Senior Lecturer at the Department of Economics at the University of Ghana, Dr Priscilla Twumasi Baffour, says there is an urgent need for structural change and transformation in Ghana to uplift the lives of citizens.

According to her, Ghana’s interest must be prioritised regardless of who holds power.

Speaking on JoyNews’ National Dialogue - "Should Ghana Look East or West", she said, “We should pursue an agenda where we are dealing with a diversified group of people, countries that are helping us work towards the agenda of growth and development we desire.”

“That kind of desire is a sustainable one, not a random kind of growth that we tend to find because of our resource-dependent nature."

Citing Ghana's historical relationships with Western nations, Dr Baffour noted that emphasis has been placed on democratic principles and institutional reforms as pathways to development, but those are insufficient.

“And other countries such as Singapore, and Thailand have shown us that democracy can be a significant necessary factor for development, but it is not really enough. We need a number of things, we need resources, we need investment and that is what we lack.”

“When you look at recent times, China is offering that, Russia is offering that and when you look at the strategy, basically, they are telling you that resources are available for economic cooperation. China is emphasizing on a south-south win-win cooperation not like a master servant dictating issues."

Additionally, Dr Baffour advocated for a strategic agenda that prioritises Ghana's interests and welcomes partnerships from any source that aligns with the country's development objectives.