Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has called for the government’s Big Push infrastructure programme to diversify and include increased investment in health, education, sports, agriculture, and irrigation.
He says while the programme’s focus on road infrastructure is important for economic growth, spreading the resources across other critical sectors would support the country’s overall development.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Tuesday, October 13, Mr Iddrisu said the government must show Ghanaians tangible development outcomes, particularly as it approaches the 2027 and 2028 financial years and seeks a renewal of its mandate.
“If you look at our debt service obligations, it’s huge. And particularly for 2027 and 2028, going back to the electorate for the renewal of our mandate, we need to show proof on the ground,” he said.
Mr Iddrisu said the government was making progress with the implementation of the Big Push programme but argued that its spending priorities should be broadened.
“So far, we’re doing well with the execution of the Big Push. My view is that the Big Push implementation itself must be diversified,” he said.
He explained that part of the resources allocated to the programme should be directed towards health, sports, education, agriculture and irrigation to ensure that development efforts go beyond road infrastructure.
“Diversified in a sense that some of those resources should go into health, should go into sports, should go into education, should go into agriculture and irrigation,” he added.
According to the Education Minister, such an approach would allow the government to pursue a more comprehensive development agenda rather than concentrate spending largely on road projects.
He acknowledged the importance of road infrastructure to economic growth but maintained that investment in other sectors was also necessary to achieve balanced national development.
“But the road infrastructure will itself spur growth. But I’m for diversified spending of it,” he said.
He maintained that although road infrastructure is essential for economic growth, investment in other key sectors is necessary to achieve holistic national development.