Vice President Prof Jane Naana Agyeman has urged members of the newly sworn-in Presidential Advisory Group on the Economy to focus on practical solutions that improve the daily lives of Ghanaians.

Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony of the Advisory Group, of which she is a member, Prof Agyeman said the government’s goal is to move the country towards long-term stability and shared prosperity.

“Our commitment is to move from crisis management to durable success. We will foster dialogue, intellectual honesty, and collective responsibility, engage across sectors, and deliver actionable advice aligned with Ghana’s long-term development vision,” she said.

She said that the Advisory Group brings together professionals from different backgrounds and disciplines. According to her, this diversity must be used to shape meaningful solutions.

“This advisory group comprises professionals of different backgrounds, perspectives, and experience across diverse disciplines,” she said.

Describing herself as a lifelong teacher, the Vice President said she would like to give her colleagues what she called their “first piece of homework”.

“As a lifelong teacher myself, I would like to respectfully leave my esteemed colleagues and myself with our first piece of homework,” she said.

“That is for us to constantly reflect on what the term the economy should mean to our fellow citizens.”

She said that the economy should not be seen as an abstract concept. Instead, it must translate into real improvements in people’s lives.

“Beyond an abstract, it should mean many things,” she explained. She listed examples such as “stability for the teacher in the classroom and the nurse on night duty, fair prices and reliable markets for the farmer, predictable costs and access to credit to the trader and small business owner.”

She added that the economy should also ensure “stable incomes, affordable housing and transport for the worker, opportunities and skills for the young person, especially the women, security for the labourer, and decent care for the elderly.”

“In short, our task is sobering,” she said, explaining that the group must help shape “the kind of support that makes the economy feel less distant and more everyday possibility.”

Prof Agyeman stated that economic policy must recognise its direct impact on people’s daily lives.

“To arrive at a reality where effort is rewarded, risks are shared and honest work is not invisible, we must remember the concrete effect of the economy on our people’s lives,” she said.

She cited examples such as “the safety of the water, the reliability of electricity powering aspirations, and the dignity of their work.”

She described economic transformation as “a national project” that demands cooperation from all sectors.

“It requires discipline, trust, and shared responsibility across the government, the private sector, labour, civil society, and development partners,” she noted.

The Vice President pledged the group’s commitment to provide strong and independent guidance.

“Our pledge is to provide independent, serious and practical leadership to support this collective effort,” she said.