Founder of the Millar Institute for Transdisciplinary and Development Studies, Professor David Millar, has raised concerns about the neglect of the Upper East Region in Ghana’s national development planning. Speaking in an interview on A1 Radio, he argued that the region—and the north as a whole—missed the opportunity to secure their priorities during the drafting of political party manifestos.
“Why are we embarking on this fruitless effort? The time we had to prioritize our demands was before elections, when manifestos were being developed. But we sat down quietly, and the moment passed. I remember saying that when I looked at the draft manifestos, there was nothing particularly targeting the north. They were all very general,” he said.
According to him, key national policy proposals such as the 24-hour economy and the digitalization drive are too broad and do not specifically address the unique developmental challenges of the northern sector. He noted that since manifestos are already being implemented by the government in power, the only room left for negotiation is within the framework of existing government policies.
“The only thing you can do as a development planner is to negotiate within their agenda, not outside it. So, if a project falls within the agenda, then you can negotiate. If it doesn’t, you don’t have room for negotiation.”
Professor Millar emphasized that development planning in Ghana is often driven by political considerations and electoral gains. In his view, regions that strategically align their demands with government priorities stand a better chance of securing projects. He criticized the Upper East Region’s approach to negotiating development projects, particularly citing the prolonged controversy over the location of an airport, which, he said, had delayed progress and given successive governments an excuse to shift attention elsewhere.
“That is what the Upper East Region keeps doing with the airport issue. They make it convenient for governments to ignore it, starting with the location.”
He urged stakeholders in the region to adopt a more pragmatic approach by holding the government accountable for promises already made while positioning additional demands as opportunities for political gain.
“Now, if a government comes and says, ‘Give me an essay,’ and you start the same discourse again, your hands will be full, and you’ll just sit and watch. Why not keep quiet and say, ‘Yes, yes, give us an essay’?”
“So, I thought for this one, we should rather hold the government’s feet to the fire and say, ‘Well, you said you would do this. We didn’t ask you—you promised it. Please, the opportunity is here, come and do it.’ Once they have delivered on that, then you can say, ‘Oh, in addition, this one is also here; that will also get you some more votes.’ That’s how you negotiate positions,” he explained.
By doing so, he argued, the Upper East Region would be in a stronger position to benefit from national projects, rather than being sidelined by endless internal disagreements.
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