President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has vehemently opposed calls for political party manifestoes to be abandoned in favour of a national development plan.

According to President Akufo-Addo, political parties play significant roles in the development of countries through their manifestoes, and giving up on such policy statements would be detrimental to the pace of advancement.

Speaking at a meeting with members of the National Development Planning Commission, the president said such calls should not be entertained.

"Not everybody, for instance, would have thought that this Free Senior High School matter was a priority for the country. There are still people who question it, but for me, it was a priority. And I said so to the people of Ghana before I came here."

He referenced the New Patriotic Party's (NPP) flagship Free SHS policy to illustrate that its implementation would not have been possible without a party manifesto.

"The thinking of people who say that we should put manifestoes aside is assuming that everybody thinks the same. I have always found it very difficult to swallow the idea that we should put aside manifestoes. They [manifestoes] are the products of social engagements," he stated.

There are growing calls for the scrapping of political party manifestoes, which have been integral to Ghana's political discourse over the years.

Some critics say manifestoes have gained more significance over national development and prioritise political party interests over national interests.

GA/SEA