Policy analysis of development before politics: Why Ghana must build a strong state before it can fully prosper

The devastating floods that recently submerged large parts of Greater Accra, coupled with the continued destruction of our forests and rivers through illegal mining (galamsey), should force every Ghanaian to ask an uncomfortable question:

Is Ghana’s greatest challenge a lack of resources—or a lack of state capacity?

For decades, we have debated politics, elections and party ideology, yet our most fundamental governance problems remain unresolved. Every rainy season exposes our poor drainage systems, weak urban planning and ineffective enforcement of environmental regulations. Every year, despite numerous promises, galamsey continues to poison our rivers, destroy cocoa farms and degrade our forests.

These are not merely policy failures; they are failures of governance.

It is for this reason that I believe Ghana must seriously examine a development philosophy that places nation-building before partisan politics, state capacity before political competition, and long-term development before short-term electoral gains.

This philosophy can be summarized simply:

Development first, liberalization later.

Lessons from Singapore

When Singapore became independent in 1965 under the leadership of Lee Kuan Yew, it was hardly a country anyone expected to succeed. It had no significant natural resources, faced high unemployment, was ethnically divided and was surrounded by regional uncertainty.

Yet within a generation, Singapore transformed itself into one of the world’s most prosperous nations.

This transformation was not accidental.

It was driven by a government that prioritized discipline, competence and long-term national planning above short-term political calculations.

Several principles defined that transformation.

First, policies survived governments. Housing, education, industrialization and infrastructure were planned over decades rather than electoral cycles.

Second, corruption was treated as an existential threat. Anti-corruption institutions operated independently, public officials were competitively compensated, and anyone found guilty—regardless of rank—faced severe consequences.

Third, appointments into government and the civil service emphasized merit rather than political patronage.

Fourth, the government aggressively pursued industrialization, infrastructure development, housing and foreign direct investment while maintaining fiscal discipline.

Finally, public order and the rule of law were regarded as prerequisites for economic development.

The results were extraordinary. Singapore moved from poverty to high-income status within a single generation.

Ghana’s Reality

Ghana’s circumstances are different from Singapore’s, but many of our governance challenges are strikingly familiar.

Our four-year electoral cycle often results in governments abandoning projects initiated by their predecessors.

National development plans change with every administration.

Infrastructure priorities shift.

Industrial policies are frequently reset.

The civil service is often influenced by political considerations rather than professional competence.

Meanwhile, corruption continues to undermine public confidence, increase project costs and divert scarce national resources.

The consequences are visible everywhere.

The recurring floods in Greater Accra are not acts of nature alone. They reflect decades of weak enforcement of planning regulations, indiscriminate building on waterways, poor waste management and inconsistent implementation of urban development policies.

Likewise, galamsey continues because the state has too often lacked either the capacity or the political resolve to enforce its own laws consistently.

These are symptoms of institutions that remain weaker than the interests they are expected to regulate.

Why Ghana Needs Stronger State Capacity

My argument is not that Ghana should abandon democracy.

Rather, I believe Ghana must strengthen the authority and effectiveness of the state so that long-term national development cannot be held hostage by partisan competition.

A capable state should be able to implement twenty-year infrastructure plans regardless of which political party wins an election.

It should possess the institutional strength to combat corruption without fear or political interference.

It should enforce environmental laws without exception.

It should protect national resources irrespective of who is involved.

It should recruit and promote public servants based on competence, integrity and performance rather than political loyalty.

Above all, it should be guided by one overriding objective—the national interest.

A Ghanaian Development Model

If Ghana is to accelerate development, several reforms deserve serious national consideration.

A permanent National Development Authority with constitutional protection should oversee long-term economic planning insulated from changes in government.

Major national infrastructure projects should enjoy legal continuity beyond electoral transitions unless Parliament approves their modification.

Anti-corruption institutions should enjoy genuine operational independence backed by adequate resources and legal authority.

The civil service should be professionalized through merit-based recruitment, competitive remuneration and rigorous performance evaluation.

Urban planning and land administration must be strengthened to prevent illegal construction, protect waterways and modernize our cities.

Environmental laws should be enforced consistently, especially against illegal mining activities that threaten Ghana’s future.

Fiscal discipline should become a constitutional obligation rather than a political promise.

Democracy and Development Must Reinforce Each Other

Some may interpret these views as an argument against democracy.

They are not.

Democracy remains one of humanity’s greatest political achievements.

However, democracy cannot succeed where the state lacks the capacity to enforce its own laws, protect public resources and implement long-term national priorities.

Strong institutions—not merely competitive elections—form the foundation of sustainable development.

Political freedoms are most meaningful when citizens enjoy quality education, reliable infrastructure, employment opportunities, environmental security and confidence that public institutions serve the nation rather than partisan interests.

A National Conversation Whose Time Has Come

The floods that continue to devastate Greater Accra and the environmental destruction caused by galamsey should not simply generate public outrage before fading from national attention.

They should inspire a deeper conversation about the kind of state Ghana must build over the next generation.

We cannot continue managing twenty-first-century development challenges with institutions that remain vulnerable to political cycles, patronage and inconsistent enforcement.

Our greatest national resource is neither gold nor cocoa nor oil.

It is the quality of our governance.

The question before us is therefore not whether Ghana should develop.

The question is whether we possess the courage to build a state capable of delivering that development consistently, fairly and with discipline.

History suggests that nations which succeed in building capable states create lasting prosperity.

Ghana must now decide whether it is prepared to make that choice.

— Nana Opoku Agyeman

Email: Napoku2000@yahoo.com