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The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has approved the long term policy framework initiated by the National Development Commission to ensure continuity in governance and development of every sector.

The approval pursued after the Commission visited the Forces to seek the support of the Commission as part of the main stakeholders in the policy framework and development of the nation.

Vice Admiral Matthew Quashie, the Chief of Defence Staff of the GAF told the Commission that the Army is in full support of the initiative and is prepared to crush anyone who tries to disturb the status quo of the nation.

“Personally, I have been wondering why the long term policy framework wasn’t initiated long ago. This is because that is the way forward,” he said.

He said he thinks the step of the Commission is one that needs to be supported by every group including the opposition because the nation requires such a long term plan that would define the manifesto of every political party towards continuity and development.

“I was surprised when I went to Kumasi and saw that projects initiated from Acheampong’s time are abandoned due to lack of continuity in governance; therefore NDPC’s policy framework is the way forward.”

Vice Admiral Quarshie noted that one big problem the GAF has noticed among the youth is indiscipline; therefore it is taking steps to put the youth in shape through different ways including nation service personnel.

Air Commodore I.R Wayoe, Director General of Plans, Research and Development, GAF urged the Commission to consider the needs of the Forces in the plan.

He said the GAF would appreciate it if its resources and capacity are boosted to improve the operations of the Forces to be able to train their members to be ready for all situations that befall the nation.

Dr Kwesi Botchwey, Chairman of NDPC said the Commission is a mandated body that does not operate at the behest of any political party but rather to the advantage of the entire nation.

He disclosed that the Commission has found out during the national consultation of the policy framework that there is a popular yearning for the NDPC to strengthen its operations to eliminate the breakages in continuity of governance.

He said the Commission’s quest is to re-launch the plan to cast a long term vision of the long term plan because they believe that sustainability of the plan is to get the buy in or approval of major stakeholders of the plan.

Dr Botchwey noted that although some people have criticised that the 40-year plan is too long, there are platforms to make the plan flexible for amends that would guide political parties in their drafting their manifestos.

Dr Nii Moi Thompson, Director General of the Commission told the GAF that the national consultation towards the initiation of the policy in 2018 would end in November 2015.

He disclosed that a sector of the policy would include a National Infrastructure Plan to consider the infrastructural development of every sector in the country.

He said public support for the plan has been overwhelming and the Commission receives both verbal and non-verbal contributions on how to improve the initiative.