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2007 UNDP report commends Ghana
Accra, 13, Feb. Ghanadot/GNA - Ghana has
made significant progress in poverty reduction, improvement
in socio-economic development, good governance, youth
and gender empowerment and is also the first country in
Africa to achieve Millennium Development Goal 1, said Mr.
Daouda Troure, United Nations’ Resident Coordinator and the
UNDP Resident Representative, at the launch of the Ghana
National Human Development Report for 2007.
Mr. Troure, therefore, commended Ghana for the successes it
had chalked in lowering the proportion of people living in
extreme poverty from 36 per cent in 1991/1992 to 18.2 per
cent in 2005/2006 and for the overall decline in poverty
incidences from 51.75 per cent in 1991/1992 to 28.5 per cent
in 2005/2006.
He called on Ghanaians to work hard towards the attainment
of a more inclusive society since it formed an integral part
in the development of the nation.
“The relevance of inclusion has been acknowledged as a core
issue in sustainable poverty reduction and human
development”.
The 197-page report put together by UNDP is under the theme:
“Towards A More Inclusive Society”.
Independent senior academics from the University of Ghana
with technical assistance from the Ministries of Manpower,
Youth and Employment, Finance and Economic Planning,
National Development Planning Commission, Ghana Statistical
Service and other UN agencies were tasked to work on the
report.
Mr. Troure said although recent progress registered by the
country had led to wealth creation and poverty reduction,
its equitable distribution still remained a challenge and
commended government for the recent allocation of budgetary
resources for the Northern Development Fund which aimed at
developing the three Northern regions.
Mr. Troure noted that the principles of meaningful human
rights could only be realized when the nation was able to
escape from degrading poverty and could also rely on a
strong inclusive society.
He commended government for its decision to help improve
upon the lot of the three Northern regions by the
introduction of Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty
(LEAP) program adding, “it will bring them to the mainstream
of economic development of the country”.
Mr. Troure assured government of UNDP and the UN’s
assistance in offering timely and relevant technical and
logistical support to ensure effective collaboration in
contributing to the improvement of lives of Ghanaians.
Mr. Mike Hammond, Country Director of Department For
International Department (DFID), praised the nation for its
impressive legislative framework to protect the vulnerable
in society and also for being one of the first African
nations to meet the Millennium Development Goal of halving
poverty.
He bemoaned instances in the report whereby disabled persons
were not benefiting from the formal sector, the three
northern regions still underdeveloped in terms of
infrastructure and women and children less likely to benefit
from formal sector job placement as compared to their male
counterparts.
Mr. Hammond however, commended government for recognizing
the issues raised and had introduced interventions such as
the Disability Act, the National Social Protection Strategy
and the eradication of the Worst Forms of Child Labour,
which were aimed at protecting the vulnerable in the
society.
He pledged UK’s continuous support and partnership to help
Ghana with the critical transition from good legislation to
actual implementation on the ground.
Professor Daniel Adzei Bekoe Chairman of Council of State,
who presided said though there were indicators that poverty
level in the country had lowered generally, the numbers in
poverty category in the three northern regions was still too
high.
He said the various forms of social exclusion had decreased
from 31.4 percent in 1991-1992 to 17.6 per cent in 2005-2006
and challenged stakeholders to ensure an all inclusive
society.
GNA
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