Northern Regional Minister, Mohammad Mumuni Limuna has said the absence of Long term National Development Plan has been identified as the main reason Ghana falls behind in development.
He said our efforts as a Nation in development without long term Development Plan has been "fragmented, incoherent and abysmal".
According to him, critical issues of national interest and national development in social amenities have always been addressed on not well organized and coordinated basis and always lack normal clarity which he said is evidenced in "widespread abandoned critical projects in all sectors spread across the country".
The minister commended therefore commended the National Development Planning Commission for venturing into such initiative.
The minister was speaking at the National Development Planning Commission Forum on the Long Term Development Plan in Tamale.
He said Ghanaians are too concern over assessing performance and underperformance of governments without a care for national interest.
"Ladies and gentlemen, many of us are rather too focused on parties, regimes and administrations and on what they have done or not done, without any thought of the national interest.
The most time is spent on comparisons amongst our political regimes on their manifestos, and achievements, with some of us not feeling too Ghanaian especially when we are not in control of the affairs of the Nation".
Hon. Limuna called for a sense of nationalism and placing primary emphasis on promoting national agenda over personal or political creeds because political parties, regimes and administrations would change but Ghana remain fixed.
He added we should be guided by a principal of patriotism and not allowing our difference in thinking, ideology to break us a Nation.
He ended however by calling on the people to sustain the relative peace and harmony the region is currently enjoying.
He said the region has paid a heavy price in terms of retarded progress and development as a result of periodic conflicts.
He believes without peace and security any long term development effort is a joke.
The forum saw the attendance of heavy packed dignitaries and stakeholders including senior citizens, Chief Executive Officers of institutions and MMDAs, Representatives of political parties, traditional rulers, Civil Society Organizations and students.
According to the Director General of N.D.P.C, Dr. Nii Moi Thompson the forum was to solicit the views of the populace in the Nation's quest to develop a long term National Development Plan.
<<Print>>