Vice President of the Republic, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, has called for a paradigm shift in Ghana’s development strategy, urging the country to reduce its reliance on foreign aid and instead focus on creating an enabling environment that drives domestic growth and self-sufficiency.
Delivering the keynote address at the 2025 Ghana Civil Society Forum in Accra, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang announced that the government, in collaboration with civil society, is developing a Non-Profit Bill.
The bill aims to provide a regulatory framework for civil society organisations (CSOs), promote accountability, foster consensus-building, and encourage increased local investment in national development efforts.
The Ghana Civil Society Forum is a national platform that brings together CSOs to reflect, strategize, and collaborate on critical issues such as good governance, inclusive development, and long-term sustainability. The 2025 edition focused on the theme: “Reimagining Development Financing and Civic Action – Challenges, Opportunities, and the Way Forward.”
Addressing participants, the Vice President warned against the country’s overdependence on foreign aid, stressing the need for Ghana to chart a more self-reliant path driven by homegrown solutions and strong civic institutions.
“The overreliance on foreign aid as the main engine of development limits our potential. We must create a system that empowers our citizens and strengthens our institutions,” she stated.
Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Dr. Nii Moi Thompson, echoed the Vice President’s sentiments, calling for greater transparency and efficiency in the use of foreign aid to ensure that it delivers real impact.
In response to concerns about inefficiencies and accountability within some CSOs, Executive Director of STAR-Ghana Foundation, Ibrahim-Tanko Amidu, proposed the creation of a peer review mechanism to monitor and evaluate the performance of civil society actors.
The 2025 Ghana Civil Society Forum brought together representatives from across the country and is expected to deepen understanding of the evolving development financing landscape while strengthening civic action and accountability structures in Ghana.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Obed King Gaglo
