New Economy: Ato Forson calls for ‘clear break’ with old patterns

Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has called for a decisive break with the economic patterns that have held Ghana back, saying the country must now build on stabilisation to secure lasting prosperity.

Speaking during his New Economy engagement with faculty and students at the University of Ghana, Dr Forson said Ghana had reached a moment when public policy must confront the underlying causes of its economic challenges.

“We have stabilised the present. Now we must secure the future,” he said.

The Finance Minister framed the next phase of Ghana’s economic journey as a test of the country’s willingness to make decisions that would shape the prospects of future generations.

“History does not wait for countries that are afraid to decide,” he said.

“There are moments when a nation must make a clear break with old patterns. There are moments when public policy must stop managing symptoms and start changing structures. This is such a moment for Ghana.”

His remarks placed structural transformation at the centre of the New Economy agenda, with economic stability serving as the foundation for a more productive economy that creates decent jobs and raises incomes.

The challenge, he indicated, is to move beyond addressing immediate pressures and begin changing the conditions that allow them to recur.

For him, that ambition means producing more at home, adding value to what Ghana grows and mines, and expanding opportunities for businesses and workers.