The Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, Hon. Prof. Gyan Baafour has stated that government has made efforts in reducing poverty and deprivation to help Ghanaians be at ease.

He stated this at the 10th anniversary of the Social Investment Fund (SIF) held at Mfranta in the Suhum Kraboa Coaltar District in the Eastern Region.

Prof. Gyan Baafour giving some statistics by the Ghana Living Standard Survey noted that poverty has declined from 51.7% in 1991 to 39.5% in 1999 to 28.5% in 2005.

This was as a result of the good initiative of the government to declare the status of the economy by opting for HIPC, then streamlining to give focus and strengthening their performance and evaluation process.

This led to the completion of the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy and has set the agenda for growth and prosperity in the country.

He said with the support of the social fund, government has been able to respond directly to the needs of 1,000 Ghanaian communities and over 1.1 million poor people which accounts for 16% of the recorded income in Ghana.

The fund has also helped in the provision of 1,046 sub-projects mainly classroom blocks, teacher’s quarters, rural clinics and portable drinking water to benefit the poor in 108 districts in the country.

This was by providing funds of US $1.0m in 2004 from the HIPC proceeds and US $7.0m form the OPEC funds for International Development with Government of Ghana adding US $3.0m to reduce poverty.

He pledged government’s support to the project whilst commending them for the good work done.

The Executive Director of SIF, Ms. Ama Dapaah said they have achieved a lot since their inception in 1998. Some of these are the provision of 674 decent classrooms with furniture, places of convenience for over 450,000 pupils between 2002-2007, supporting of 540 cocoa farmers to increase their yield four fold and acquiring jobs for 6,000 artisans and unskilled labour, among others.

Inspite of these, it is their wish to realise the Ghana Poverty Reduction Project to help the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups of the population.

Source: ISD (Evelyn Harvey)

Posted: 17/05/08

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