Policymakers tend to push political agendas instead of national agendas - ISSER research fellow

Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), Dr. Fred Dzanku, has said that current policymaking often favours political agendas, over national interests.

Dr. Dzanku, who is also the coordinator for the Data Repository and Advocacy for Policy (DARAP) project, said that policies that do not serve a political party's goals are likely to be overlooked or undervalued.

He emphasized the importance of data-driven policies for overcoming obstacles in Ghana's agricultural sector.

Dr. Dzanku also advocated for a more inclusive approach to policy development to ensure agricultural growth and contribution to the economy.

“It seems that policymakers tend to push policies that will promote their political agenda. So, even if policies promote the national discourse but do not promote a political party agenda, they tend to be de-emphasised.

“So, the conclusion there is that we policymakers must engage a wider community of people in developing their policies so those policies address the needs of the people rather than just the agenda of political parties,” he said.

Dr. Fred Dzanku, speaking at the DARAP Ghana Agri-Food Systems Policy Forum, also stressed the need for food safety alongside food security, suggesting the provision of testing kits in markets and routine checks by the Food and Drugs Board to ensure the safety of food products.

“And then on the issue of food safety, we talked about the issue of how we've emphasized food security, the availability of food without the safety of those foods. You can have food on the market, but those foods can be contaminated," he added

The DARAP initiative aims to bolster data-driven and evidence-based policy advocacy by providing resources to both advocates and data producers.

ID/AE

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