Development must improve citizens’ lives – Dr Prempeh
Ghana’s development must be measured by the tangible improvement in the lives and dignity of its citizens rather than by abstract economic indicators, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh has said.
Delivering the keynote address at the 2026 Busia Institute Lecture at the London Hilton on Park Lane, Dr Prempeh said Professor Kofi Abrefa Busia’s vision of a “democratic welfare society” remained relevant to addressing the country’s current socio-economic challenges.
Speaking on the theme: ‘Centre-Right Political Thought in Africa: The Ghanaian Experience,’ Dr Prempeh said the Busia administration’s political philosophy successfully combined individual freedom, enterprise and social responsibility.
“Development is only ever worth what it does for a human being,” he said, adding that public institutions, economic reforms and economic growth acquired real value only when they improved citizens’ health, knowledge and economic security.
Dr Prempeh highlighted the Second Republic’s deliberate focus on rural development, saying the provision of water, roads, electricity and health facilities to rural communities was a matter of basic citizenship rights rather than benevolence from the central government.
He said rural communities, which produced much of the country’s food, cocoa and timber, deserved a fair share of national resources through sustained investment in infrastructure.
He cited the Rural Development Fund Act of 1970 and community self-help initiatives as practical examples of Busia’s efforts to bridge the urban-rural divide.
The keynote speaker also underscored the former Prime Minister’s commitment to constitutional governance and the rule of law.
He noted that despite having a commanding parliamentary majority, the Progress Party government respected independent institutions, the judiciary and public opposition in an effort to prevent the abuse of political power.
Dr Prempeh called for a balanced assessment of the legacy of the Second Republic, urging historians and political actors to consider its broader policy record rather than focusing solely on its overthrow in January 1972.
The event, which was the first edition of the lecture to be held outside Ghana, brought together members of the diplomatic corps, scholars, policymakers and members of the Ghanaian diaspora.
Former President John Agyekum Kufuor, Life Patron of the Busia Institute, paid tribute to his former mentor and urged current political leaders to safeguard democratic freedoms, tolerate dissent and create structured opportunities for the youth.
In his closing remarks, the Executive Director of the Busia Institute for Rural and Democratic Development (BIRDD), Dr Anane Agyei, said the lecture was intended to connect historical lessons with contemporary public policy and promote constructive political discourse in Ghana.
FROM KINGSLEY E. HOPE, KUMASI
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