Ghana is on the brink of joining other first world countries in the next New Patriotic Party administration, the presidential candidate has revealed. At a launching ceremony of the party’s manifesto, Nana Akufo-Addo said the structural transformation of the country’s economy, with a modernized health and education will propel Ghana to its destination of a first world country. According to him, Ghana does not need to be the exporter of raw materials adding, “the time for industrial Ghana has arrived and the next NPP government will make it its paramount objective.” In an interview with Joy News to explain how the manifesto will be implemented, chairman of the manifesto committee Dr. Afriyie Akoto said a total of $20 billion has been earmarked to prosecute an NPP government's projects for the next four years. According to him part of that money has already been budgeted for in the economy and the rest will be raised through borrowing in the open market. “We will use the international and local bonds to raise the money. Last year, the euro bond of $750 million was oversubscribed to the tune of $3.5 billion. This shows the extent of confidence in our economy,” he argued. He says this year’s manifesto is a review of the two previous manifestoes of the NPP, adding, the economy has now been put on a right pedestal for a smooth take off of the country’s development agenda. A lecturer at the Social Studies Faculty of the University of Ghana Mr. William Ahadzie expressed concern about the projected $20 billion revenue to be raised. According to him, the international markets have an interest rate higher than that of the International Monetary Fund, which makes borrowing in the open market a difficult one. He says many countries in South East Asia have developed through education and expressed optimism about plans by the next NPP government to consolidate the country's education. He described as unrealistic the promise of building public universities in all regions in four years. “It is not only about the physical structure, given the situation in our current universities, I think it is a bit frivolous,” he added. Author: Nathan Gadugah