By
Joyce Danso, GNA
Accra, Nov.09, GNA –
Government has been tasked to step up its commitment in addressing the
deepening of inequality in education, health care and the labour market.
Dr. Emmanuel Ayifah,
Deputy Country Director, SEND Ghana who said this, explained that that a few
people of the population were benefiting from the economic growth whilst
majority were being denied essential elements that made them live dignified
lives.
Dr. Ayifah said
inequality was at a crisis level in West Africa, and that more than 30 per cent
of the population in West Africa were living on less than 1.90 dollar a day.
He was speaking at a
meeting with some stakeholders on Policy Engagement on the Commitment to
Reducing Inequality (CRI, and False Promises (EP, reports in Accra.
The meeting also
discussed some findings and recommendations on a research carried out by SEND
Ghana and Oxfam, a non-governmental organization on three pillars-dependence on
health, education and social protection, progressivity of tax policy, the
labour market and rights.
The meeting also
brought together some Members of Parliament, officials from the Ghana Revenue
Authority, Ministries of Education and Gender, Children and Social Protection.
Dr. Ayifah noted
that West Africa had seen impressive economic growth in the past two decades
and their successes were driven by the extractive industries.
He was elated that
Ghana was one of the fast growing economies in the world but noted that the
benefits of economic growth had gone a few people.
The Deputy Country
Director of SEND Ghana urged government to spend sufficiently on universal
quality public services that reduced the gap between the rich and the poor.
“Government should
allocate a minimum of 15 per cent of budget to fund public health sector that
is free of charge, universal, easily accessible and of high quality”.
Dr. Ayifah called
for the enactment of universal social protection programmes, adequately funded
by the state for the benefit of the poor.
On the labour
market, Dr. Ayifah said government should review wage policies and regulatory
regime to lift wages of wage earners.
“Legislate to
enforce equal pay for equal work for men and women and invest more in skills
and on the job training”, Dr. Ayifah added.
On agriculture, he
lauded government for the introduction of Planting for Food and Jobs among
others but appealed to government to develop a National Agriculture Investment
Plan that would be gender sensitive to support small scale farmers in non-cash
crop sector.
He asked government
to bridge the rural urban divide by ensuring that there was a balance between
public investments in rural and urban areas.
On education, Dr.
Ayifah stressed the need for government to devote more resources for public
education.
Mrs. Harriet Nuamah
Agyemang, Senior Programmes Officer, SEND Ghana stressed the need to increase
pro-poor programmes coverage as well as ensure proper targeting of
beneficiaries of such programmes.
Mr. Philip Bosoah,
Vice Chairperson of Parliamentary Select Committee on Employment, Social
Welfare and State Enterprises noted that the issue of inequality could be
solved partly through education.
GNA
