The National Policy Summit (NPS), a public-private initiative by the Ministry of Information (MOI) with support from the Business and Financial Times (B&FT) designed to bring together policy makers and business leaders, has been launched in Accra.

The maiden two-day Summit, which is to be held from May 2-3, 2017, will provide the platform for explaining government policies and the specific areas that private capital is required to achieve set goals.

Mr. Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, Business Development Minister, launching the programme at the Ministry of Information (MOI) Conference Room in Accra, said the monthly summits are “designed to provide a platform for government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to engage stakeholders in their operating areas on the details of their policies and programs for those areas.

He added that: “Through these engagements, government hopes to provide detailed information, build partnerships and illicit feedback for the benefit of all parties.”

Information Minister, Mustapha Hamid, said: “These summits, to be held monthly, shall provide government MDAs a platform to deeply articulate policy and programs to targeted stakeholders as well as the general public with the expectation of building partnerships and eliciting feedback to government to enhance further policy development.

Each month we shall narrow in on a selected Ministry or sector and bring together various actors therin to participate in this National Policy Summit dedicated to the said sector.”

The maiden edition of the NPS focuses on six sectors of the economy--Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP); Energy; Services and ICT; Finance; Trade and Industry; and Agriculture.

The opening ceremony is expected to be performed by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. There would be a plenary section after the opening ceremony focused on government’s Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP).

The relevant government institutions are expected to give further clarity to the major IPEP projects such as the ‘One Village, One dam’, ‘one district, one factory’ , the setting up of three (3) Development Authorities, and how the private sector can partner government and invest in these initiatives.

There will be break-away session on agriculture, trade and industry, energy, services, and a plenary on finance/ economy. The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, is expected to close the two-day event.