The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has detailed its transformation agenda, which aims to reset Ghana’s economy by focusing on agribusiness, industrialization, and structural reforms.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Monday, December 16, former Deputy Finance Minister Mona Quartey described the party’s 2024 manifesto as “an action plan, not a litany of promises,” emphasizing its practical approach to creating prosperity for all Ghanaians, particularly the youth.

“This transformation agenda will not only be economic,” she explained. “It will begin with holding a national economic dialogue to prepare a homegrown fiscal consolidation programme, which will guide our budget going forward.” She added that this step would include downsizing the government to reduce expenditure and implementing several cost-cutting measures.

She highlighted the NDC’s commitment to removing burdensome taxes, including the E-Levy, COVID-19 Levy, which she says is not relevant anymore, the 10% tax on bet winnings, the Emissions Levy, and import duties on vehicles and equipment used in industrial and agricultural ventures. “These taxes are stifling growth. Removing them will encourage investment and create opportunities, particularly in agriculture and industry,” she said.

Central to the NDC’s vision is modernizing agriculture and developing agribusiness, with a focus on adding value to raw materials. She stressed, “We need to go from being primary producers to value-added producers. This will promote import substitution, boost exports, and create the jobs our people need.”

She also emphasized the need for structural reforms in Ghana’s economic framework, describing it as “flawed” and in urgent need of restructuring. “Our economic transformation will be underpinned by structural reforms that move us up the value chain. It’s time to grow our economy through agribusiness and industrialization,” she added.

The NDC’s transformation agenda will also prioritize micro-economic policies to directly impact citizens while stabilizing the macroeconomic environment. She assured that a government led by John Mahama and Prof Jane Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang would continue with the current IMF programme to ensure macroeconomic stability and curb currency depreciation.

“Our goal is to feed into exports, create a strong foreign reserve buffer, and use these exports to improve the economy and create jobs,” she said. “Once we do this, we will see a natural appreciation of the cedi.”

Reflecting on the challenges of the past eight years, she acknowledged the difficult position of Ghana’s economy but expressed confidence in the NDC’s strategy. She stated that initiatives such as a 24-hour economy, a Women’s Development Bank to support SMEs, and the national apprenticeship and agriculture-for-jobs programmes would collectively drive economic growth.

“With these policies, and exports especially, we will begin to see growth that will impact the cedi and improve livelihoods. Our transformation agenda is not just about fixing today’s problems but building a sustainable future,” She concluded.