Statesman Kwame Pianim has advised members of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) to rethink their motive for joining the party.

According to him, the current generation appears not to understand the core philosophy of the party's slogan, development in freedom, and therefore act otherwise.

“If you are a member of the NPP, we say development in freedom. We don’t compromise the liberty and freedom of individuals for development. We would rather forgo development so that our people are free. If you don’t believe it don’t come to the NPP, join another party,” he said.

Speaking on Newsfile on JoyNews, he explained that in recent years, the government believes collateralising the country’s mineral resources and imposing more taxes on citizens was a way to restore economic growth.

This, Mr Pianim said, further burdens people and does not promote development since the coming generation will be obliged to pay for the debt incurred by their fathers.

Again, the Economist stressed that “the more taxes we levy on Ghanaians and the private sector you will weaken them, every tax is like a shock,” he told host Samson Lardy Ayenini.

He added that the government must resort to developing and using its human capital to build the nation.

“Nkrumah did not have the people, look at what he achieved, now we have the people we have the resources let’s put our minds together, we want to grow steadily and make progress,” he said.  

Citing countries like China which have achieved great feat because they empowered their human capital, he said if the government moves along the same tangent, Ghana can also achieve the desired growth.