A presidential aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Alan Kyerematen, has described economic policies pursued over the years by several governments as a ‘cul de sac’.

Speaking on URA Radio in Bolgatanga on the Upper East leg of his nationwide tour, Mr Kyerematen pointed out that the narrow focus of Ghana’s continued reliance on cocoa, gold, and a few primary raw material exports, is a cul de sac orientation to economic management that has limited growth in the economy. Doing things the same way over and over returns the same results.

Cocoa, for example, has brought in under $ 2 billion per annum into the Ghanaian economy annually over the past decades. However, the President’s Special Initiatives (PSIs), initiated by Alan Kyerematen, comprising four simple local products salt, oil palm, cassava and garments, could have unleashed a potential combined annual income stream of $60bn a year.

However, policy distortion and irregular political choices reduced the nation’s capacity to grow and benefit from the PSIs. Currently, the ten-point strategic growth pillars developed and implemented under Mr Kyerematen, during his tenure as Minister for Trade and Industry, have brought in 1D1F, the automotive industry, and others.

Speaking to the Great Transformational Plan (GTP), Mr Kyerematen said the country deserves leadership with a big vision. A vision that moves us beyond the cul de sac into strategic growth areas following through on the GTP.

Mr Kyerematen is also primary to the design, establishment and implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which brings together a market of nearly a billion and a half consumers for producers within the diversified economy necessary to expand opportunities for the youth.

On the same programme, Mr Kyerematen reiterated his desire to modernise the New Patriotic Party (NPP) into a formidable force to better drive public policy and thence enable better mobilisation of communities towards opportunities. Not only will he create a businesslike Party, capable of generating independent financial, technical and human resources but also a big voice in Government appointments, especially at a local level.

The Upper East Region is the tenth region to have been visited by the Alan Kyerematen for President Campaign after Ashanti, Bono East, Bono, Ahafo, Western North, Volta, Eastern, Oti and Northern regions.