Former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) under the erstwhile NPP administration, Dr. Kofi Koduah Sarpong says the government has no other option than to implement the outcomes of the just ended National Economic Dialogue if it wants to maintain and enjoy the support of experts and retirees who honoured the invitation.
Dr. K. K. Sarpong says there is a risk for the government if it fails to actualize the actions suggested by the various working groups to transform the economy.
Although the opposition NPP boycotted the dialogue, Dr. K. K. Sarpong, a member of the NPP, honored the invitation and also played a key role by chairing the Structural Reforms Working Group.
Speaking to The High Street Journal in an interview after the conclusion of the 2-day event, Dr. K. K. Sarpong indicated that many of the experts honored the invitation with the interest of the country’s economic transformation at heart.
With this sacrifice, the former GNPC boss believes the government will lose the trust and support of these experts and retirees if it fails to implement the recommendations.
He therefore shared optimism that the government will put the outcomes into action. He was however quick to add that failure will come at a cost.
“I don’t think they wanted us to come and waste two days. All these many people, some of us in retirement, calling us to come and spend two days, two long days of working. We make recommendations. We’ve debated them. We’ve issued a communique. If you say you won’t use them, maybe next time, when you call us, we won’t be available to come,” Dr. Sarpong cautioned.
Dr. K. K. Sarpong also expressed his measured expectations with the implementation of the outcomes of the dialogue. He confessed that some of the recommendations may not be feasible, and for those that are, the government has an opportunity to work on them.
He said: “Obviously, it’s not everything they can do. It’s not everything which may be feasible. But obviously, there are some of the recommendations which can be taken on.
Retired experts who graced the dialogue included economist, Kwame Pianim, former governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Paul Acquah, among others.
Already a section of the public has expressed pessimism about the possible implementation of the outcomes of the dialogue. These critics believe the event will end up as another talk shop as has happened on countless occasions.
The comment of Dr. Sarpong reflects that there is also a similar sentiment within the expert community: To maintain the goodwill and the support of the experts and all the retiree professionals, the government has a clear task and that is to implement the outcomes of the dialogue.
