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At the 6th National Policy Fair. Don’t politicise national policies – Nana Kobina Nketsia

PThe Paramount Chief of Essikado Traditional Area, Nana Kobina Nketsia V, has reiterated the need for Ghanaians to own national policies and desist from tagging good policies and programmes by any government with political colouration. 

He explained that issues regarding the transformation and development should be embraced by all regardless of their political party or government.

He indicated that most at times the political party in power tends to discard sound policies put forward by its predecessor, saying, “This attitude is not right and we must stop it.”

Nana Kobina Nketsia V was speaking at the opening of the Sixth National Policy Summit at the campus of the University of Cape Coast (UCC).

The two-day summit on the theme: “Meeting the Sustainable Development Goals: Emphasis on fisheries and sanitation” will deliberate on enhancing and promoting good sanitation as well as sustainable fisheries.

It was also to spell out government’s policy on how to achieve Sustainable Development Goals in the area of sanitation and fisheries.

Topics to be deliberated on at the event are promoting a total sanitation campaign, protecting fisheries and aquaculture for sustainable food supply and job creation, preventing sanitation related flooding, a shared responsibility and efficiency delivery of premix fuel support to small scale fishers.

The National Policy Summit is a public-private initiative by the Ministry of Information with the view to ensuring cross-sector partnership in pursuit of sustainable development. 

Nana Kobina Nketsia V further stated that the nation cannot compromise its resolve in meeting the targets set under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“It is an obligation and culture demands that we ensure that we meet the targets,” he said.

He also called for the harmonisation of all policies and laws in the country to ensure that people comply with such policies.

Additionally, he called for the bridging of the gap between academia and the society in tackling some key challenges confronting the country.

Nana Kobina Nketsia V commended the Ministry of Information for its initiative in rotating the policy summit across the country.

He noted that the topic for the summit was apt with particular reference to the dwindling fish stocks vis-a-vis the sanitation challenges in the country.

He commended the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture for the implementation of the one month ban on fishery activities by artisanal fishermen but was quick to say that, the ministry should have placed the ban on all fishing activities.

The Central Regional Minister, Kwamena Duncan, in his welcome address, expressed concern about illegal fishing by fishermen coupled with the incidence of post-harvest losses.

He said that, the nation had done quite well with the issue of sanitation but indicated that, the gains made needed to be improved.

The Regional Minister stated that, the problem of open defecation, plastic waste disposal and other sanitation issues needed to be addressed by all Ghanaians.

Mr Duncan indicated that, the sanitation challenges was behavioural, saying, “Let us all be part of the agenda of promoting good sanitation practices at all times.”

A Deputy Minister of Information, Nana Dokua Asiamah-Adjei, in her address stated that, the previous summits resulted in government taking key decisions in addressing identified challenges.

The Chairman for the event and Paramount Chief of Oguaa Traditional Area, Osaberima Kwesi Atta II, in his remarks, called for commitment and cooperation by all Ghanaians in achieving the targets set under the SDGs.

FROM DAVID O. YARBOI-TETTEH, CAPE COAST

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