KEY POINTS
- Ghanaians have long expressed concerns over projects abandoned by subsequent governments.
- Boakye Agyako suggests creating a National Abandoned Assets List to track unfinished initiatives.
- The National Development Planning Commission would oversee and repurpose identified assets.
For many years, Ghanaians have expressed profound concern, as seen by ongoing debate, about the abandoning of initiatives undertaken by previous governments and subsequent governments.
Boakye Agyako while presenting his opinion on Graphic Online, describes how Party A will present its manifesto in an election, and after winning, it begins a project outlined in its manifesto that it is unable to complete within its tenure.
Adding that Party B takes office and abandons the project begun by Party A, either because it is inconsistent with the priorities, manifesto commitments, and plans on which power was won, or because financial and fiscal constraints prevent such a project from being prioritized by the new administration.
He added that there is also a less obvious reason for abandonment: completing a project launched and associated with another political party may prevent the new government from claiming any political credit.
Proposal for a national abandoned assets list
Speaking further, he noted that the countryside is filled with such initiatives—sunken monies or dead-weight capital—that currently offer no clear benefits to Ghana.
“There is an urgent need to stop this never-ending cycle. While I cannot claim to have all of the ideas for the final answer, I hope I will be allowed to contribute my two cents. Asset list The first step is to establish a National Abandoned Assets List by legislation.”
“Every District and Metropolitan Assembly must be required to identify government assets under its authority, including electrical wires, poles, and earth-moving equipment like graders and bulldozers.”
“They are tasked with creating a profile and determining the intended purpose(s) of each asset recognized within the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.”
Role of the National Development Planning Commission
He added that The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) should be the final storehouse for all such lists. The NDPC should analyze each identified asset’s structural integrity, usefulness, and obsolescence
Giving details, “A decision should also be taken as to whether the asset should be used to achieve the original goal or if it can be redirected to another use. These assets can also serve as a materials supply depot from which resources can be sourced to complete other ongoing projects” he concluded.
