Ghana: A History of Our Future
‘A just, free and prosperous nation with high levels of national income and broad-based
social development.’
The Future Envisioned
The vision for Ghana’s long-term development is based on the 1992 Constitution and the aspirations
of Ghanaians as expressed during nation-wide consultations organised by the National Development
Planning Commission between 2015 and 2016. It is expected to guide the formulation and
implementation of a long-term national development plan that will run from 2018 to 2057.
The pursuit of this vision will
be guided by the following
five goals:
The Future of Ghana…
Goal 1: Build an
industrialised, inclusive and
resilient economy
Goal 2: Create an equitable,
healthy and disciplined
society
Goal 3: Build safe, wellplanned and sustainable
communities
Goal 4: Build effective, efficient and dynamic institutions
Goal 5: Strengthen Ghana’s role in international affairs
Specifically, by 2057, when Ghana celebrates its 100th independence anniversary, it should be
ranked among high-income countries of the world, with an industrialised, diversified, and exportoriented economy that is resilient; an economy driven by Ghanaian entrepreneurship and
characterised by high-value services; a dynamic and globally competitive manufacturing sector; as
well as an efficient agricultural sector capable of feeding the nation and exporting to global markets.
Such high levels of economic growth, however, can only be attained and sustained if there are
correspondingly high levels of social development with equity: high-quality education for all
Ghanaians at all levels; efficient and responsive health systems throughout the country; food and
nutrition security at all ages; and affordable housing with modern amenities, such as potable water
and sanitation, among others. Extreme poverty (or destitution) and inequality (including the NorthSouth Divide) will be a thing of the past, with development policy focused on creating as many
economic and social opportunities as possible for all Ghanaians, irrespective of age, gender, religion,
physical ability, or socio-economic status. Where for some reason, such as old age or physical or
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health impairment, an individual cannot take advantage of available opportunities, the State shall
provide the necessary support for their subsistence.
Economic infrastructure (including a modern transportation system with a national railway network
that will go through all regional capitals) will be extensively developed, along with diversified sources
of energy; modern sanitation and sewage systems; as well as commercial infrastructure, such as
modernised markets and public transport hubs. The logistics sector, including storage, distribution,
packaging, and regulatory services (such as customs) will also be reformed and strengthened to
make Ghana globally competitive. The development of social and civic infrastructure will include
sports and recreational facilities in every community; high-tech museums; e-libraries, and the
promotion of literature, poetry, and the arts in general.
Mindful of the pressures that accelerated industrialisation, population growth, and increased human
activity will impose on the natural environment, every effort will be made to minimise pollution and
preserve our water bodies, land, forests, air and biodiversity within the context of Ghana’s “green
economy” policy and strategy.
Institutions of governance and development will be developed extensively to meet the needs of a
high-income and democratic Ghana, with a population of empowered youth and women. The
constitutional requirement that persons with disabilities (PWDs) be fully integrated into the national
development agenda and process will have been fully fulfilled, with increased access to
opportunities in all aspects of Ghanaian life.
Human settlements will be based on modern planning principles, characterised by “smart” and safe
communities in both rural and urban areas. The overall society will be a disciplined one, where civic
responsibility is taken seriously through respect for law and order. Public and private institutions
will function effectively, efficiently and transparently to the benefit of all. Corruption in the public
sector will be reduced to its barest minimum, with severe punishment for offenders.
Ghana should by then be fully capable of financing its own development and offering international
assistance, based on its development experience, to those who may need it. Good neighbourliness
will continue to be a central plank of foreign policy, and Ghana will continue to work with
international organisations, such as the United Nations, African Union and ECOWAS, to promote
peace, justice and development in the world.
The Path to High-income Status
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As of 2014, data from the World Bank showed that Ghana’s per capita income was US$1,590, placing
it in the lower middle-income bracket. The World Bank, which created the income categories to
facilitate its work, also reported a minimum per capita income of US$12,736 in 2014 for a country to
be considered high-income. In 2014, therefore, a high-income country status lay in the sights of
Ghana, requiring nothing more than the right policies and strategies to propel the country towards
it.
The long-term plan is expected to facilitate Ghana’s transition – from low-income to high- income –
by serving both as a framework for the continuity required to formulate and implement
development policies over a long period, and as a mechanism for facilitating the change in
government occasioned by general elections every four years. (The long-term plan, which by virtue
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of its duration is actually a “framework”, will serve as the basis for 10 medium-term plans of 4 years
each, alongside 10 general elections between 2020 and 2056; see Figure 1 and Table 1).
Figure 1. The Road to Social and Economic Transformation (2018-2057)
Source: National Development Planning Commission (2016).
Key:
GPRS I: Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (2003-2005)
GPRS II: Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy (2006-2009)
GSGDA I: Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda (2010-2013)
GSGDA II: Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda II (2014-2017)
The World Bank periodically updates per capita income thresholds to account for inflation. This
means that by 2057, the actual per capita income of Ghana will have to be substantially higher than
US$12,736 for the country to be classified as high-income. Such a steep rise in income may seem
improbable, even impossible, but judging by the experience of other countries and Ghana’s own
under-utilised development potential, it is in fact possible to attain it over 40 years. The right policies
and strategies, however, must be formulated and implemented with consistency and a collective
sense of purpose and urgency across successive governments.
The driving force behind the Plan will be a “productivity revolution” that will ensure the efficient use
of the country’s scarce resources. This will be done through the promotion of innovation and
creativity in all spheres of national life, from the factory floor to offices and stores to religious
centres and other social spheres. In this regard, the Management Development and Productivity
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The overall strategy of the long-term plan will combine the lessons of Ghana’s development record
with the future needs of a growing and urbanising population – within the context of an uncertain
world – and propose policies and strategies to accelerate growth and raise the level of national
income. The Plan, therefore, will be as much a reflection of Ghana’s developmental past as it would
a history of its future.
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Institute will be restructured and empowered, with the National Development Planning Commission
playing a catalytic and supporting role.
Table 1:
10 Medium-Term Plans, 10 Elections over 40 years
Medium-term Plans
National Elections
(Years)
(Years)
1
2018-2021
2020
2
2022-2025
2024
3
2026-2029
2028
4
2030-2033
2032
5
2034-2037
2036
6
2038-2041
2040
7
2042-2045
2044
8
2046-2049
2048
9
2050-2053
2052
10
2054-2057
2056
Source: National Development Planning Commission (2016)
To ensure the success of the Plan, successive governments will have to carry out a range of
structural reforms to free the productive capacity of the economy and unleash the creativity of
Ghanaians. The reforms will revolve around the following broad areas:
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1. Policy Reforms: Driven primarily by the Executive, these reforms will help remove
bottlenecks from the economic and social development of the country. They include, but are
not limited to, the expeditious implementation of existing policies or laws, or the
formulation of new ones, such as the following: land use policy; housing policy; migration
policy; food and nutrition policy; social protection policy; health policy; education policy;
cultural policy; agricultural policy; spatial development policy; national investment policy;
environmental policy; competition policy; consumer protection policy; customs regulations;
trade policy; employment policy; human resource development policy; and fiscal policy; and
monetary policy.
2. Legislative and Legal Reforms: Parliament and the Judiciary will play a critical role in the
Plan, where certain actions may require the force of law – or its interpretation by the courts.
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Such support for the rule of law through enforcement is critical to the Plan’s success and to
national development generally.
3. Institutional Reforms: Influenced by policy, legislative and legal reforms, institutional
reforms will help address the age-old question of the appropriate roles of the state, the
private sector, and civil society in national development. The governance structure, or
relevance, of some state-owned enterprises; the optimal number of ministries,
departments, agencies and their relevance; as well as the pace of decentralisation and its
role in the social and economic transformation of the country will be key areas of reform.
There will be a modernised public sector freed of its inertia and underpinned by a revived
system of meritocracy that ensures integrity, efficiency and the best service to the nation.
Non-governmental bodies, such as traditional authorities, professional associations, and civil
society organisations will also play a critical role in institutional reforms and the ultimate
transformation of Ghanaian society.
Among the expected outcomes of these reforms are the following:
 A sound macroeconomic environment as a prerequisite for accelerating and sustaining the
desired rates of economic growth. Such an environment will be characterised by low and stable
rates of inflation and exchange rates; affordable and accessible credit, especially for small and
medium-scale enterprises (SMEs); as well as a stable financial sector.

A strong, vibrant and internationally competitive private sector, operating in a stable
macroeconomic environment and sustained by innovation while operating with a high degree of
social responsibility. Agro-processing, light manufacturing (especially apparels and electronic
accessories, such as mobile phone and lap top accessories), and an aggressive support for the
labour-intensive but under-utilised pharmaceuticals industry in Ghana will lead the way.
 A significant increase in the share of manufactures in exports (of which pharmaceuticals will
constitute a strategically significant part).
 A measurable degree of economic diversification, both in terms of domestic production and
exports.
 Full employment and decent work through the convergence of policies on labour supply
(education and training); labour demand (export-led growth); and labour market policies (to protect
the interests of workers and employers alike).

A 21st century labour force to support the economy and provide high standards of living.

Equality of opportunity and income security for all Ghanaian workers.

A services sector dominated by high-value technical services in the petroleum sub-sector
(for both domestic and foreign markets); insurance and banking services; information and
communication technology; tourism; academic services; and other technical services, such as
engineering and construction services.
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
A well-developed energy sector, with the capacity to export surplus electricity and ultimately
transform Ghana into a centre of excellence in renewable energy research, production, and services.

A society known for its discipline, efficiency, and cohesion, and proud of its unity in diversity.
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Figure 2. Addressing unemployment through the long-term development plan
Source: National Development Planning Commission (2016)
From Vision to Reality
The 10 medium-term plans that will drive the long-term national development plan will be a
continuation of the five medium-term plans adopted by successive governments since 1996. The
current and fifth plan, the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda (GSGDA II), ends in 2017
and will be followed by another for the period 2018-2021.
The key difference between the first five medium-term plans and the 10 succeeding ones is that the
latter will be shaped by a common national vision and the associated goals for Ghana’s long-term
development. The previous five plans had been essentially disconnected from each other, without
any strategic direction or cohesion, with disproportionate emphasis on activities at the expense of
results. For example, as of 2012, the proportion of the population with access to improved
sanitation was only 14.4%, compared to 47.5% for lower middle-income countries and 100.00% for
high-income countries. These are some of the social indicators that Ghana will have to purposefully
improve to match its desired status of a high-income country by 2057.
To ensure that the long-term plan remains current and relevant, Parliament will review it every 10
years based on progress reports prepared by the National Development Planning Commission.
Revisions by Parliament may reflect, for instance, the attainment of certain goals or targets and the
need to have new or modified ones in line with contemporary developments.
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To further make the long-term plan relevant and flexible, the medium-term plans will be translated
into annual (or operational) plans that will be aligned with annual budgets for synergy. The mediumterm plans, the annual plans, and the annual budgets will be revised periodically by the government,
not Parliament, to reflect changes in the domestic and international environments and thus facilitate
appropriate policy responses.
Besides policies for the social, economic, environmental and institutional development of Ghana, the
long-term plan will also contain a national infrastructure plan, a spatial development framework, a
human resources development plan, global development frameworks (such as the Sustainable
Development Goals and the AU’s Agenda 2063), a monitoring and evaluation framework, and a
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financing framework of funding sources and strategies. Potential risks to the plan and proposals for
addressing them will equally be outlined in the Plan.
Yɛn ara asaase ni (‘This is our land’)
(Unofficial national anthem of Ghana)
Twi original
Yɛn ara asaase ni,
Ɛyɛ aboɔden de ma yεn.
Mogya na nananom hwie gui,
Nya de too hɔ ma yɛn.
Adu me ne wo nso so,
Sε yɛbɛyɛ bi atoa so.
Nimdeɛ ntraso, Nkoto-kranne
Ne apɛ-sɛ-me-nko-minya
Adi yɛn bra mu dεm,
Ma yɛn asase ho dɔ atom’ sɛɛ.
Ɔman no, sɛ ɛbɛyɛ yie o,
Ɔman no, sɛ ɛrenyɛ yie o,
Ɛyɛ nsɛnnahɔ sɛ, Ɔmanfo bra na ɛkyerɛ.
Nhoma nimdeɛ huhugyan,
Anaa adenya ara kwa
Ne ɔbrakyew de ɛsɛe ɔman,
Na ɛbɔ no ahohora
Asoɔmmerɛ ne obu pa,
Yɔnko yiyedi pɛ daa
Ahofama ntetekwaam’
Ma onipa biara yiyedi.
Ɛnonom na ɛde asomdwee ne nkɔso pa brɛ
ɔman.
Ɔman no sɛ ɛbɛyɛ yie o! Ɔman no sɛ ɛrenyɛ yie
o!
Ɛyɛ nsεnnahɔ sɛ, Ɔmanfo bra na ɛkyerɛ.
English translation
This is our land,
It is precious to us,
Acquired through the blood of our ancestors,
It is now our turn
To continue what our ancestors started
[But] intellectual arrogance, dishonesty, and
selfishness
Have scarred our character [as a people],
And diminished our love for our land.
Whether this nation prospers,
Whether this nation does not prosper,
Depends on the character of its citizens.
Bragging over academic achievements,
Or needless greed for material things,
As well as bad lifestyles are destroying our
nation,
And disgracing it.
Obedience and respect,
Caring for the welfare of one another,
Selflessness in the traditional way,
Ensure each person’s welfare,
That is what will bring peace and prosperity to
our nation.
Whether this nation prospers,
Whether this nation does not prosper,
Depends on the character of its citizens.
Dialogue between Kwame Nkrumah and his economic adviser
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Kwame Nkrumah: I want Ghana to industrialise in the shortest
possible time.
Adviser Arthur Lewis: Mr. President, it seems you want Ghana to
walk before it learns to crawl.
Nkrumah: Who says we want to walk? We want to fly!
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Artist’s impression of a future planned city in Ghana
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NDPC: Together, we build…
Website: www.ndpc.gov.gh
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: 054.096.0315
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