Accra, March 24, GNA - Ghana needs to harness all available human resource expertise for the formation of a broad-based government that would help to solve the major development problems confronting the country.

Mr George Dravie, Secretary-General of the West African Trade Institute, said the country would be able to make progress in its socio-economic efforts if all stakeholders could agree on how to deal with important national issues.

He said while the current all-inclusive government in which some individuals with various political persuasions took up key positions in government was commendable; it lacked the building of the necessary consensus, which was an essential pillar of a broad-based government. Mr Dravie, who was speaking at a press conference on broad-base government; stability; peace for economic development of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS); said it was essential that major decisions that might influence the development of the country were reached by consensus instead of a majority vote in Parliament. "You see sometimes the majority is not always right. A policy may be wrong but the majority will see it otherwise and that it is why it is important to seek consensus."

Mr Dravie said peace and stability were necessary for economic development since they promoted high measure of investment as well as facilitated social and economic development.

"The challenge is that we must all strive and work for complete peace and stability."

Mr Dravie said ECOWAS was the greatest economic hope for the Sub-Region and tasked the current political leaders to harness its huge potential by removing barriers and enhancing trade among member-countries.