Ghana shows African nations can meet millennium goals
17 Sep 2010 10:46:00 GMT
Written by: George Fominyen



DAKAR (AlertNet) - Ghana's success as the only African country to have met most of the U.N. targets on poverty and hunger should inspire its neighbours on the continent whose progress on the Millennium Development Goals has so far been slow, experts say.
According to government and U.N. figures, the West African country reduced the proportion of people suffering from hunger by three quarters between 1990 and 2004 and halved the share of citizens living on less than $1.25 a day between 1991 and 2006 - a stellar performance well ahead of the global deadline for achieving the eight goals in 2015.
The country is also on track to attain primary education for all children and gender parity in all levels of education as set out in the MDGs.
(Click here for a graphic on Ghana's MDG progress)
"Ghana has witnessed a relative economic boom and the government made use of that to effect policies to reach the poor," said Mamadou Biteye, Oxfam's director for West Africa.
Programmes to develop agriculture, industry, mining, and electricity networks in rural areas, provide small loans to the poor, create jobs and improve nutrition have all helped cut the levels of hunger, child malnutrition and poverty in communities across Ghana.
"Ghana has shown the possibilities for dramatic progress in tackling hunger and poverty," aid agency ActionAid said in a report entitled "Who's Really Fighting Hunger?".
Some analysts sounded a note of caution though, saying that Ghana's overall success hides some inequalities on the ground.
"Such glowing figures of progress are not glowing for everyone," Oxfam's Biteye told AlertNet.
Despite the decline in poverty nationally, the remaining pockets of destitution disproportionately affect some regions, women and people in certain types of employment. Moreover, in some areas of the country high levels of poverty persist, particularly in the three northern regions that are home to more than 70 percent of extremely poor Ghanaians.
"A better distribution of the benefits of (economic) growth through safety nets for the most vulnerable is what is needed from successful countries like Ghana," Biteye said.
ActionAid added that Ghana's government must do more to protect the land rights of small-holder farmers and help them adapt to climate change, as well as increase overall spending on small-scale agriculture which is vital for eradicating hunger.
But the environment for achieving the MDGs remains right in Ghana thanks to the so-called "social protection" programmes set up by the government, for example monthly cash transfers for extremely poor families, a national health insurance scheme and free school meals which encourages more children to enrol, boosts attendance and improves children's health.
"If the political will is there, I think it is possible and realistic to meet the MDGs in sub-Saharan Africa with the knowledge and resources available," Biteye concluded.

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Ghana be the best, kwasia!

, hahahahaha, O.k. 1 down
onukpa, ony3 soorrmi aaayy

And this is supposed to be you rubbing it in? You are lame.

who dash this monkey banana ?
me I no see this enemy of progress ooooo
away I go>>>>

Don't thank me for insulting you. It was my pleasure

^^^ SMH ,  now thts wht I call lame
eeiiissshhh! boring be wht, lol cud u be the definition of boredom aka boredomity?,
am still yawning tho, u are like a kid throwing punches in the air and am the adult holding u back wit 1 finga, go figga aboaba
BTW, am celebrating this achievement so u can cry all u want,
I hope other African countries get inspired by this, GOD BLESS!

Like i said you are welcome to it any time,