Ivor Greenstreet, the 2016 flag bearer of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), has cautioned that the Power Distribution Services (PDS) saga is a true policy crisis which, beyond threat, fraud and disappointment, provides an opportunity for rethinking the fundamental economic direction of the country.
He explained that “it is an opportunity to ‘reclaim Ghana’ based on a strategic mobilisation of the Ghanaian spirit and all her competitive advantages should focus on the quality as well as gross sum of economic growth and development.
Mr Greenstreet pointed out that instead of always hyping economic growth and development that only benefitted a few, what was needed was a strategy of growth and development which galvanised the society within terms of new approaches to growth and development such as the Developmental State which would expand the economy for the welfare and improve livelihoods of the citizenry in a meaningful way.
“We need a development state, economy and constitution since we sold Ashanti Goldfields, Ghana Telecom and other strategic state assets under firehouse conditions, we cannot continue this way, Electricity Company of Ghana must not be sold, contracted out or devalued in any other way under firehouse conditions.
“South Korea, China and India, with fast-growing economies, have implemented carefully interventionist policies, elsewhere in East Asia, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, as well as other countries have various forms of state-led intervention policy directions that have been applied in different ways to suit their individual circumstances.
“That is the important discussion we must have if we are to reclaim Ghana and make the promise of Beyond Aid not an empty slogan, we have the mental capacity to collectively think outside the box to make it.
“Coming from the Nkrumahist party, I support and assist the Ghana Beyond Aid in broad strokes, logical outcome of necessary fight against neocolonial imperialism, especially when it is tactically construed to include rights-based approach to growth and development which recognises the righting of historical injustice.
“I also take the president’s invitation to us to assume active citizenship seriously, I have already begun processes of strategic conversations, scenarios, solutions and planning towards contributing to acquisition of features of a winning nation.
“We must critically discuss our political as well as economic citizenship, not just transferring state assets to private hands, towards working to achieve commonweal into broad and equitable welfare to reclaim Ghana,” Mr Greenstreet asserted. -myjoyonline.com
