Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has delivered a passionate and emotional call for a complete transformation in Ghana’s national attitude towards work, discipline and productivity.
He warned that the country risks stagnation if citizens and leaders fail to change their mindset.
Speaking at the launch of Productivity Week on May 7, Mr. Bagbin lamented what he described as a deeply rooted culture of inefficiency and disregard for time, particularly in public institutions.
“As a nation, we need to reset our mindset so that we can develop,” the Speaker declared passionately.
He criticised the growing tendency for public events and official functions to start late under the excuse of protocol, insisting the practice reflects a dangerous national attitude that continues to hold the country back.
“The situation where you attend a public function and you are asked to wait because people are not seated and they say it is protocol — it must stop,” he stressed.
For years, productivity has remained a major challenge for successive governments in Ghana, with concerns over low output and inefficiency continuing to frustrate many citizens, especially within parts of the public sector.
Although recent data showed a modest productivity improvement of 3.6 percent in December 2024, many Ghanaians say the impact has yet to be felt in everyday life.
Also speaking at the event, Deputy Chief of Staff (Administration), Nana Oye Bampoe Addo emphasised the urgent need for discipline, patriotism and commitment in rebuilding the country’s struggling economy.
Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment, Dr Rashid Pelpuo described productivity as the backbone of economic recovery and national prosperity.
Adding his voice to the debate, Director-General of the National Development Planning Commission Dr Nii Moi Thompson painted a worrying picture of the economic consequences of low productivity, linking it directly to poor wages and the growing desire among many young professionals to leave the country.
“The reason our salaries are low, and people are thinking of leaving the country is because we are not productive, and we need as a country to address that,” he said.
Director-General of the MDPI, Dr. Elijah Yendaw also underscored the importance of measurable productivity systems in accelerating Ghana’s development agenda.
This year’s Productivity Week is being observed under the theme: “Transforming Mindset, Driving Efficiency: The MDPI Approach to Sustainable Productivity for Ghana’s Economic Growth.”
By Daniel Opoku
