of her participation in the inaugural Africa Mindset Reset Forum.
The two-day forum, organised by the African School of Governance, brought together African leaders, policymakers and emerging leaders to discuss practical approaches to Africa’s development under the theme “From Pan-Africanism to Meta-Africanism.”
“We have decided that regardless the situation, we will focus more on building the nation from the ground up, paying more attention to those who are at the base of the pyramid,” Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said.
She explained that government’s investment in roads and bridges is intended to improve more than transportation, noting that infrastructure has a direct bearing on access to essential services.
“When a road is well constructed, it is not just about removing an inconvenience. It affects everything,” she said.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said government is also prioritising primary healthcare, including the establishment and strengthening of health facilities at the community and district levels.
She said preventive healthcare and healthy living are important to reducing the burden of illness on individuals and families, while government continues to equip hospitals to deal with chronic illnesses.
On education, the Vice President said government is addressing challenges in the Free SHS programme while providing schools with the equipment needed for effective teaching and learning.
She said government is also paying attention to schools that are not performing well, stressing that the foundation of education must be strengthened before students progress to the secondary level.
The Vice President acknowledged the difficult economic conditions inherited by the government, including high inflation, pressure on the local currency and debt challenges.
She said government is working to address those challenges while directing expenditure towards areas that matter most to citizens.
“We need to spend it where it matters. We need to fix the roads, look at the hospitals, the schools, pay people,” she said.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said the government’s approach is ultimately about improving the welfare of citizens and ensuring that development reaches the majority of the population.
