Ghana has rejected an assessment made by the UN about its poverty reduction programs describing it as “uninformed” while highlighting its commitment to uplifting the living conditions of its people.
The United Nations on Wednesday cast doubt on many of Ghana’s social intervention programs aimed at eradicating extreme poverty.
The world body’s Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights, Professor Philip Alston had questioned the commitment level of the government due to reduction in investments into many of its social intervention programs.
Alston told reporters in Accra that “the government has a lot of very impressive schemes as we know, Ghanaian politicians are may be world champions in creating memorable slogans that really are good. But a hopeful lot of fate have been pained by many of those I have spoken to”.
“One factory, one dam, one million dollars etc to resolve the problem of poverty, I see no reason to be that optimistic”, Alston said about the country’s intervention programs.
Ghana has for many years dedicated funds to provide monthly allowances to families considered to be living in extreme poverty across the country under the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) Programme.
Ghana’s current government is also hoping to roll out major programs including building factories in each district in the country and dedicating $1 million to each constituency all aimed at improving the well-being of citizens.
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights assessment of the country’s poverty status did not excite government officials.
Ghana’s Information Minister Mustapha Hamid described the Special Rapporteur assessment as “uninformed.”
“The Professor [Philip Alston] states that he has heard “informed estimates that existing taxes yield less than ten percent of their potential because of the exemptions that have been included to satisfy special interest,” Hamid told reporters on Thursday.
Source: Africafeeds.com
