Kojo Oppong Nkrumah
The Ranking Member on Parliament’s Economy and Development Committee, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, says the Minority will rely on the newly presented policy document on the 24-hour economy to closely track the government implementation and hold the executive accountable.
Speaking to the media in Parliament after the document was laid, the Ofoase-Ayirebi Member of Parliament (MP) said policy and programme documents form the backbone of effective governance and oversight, explaining that without them, Parliament cannot properly measure progress or assess government performance.
Mr. Oppong Nkrumah noted that the Minority had persistently demanded the submission of such documents, not for record-keeping, but to enable detailed scrutiny of targets, timelines and outcomes.
“We are not asking for these documents to file them away. We are asking for them so that we can go into them and use them for the oversight function of Parliament and track the implementation of these programmes,” he stated.
He welcomed the presentation of the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme policy, but pointed out that it had taken government nearly a year to submit just one of about 16 policy and programme documents expected by Parliament.
According to him, while policies are often announced on political platforms or launched at public events, it is the detailed programme documents that provide clarity on the government’s intentions and make monitoring possible.
Earlier, the Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, said the policy document was presented in response to repeated requests from the Minority, particularly advocacy led by Mr. Oppong Nkrumah.
He explained that the Order Paper Addendum was introduced to allow the report to be formally laid and shared among Members of Parliament.
Mr. Ayariga described the document as a comprehensive framework on the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development, adding that it would help inform parliamentary debate and engagement on the government’s economic agenda.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House