Policy analyst Peter Terkper has called for the Edwumawura Programme, set to be launched today by President John Dramani Mahama, to be firmly positioned as a national policy rather than a partisan political initiative.
Speaking to ABC News GH, Mr. Terkper emphasized that to ensure the programme’s longevity and real impact, “Edwumawura must not be political manifesto promises but rolled out as a national policy.”
He warned that tying such a critical programme to a political tenure would only risk its sustainability, urging that farmers and industry players not politicians — be placed at the center of the programme’s management.
Terkper further stressed the need to shield the initiative from political interference, explaining that when politicians are left in charge, there is a tendency for opportunities to be directed towards party loyalists and personal networks.
“Let the farmers be in charge, not politicians,” he urged, advocating for a value-chain-based targeting mechanism that would prioritize real actors within the agricultural and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
He recommended that the government structure the rollout in phases rather than a broad, sweeping approach to ensure effective stakeholder engagement and progressive scaling. “It should be done in phases and not a holistic perspective,” he advised.
The Edwumawura Programme, one of the flagship commitments in the NDC’s 2024 manifesto, aims to create at least 10,000 businesses annually with a focus on youth empowerment.
It will be implemented through the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment and the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP).
As President Mahama prepares to launch the initiative today in the Ashanti Region along with the Ghana Medical Trust Fund and National Apprenticeship Programme observers like Terkper are calling for a strategic, non-political foundation to guarantee that Edwumawura transforms Ghana’s economic landscape beyond party cycles.
