Aspiring MP comments on country's economic policies

Ho, Sept 20, GNA - Mr Michael Kosi Dedey, the Prospective Convention Peoples Party (CPP), candidate for the Ho-Central Constituency, in the December 2004 elections at the weekend blamed the slow growth in the country's economy on policies that did not reflect the realities of Ghana's circumstances.

He said the premium on foreign investments as the panacea for rapid economic growth was lopsided because huge amounts transferred to developing countries in form of investments went back to them for the purchase of capital goods.

Mr Dedey said this in a chat with Journalists at the launch of a website to whip up support for his bid to go to parliament. He expressed regret that Ghana as a nation had allowed her association with the West to deprive her of the self-confidence needed to prosecute development "our own way".

Mr Dedey said Ghana should have national standards and not look up to foreign institutions and nations to determine development strategies for the country.

He said the talk about the private sector leading the way to economic growth was no novelty since close to 90 per cent of the work force in Ghana today and for many years now were not employees of the public sector nor the formal private sector.

On the money factor in politics, Mr Dedey said it was for the people to determine whether to accept or reject its negative influences. He said people who accept money or other tangible gifts from politicians as a condition to vote for them would have no business demanding evidence of good stewardship from them.

Mr Dedey said it was unfortunate for people with money to hijack politics and make the race for political office that for the highest bidder.

He said ex-President Kwame Nkrumah's ideas were still relevant, noting that his rule gave Ghana the greatest leap in development since independence.

Mr Dedey observed that Ghana with all the gifts of natural resources should not be a poor country and regretted that the debt burden of the country had to force it to opt for the HIPC Initiative in t midst of plenty.