The absence of the New Patriatan Party (NPP) from the National Economic Dialogue (NED) has sparked concern among government officials, with Deputy Finance Minister-designate Thomas Nyakpo Ampem criticizing the move as a “worrying” development.
The dialogue, led by President John Dramani Mahama, focuses on “Resetting Ghana: Building the Economy We Want Together.”
Speaking on Channel One TV, the deputy Finance Minister-designate expressed concern over the NPP’s decision to boycott the event.
“For me, it is a worry that our friends on the other side [Minority] decided to stay out of this important forum,” he said.
Ampem recalled a similar boycott by the NPP during the Royal Senchi Economic Forum when Seth Terkper was Finance Minister. “There was a similar forum at Royal Senchi they boycotted when Seth Terkper was the finance minister. And unfortunately, they haven’t been here, too,” he stated.
The Deputy Finance Minister-designate emphasized the importance of collective participation to achieve meaningful results.
“There has to be sustained efforts to make sure that it yields the needed results. That is why President John Dramani Mahama needs that consensus for everyone to be on the same page,” he said.