Feminism is not a word that trips easily off the tongues of Ghanaians. The hostility to the term and the insistence that it is foreign and the several misunderstandings about what feminism stands for, mean that people find it easier or more tactical to call themselves gender activists, gender expert's etc.
But perhaps, as Prof. Dzodzi Tsikata puts it, "If we better understood the traditions of feminism, its evolution over the years, its relevance for us and how we could harness it to transform the lives of women, we would not be so apologetic."
She defines feminism as one set of ideas and a political movement, that is, theory and practice; it analyses the position and situation of women in society; identifies causes and basis of women's subordination and gender inequalities and organises to struggle for gender equity and equality and a transformation of society to remove all forms of oppression.
Prof. Tsikata, who is a member of the Network for Women's Right in Ghana, (NETRIGHT) emphasises that feminist theory without practice is incomplete as is the practice without the theory.
"Even if we choose to locate ourselves more in research and theorising than in the movement or vice versa, it is important that we see the necessity and interconnections of both- the ideas drive action and action generates ideas."
Nana Darkoa Sakyiamah, Programme Officer in charge of Fundraising and Communications who admits to be a feminist to the core, bemoans the misconception of who a feminist is and chastises the media for successfully demonizing feminists.
She explains, "A feminist is simply a person, a feminist could be a man or a woman who recognizes that we live in a society that has placed men in a position of superiority over women (feminists call this system patriarchy), recognizes that this system is unfair and is working to change society so we have a better world for women, men and communities at large. It's that simple."
She debunks the assertion that Ghanaian women in the pre-colonial era did not aspire to leadership positions.
Rather, she says, colonization, the advent of Victorian mores, and religions (Christianity & Islam) also introduced a new norm of what a 'good' woman is...this 'good' woman was presented as a home maker, someone who supported her husband, and was obedient to him.
"If you read about pre-colonial Ghanaian women, or even speak to your grandmothers, or great grandmothers, you will realize that African women have always had agency, have always worked and have always been independent. I think Ghanaian women of today need to re-discover the agency that our great grandmothers had."
Sharing her personal experience, she narrates that she initially became aware of feminism at the age of 19 (now 33), and says it was like the scales had fallen off her eyes.
"Here was an ideology that explained the world in which I found myself, and made so much sense to me. My experience as a feminist has been great. I am part of a community of sisters not just in Ghana, but in Africa and across the Globe. Wherever I travel to, chances are I can connect with a women's group or feminist group there. Feminists are a very supportive bunch of people, and my feminist friends support me, guide me and provide me with solace when needed. I have absolutely no regrets whatsoever in my feminist journey."In her feminist journey so far, Nana says she has started a group for like-minded feminists in Ghana; the group's members are women between the ages of 25-40 in the main and it is called 'Fab Fem.'
She hopes it will be an avenue that Ghanaian feminist women can be part of the wider women's movement. "In my farming community of Kwadarko in Akuapem North district of the Eastern region, I encouraged the community women to form a women's group, so they started 'Boafo Ye Na' to engage in communal gari processing, that's a practical way of bettering the lot of Ghanaian women. I hope to be able to do a whole lot more for Ghanaian women.
In the long term I have political ambitions, but that's a long-term goal." She encourages her fellow Ghanaian sisters to aim for the stars, be bold in their visions, and to go for what they want out of life.
She also advises Ghanaian women to read widely, "read up about different philosophies in life, read about feminism, development, the environment, the Arts...just read...there is so much knowledge out there."
"My Ghanaian sisters should develop an extra curricular life - play sports, learn a new activity, join professional clubs like Rotary, travel within Ghana...take every opportunity to learn and develop yourself further.
"There is a global feminist movement, there are regional movements and national movements and these are all interconnected in a web of feminist knowledge building and practice. As regards the conceptual basis of feminism, she argues that different intellectual traditions have influenced feminist thinking to more or less degrees.
For example, the rights language and rights discourses have been key as have been theorisations citizenship.
She points out that there are fundamental principles in feminism that can be identified and that in relation to African feminism, "the differences and conflicts among African feminists notwithstanding, there exist common features and shared beliefs that undergird their work" and an intractable spirit of engagement that speaks literally thousands of languages across the African continent".
However, Prof Tsikata admits that the challenge though is to determine what is fundamental and what a matter of preference is. "For this, we need certain yardsticks which have to do with not infringing on other person's rights or not excluding certain groups of women."
"To have a movement, we need a bottom line of agreed principles which we believe are fundamental. However, this bottom line should not be so minimal that it does not require us to stand up and be counted in any way. Secondly, it should be significant enough so that our differences will not remove any basis of work and tear us apart."
Speaking at the recent second national feminist forum in Accra,organised by NETRIGHT with support from AWDF, Dr. Rose Mensah-Kutin defined a movement as an organized set of constituents pursuing a common political agenda through collective action.
She outlined some characteristics that should be present and these include a visible constituency base or membership; members collectively working through informal or formal organizations; the use of a variety of actions and strategies; and engaging in internal or external targets in the change process.
She construed that feminism for us today is both an ideological issue and an analytical framework.
"It includes gender equality, but more broadly and fundamentally the transformation of all social relations that oppress, exploit or marginalize any set of people, women and men, on the basis of gender, age, sexual orientation, ability, race, religion, nationality, location, class, caste, or ethnicity."
"A stand against all ideologies and all forms of fundamentalisms that advocate against women's equal rights or against the human rights of any people on any grounds (economic, social, racial ethnic, sexual identity, class, political or religious)."
Some feminist characteristics of a movement she cited were a gendered analysis of the issue/situation for change, a critical mass of women as subjects, feminist values and ideology, women's leadership at all levels and gendered political goals, among others.
She emphasized that collective power was critical; therefore movements were important because of their capacity to create sustained change at levels that policy change alone could reach.
According to her, there were some trends against feminist movement building.
These are co-optation and distortion of feminist ideology, discourse and agendas, example
empowerment; rise of fundamentalisms of all kinds; and the fact that donor money does not support movement-building approaches.
According to her, a feminist process of movement building involved consciousness raising, mass based numbers and a shared political agenda, new knowledge and a new politics of knowledge building and commitment to transforming the practice of power.
"Changes at both formal and informal levels, commitment to transforming our own practice of power and constant renewal and rebuilding is critical," she added.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Vigilance not biometric is key to election success -US Prof.
A professor at the University of Florida has said Ghana must think twice and find other ways of cleaning the voter register since that is one of the surest ways to ensure a credible election.
He submits that biometric registration and verification which have become a contentious issue, especially among the leading political parties in Ghana, is not the ultimate. Prof. Daniel Smith, who is also a Research Associate at the Ghana Centre for Democratic Governance (CDD-Ghana), argues that going biometric actually does nothing to prevent electoral malfeasance since it only identifies voters, but cannot solve problems associated with voting.
He adds, "Fraud will not change in biometric registration with all respect. What is necessary is training agents to be vigilant. In many ways, the machine makes even more technical problems and polling agents can still be there."
"It is important to understand that the use of biometric technology will not solve all voter registration challenges. For example, biometrics cannot detect the inclusion of foreign nationals (people from neighbouring countries) or the inclusion of underage voters in the voters' roll. By the same token, biometrics cannot assist in identifying and deleting deceased persons from the database."
He described as misplaced efforts being made to resource the Electoral Commission (EC) to replicate what the National Identification Authority (NIA) has done, saying that a fraction of that money could be used to purchase indelible Indian ink that cannot be washed off.
"Am wondering why the EC cannot reach out to the NIA for their database since that was also biometric involving the use of the thumb."
"I have travelled around the sub region and Ghana seems proud. If Nigeria has it, it means that Ghana has to have it. So far South Africa said they could go biometric but they could not. Even in Florida in USA in 2004 during presidential election, citizens groups called for a manual recount of ballots, but because of computer problems, all voting records from several districts were missing."
Prof. Smith hoped the debates would shift to the real merits of the biometric system.
He was speaking at a roundtable discussion in Accra organised by the CDD under the theme, "Public Opinion Polls in Ghana: Credibility Issues, Politics, Challenges and Prospects."
He spoke on the topic, "Assessing the Credibility of Public Opinion Polls."
The Executive Director of the CDD and Afrobarometer, Prof. Gyimah-Boadi, noted political opinion polling has a checkered history in post-independence Ghana and continued to be so today.
He recalled that the round 3 (2005) and 4 (2008) of the Afrobarometer surveys came out with war stories which were subjected to trenchant attacks by the then opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), which treated the study as some form of pro-New Patriotic Party post and pre-election surveys.
Perhaps, he said, all of these were understandable in a country in which traditionally, levels of interest in party politics have been extremely high, particularly in the Fourth Republic where political competition was so intense.
"Politicians, holders and seekers of political power, media pundits and think tanks, for better or for worse, are major opinion makers in Ghana today. They must understand that professionally conducted opinion polling is an enterprise that is vital for injecting the voice of the people in policy making, implementation and evaluation.
"Those politicians and pundits who are motivated to make loud, but ill-informed and innumerate comments on poll figures, those who commission bogus surveys, as well as those who undertake a poll from a purely partisan vantage or material gain inflict needless harm on this nascent industry."
The Executive Director added that wittingly or unwittingly, their actions and utterances created an erroneous impression in the minds of the public that all opinion polls were bogus. Admittedly, he stated, there was no doubt that some so-called public opinion polls in Ghana were bogus.
"We must by all means interrogate the integrity of opinion polls results and / or any statistical data, especially, where they claim to be scientifically objective. Indeed, it is healthy in and of itself. It can help improve general appreciation and knowledge of a branch of social science that is poorly developed in Ghana and help increase its usage."
He, however, said that unbiased research on public opinion was important; without which anyone could claimed that their views and opinions represented those of "the people" and could say their own ideas about Ghanaian attitudes / preferences/ dislikes as the gospel truth.
"Most important, we believe that there are proven ways of doing credible opinion polling, interpreting and interrogating and utilising it appropriately. ....Our experience with Afrobarometer surveys in 20 countries so far and 35 from the current round (5) indicate that multilateral and bilateral development agencies, some smart African governments and now the Mo Ibrahim Foundation do recognise the value of well done scientific opinion surveys such as the Afrobarometer and are willing to invest heavily in it."
Pollster and Editor of the Daily Dispatch, Mr. Ben Ephson, shared his experiences, challenges and prospects of conducting public opinion polls in Ghana.
He pointed out that majority of Ghanaians vote on ethnic lines, but in 2008 some people did not want to vote for President Atta Mills because of personality concerns they had about him.
"On the same grounds of personality, however, some people voted. Therefore the issue of personality voting increased while partisanship decreased."
He advised his fellow media practitioners to be careful of their publications of opinion polls since they have a great impact on their audience' decisions to vote.
He submits that biometric registration and verification which have become a contentious issue, especially among the leading political parties in Ghana, is not the ultimate. Prof. Daniel Smith, who is also a Research Associate at the Ghana Centre for Democratic Governance (CDD-Ghana), argues that going biometric actually does nothing to prevent electoral malfeasance since it only identifies voters, but cannot solve problems associated with voting.
He adds, "Fraud will not change in biometric registration with all respect. What is necessary is training agents to be vigilant. In many ways, the machine makes even more technical problems and polling agents can still be there."
"It is important to understand that the use of biometric technology will not solve all voter registration challenges. For example, biometrics cannot detect the inclusion of foreign nationals (people from neighbouring countries) or the inclusion of underage voters in the voters' roll. By the same token, biometrics cannot assist in identifying and deleting deceased persons from the database."
He described as misplaced efforts being made to resource the Electoral Commission (EC) to replicate what the National Identification Authority (NIA) has done, saying that a fraction of that money could be used to purchase indelible Indian ink that cannot be washed off.
"Am wondering why the EC cannot reach out to the NIA for their database since that was also biometric involving the use of the thumb."
"I have travelled around the sub region and Ghana seems proud. If Nigeria has it, it means that Ghana has to have it. So far South Africa said they could go biometric but they could not. Even in Florida in USA in 2004 during presidential election, citizens groups called for a manual recount of ballots, but because of computer problems, all voting records from several districts were missing."
Prof. Smith hoped the debates would shift to the real merits of the biometric system.
He was speaking at a roundtable discussion in Accra organised by the CDD under the theme, "Public Opinion Polls in Ghana: Credibility Issues, Politics, Challenges and Prospects."
He spoke on the topic, "Assessing the Credibility of Public Opinion Polls."
The Executive Director of the CDD and Afrobarometer, Prof. Gyimah-Boadi, noted political opinion polling has a checkered history in post-independence Ghana and continued to be so today.
He recalled that the round 3 (2005) and 4 (2008) of the Afrobarometer surveys came out with war stories which were subjected to trenchant attacks by the then opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), which treated the study as some form of pro-New Patriotic Party post and pre-election surveys.
Perhaps, he said, all of these were understandable in a country in which traditionally, levels of interest in party politics have been extremely high, particularly in the Fourth Republic where political competition was so intense.
"Politicians, holders and seekers of political power, media pundits and think tanks, for better or for worse, are major opinion makers in Ghana today. They must understand that professionally conducted opinion polling is an enterprise that is vital for injecting the voice of the people in policy making, implementation and evaluation.
"Those politicians and pundits who are motivated to make loud, but ill-informed and innumerate comments on poll figures, those who commission bogus surveys, as well as those who undertake a poll from a purely partisan vantage or material gain inflict needless harm on this nascent industry."
The Executive Director added that wittingly or unwittingly, their actions and utterances created an erroneous impression in the minds of the public that all opinion polls were bogus. Admittedly, he stated, there was no doubt that some so-called public opinion polls in Ghana were bogus.
"We must by all means interrogate the integrity of opinion polls results and / or any statistical data, especially, where they claim to be scientifically objective. Indeed, it is healthy in and of itself. It can help improve general appreciation and knowledge of a branch of social science that is poorly developed in Ghana and help increase its usage."
He, however, said that unbiased research on public opinion was important; without which anyone could claimed that their views and opinions represented those of "the people" and could say their own ideas about Ghanaian attitudes / preferences/ dislikes as the gospel truth.
"Most important, we believe that there are proven ways of doing credible opinion polling, interpreting and interrogating and utilising it appropriately. ....Our experience with Afrobarometer surveys in 20 countries so far and 35 from the current round (5) indicate that multilateral and bilateral development agencies, some smart African governments and now the Mo Ibrahim Foundation do recognise the value of well done scientific opinion surveys such as the Afrobarometer and are willing to invest heavily in it."
Pollster and Editor of the Daily Dispatch, Mr. Ben Ephson, shared his experiences, challenges and prospects of conducting public opinion polls in Ghana.
He pointed out that majority of Ghanaians vote on ethnic lines, but in 2008 some people did not want to vote for President Atta Mills because of personality concerns they had about him.
"On the same grounds of personality, however, some people voted. Therefore the issue of personality voting increased while partisanship decreased."
He advised his fellow media practitioners to be careful of their publications of opinion polls since they have a great impact on their audience' decisions to vote.
Remove disparities between women and men, gov't urged
ABANTU for Development and ActionAid-Ghana have called on government and all political parties to ensure that they maintain their respective commitments of promoting increased women's participation in the electoral process.
The two women rights advocacy groups admit that though concrete steps have been taken to address disparities in certain sectors like meeting school enrolment under Millennium Development Goal (MDG3), governments and political parties also have a responsibility of removing disparities between the representation of women and men in decision making relative to the 2012 general elections.
They have thus reminded political parties of their promise of 40% women representation which unfortunately was not achieved and consequently resulted in a decrease in women's representation from 11% in the 2004 elections to the current 8%.
According to Dr. Rose Mensah-Kutin, Director of ABANTU, "The only way to increase women's representation in Parliament is through affirmative action given the inherent discrimination and inequality in the current political arrangements in the country. We call on government and all political parties to ensure greater opportunities of representation for women in elections 2012."
The progress for increased women's participation and representation in Ghana has been slow. Women have continued to be underrepresented in participation and in decision-making; hence they have been unable to contribute effectively to national issues.
Currently, women constitute 8% of Members in Parliament, which is clearly unreflective of the 51% female population in Ghana.
In an effort to ensure Ghana attains United Nations and African Union goals and enhance the involvement of women in decision making processes, the elections in 2012 offer a huge opportunity.
Consequently, ABANTU with support from Actionaid-Ghana has began media interactions to afford them the opportunity to learn, analyse and exchange ideas on the best practices that will promote gender responsiveness in national processes.
The media's role has been identified as critical in social improvement. Madam Hamida Harisson, Programme Manager of ABANTU, acknowledged the mass media plays a pivotal role in educating and shaping public opinion as well as influencing government policy decisions.
"The media is therefore a natural ally in the work that we are doing and ABANTU wants to see that this collaboration is strengthened by engaging with the media on issues of concern on women's increased participation, greater voice and positive visibility in Election 2012."
She hoped the media interactions would facilitate the exchange of knowledge and broaden opportunities for social advocacy for gender equality in the upcoming elections.
"We believe that equal participation of women and men in decision-making provides a balance that reflects the composition of society and is leverage for integration of equality. We continue to value the critical role of the media and we believe that they can partner us in advocating for more pro-gender policies that can promote increased women's representation in election 2012."
The two women rights advocacy groups admit that though concrete steps have been taken to address disparities in certain sectors like meeting school enrolment under Millennium Development Goal (MDG3), governments and political parties also have a responsibility of removing disparities between the representation of women and men in decision making relative to the 2012 general elections.
They have thus reminded political parties of their promise of 40% women representation which unfortunately was not achieved and consequently resulted in a decrease in women's representation from 11% in the 2004 elections to the current 8%.
According to Dr. Rose Mensah-Kutin, Director of ABANTU, "The only way to increase women's representation in Parliament is through affirmative action given the inherent discrimination and inequality in the current political arrangements in the country. We call on government and all political parties to ensure greater opportunities of representation for women in elections 2012."
The progress for increased women's participation and representation in Ghana has been slow. Women have continued to be underrepresented in participation and in decision-making; hence they have been unable to contribute effectively to national issues.
Currently, women constitute 8% of Members in Parliament, which is clearly unreflective of the 51% female population in Ghana.
In an effort to ensure Ghana attains United Nations and African Union goals and enhance the involvement of women in decision making processes, the elections in 2012 offer a huge opportunity.
Consequently, ABANTU with support from Actionaid-Ghana has began media interactions to afford them the opportunity to learn, analyse and exchange ideas on the best practices that will promote gender responsiveness in national processes.
The media's role has been identified as critical in social improvement. Madam Hamida Harisson, Programme Manager of ABANTU, acknowledged the mass media plays a pivotal role in educating and shaping public opinion as well as influencing government policy decisions.
"The media is therefore a natural ally in the work that we are doing and ABANTU wants to see that this collaboration is strengthened by engaging with the media on issues of concern on women's increased participation, greater voice and positive visibility in Election 2012."
She hoped the media interactions would facilitate the exchange of knowledge and broaden opportunities for social advocacy for gender equality in the upcoming elections.
"We believe that equal participation of women and men in decision-making provides a balance that reflects the composition of society and is leverage for integration of equality. We continue to value the critical role of the media and we believe that they can partner us in advocating for more pro-gender policies that can promote increased women's representation in election 2012."
DUFFUOR KICK-STARTS 2012 CAMPAIGN
Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor on Wednesday kick-started the National Democratic Congress (NDC) political campaign when he presented the 2012 Budget Statement in Parliament.
He insisted that government had significantly delivered on its promise of a better Ghana for Ghanaians, justifying his claim with a seemingly endless list of what he described as achievements. Waxing lyrical, poetical and hilarious, Dr. Duffour told the august House:
"We promised to remove schools under trees, and we are very much on course!
We promised to remove inequities in incomes through the single spine, and we are very much on course!
We promised to move the economy from fragility to robustness, yes we have!
We promised to significantly expand the economy, yes we have!
We promised to arrest inflation, yes we have!
We promised to arrest the rapid depreciation of the Cedi, yes we have! We promised to provide free school uniforms and exercise books, yes we have!
We promised to deliver skills training and jobs to our youth, yes we have!
We promised deeper competition in the telephone industry, yes we have through Mobile Number Portability!"
He stated, "These achievements give us confidence that in the coming years, Ghanaians can continue to trust the NDC Government to faithfully steer the affairs of our dear nation."This indeed is a budget that heralds the march towards the "Better Ghana" and gives hope of a brighter tomorrow and the building of a nation that is truly great and strong."
The theme for the 2012 Budget Statement and Economic Policy is "Infrastructure Development for Accelerated Growth and Job Creation."
According to the Finance Minister, the focus of the 2012 Budget was on the provision of key infrastructure in various sectors of the economy to further stimulate growth, support the private sector to create more jobs and improve the incomes of Ghanaians.
He said the key infrastructural projects to be implemented in 2012 , and which were consistent with the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda (GSGDA) would principally be in the following areas: Electricity, Oil and Gas; Water and Sanitation; Railways, Roads, and Ports; and Health, Education, and Agriculture.
He stated that in order to accelerate the achievement of universal health coverage, government would commence the implementation of the one-time premium payment policy under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
To further improve financial controls and efficiency, the NHIS would pilot capitation as an alternative Provider Payment Mechanism (PPM). Furthermore, the review of the NHIS law would result in a major restructuring of the scheme at the district, regional and national levels.
To further improve financial controls and efficiency, the NHIS would pilot capitation as an alternative Provider Payment Mechanism (PPM). Furthermore, the review of the NHIS law would result in a major restructuring of the scheme at the district, regional and national levels.
Dr. Duffuor said Ghana's economy has witnessed significant growth and stability since 2009. The huge fiscal and external current account deficits that characterized the pre-2009 period have been reduced significantly; inflation has dropped to single-digit levels; the stock of international reserves has risen to over three months of import cover; and the exchange rate has stabilized since August 2009, except for some minor volatility earlier in the year.
Real GDP growth has been very strong while the rebasing and revision of the national accounts saw the country's national income expanded by more than 60 percent, moving the country into a lower middle-income status.
"There has been a significant growth in real GDP from 4.0 per cent in 2009, to 7.7 per cent in 2010 and 13.6 per cent in 2011 on provisional basis, making Ghana one of the fastest growing economies in the world in 2011 "At the end of 2008, the fiscal deficit on cash basis was 8.5 per cent of GDP (14.5 percent of GDP - old series).
As at the end of September 2011, it had been reduced significantly to 2.0 percent of GDP." Inflation which was 18.1 per cent at the end of 2008 now stands at 8.40 per cent in September, 2011.
This single digit inflation, he maintained, was real and had been sustained for the longest period of our economic history, from June 2010 to date. Dr. Duffuor said interest rates have continuously declined since 2009.
This was evidenced by the significant reduction in the yield of the 91-day money market instrument from 24.67 per cent in 2008 to 9.1 per cent in September 2011, making it the lowest recorded money market rate in decades.
Gross International Reserves of US$4.98 billion recorded in October 2011 exceeded 3.0 months of import cover of goods and services, compared to reserves of US$2.0 billion at the end of December 2008.
He said in accordance with provisions of the Petroleum Revenue Management Act, Act 805, 2011 (PRMA), the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) has, on behalf of Government, lifted oil from the FPSO Kwame Nkrumah four times as at the end of October 2011.
The proceeds from the first three liftings amount to 2,980,720 barrels which realized a total sum of US$337.3 million (GH? 506.0 million). have been received. The proceeds for the fourth lift are expected later in November 2011.
"The total oil revenue received so far has been allocated to the various allowable sources in accordance with the PRMA. A total of US$112 million (equivalent to GHC168 million) has been transferred into the Consolidated Fund as the Annual Budget Funding Amount and is being utilized in the four priority areas as set out in the 2011 Supplementary Budget in accordance with relevant sections of the PRMA."
"An amount of US$54.8 million and US$14.4 million have been transferred into the Stabilization and Heritage Fund accounts respectively in accordance with relevant sections of the PRMA."
Also, in line with Section 7 of the PRMA, an amount of US$156.1 million has been transferred to GNPC as equity financing cost and GNPC s share of net Carried and Participating Interest. Some highlights of the 2012 budget statement are as follows:
MACROECONOMIC FRAMEWORK FOR THE MEDIUM-TERM (2012-14) In fiscal year 2012 and the medium term, government macroeconomic policy will focus on three complementary objectives, namely: - preserving the gains of macroeconomic stabilization and fiscal consolidation achieved since 2009; - creating fiscal space for high-priority investments to spur long-term growth and development; and - maintaining inflation in single digits
To achieve these objectives, fiscal deficits will be kept at levels that can be prudently financed, without crowding out private sector credit, while efforts to fill the country's large infrastructure gaps will be accelerated and kept consistent with the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda (GSGDA).
Over the medium term, economic growth is expected to average 8 percent, reflecting strong expansion in both the oil and non-oil sectors of the economy.
The fiscal deficit reduction will be driven by rising oil revenues, strengthened revenue administration and prudent expenditure management. Monetary policy will be geared at maintaining single-digit inflation, while the balance of payments is projected to remain in surplus, reflecting high commodity export prices, oil production and exports, and continuing portfolio capital inflows To finance infrastructure projects critical to the country's growth and development, a US$3 billion non-concessional but competitive facility from the China Development Bank has been sourced.
The details of the macroeconomic targets for fiscal 2012 are as follows: - Real non-oil GDP growth of 7.6 percent; - Real overall GDP growth of 9.4 percent; - Average inflation of 8.7 percent; - End-period inflation of 8.5 percent; - Overall budget deficit equivalent to 4.8 percent of GDP; and - Gross international reserves of not less than three months of import cover for goods and services. Petroleum Revenues- Outlook for 2012 The total revenue from crude oil sales in 2012 fiscal year is projected at GHC 1,239.82 million based on an estimated average oil price of US$90.00 per barrel and production of 90,000 barrels per day.
This amount comprises royalty payments of GHC 236.87 million, income from government Carried and Participating Interest of GHC 618.84 million, and corporate income tax of GHC384.11 million.
Transfer of oil revenue to the National Oil Company will amount to GHC361.90 million. The benchmark revenue will amount to GHC877.92 million. The proposed 70 percent of the benchmark revenue determined as the Annual Budget Funding Amount will amount to GHC614.55 million. Transfer to the Ghana Petroleum funds will amount to GHC263.28 million.
In line with Section 21(5) of the PRMA, the Annual Budget Funding Amount would be spent in the following four priority areas: - Expenditure and amortization of loans for oil and gas infrastructure; - Road and other infrastructure; - Agricultural modernization; and - Capacity building (including oil and gas) Monetary Sector Outlook Monetary policy in the medium-term will focus on maintaining single digit inflation while responding to volatility in the foreign exchange market.
To this end, Bank of Ghana will continue to deploy its instruments within the inflation targeting framework to preserve the gains of macroeconomic stabilization. Recognizing the crucial role the private sector is expected to play in the country's growth and development process, real credit to the private sector will increase on a sustained basis to an average of 18 per cent per annum over the medium term.
The Bank of Ghana will continue to engage the deposit money banks on the determination of base rates in the banking sector, with the view to bringing standardization and transparency into the determination of lending rates.
It is envisaged that there will be a further build-up in Gross International Reserves to an average of US$7.5 billion (estimated around 4.5 months of import cover) over the medium term. Government will build higher benchmark bonds.
Seven-year and 10-year fixed rate bonds will be introduced in 2012 to reduce liquidity in the short-dated instruments and extend the yield curve.
To mitigate the risks of rising floating interest rates for debt servicing, government will hedge the interest rates through swap arrangements to allow for enhanced predictability of debt service planning and forecast.
RESOURCE MOBILISATION AND ALLOCATION FOR 2012 As a result of the rebasing and revision of the national accounts, Ghana became a lower middle-income country. However, this resulted in a reduced tax revenue-to-GDP ratio from 22 percent to 13.1 percent in 2010. This figure is below the average of 15 percent for the sub-Saharan African countries and also below the average of 18 percent for lower middle-income countries. Ghana's estimated tax revenue-GDP ratio outturn of 16.5 percent for 2011 indicates a strong improvement in revenue mobilization and is above the average for sub-Saharan African countries and below the average for lower middle-income countries. Proposed Tax Policy Measures for 2012 The focus therefore of revenue management in fiscal year 2012 is to expand the tax base and improve the efficiency of the tax administration. The following tax proposals will therefore take effect in 2012. Taxation of Professionals and Informal Sector The Self-Employment Income Tax Revenue Enhancing Project has been set up to broaden the tax net. Through this project, the contribution of the self-employed in the domestic tax revenue would improve from the current 4% to a targeted level of 8%. Increase in VAT threshold As part of the continued efforts to improve efficiency in tax administration, Government will raise the VAT registration threshold from an annual turnover of GHC90,000 in 2011 to GHC120,000.00 in fiscal year 2012. Businesses with a turnover of less than GHC120,000.00 over a twelve month period will pay a presumptive tax of 6 per cent of turnover. These taxpayers will fall within the category of small taxpayers and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) will put in place the necessary measures to operationalize the small taxpayer office concept. The increase in VAT threshold does not constitute an increase in the VAT rate. Transfer PricingRecent studies in the mining sector showed that Ghana loses about US$36 million a year through transfer pricing. Together with the GRA we have drafted regulations to strengthen existing tax legislation to deal with taxation of multinational companies and minimize the incidence of abuse of transfer pricing. The regulation will soon be presented to Parliament. Tax Amnesty Government is aware that many companies and individuals are operating outside the tax net. To address this problem, Government is offering amnesty to all such companies and individuals who have evaded taxes. The GRA will embark on a registration and re-registration exercise of tax payers during this period. All tax payers are therefore encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to register. The tax amnesty will start from January 2012 and end on 30th September 2012. Natural Resource Taxation Beginning in the fiscal year 2012, the following changes to the taxation of mining activities will apply: - Following established practice in the extractive industry, and in the oil and gas sector, the corporate tax rate for mining companies will be increased from the current 25 percent to 35 percent; - A windfall profit tax of 10 percent will be collected from all mining companies; and - A uniform regime for capital allowance of 20 percent for five years for mining, as is the case in the oil and gas sector. Ring Fencing The principle of Ring-fencing as applicable to the natural resource sector (petroleum and mining) will be made more explicit. Beginning in fiscal year 2012, cost in one contract area or site will not be allowed to be set off against profits from another (belonging to the same company) in determining chargeable income for tax purposes. This will prevent companies undertaking a series of projects from deducting costs from new projects against profitable ventures yielding taxable income.
He insisted that government had significantly delivered on its promise of a better Ghana for Ghanaians, justifying his claim with a seemingly endless list of what he described as achievements. Waxing lyrical, poetical and hilarious, Dr. Duffour told the august House:
"We promised to remove schools under trees, and we are very much on course!
We promised to remove inequities in incomes through the single spine, and we are very much on course!
We promised to move the economy from fragility to robustness, yes we have!
We promised to significantly expand the economy, yes we have!
We promised to arrest inflation, yes we have!
We promised to arrest the rapid depreciation of the Cedi, yes we have! We promised to provide free school uniforms and exercise books, yes we have!
We promised to deliver skills training and jobs to our youth, yes we have!
We promised deeper competition in the telephone industry, yes we have through Mobile Number Portability!"
He stated, "These achievements give us confidence that in the coming years, Ghanaians can continue to trust the NDC Government to faithfully steer the affairs of our dear nation."This indeed is a budget that heralds the march towards the "Better Ghana" and gives hope of a brighter tomorrow and the building of a nation that is truly great and strong."
The theme for the 2012 Budget Statement and Economic Policy is "Infrastructure Development for Accelerated Growth and Job Creation."
According to the Finance Minister, the focus of the 2012 Budget was on the provision of key infrastructure in various sectors of the economy to further stimulate growth, support the private sector to create more jobs and improve the incomes of Ghanaians.
He said the key infrastructural projects to be implemented in 2012 , and which were consistent with the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda (GSGDA) would principally be in the following areas: Electricity, Oil and Gas; Water and Sanitation; Railways, Roads, and Ports; and Health, Education, and Agriculture.
He stated that in order to accelerate the achievement of universal health coverage, government would commence the implementation of the one-time premium payment policy under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
To further improve financial controls and efficiency, the NHIS would pilot capitation as an alternative Provider Payment Mechanism (PPM). Furthermore, the review of the NHIS law would result in a major restructuring of the scheme at the district, regional and national levels.
To further improve financial controls and efficiency, the NHIS would pilot capitation as an alternative Provider Payment Mechanism (PPM). Furthermore, the review of the NHIS law would result in a major restructuring of the scheme at the district, regional and national levels.
Dr. Duffuor said Ghana's economy has witnessed significant growth and stability since 2009. The huge fiscal and external current account deficits that characterized the pre-2009 period have been reduced significantly; inflation has dropped to single-digit levels; the stock of international reserves has risen to over three months of import cover; and the exchange rate has stabilized since August 2009, except for some minor volatility earlier in the year.
Real GDP growth has been very strong while the rebasing and revision of the national accounts saw the country's national income expanded by more than 60 percent, moving the country into a lower middle-income status.
"There has been a significant growth in real GDP from 4.0 per cent in 2009, to 7.7 per cent in 2010 and 13.6 per cent in 2011 on provisional basis, making Ghana one of the fastest growing economies in the world in 2011 "At the end of 2008, the fiscal deficit on cash basis was 8.5 per cent of GDP (14.5 percent of GDP - old series).
As at the end of September 2011, it had been reduced significantly to 2.0 percent of GDP." Inflation which was 18.1 per cent at the end of 2008 now stands at 8.40 per cent in September, 2011.
This single digit inflation, he maintained, was real and had been sustained for the longest period of our economic history, from June 2010 to date. Dr. Duffuor said interest rates have continuously declined since 2009.
This was evidenced by the significant reduction in the yield of the 91-day money market instrument from 24.67 per cent in 2008 to 9.1 per cent in September 2011, making it the lowest recorded money market rate in decades.
Gross International Reserves of US$4.98 billion recorded in October 2011 exceeded 3.0 months of import cover of goods and services, compared to reserves of US$2.0 billion at the end of December 2008.
He said in accordance with provisions of the Petroleum Revenue Management Act, Act 805, 2011 (PRMA), the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) has, on behalf of Government, lifted oil from the FPSO Kwame Nkrumah four times as at the end of October 2011.
The proceeds from the first three liftings amount to 2,980,720 barrels which realized a total sum of US$337.3 million (GH? 506.0 million). have been received. The proceeds for the fourth lift are expected later in November 2011.
"The total oil revenue received so far has been allocated to the various allowable sources in accordance with the PRMA. A total of US$112 million (equivalent to GHC168 million) has been transferred into the Consolidated Fund as the Annual Budget Funding Amount and is being utilized in the four priority areas as set out in the 2011 Supplementary Budget in accordance with relevant sections of the PRMA."
"An amount of US$54.8 million and US$14.4 million have been transferred into the Stabilization and Heritage Fund accounts respectively in accordance with relevant sections of the PRMA."
Also, in line with Section 7 of the PRMA, an amount of US$156.1 million has been transferred to GNPC as equity financing cost and GNPC s share of net Carried and Participating Interest. Some highlights of the 2012 budget statement are as follows:
MACROECONOMIC FRAMEWORK FOR THE MEDIUM-TERM (2012-14) In fiscal year 2012 and the medium term, government macroeconomic policy will focus on three complementary objectives, namely: - preserving the gains of macroeconomic stabilization and fiscal consolidation achieved since 2009; - creating fiscal space for high-priority investments to spur long-term growth and development; and - maintaining inflation in single digits
To achieve these objectives, fiscal deficits will be kept at levels that can be prudently financed, without crowding out private sector credit, while efforts to fill the country's large infrastructure gaps will be accelerated and kept consistent with the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda (GSGDA).
Over the medium term, economic growth is expected to average 8 percent, reflecting strong expansion in both the oil and non-oil sectors of the economy.
The fiscal deficit reduction will be driven by rising oil revenues, strengthened revenue administration and prudent expenditure management. Monetary policy will be geared at maintaining single-digit inflation, while the balance of payments is projected to remain in surplus, reflecting high commodity export prices, oil production and exports, and continuing portfolio capital inflows To finance infrastructure projects critical to the country's growth and development, a US$3 billion non-concessional but competitive facility from the China Development Bank has been sourced.
The details of the macroeconomic targets for fiscal 2012 are as follows: - Real non-oil GDP growth of 7.6 percent; - Real overall GDP growth of 9.4 percent; - Average inflation of 8.7 percent; - End-period inflation of 8.5 percent; - Overall budget deficit equivalent to 4.8 percent of GDP; and - Gross international reserves of not less than three months of import cover for goods and services. Petroleum Revenues- Outlook for 2012 The total revenue from crude oil sales in 2012 fiscal year is projected at GHC 1,239.82 million based on an estimated average oil price of US$90.00 per barrel and production of 90,000 barrels per day.
This amount comprises royalty payments of GHC 236.87 million, income from government Carried and Participating Interest of GHC 618.84 million, and corporate income tax of GHC384.11 million.
Transfer of oil revenue to the National Oil Company will amount to GHC361.90 million. The benchmark revenue will amount to GHC877.92 million. The proposed 70 percent of the benchmark revenue determined as the Annual Budget Funding Amount will amount to GHC614.55 million. Transfer to the Ghana Petroleum funds will amount to GHC263.28 million.
In line with Section 21(5) of the PRMA, the Annual Budget Funding Amount would be spent in the following four priority areas: - Expenditure and amortization of loans for oil and gas infrastructure; - Road and other infrastructure; - Agricultural modernization; and - Capacity building (including oil and gas) Monetary Sector Outlook Monetary policy in the medium-term will focus on maintaining single digit inflation while responding to volatility in the foreign exchange market.
To this end, Bank of Ghana will continue to deploy its instruments within the inflation targeting framework to preserve the gains of macroeconomic stabilization. Recognizing the crucial role the private sector is expected to play in the country's growth and development process, real credit to the private sector will increase on a sustained basis to an average of 18 per cent per annum over the medium term.
The Bank of Ghana will continue to engage the deposit money banks on the determination of base rates in the banking sector, with the view to bringing standardization and transparency into the determination of lending rates.
It is envisaged that there will be a further build-up in Gross International Reserves to an average of US$7.5 billion (estimated around 4.5 months of import cover) over the medium term. Government will build higher benchmark bonds.
Seven-year and 10-year fixed rate bonds will be introduced in 2012 to reduce liquidity in the short-dated instruments and extend the yield curve.
To mitigate the risks of rising floating interest rates for debt servicing, government will hedge the interest rates through swap arrangements to allow for enhanced predictability of debt service planning and forecast.
RESOURCE MOBILISATION AND ALLOCATION FOR 2012 As a result of the rebasing and revision of the national accounts, Ghana became a lower middle-income country. However, this resulted in a reduced tax revenue-to-GDP ratio from 22 percent to 13.1 percent in 2010. This figure is below the average of 15 percent for the sub-Saharan African countries and also below the average of 18 percent for lower middle-income countries. Ghana's estimated tax revenue-GDP ratio outturn of 16.5 percent for 2011 indicates a strong improvement in revenue mobilization and is above the average for sub-Saharan African countries and below the average for lower middle-income countries. Proposed Tax Policy Measures for 2012 The focus therefore of revenue management in fiscal year 2012 is to expand the tax base and improve the efficiency of the tax administration. The following tax proposals will therefore take effect in 2012. Taxation of Professionals and Informal Sector The Self-Employment Income Tax Revenue Enhancing Project has been set up to broaden the tax net. Through this project, the contribution of the self-employed in the domestic tax revenue would improve from the current 4% to a targeted level of 8%. Increase in VAT threshold As part of the continued efforts to improve efficiency in tax administration, Government will raise the VAT registration threshold from an annual turnover of GHC90,000 in 2011 to GHC120,000.00 in fiscal year 2012. Businesses with a turnover of less than GHC120,000.00 over a twelve month period will pay a presumptive tax of 6 per cent of turnover. These taxpayers will fall within the category of small taxpayers and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) will put in place the necessary measures to operationalize the small taxpayer office concept. The increase in VAT threshold does not constitute an increase in the VAT rate. Transfer PricingRecent studies in the mining sector showed that Ghana loses about US$36 million a year through transfer pricing. Together with the GRA we have drafted regulations to strengthen existing tax legislation to deal with taxation of multinational companies and minimize the incidence of abuse of transfer pricing. The regulation will soon be presented to Parliament. Tax Amnesty Government is aware that many companies and individuals are operating outside the tax net. To address this problem, Government is offering amnesty to all such companies and individuals who have evaded taxes. The GRA will embark on a registration and re-registration exercise of tax payers during this period. All tax payers are therefore encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to register. The tax amnesty will start from January 2012 and end on 30th September 2012. Natural Resource Taxation Beginning in the fiscal year 2012, the following changes to the taxation of mining activities will apply: - Following established practice in the extractive industry, and in the oil and gas sector, the corporate tax rate for mining companies will be increased from the current 25 percent to 35 percent; - A windfall profit tax of 10 percent will be collected from all mining companies; and - A uniform regime for capital allowance of 20 percent for five years for mining, as is the case in the oil and gas sector. Ring Fencing The principle of Ring-fencing as applicable to the natural resource sector (petroleum and mining) will be made more explicit. Beginning in fiscal year 2012, cost in one contract area or site will not be allowed to be set off against profits from another (belonging to the same company) in determining chargeable income for tax purposes. This will prevent companies undertaking a series of projects from deducting costs from new projects against profitable ventures yielding taxable income.
Affirmative Action is panacea for increasing women numbers in decision-making
It has been established that without mandatory Affirmative Action, expected changes that can lead to an increase in women's representation in national politics will not occur.
Ghana may also miss out on achieving its Millennium Development Goal (MDG 3) target with regard to the proportion of seats held by women in national parliament. MDG 3 mandates all countries to promote gender equality and empower women.
A study has recommended that in the short term, advocacy must continue to explain and build support for legislation on an Affirmative Action Policy (AAP). This is to be spearheaded by the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs (MoWAC) and Coalition on Affirmative Action legislation.
Professor Takyiwaa Manuh, former Director of African Studies at the University of Ghana, said advocacy efforts need to be based on current statistics on women's representation in politics and national life, Ghana's treaty obligations such as those of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the trends around sub-Saharan Africa and also in West Africa.
She said the advocacy would need to enlist the support of the media by MoWAC and civil society organisations (CSOs) to popularise and disseminate the AAP. Prof. Manuh was making a presentation at the Gender and Development Dialogue series organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) and it partners, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Women in Accra.
She spoke on the topic, "Towards Greater Representation of Women in National Governance: An Innovative Approach." Come December 2012, Ghana will hold presidential and parliamentary elections, obviously the last elections before the final assessment of the MDGs in 2015.
The low participation of women in decision-making is listed by MoWAC as one of its key challenges, 15 years after Beijing Platform for Action and also a concern to government, CSOs and development partners working to increase the numbers of women in decision-making.
The UN System's intervention on MDG 3 and Elections project is to support the process with research in the area of increasing women's representation in national governance with a view to sharing best strategies from elsewhere and from Ghana on meeting the MDG 3 target.
Prof. Takyiwaa Manuh disclosed findings are that in contrast to countries in Southern and Eastern Africa, and increasingly in West Africa, which have used some form of legislated affirmative in action, women's representation in Parliament in Ghana is only at 8.2%, well below the UN recommended 30% threshold, and below Ghana's own early promise in the 1960s when women's representation in parliament was above 18%.
She said women aspirants also encounter several constrains and challenges from within their parties and the electorate at large, including lower access to funds. "Analysis of current and past interventions, many are ad-hoc and poorly times, and do not take into account party electoral cycles, including the opening of nominations and the conduct of primaries.
Giving the key role of political parties in determining who becomes a candidate in multi-party systems of governance, there has been continuing engagement with them Ghana by the Electoral Commission, development partners and CSO's to encourage them to take actions that can lead to an increase in women's representation in national politics."
She noted that in terms of models, there were several affirmative action guidelines that existed from government directives, the political parties and the international levels (CEDAW, Commonwealth Secretariat, and the Quota Project) which could be harmonized and adopted to local conditions towards a comprehensive Affirmative Action Bill to parliament.
"As the experience of several countries would suggest, constitutional or electoral quotas have been the most successful in increasing women's representation in parliament and national life."
"Given women's numerical majority in Ghana, a conscious strategy of organising women as voters that transcend political divides would strengthen their hand in making demands for increased political representation of women and attention to women's issues as the high unacceptable rates of maternal infant mortality."
The establishment of this league of Ghanaian women voters, Prof. Takyiwaa Manuh recommended should be lead by women CSOs, in concert with larger mass-based women's groups and associations in churches and mosques, trades and vocations.She said such a group would also form the basis for establishing a 'Hawa's List' to raise funds to support women candidates who commit to advancing gender equality and the interests of women. The private sectors as well as individuals must be specifically targeted to contribute to such a fund.
"There must be commitments by the UN country team and other development partners to prioritize interventions on increasing women's representation in parliament and to financially support the process beyond the 2012 elections."
In the long term, (beyond five years), there must be continuing executive and legislative action to ensure parity of women and men in national governance and public life in Ghana. An institute for women in politics must be established with secure funding to support women already in parliament, and women aspirants.
"The institute could be initially nested within one of ting skills and the CSOs and is envisaged as a centre for continuous engagement with women politicians and aspirants to teach them parliamentary practice, debating skills, and constituency building skills and to ensure that increased women's representation in national governance achieves both quantity and quality, the critical mass and critical acts, that strengthen the linkage between representation and transformation, and ensures that politics becomes more gender-responsive."
In the medium term (two to five years), the report recommended among others, that executive action must be taken to implement an AAP across board to achieve 40% representation of women in politics and decision-making that Ghana aspired to in the late 1990's, and which the current government modelled in its party manifesto in election 2008.
Mrs Ruby Sandhu-Rojon, UN Resident Coordinator said it is ridiculous that the number of women in parliaments has gone down, such that out of the 230 members of parliament, less than 10% of them, 19 precisely are women, though women make up 51% of Ghana's population.
"The benefits of having women in politics must be discussed in legislative frameworks. When women are in politics there is development as they respond to basic needs from family to country level."
Other contributors at the forum stated the need to build the critical mass across all sectors of the society.
They said it was important to begin to look at having more Ghanaian women in leadership positions, be it education, politics, etc and not only in politics but everywhere else. There was a consensus to discuss how to have a broader engagement with Ghanaian women that looks at the gender issues first and then politics.
Ms Hilary Gbedemah, Rector of Law Institute deduced the figures in representation of women in politics do not paint picture of real democracy. She believes democracy can only have real meaning when decision-making is by both men and women.
"Where lies democracy when composition of governance does not represent the governed? The trend will not correct itself so we need to think about concrete measures to address the obstacles that lie at the base of these low figures."?
Ghana may also miss out on achieving its Millennium Development Goal (MDG 3) target with regard to the proportion of seats held by women in national parliament. MDG 3 mandates all countries to promote gender equality and empower women.
A study has recommended that in the short term, advocacy must continue to explain and build support for legislation on an Affirmative Action Policy (AAP). This is to be spearheaded by the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs (MoWAC) and Coalition on Affirmative Action legislation.
Professor Takyiwaa Manuh, former Director of African Studies at the University of Ghana, said advocacy efforts need to be based on current statistics on women's representation in politics and national life, Ghana's treaty obligations such as those of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the trends around sub-Saharan Africa and also in West Africa.
She said the advocacy would need to enlist the support of the media by MoWAC and civil society organisations (CSOs) to popularise and disseminate the AAP. Prof. Manuh was making a presentation at the Gender and Development Dialogue series organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) and it partners, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Women in Accra.
She spoke on the topic, "Towards Greater Representation of Women in National Governance: An Innovative Approach." Come December 2012, Ghana will hold presidential and parliamentary elections, obviously the last elections before the final assessment of the MDGs in 2015.
The low participation of women in decision-making is listed by MoWAC as one of its key challenges, 15 years after Beijing Platform for Action and also a concern to government, CSOs and development partners working to increase the numbers of women in decision-making.
The UN System's intervention on MDG 3 and Elections project is to support the process with research in the area of increasing women's representation in national governance with a view to sharing best strategies from elsewhere and from Ghana on meeting the MDG 3 target.
Prof. Takyiwaa Manuh disclosed findings are that in contrast to countries in Southern and Eastern Africa, and increasingly in West Africa, which have used some form of legislated affirmative in action, women's representation in Parliament in Ghana is only at 8.2%, well below the UN recommended 30% threshold, and below Ghana's own early promise in the 1960s when women's representation in parliament was above 18%.
She said women aspirants also encounter several constrains and challenges from within their parties and the electorate at large, including lower access to funds. "Analysis of current and past interventions, many are ad-hoc and poorly times, and do not take into account party electoral cycles, including the opening of nominations and the conduct of primaries.
Giving the key role of political parties in determining who becomes a candidate in multi-party systems of governance, there has been continuing engagement with them Ghana by the Electoral Commission, development partners and CSO's to encourage them to take actions that can lead to an increase in women's representation in national politics."
She noted that in terms of models, there were several affirmative action guidelines that existed from government directives, the political parties and the international levels (CEDAW, Commonwealth Secretariat, and the Quota Project) which could be harmonized and adopted to local conditions towards a comprehensive Affirmative Action Bill to parliament.
"As the experience of several countries would suggest, constitutional or electoral quotas have been the most successful in increasing women's representation in parliament and national life."
"Given women's numerical majority in Ghana, a conscious strategy of organising women as voters that transcend political divides would strengthen their hand in making demands for increased political representation of women and attention to women's issues as the high unacceptable rates of maternal infant mortality."
The establishment of this league of Ghanaian women voters, Prof. Takyiwaa Manuh recommended should be lead by women CSOs, in concert with larger mass-based women's groups and associations in churches and mosques, trades and vocations.She said such a group would also form the basis for establishing a 'Hawa's List' to raise funds to support women candidates who commit to advancing gender equality and the interests of women. The private sectors as well as individuals must be specifically targeted to contribute to such a fund.
"There must be commitments by the UN country team and other development partners to prioritize interventions on increasing women's representation in parliament and to financially support the process beyond the 2012 elections."
In the long term, (beyond five years), there must be continuing executive and legislative action to ensure parity of women and men in national governance and public life in Ghana. An institute for women in politics must be established with secure funding to support women already in parliament, and women aspirants.
"The institute could be initially nested within one of ting skills and the CSOs and is envisaged as a centre for continuous engagement with women politicians and aspirants to teach them parliamentary practice, debating skills, and constituency building skills and to ensure that increased women's representation in national governance achieves both quantity and quality, the critical mass and critical acts, that strengthen the linkage between representation and transformation, and ensures that politics becomes more gender-responsive."
In the medium term (two to five years), the report recommended among others, that executive action must be taken to implement an AAP across board to achieve 40% representation of women in politics and decision-making that Ghana aspired to in the late 1990's, and which the current government modelled in its party manifesto in election 2008.
Mrs Ruby Sandhu-Rojon, UN Resident Coordinator said it is ridiculous that the number of women in parliaments has gone down, such that out of the 230 members of parliament, less than 10% of them, 19 precisely are women, though women make up 51% of Ghana's population.
"The benefits of having women in politics must be discussed in legislative frameworks. When women are in politics there is development as they respond to basic needs from family to country level."
Other contributors at the forum stated the need to build the critical mass across all sectors of the society.
They said it was important to begin to look at having more Ghanaian women in leadership positions, be it education, politics, etc and not only in politics but everywhere else. There was a consensus to discuss how to have a broader engagement with Ghanaian women that looks at the gender issues first and then politics.
Ms Hilary Gbedemah, Rector of Law Institute deduced the figures in representation of women in politics do not paint picture of real democracy. She believes democracy can only have real meaning when decision-making is by both men and women.
"Where lies democracy when composition of governance does not represent the governed? The trend will not correct itself so we need to think about concrete measures to address the obstacles that lie at the base of these low figures."?
Thursday, November 03, 2011
Don't replace D-Plans with manifesto
Politicians have been asked to allow the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) to carry out its mandate of ensuring that national developed objectives are in place and not substitute these objectives with their manifestoes.
A former Chief Director at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Nana Juaben-Boateng Siriboe, noted there was a challenge between governments and the NDPC such that while the latter was responsible for the nation's long-term interest; governments are concerned with short term plans and how to remain popular.
"The NDPC is not and should not be partisan but nationalistic and so governments that come must fit in, but that is not the case. Governments try to put its commissioners there to ensure that their manifestoes are reflected. And because the term of office for governments is four years they try to put the long term plans aside and put their manifesto there."
Nana said politicians must not be overly concerned about manifestoes but what they are translated into is what is important.
"It is an opportunity for you to be elected to serve so when you are elected you pick up and continue where there is need. The fight about I can do it better or I did it better will not help."
Nana Siriboe was speaking at an African civil society consultative workshop in Accra organised by the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) under the theme, "Influencing Africa's Position on Aid and Development Effectiveness at High Level Forum IV in Busan, South Korea and Beyond."
He described as sad how Ghana has used aid money; the rate of absorption is weak such that they are not used and are re-allocated to other things and yet we go for more. Therefore, the capacity of the public service to be able to utilise these resources must be developed.
"There is weak capacity of public service to deliver on contracted loans. There have been instances where loans have been cancelled because they have not been utilised. Civil society however can monitor government to use these resources."
According to him, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are just minimum development goals within our reach and so the capacity within the public service must not be taken lightly.
"Institutional capacity to deliver in the public service is just not there. It doesn't pay well to attract calibre. The few who are there are busy so much so that there is limited time to do constant policy reflection, policy formulation. Capacity building is therefore a necessary reality".
He continued, "The flexibility to allow you to build capacity to achieve results is just not there. We should be allowed to use the national system to improve and no political interference."He construed that aid can only be effective when African public service has the right and improved staff and that unless we are able to address the central host of our development design to the level where it can deliver we cannot get there.
Civil Society, he urged, must seriously look at how it can build partnership with public service to ensure that it delivers irrespective of which government comes into power.
"At a particular time there is only one technocrat / expert / PhD holder versus about 60 watchmen who are being paid and this is a completely lopsided agenda. Civil society must not just be watchdog but help build capacity."
The former director questioned why the largest tax payers' money go to teachers in the public schools, yet all Ghanaians are crying about quality in such schools, questioning, "whose duty is it to make it better?"
He emphasized, "Civil society as watchdog should hold government accountable to ensure quality in our education system. You need to reflect and help the public institution clean their spectacles. For when you do this you do it for the rest of society who do not have the chance to state their position."
IDEG in partnership with the African Capacity Building Foundation, West African Civil Society Institute, the Ghana Aid Effectiveness Forum and other CS networks played host to the regional workshop in Accra.
Executive Director of IDEG, Dr Emmanuel Akwetey explained the meeting was to build consensus on a common African CS perspective and strategy on a range of issues subsumed under the broad theme of aid and development effectiveness.
Participants were expected to also outline a strategy for influencing the decisions on the adoption of a common African position on Aid and Development Effectiveness at the forthcoming meetings in Addis Ababa in September 28-30, 2011 and subsequently in Busan, South Korea in November 29 to December 1, 2011.
Dr. Yao Graham of the Third World Network (TWN Africa) noted that although CS has access, international negotiations remain predominantly in the state process and that often times if Africa's position include development partners then what is Africa's position?"If Africa's common position involves them then there is already a constraint. Ultimately, the strength of our common position is in the substantive position."
He added, it is important for CS to ensure a certain minimum common development standard.
"It is important for those of us interested in a common position to be also interested in the integrity of negotiations."
A former Chief Director at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Nana Juaben-Boateng Siriboe, noted there was a challenge between governments and the NDPC such that while the latter was responsible for the nation's long-term interest; governments are concerned with short term plans and how to remain popular.
"The NDPC is not and should not be partisan but nationalistic and so governments that come must fit in, but that is not the case. Governments try to put its commissioners there to ensure that their manifestoes are reflected. And because the term of office for governments is four years they try to put the long term plans aside and put their manifesto there."
Nana said politicians must not be overly concerned about manifestoes but what they are translated into is what is important.
"It is an opportunity for you to be elected to serve so when you are elected you pick up and continue where there is need. The fight about I can do it better or I did it better will not help."
Nana Siriboe was speaking at an African civil society consultative workshop in Accra organised by the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) under the theme, "Influencing Africa's Position on Aid and Development Effectiveness at High Level Forum IV in Busan, South Korea and Beyond."
He described as sad how Ghana has used aid money; the rate of absorption is weak such that they are not used and are re-allocated to other things and yet we go for more. Therefore, the capacity of the public service to be able to utilise these resources must be developed.
"There is weak capacity of public service to deliver on contracted loans. There have been instances where loans have been cancelled because they have not been utilised. Civil society however can monitor government to use these resources."
According to him, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are just minimum development goals within our reach and so the capacity within the public service must not be taken lightly.
"Institutional capacity to deliver in the public service is just not there. It doesn't pay well to attract calibre. The few who are there are busy so much so that there is limited time to do constant policy reflection, policy formulation. Capacity building is therefore a necessary reality".
He continued, "The flexibility to allow you to build capacity to achieve results is just not there. We should be allowed to use the national system to improve and no political interference."He construed that aid can only be effective when African public service has the right and improved staff and that unless we are able to address the central host of our development design to the level where it can deliver we cannot get there.
Civil Society, he urged, must seriously look at how it can build partnership with public service to ensure that it delivers irrespective of which government comes into power.
"At a particular time there is only one technocrat / expert / PhD holder versus about 60 watchmen who are being paid and this is a completely lopsided agenda. Civil society must not just be watchdog but help build capacity."
The former director questioned why the largest tax payers' money go to teachers in the public schools, yet all Ghanaians are crying about quality in such schools, questioning, "whose duty is it to make it better?"
He emphasized, "Civil society as watchdog should hold government accountable to ensure quality in our education system. You need to reflect and help the public institution clean their spectacles. For when you do this you do it for the rest of society who do not have the chance to state their position."
IDEG in partnership with the African Capacity Building Foundation, West African Civil Society Institute, the Ghana Aid Effectiveness Forum and other CS networks played host to the regional workshop in Accra.
Executive Director of IDEG, Dr Emmanuel Akwetey explained the meeting was to build consensus on a common African CS perspective and strategy on a range of issues subsumed under the broad theme of aid and development effectiveness.
Participants were expected to also outline a strategy for influencing the decisions on the adoption of a common African position on Aid and Development Effectiveness at the forthcoming meetings in Addis Ababa in September 28-30, 2011 and subsequently in Busan, South Korea in November 29 to December 1, 2011.
Dr. Yao Graham of the Third World Network (TWN Africa) noted that although CS has access, international negotiations remain predominantly in the state process and that often times if Africa's position include development partners then what is Africa's position?"If Africa's common position involves them then there is already a constraint. Ultimately, the strength of our common position is in the substantive position."
He added, it is important for CS to ensure a certain minimum common development standard.
"It is important for those of us interested in a common position to be also interested in the integrity of negotiations."
Catholic church prepares to support elections in Africa
The Church has been urged to take active part in the organisation of credible elections in Africa. Indeed, it must create the platform to help Christians find a way to contribute to peaceful elections and democracy in on the continent.Bishop Boniface Ziri, Chairman of the Episcopal Commission of Justice and Peace, Cote d'Ivoire, said the Church must be able to observe elections on the continent for first hand information and not rely on people's opinion. He noted the Catholic Church has always exhorted political parties to understand their roles; that their selfish interest must not prevail over the general interest. "Our ability to do this would be a sign of deeper concern that we have embraced the rule of law. We should not consider ourselves as enemies. We should run away from tribalism and avoid involving ourselves in conflict. "It should be possible for the Church in Africa to make contributions and suggestions to make the system better. Its role before and after elections should contribute to a society where religious, ethnic and political differences should not prevent people from living together."Bishop Ziri was speaking at a workshop in Accra on promoting peaceful elections in Africa. He spoke on the theme, "The Role of the Church in Supporting the Organisation of Peaceful and Credible Elections in Africa". He bemoaned the amassing of wealth by some leaders while the interests of citizens were not catered for; others were manipulating the media to mislead and whether information is reflective of real situation or not was not an issue to them. He regretted that lies have been taken to the highest level coupled with the stealing of natural resources such that people do not trust the system any longer. He said the Church is called upon to stand up and face the situation equally. "We should not neglect any of the issues since that is part of the salvation we need to bring to the people. [We] must remain very closely attached to our people so we can understand them and bring adequate solution and a deeper transformation to them." The Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and the Symposium of Episcopal Conference of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) jointly organised the workshop in response to the commitment of the Catholic Church and its faith-based associates to actively support actions that ensure peaceful and credible outcomes in the about 22 parliamentary and presidential elections scheduled to take place between now and December 2012 across the continent of Africa. Hence, the workshop was designed as practical learning opportunity built on experience sharing and specialist resource input from a broad section of state and civil society actors. In a welcome address, the Most Rev. Paul Bemile, Episcopal Chairman for Governance, Justice and Peace, Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference, stated the bishops of Africa are unanimous in their position that the common good should always find legal expression in the constitution. He said they have also called on African leaders to conscientiously exercise stewardship and uphold the common good over the interests of family, clan, ethnic group or political party and to protect and promote the social, economic, political and religious rights of every citizen. "For democratic elections legitimize the exercise of power and failure to respect a national constitution, the fundamental law of the country, manipulating the results of free, fair and transparent election, all such acts become unacceptable under any circumstance."As Church, our concern for each person makes it imperative for us to ensure that citizens are not treated as pawns by competing politicians vying for power. They must be seen to be key players in the political governance through their free exercise of their right to vote."He said, it was for these reasons that Episcopal Conference across Africa has been following keenly development across the continent. The Archbishop of Accra and Treasurer of SECAM, Most Rev. Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle, used the occasion to appeal to experts in good governance to assist institutions such as the Catholic Universities in Africa to establish faculties of political science and set up centres for understanding and implementation of Catholic social teaching. "We have to promote multidimensional programmes of civic education; implement programme to foster the formation of a just social conscience at levels of society; encourage competent and honest citizens to participate in party politics." He emphasized the church must also increase engagement in promoting civic education so the faithful can live out their civic responsibility in an informed manner.He was hopeful that the workshop would provide launching pad for the Church in Africa to find some more answers to those vexing questions that militate against peaceful democratic elections on the African continent.
Big women scaring men away?
Even though Ghana has made great strides in its efforts at getting women elected or appointed to positions of authority, including the appointment of a woman as Chief Justice, a woman as Speaker of Parliament, among other several women ministers and deputy ministers, a major hurdle in the country's feminist push, it appears, has to do with how to make men accommodate successful women.
A survey conducted by the Public Agenda reveals that several high profile Ghanaian women are either single or divorced. Reasons? The men just find it difficult to cope with high profile women. Other less successful men find professional women too formal and intimidating to approach.
Several men Public Agenda spoke to on the subject claimed that for them, a woman's success which is often accompanied by an authoritative posturing is a huge turn-off.
They will simply not have the courage to approach such women, let alone propose to them. Baaley, a journalist at Nsawam, says he will not marry a successful woman because such a woman might not get time for the family.
She will engage in meetings for long hours, and neglect her domestic responsibilities. Others were not certain.
For them a woman's profile or position in society would be considered alongside her personal qualities. Donald Nsoh, a policy analyst for trade, said "I will want to consider some key qualities such as humility and willingness to share.
If she is humble and generous, then we will move on but if she is not then we call it off."To Dennis Nchor marriage is about compatibility and if one finds a woman who shares his beliefs he may marry that person.
To him, the only issue is respect - she has to respect the man.Two out of twenty men interviewed would not be put off by a woman's success. Kwesi Afram, a chartered accountant in Osu, Accra says, "Yes I will marry a successful woman, but this will depend on her age.
The world is fast changing and the men need to adapt to the trend and accommodate successful women.
"Mark Zingbagba, an Accra-based policy analyst, also said, he will marry a successful woman depending on how she views marriage. Some choose not to respect their husbands because they feel they can depend on themselves. But, the women have no apologies to make.
To them, socially constructed roles for Ghanaian women appear steeped in the sub-consciousness of Ghanaian men such that any change that places women in a dominant position creates some discomfort for them. For some men, it is an aberration of the established social order.
Dr. Rose Mensah Kutin, Executive Director of Abantu for Development, argues that a different world is possible but it requires hard work. She says it is important that we challenge certain assumptions about women and the position they hold in society, whether married or unmarried which in reality does not affect their ability to deliver.
There is lack of understanding of the belief in the need to secure rights and opportunities for women equal to those of men, or the concept of feminism by men, particularly when it poses a different picture of what women status in society should be.
Women in power or positions of authority are often perceived as women who can't be controlled and so not suitable for marriage. Meanwhile, most men had no problem competing with women for academic laurels even at the tertiary level.
The problem really is how a woman's career success alters the power relations at both the family and societal levels.In pre-colonial times Ghanaian women were considered primarily responsible for bearing children and bringing them up, cooking, washing, and other house chores.
When women began to acquire education, most of the stereotypical roles of women had to be shared with their husbands or shifted to paid house helps.
This is a convenience that high profile couples have to settle for as women increasingly find it difficult to combine their roles as mothers and professionals.
The transition from a world dominated by men to one in which resources and opportunities are equally accessible to both men and women seems to have caught up rather sluggishly with most Ghanaian men.
Ghanaian men will therefore have to be conscientized to appreciate the fact that, the world as they knew it has moved on and they therefore need to catch up with the trends to maintain Ghana's image as a pace-setter in Africa.
Perhaps, when women's march to positions of authority assumes a level where their appointment to high office ceases to be news society will be better disposed to accommodating them.
The power relations would have been leveled and maybe men will rather than require their subordination from women, see them as equal partners whose views both in the family and society count.
Dr. Dorcas Coker Appiah, Executive Director of Gender Centre, sharing her experiences during the recent second national feminist forum in Accra by NETRIGHT, recalled it took her a long way to be a feminist as the Ghanaian woman is socialized in a different way.
However, she said that education helps one to understand who they are and what it is that they can be or do. "You get to know that you are not inferior to the man. I am a feminist because I know I am equal to the man. We are socialized in a way to accept that as a woman marriage is the key. Whether you are married or not, have children or not, believe in your power as woman."
She believes it is about time the older generation constantly engaged the younger generation and let them know that their value is more than being somebody's wife and look at themselves as being more important.
Dr. Hilary Gbedemah of the Law Institute has argued that it is legitimate for women to claim spaces and that, they can do so whether married or not. "We should realize that we are all complete and equal in our own rights. I don't see how equality can destroy or undermine you. You can be a feminist and a good Christian or religious adherent...the same with culture and so on, and so forth."
A recent media report said at the Legal Aid office, it is recorded that 40% of marriages annually break up within a period of 14 months.
The Head of Ghana Legal Aid, Mr. Earnest Mawuli Adzeke, is quoted as saying that the numbers of women, who apply for separation every week, far outweigh that out of their male counterparts.
Out of 2,786 cases reported in the year 2010, 608 were marital, out of which 420 were advanced by women and 179 by men. Meanwhile, Mrs. Angela Dwamena Aboagye, a renowned lawyer and counselor, says it isn't very surprising since the current trends allow this to be so, even with younger married couples.
"It is really sad and I'm sure the numbers would be more if a customary marriage, which forms the bulk of most Ghanaian marriages, were included." Speaking on Citi FM, an Accra-based radio station, she said that one of the fundamental reasons for divorces were as a result of lack of understanding between couples.
"Most couples get to that point when they just don't get along; their various backgrounds, orientation and ways of dealing with issues come to the fore and begin to cause problems. Sometimes these differences are not resolved properly before the marriage takes place". "The gender power dynamics," she said, "play an important and a more sinister role in marriage breakups.
As more women begin to become more educated, they become more autonomous with what they want to do with their careers, their bodies and their marriage but most men act like they are married to their mothers, in terms expecting their wives to cook, clean, wash, as well as hold on to their careers. This lack of reconciliation between couples imposes a strain on the relationship," she explained.
A survey conducted by the Public Agenda reveals that several high profile Ghanaian women are either single or divorced. Reasons? The men just find it difficult to cope with high profile women. Other less successful men find professional women too formal and intimidating to approach.
Several men Public Agenda spoke to on the subject claimed that for them, a woman's success which is often accompanied by an authoritative posturing is a huge turn-off.
They will simply not have the courage to approach such women, let alone propose to them. Baaley, a journalist at Nsawam, says he will not marry a successful woman because such a woman might not get time for the family.
She will engage in meetings for long hours, and neglect her domestic responsibilities. Others were not certain.
For them a woman's profile or position in society would be considered alongside her personal qualities. Donald Nsoh, a policy analyst for trade, said "I will want to consider some key qualities such as humility and willingness to share.
If she is humble and generous, then we will move on but if she is not then we call it off."To Dennis Nchor marriage is about compatibility and if one finds a woman who shares his beliefs he may marry that person.
To him, the only issue is respect - she has to respect the man.Two out of twenty men interviewed would not be put off by a woman's success. Kwesi Afram, a chartered accountant in Osu, Accra says, "Yes I will marry a successful woman, but this will depend on her age.
The world is fast changing and the men need to adapt to the trend and accommodate successful women.
"Mark Zingbagba, an Accra-based policy analyst, also said, he will marry a successful woman depending on how she views marriage. Some choose not to respect their husbands because they feel they can depend on themselves. But, the women have no apologies to make.
To them, socially constructed roles for Ghanaian women appear steeped in the sub-consciousness of Ghanaian men such that any change that places women in a dominant position creates some discomfort for them. For some men, it is an aberration of the established social order.
Dr. Rose Mensah Kutin, Executive Director of Abantu for Development, argues that a different world is possible but it requires hard work. She says it is important that we challenge certain assumptions about women and the position they hold in society, whether married or unmarried which in reality does not affect their ability to deliver.
There is lack of understanding of the belief in the need to secure rights and opportunities for women equal to those of men, or the concept of feminism by men, particularly when it poses a different picture of what women status in society should be.
Women in power or positions of authority are often perceived as women who can't be controlled and so not suitable for marriage. Meanwhile, most men had no problem competing with women for academic laurels even at the tertiary level.
The problem really is how a woman's career success alters the power relations at both the family and societal levels.In pre-colonial times Ghanaian women were considered primarily responsible for bearing children and bringing them up, cooking, washing, and other house chores.
When women began to acquire education, most of the stereotypical roles of women had to be shared with their husbands or shifted to paid house helps.
This is a convenience that high profile couples have to settle for as women increasingly find it difficult to combine their roles as mothers and professionals.
The transition from a world dominated by men to one in which resources and opportunities are equally accessible to both men and women seems to have caught up rather sluggishly with most Ghanaian men.
Ghanaian men will therefore have to be conscientized to appreciate the fact that, the world as they knew it has moved on and they therefore need to catch up with the trends to maintain Ghana's image as a pace-setter in Africa.
Perhaps, when women's march to positions of authority assumes a level where their appointment to high office ceases to be news society will be better disposed to accommodating them.
The power relations would have been leveled and maybe men will rather than require their subordination from women, see them as equal partners whose views both in the family and society count.
Dr. Dorcas Coker Appiah, Executive Director of Gender Centre, sharing her experiences during the recent second national feminist forum in Accra by NETRIGHT, recalled it took her a long way to be a feminist as the Ghanaian woman is socialized in a different way.
However, she said that education helps one to understand who they are and what it is that they can be or do. "You get to know that you are not inferior to the man. I am a feminist because I know I am equal to the man. We are socialized in a way to accept that as a woman marriage is the key. Whether you are married or not, have children or not, believe in your power as woman."
She believes it is about time the older generation constantly engaged the younger generation and let them know that their value is more than being somebody's wife and look at themselves as being more important.
Dr. Hilary Gbedemah of the Law Institute has argued that it is legitimate for women to claim spaces and that, they can do so whether married or not. "We should realize that we are all complete and equal in our own rights. I don't see how equality can destroy or undermine you. You can be a feminist and a good Christian or religious adherent...the same with culture and so on, and so forth."
A recent media report said at the Legal Aid office, it is recorded that 40% of marriages annually break up within a period of 14 months.
The Head of Ghana Legal Aid, Mr. Earnest Mawuli Adzeke, is quoted as saying that the numbers of women, who apply for separation every week, far outweigh that out of their male counterparts.
Out of 2,786 cases reported in the year 2010, 608 were marital, out of which 420 were advanced by women and 179 by men. Meanwhile, Mrs. Angela Dwamena Aboagye, a renowned lawyer and counselor, says it isn't very surprising since the current trends allow this to be so, even with younger married couples.
"It is really sad and I'm sure the numbers would be more if a customary marriage, which forms the bulk of most Ghanaian marriages, were included." Speaking on Citi FM, an Accra-based radio station, she said that one of the fundamental reasons for divorces were as a result of lack of understanding between couples.
"Most couples get to that point when they just don't get along; their various backgrounds, orientation and ways of dealing with issues come to the fore and begin to cause problems. Sometimes these differences are not resolved properly before the marriage takes place". "The gender power dynamics," she said, "play an important and a more sinister role in marriage breakups.
As more women begin to become more educated, they become more autonomous with what they want to do with their careers, their bodies and their marriage but most men act like they are married to their mothers, in terms expecting their wives to cook, clean, wash, as well as hold on to their careers. This lack of reconciliation between couples imposes a strain on the relationship," she explained.
Men must see feminism as critical to struggle for rights
A renowned legal practitioner, Mr. Akoto Ampaw has encouraged the feminist movement (FM) to be actively involved in the mass struggle for democratic principles and not to work in isolation.
He said the movement must not see itself as different from other democratic struggles. He noted that issues such as the struggles of mining communities clearly have major gender dimensions and so men who are involved in such struggles get a better understanding of the feminist movement.
According to him, men could be feminist in the sense of being part of the movement that challenges the status quo.
"Such a movement is relevant to men in the sense that it forces them to question what they take for granted and affords them the opportunity to look at the possibility of organising society different from how it is organised currently."
"Clearly men who are democratic and committed to society must see feminism as a critical point to the social struggle for rights. The history of social struggle is same as emancipation, so it is important that they recognise the struggle for change can't be complete without dealing with challenges that feminism poses."
Feminism, generally, is belief in the need to secure rights and opportunities for women equal to those of men, or a commitment to securing these.
Mr. Ampaw was speaking as a panelist at the second National Feminist Forum held in Accra and organised by the Network for Women's Right in Ghana (NETRIGHT) with support from the African Women Development Fund (AWDF).
The forum was under the theme, "Exploring the Multiple Forms of Feminism and its Implications for Constructing a Ghanaian Feminist Identity."
The renowned lawyer explained that at the heart of feminism as a movement was a challenge to power and power relations.
Therefore, failure to understand that will lead to many pitfalls in advancing the course of FM in Ghana and worldwide.
He said feminism was consistent with emancipation struggle worldwide.
However, he said it was the fear of loss of power and the privileges and all that went with power, a social course that challenges orthodoxy, that often make men nervous about feminism instead of embracing its emancipation import fully and as a general emancipation struggle worldwide.
He elaborated that feminism seeks to transform those power relations by which men enjoy their position of dominance in society.
Feminism, he said, sought to challenge what men know as normal and even natural and that lack of understanding promoted myths about feminism that were negative.
"The fear expressed sometimes by men is as a result of inadequacies in the men themselves, in that there is a posture of masculinity and when there is a challenge by a woman who is supposed to know her state then it is also a challenge."
"In all this feminism is challenged or feared because it's challenging what we can describe as the way things are done. The status quo which it challenges depends on reproducing the way things are done or should be done.
In that respect, it is important that when we talk about feminism we need to understand that while recognising its autonomy it is related to other struggles for emancipation."
Prof. Akosua Adomako Ampofo, Director of the Institute of African Studies, corroborated Mr. Ampaw's views on the lack of understanding of the concept of feminism by men, particularly when it posed a different picture what women status in society should be as expressed by "If women take the position of men then what is their role and society will begin to question.
Feminists are perceived as women who can't be controlled and so due to this stigma some women who are aligned with women's rights advocacy suddenly change their status when referred to feminists."
She said it was important for society to dismantle oppressive blocks such as masculinity to be able to understand the system and change it. "
Although every woman is a feminist, when men embrace it, it encourages other women to be part of the struggle. So as we open opportunities for women alternatives ones will open for men."
Another panel member, Mr. Gyekye Tanoh, described feminism as a broad notion, a political tradition that seeks to challenge the position of women in society.
He noted most people get nervous due to the fact that any struggle for change could spill beyond immediate issues as those who are oppressed begin to demand their rights."Feminism poses the question of power, equalisation. It sets the mark or opens the door to possibilities and raises a lot of questions. It deepens our thinking about what we have to do."
He argued that the position of women in society fundamentally was to empower and challenge, therefore they need to struggle for change.
"Feminism has come to change the fact that women are used for reproduction and to stick to their husbands and children at home."Several women rights and gender equality activists in Ghana often shun the label feminists in response to negative portrayals and the so- called western origins of feminist ideas.Even though they carry out actions that resist male dominance they resist being called feminists. Discomfort with the use of the term feminism therefore arises from the superficial insights of its history, traditions and transformative potential.
Dr, Akua Britwum, Convenor of NETRIGHT, recalled that the first feminist forum was used to create space for women activists committed to gender equal social transformation to clarify the meaning of feminism and discussed how it translated into their work.
She said the forum was in response to the call on African women to start formal discussions at the national, regional and international levels on what could constitute a set of guiding feminist ideas and principle.
She said major conclusions reached at the first forum noted the importance of labelling for connecting and developing alliances to facilitate the struggle against different forms of oppression.
According to Dr. Britwum, the second forum was to explore the changing discourses on gender equality and how its implication for the transformative agenda of feminists. ?The aim of the forum is to create awareness of feminist movement in Ghana is to discuss the constraints in setting a strong feminist agenda and the underlying power play in setting and framing our identities as feminists in Ghana.
"We are expecting that the forum will lead to strengthening women's organising and networking to bring about transformatory change. We also look forward to renewed interests of younger actors ready to ensure multigenerational collaboration in the promotion of women's rights through a feminist's agenda."
Participants at the forum included women's rights and gender equality activists from NGOs, academia, labour movements, faith -based organizations, media, persons with disability and young women leaders.
He said the movement must not see itself as different from other democratic struggles. He noted that issues such as the struggles of mining communities clearly have major gender dimensions and so men who are involved in such struggles get a better understanding of the feminist movement.
According to him, men could be feminist in the sense of being part of the movement that challenges the status quo.
"Such a movement is relevant to men in the sense that it forces them to question what they take for granted and affords them the opportunity to look at the possibility of organising society different from how it is organised currently."
"Clearly men who are democratic and committed to society must see feminism as a critical point to the social struggle for rights. The history of social struggle is same as emancipation, so it is important that they recognise the struggle for change can't be complete without dealing with challenges that feminism poses."
Feminism, generally, is belief in the need to secure rights and opportunities for women equal to those of men, or a commitment to securing these.
Mr. Ampaw was speaking as a panelist at the second National Feminist Forum held in Accra and organised by the Network for Women's Right in Ghana (NETRIGHT) with support from the African Women Development Fund (AWDF).
The forum was under the theme, "Exploring the Multiple Forms of Feminism and its Implications for Constructing a Ghanaian Feminist Identity."
The renowned lawyer explained that at the heart of feminism as a movement was a challenge to power and power relations.
Therefore, failure to understand that will lead to many pitfalls in advancing the course of FM in Ghana and worldwide.
He said feminism was consistent with emancipation struggle worldwide.
However, he said it was the fear of loss of power and the privileges and all that went with power, a social course that challenges orthodoxy, that often make men nervous about feminism instead of embracing its emancipation import fully and as a general emancipation struggle worldwide.
He elaborated that feminism seeks to transform those power relations by which men enjoy their position of dominance in society.
Feminism, he said, sought to challenge what men know as normal and even natural and that lack of understanding promoted myths about feminism that were negative.
"The fear expressed sometimes by men is as a result of inadequacies in the men themselves, in that there is a posture of masculinity and when there is a challenge by a woman who is supposed to know her state then it is also a challenge."
"In all this feminism is challenged or feared because it's challenging what we can describe as the way things are done. The status quo which it challenges depends on reproducing the way things are done or should be done.
In that respect, it is important that when we talk about feminism we need to understand that while recognising its autonomy it is related to other struggles for emancipation."
Prof. Akosua Adomako Ampofo, Director of the Institute of African Studies, corroborated Mr. Ampaw's views on the lack of understanding of the concept of feminism by men, particularly when it posed a different picture what women status in society should be as expressed by "If women take the position of men then what is their role and society will begin to question.
Feminists are perceived as women who can't be controlled and so due to this stigma some women who are aligned with women's rights advocacy suddenly change their status when referred to feminists."
She said it was important for society to dismantle oppressive blocks such as masculinity to be able to understand the system and change it. "
Although every woman is a feminist, when men embrace it, it encourages other women to be part of the struggle. So as we open opportunities for women alternatives ones will open for men."
Another panel member, Mr. Gyekye Tanoh, described feminism as a broad notion, a political tradition that seeks to challenge the position of women in society.
He noted most people get nervous due to the fact that any struggle for change could spill beyond immediate issues as those who are oppressed begin to demand their rights."Feminism poses the question of power, equalisation. It sets the mark or opens the door to possibilities and raises a lot of questions. It deepens our thinking about what we have to do."
He argued that the position of women in society fundamentally was to empower and challenge, therefore they need to struggle for change.
"Feminism has come to change the fact that women are used for reproduction and to stick to their husbands and children at home."Several women rights and gender equality activists in Ghana often shun the label feminists in response to negative portrayals and the so- called western origins of feminist ideas.Even though they carry out actions that resist male dominance they resist being called feminists. Discomfort with the use of the term feminism therefore arises from the superficial insights of its history, traditions and transformative potential.
Dr, Akua Britwum, Convenor of NETRIGHT, recalled that the first feminist forum was used to create space for women activists committed to gender equal social transformation to clarify the meaning of feminism and discussed how it translated into their work.
She said the forum was in response to the call on African women to start formal discussions at the national, regional and international levels on what could constitute a set of guiding feminist ideas and principle.
She said major conclusions reached at the first forum noted the importance of labelling for connecting and developing alliances to facilitate the struggle against different forms of oppression.
According to Dr. Britwum, the second forum was to explore the changing discourses on gender equality and how its implication for the transformative agenda of feminists. ?The aim of the forum is to create awareness of feminist movement in Ghana is to discuss the constraints in setting a strong feminist agenda and the underlying power play in setting and framing our identities as feminists in Ghana.
"We are expecting that the forum will lead to strengthening women's organising and networking to bring about transformatory change. We also look forward to renewed interests of younger actors ready to ensure multigenerational collaboration in the promotion of women's rights through a feminist's agenda."
Participants at the forum included women's rights and gender equality activists from NGOs, academia, labour movements, faith -based organizations, media, persons with disability and young women leaders.
politics should not dictate spending n
Last Thursday, Parliament approved a total of GHc 1,463,123,559.00 as supplementary budget for the 2011 financial year.Among areas earmarked to benefit from the supplementary allocations, as stated by Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, include the creation of jobs and employment opportunities for the youth, provision of crucial economic and social infrastructure and improvement in sanitation.He said developments in both the domestic and global environment had necessitated some variations in the assumptions underlying the 2011 Budget Statement and Economic Policy presented to the House in November, 2010.The developments, he said, include the passage and implementation of the Petroleum Revenue Management Act, 2011, Act 815, coupled with changes in world crude oil prices and revised oil production levels; disbursement of World Bank budget support for 2010 in February 2011; receipt of proceeds from the sale of shares in AngloGold Ashanti issued in lieu of royalty payments. While some have expressed worry about government's decision to spend the additional revenue, arguing that it could have negative effects on the economy, particularly in a year preceding a general election, Mr. George Osei-Bimpeh of SEND Ghana, has said it may not be so, since we are not going to create any huge budget deficit by going outside to borrow. Instead, he said what may be worrying is when allocation to the social services is guided by political inclinations rather than needs and wants. "It is important for us to talk about the areas where we are going to use the extra revenue. I want to caution that if there are intentions to use it for provision of social services, then the very poor should be targeted so they can stand on their feet in the emerging market place." Meanwhile, in a reaction to the presentation of the government's supplementary budget, the Executive Director of ISODEC, Bishop Akolgo, has commended government for submitting a midyear report on how they have used resources including how they have respected the Petroleum Revenue Management Law. In an interview, he suggested that the supplementary budget should be directed at targeted interventions in the national economy and that the extra revenue from the oil must be applied to transform and diversify the economy. "The 70% of the oil money should be spent on targeted interventions. Those that can give return so we can move the economy forward. We must diversify from the three traditional commodities timber, gold and cocoa."He proposed an open debate to discuss where the annual budget funding amount of 70% of total petroleum receipts should be spent. Ghana, he said, could set the pace in democratising decisions around petroleum revenue expenditures. He challenged citizens to mount surveillance and monitor projects in the face of the rather high cost of projects, "else we can get billions of dollars from Jubilee field but burn away on expensive projects.""It will require citizen's vigilance since the establishment of the Revenue Management Act marks the beginning of a social contract between government and citizens, so it is important for citizens to play their part."On the implications of the supplementary budget on next year's electioneering campaign, he said all and sundry must be on the lookout for campaign expenditures so that public funds will not be unduly spent on party activities. According to Bishop Akolgo, Ghana is uniquely endowed with significant amounts of valuable natural resources among few select nations where oil and gas have been discovered together with endowments of gold, diamond, salt, bauxite, limestone, iron ore and manganese. He said these natural resources create the opportunity for a gold refinery and industrial complexes embracing aluminium, petrochemicals, fertilizer, iron and ferro-manganese production, and value-added industrial and consumer products linked to the outputs from these basic industrial goods."The transformational opportunity is presented for government to take a strategic view of the development prospects available from the linked endowments in oil and gas, bauxite, salt and limestone, as well as iron ore and manganese."Some highlights of the Mid-Year Review of the 2011 Budget Statement and Economic Policy, as well as Supplementary Estimates of the Government of Ghana for the 2011 Financial Year are as follows:Macroeconomic Developments for January - May, 2011- GDP on year-on-year basis for the first quarter of 2011 showed a 23 percent growth over that of the same period in 2010. Provisional quarter-on-quarter estimates of the real GDP showed a growth of 21.4 percent and 5.3 percent in the industry and services sectors respectively. - Revisions to the 2011 Fiscal Estimates and Macroeconomic Targets and Request for Supplementary Estimates- At the end of May 2011, Gross International Reserves improved to US$4.7 billion, representing 3.7 months of import cover of goods and services. - Developments in the foreign exchange market show that the Cedi cumulatively depreciated by 2.2 per cent against the US Dollar during the first half of 2011.- Road contractors, Statutory Funds and SOEs. Additionally, GHc891.3 million in bonds have been issued to creditors as part of the liquidation strategy. With these payments, government liabilities in respect of GETFund, DACF and NHIF as at the end of December 2010 have been fully settled. The outstanding balance of GHc1.7 billion will also be managed either through cash payments or securitization. Local Enterprises and Skills Development Programme (LESDEP) In furtherance of the job creation agenda, a new youth employment programme, known as the Local Enterprises and Skills Development Programme (LESDEP), has been commissioned by His Excellency, President John Evans Atta Mills, and is aimed at empowering the youth through the acquisition of skills supported by equipment and machinery.The programme has already been inaugurated in the Northern, Western, Central and Eastern Regions.Biometric Registration for 2012 Election- To advance the course of democracy through transparent, free and fair elections, government has released GHc50.0 million to the Electoral Commission to implement activities preceding the 2012 Presidential and Parliamentary elections. Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA)- Government has released an amount of GHc8 million out an allocation of GHc25 million for the 2011 fiscal year. Government will release the rest of the funds to SADA to ensure a speedy- clearance of arrears and commitments from previous years; and - exchange rate developments.- With the passage of the Petroleum Revenue Management Act (PRMA), there is the need to implement the provisions in the Act. Key provisions in the PRMA that have direct implications for the fiscal framework include the following:- estimation of the Benchmark Revenue; - determination of the Annual Budget Funding Amount (ABFA); and - determination of transfers to the Ghana Petroleum Funds.- In line with section 21(5) of the Petroleum Revenue Management Act, Act 815, the oil revenue would be spent in the following GSGDA priority areas;- expenditure and amortisation of loans for oil and gas infrastructure;- road infrastructure;- agricultural modernisation; and- capacity building (including oil and gas).-Revisions have been made to the fiscal and macroeconomic framework to reflect these changes. The revised macroeconomic targets for the 2011 budget are as follows:- Real GDP growth (excluding oil) of 7.5 percent ;- Real GDP growth (including oil) of 14.4 percent ;- Overall fiscal deficit revised from 4.1 percent to 5.1 percent of GDP;- Average inflation rate revised from 8.8 percent to 8.7 percent;- End-period inflation rate revised from 8.5 percent to 9.0 percent; and Gross international reserves of not less than three months of import cover of goods and services.Outlook for the Rest of the YearDevelopments in the first five months of 2011 point to an optimistic outlook for the rest of the year. Going forward, we are determined to strictly enforce the budget plans for the rest of the year inspite of the fiscal challenges, resulting from h domestic and external developments. Based on trends for the first five months of 2011, the tax collection targets are likely to be exceeded and steps that have been taken to address the problem of expenditure arrears will help in strengthening banks' balance sheets, contributing to improved credit to the private sector.We expect a further reduction in inflation and increased GDP growth in 2011. Effective collaboration and coordination of - our fiscal and monetary policies will be used to dampen any exogenous shocks to ensure a favourable budget outturn for 2011.
Waste contractors go awol.......leaving heaps of garbage in their trail
From Adenta through East Legon, Adjiriganor to Dansoman, residents have, for the past three weeks, had to live with piles of offensive smelling garbage following the failure of waste collection companies to empty refuse bins.
In particular, residents in and around the Accra Metropolis and the Adenta municipality have complained that they have been struggling to dispose of the waste that they generate from their homes. According to them, their refuse containers are never picked each time they placed them out of doors.
Apparently, the new waste management companies assigned the responsibility to collect waste have never done so since the re-zoning by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly and the other municipalities which broke Zoomlion's monopoly.
A visit to most vicinities revealed refuse bins overflowing with waste placed before households.
Perhaps, they do not have the required equipment to work with. Moreover, they have been instructed to provide households with refuse bins as they begin their collection activities. Waste management experts say this is capital intensive.
Indeed, the companies seem to have now dispatched workers to go around registering households at a fee. A staff member of Public Agenda confirmed that a lady entered their house at Lapaz insisting to register every room at a fee of GHC1.00. she is equally alleged to have said that each room would pay GHC3.00 every month for the weekly collection of their refuse.
The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and Adenta Municipal Assembly recently introduced a fee-based solid waste collection system under which various Waste Management Companies have been assigned areas in which they can operate.
The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has publicly announced through the media its New
solid Waste Collection System, stating that the A.M.A will from 1st June 2010 begin its Fee Performance Based Solid Waste Collection Programme.
Under the new programme, residents have been directed to identify and register with accredited waste contractors for their sub-metro and pay for the collection of the refuse they generate.
It is not clear when the Adenta municipality will come out with a list of accredited waste contractors and when they will do so after about a month of re-zoning. Also, most residents Public Agenda spoke with complained they are not certain when and how their waste bins will be emptied as they have no contact information of the said accredited waste contractors, except those of the A.M.A.
Some of them said they are left with no other choice than to transfer the waste in their containers into plastic bags and look for vehicles and damping sites to dispose them off. One of such residents had to transport her waste to Lapaz for disposal last week.This has led them to question the competence of the newly assigned waste companies to collect waste.
According to them, before the new directive Zoomlion Ghana Limited, a private waste management company, executed its responsibility efficiently. Meanwhile, Zoomlion Ghana Limited has pledged that it will continue with its vision to champion the cause of clean and environmentally healthy communities in Ghana and throughout Africa by the year 2013.
At a media briefing in Accra on Thursday, the Communications Manager of Zoomlion, Mrs. Isabella Gyau-Orhin, announced that Zoomlion has been assigned three out of the 11 sub-metros under the A.M.A.
They are namely, Ayawaso West, Ayawaso Central and Ablekuma Central. It has also been assigned zones four and six in the Adenta Municipal Assembly. She assured both existing and new clients of very timely, reliable and proficient waste collection services."Zoomlion remains committed to providing quality waste management and environmental sanitation services and making your home, community and the entire nation clean and healthy at very affordable rates".
Mrs. Gyau-Orhin said the company is very comfortable with the new arrangement since it will help waste management companies to work effectively and efficiently in areas allocated to them.She also said it will save cost as companies will not need to move from one area to another but have the chance to expend all resources to ensure that the areas they are assigned are very tidy.However, she apologized to loyal clients living outside Zoomlion's assigned areas of operation for its inability to continue serving them as a result of the new arrangement.
She announced that Zoomlion is introducing the three-wheeled mini refuse truck (the "bola taxi") to augment the work of the tricycles. She said these are locally assembled and equipped with vertical, inline, forced water cooling system and operate on 4-stroke engines and have automatic transmission. Further, she said the bola taxis consume less fuel while operation and maintenance are easy and affordable.
She said the greatest challenge facing the company is the lack of land in the major cities especially in Accra which can serve as final disposal sites coupled with the poor sanitary habits of the general public that make their work very difficult.Internationally, she said the company's contract in Angola has been extended after a good performance during the African Nations Cup in Angola 2010 and that Zoomlion continues to receive invitation from so many other countries to work.
In particular, residents in and around the Accra Metropolis and the Adenta municipality have complained that they have been struggling to dispose of the waste that they generate from their homes. According to them, their refuse containers are never picked each time they placed them out of doors.
Apparently, the new waste management companies assigned the responsibility to collect waste have never done so since the re-zoning by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly and the other municipalities which broke Zoomlion's monopoly.
A visit to most vicinities revealed refuse bins overflowing with waste placed before households.
Perhaps, they do not have the required equipment to work with. Moreover, they have been instructed to provide households with refuse bins as they begin their collection activities. Waste management experts say this is capital intensive.
Indeed, the companies seem to have now dispatched workers to go around registering households at a fee. A staff member of Public Agenda confirmed that a lady entered their house at Lapaz insisting to register every room at a fee of GHC1.00. she is equally alleged to have said that each room would pay GHC3.00 every month for the weekly collection of their refuse.
The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and Adenta Municipal Assembly recently introduced a fee-based solid waste collection system under which various Waste Management Companies have been assigned areas in which they can operate.
The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has publicly announced through the media its New
solid Waste Collection System, stating that the A.M.A will from 1st June 2010 begin its Fee Performance Based Solid Waste Collection Programme.
Under the new programme, residents have been directed to identify and register with accredited waste contractors for their sub-metro and pay for the collection of the refuse they generate.
It is not clear when the Adenta municipality will come out with a list of accredited waste contractors and when they will do so after about a month of re-zoning. Also, most residents Public Agenda spoke with complained they are not certain when and how their waste bins will be emptied as they have no contact information of the said accredited waste contractors, except those of the A.M.A.
Some of them said they are left with no other choice than to transfer the waste in their containers into plastic bags and look for vehicles and damping sites to dispose them off. One of such residents had to transport her waste to Lapaz for disposal last week.This has led them to question the competence of the newly assigned waste companies to collect waste.
According to them, before the new directive Zoomlion Ghana Limited, a private waste management company, executed its responsibility efficiently. Meanwhile, Zoomlion Ghana Limited has pledged that it will continue with its vision to champion the cause of clean and environmentally healthy communities in Ghana and throughout Africa by the year 2013.
At a media briefing in Accra on Thursday, the Communications Manager of Zoomlion, Mrs. Isabella Gyau-Orhin, announced that Zoomlion has been assigned three out of the 11 sub-metros under the A.M.A.
They are namely, Ayawaso West, Ayawaso Central and Ablekuma Central. It has also been assigned zones four and six in the Adenta Municipal Assembly. She assured both existing and new clients of very timely, reliable and proficient waste collection services."Zoomlion remains committed to providing quality waste management and environmental sanitation services and making your home, community and the entire nation clean and healthy at very affordable rates".
Mrs. Gyau-Orhin said the company is very comfortable with the new arrangement since it will help waste management companies to work effectively and efficiently in areas allocated to them.She also said it will save cost as companies will not need to move from one area to another but have the chance to expend all resources to ensure that the areas they are assigned are very tidy.However, she apologized to loyal clients living outside Zoomlion's assigned areas of operation for its inability to continue serving them as a result of the new arrangement.
She announced that Zoomlion is introducing the three-wheeled mini refuse truck (the "bola taxi") to augment the work of the tricycles. She said these are locally assembled and equipped with vertical, inline, forced water cooling system and operate on 4-stroke engines and have automatic transmission. Further, she said the bola taxis consume less fuel while operation and maintenance are easy and affordable.
She said the greatest challenge facing the company is the lack of land in the major cities especially in Accra which can serve as final disposal sites coupled with the poor sanitary habits of the general public that make their work very difficult.Internationally, she said the company's contract in Angola has been extended after a good performance during the African Nations Cup in Angola 2010 and that Zoomlion continues to receive invitation from so many other countries to work.
Gender equality necessary to achieve MDGs
A women's rights advocate, Ms Janet Adama Mohammed, has said that efforts to prevent all forms of violence against women, end impunity for perpetrators and provide effective support and redress for victims should be incorporated in national development plans, policies, and strategies for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
She said that MDGs and human rights have common objectives-to preserve and protect human dignity. She notes that violence against women is a fundamental breach of women's human rights and impedes progress towards the achievement of the MDGs in all regions.
She said since gender equality (GE) is one critical vessel to the achievement of the MDGs, Ghana should consider a way forward in a gender-affirmative action policy and implement it.
Ms Mohammed, who is also the Programme Director of Ibis Ghana, said these in a presentation on Gender Equality and Women's Rights at a public forum by Amnesty International in Accra to mark the International Women's Day.
It was under the theme, "Beijing + 15: Time to Address the Gaps in Women's Rights." She observed that although most Ghanaian women contribute in various ways towards food security and poverty alleviation through farming and small scale enterprises, most agricultural and economic policies are not visibly inclusive of women.
She further observed that women's participation in the power structure still stands at about 8.2% in Parliament and even though there is an effort to use the quota system to create a balance in the proportion of women and men in the district assemblies, there is still a low representation of women in decision-making positions at the district, regional and national levels.
"There are still several discriminatory social practices in prevailing cultural attitudes and societal codes evoked in the name of traditions and religion, which undermine the dignity and rights of women. Examples of these include witchcraft, widowhood rites, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), forced marriages, widowhood rites, girl-child betrothals and unintended consequences of dowry etc, which do not guarantee the liberty/ freedom of women and render females second humans".
She however noted that efforts to design strategies to reduce violence against women and monitor behavioral changes have been hampered by the lack of adequate statistics. To address this she recommended that structures that address violence against women and children must be supported and strengthened; girls' access to quality education and their retention in school should be enhanced and the strengthening of institutional mechanisms like Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs (MOWAC) to effectively provide the needed policy guidance and implementation. "Widen the space for women in governance right from the local government level to national boards. The political parties should create space for women to assume strategic leadership and bring change, there should be gender oriented economic policies, agricultural policies that respond to the needs of small- scale farmers a majority of whom are rural women". According to the UN Millennium Project Task Force on Education and Gender Equality, in most developing countries like Ghana, gender inequality is a major obstacle to meeting the MDG targets. In fact, achieving the goals will be impossible without closing the gaps between women and men in terms of capacities, access to resources, opportunities, and vulnerability to violence and conflicts.UNICEF defines gender equality as leveling the playing field for girls and boys by ensuring that all children have equal opportunity to develop talents.In an address, the Deputy Minister for Women and Children's Affairs, Hajia Hawawu Boya Gariba, noted that this year's women's day celebration which coincided with the 15th anniversary of the implementation of Beijing Platform for Action (BPFA) calls for serious stock taking and that areas identified for further action should be strictly adhered to. "It has been emphasized that reproductive child health component which entails family planning, safe motherhood, adolescent health and development, reproductive tract cancers for women and men, menopause and andropause, gender-based violence, working with men as users of reproductive health services, child health programmes, education on sexuality during the life cycle and care of the aged need to be expanded".She continued that with regard to education a great deal of emphasis has been placed on achieving gender parity in primary and secondary education.
These among others, Hajia Gariba noted, when they are adhered to, will place Ghana in a better position to achieve the MDGs, particularly goal 3: promotion of gender equality. Mr.Lawrnce Amesu, Director of Amnesty International, Ghana, called on all opinion leaders and authorities to abolish all forms of traditional and cultural practices that negatively affect women."
Amnesty International will take the opportunity of the Beijing+15 review and appraisal to draw attention to the urgent need for governments to acknowledge and respond to the critical gaps in the implementation of the BDPfA, which is also crucial for ensuring meaningful progress on the MDGs.
These gaps cannot be addressed unless governments, traditional leaders and related authorities address the remaining barriers to the enjoyment of women's rights", he stated. Mr. Amesu appealed to the Ministers of Education and Women and Children's Affairs to institute investigations into alleged gender-based abuses being perpetrated against girls and women in some schools, colleges and universities and to bring the culprits to face the full rigors of the law.
She said that MDGs and human rights have common objectives-to preserve and protect human dignity. She notes that violence against women is a fundamental breach of women's human rights and impedes progress towards the achievement of the MDGs in all regions.
She said since gender equality (GE) is one critical vessel to the achievement of the MDGs, Ghana should consider a way forward in a gender-affirmative action policy and implement it.
Ms Mohammed, who is also the Programme Director of Ibis Ghana, said these in a presentation on Gender Equality and Women's Rights at a public forum by Amnesty International in Accra to mark the International Women's Day.
It was under the theme, "Beijing + 15: Time to Address the Gaps in Women's Rights." She observed that although most Ghanaian women contribute in various ways towards food security and poverty alleviation through farming and small scale enterprises, most agricultural and economic policies are not visibly inclusive of women.
She further observed that women's participation in the power structure still stands at about 8.2% in Parliament and even though there is an effort to use the quota system to create a balance in the proportion of women and men in the district assemblies, there is still a low representation of women in decision-making positions at the district, regional and national levels.
"There are still several discriminatory social practices in prevailing cultural attitudes and societal codes evoked in the name of traditions and religion, which undermine the dignity and rights of women. Examples of these include witchcraft, widowhood rites, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), forced marriages, widowhood rites, girl-child betrothals and unintended consequences of dowry etc, which do not guarantee the liberty/ freedom of women and render females second humans".
She however noted that efforts to design strategies to reduce violence against women and monitor behavioral changes have been hampered by the lack of adequate statistics. To address this she recommended that structures that address violence against women and children must be supported and strengthened; girls' access to quality education and their retention in school should be enhanced and the strengthening of institutional mechanisms like Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs (MOWAC) to effectively provide the needed policy guidance and implementation. "Widen the space for women in governance right from the local government level to national boards. The political parties should create space for women to assume strategic leadership and bring change, there should be gender oriented economic policies, agricultural policies that respond to the needs of small- scale farmers a majority of whom are rural women". According to the UN Millennium Project Task Force on Education and Gender Equality, in most developing countries like Ghana, gender inequality is a major obstacle to meeting the MDG targets. In fact, achieving the goals will be impossible without closing the gaps between women and men in terms of capacities, access to resources, opportunities, and vulnerability to violence and conflicts.UNICEF defines gender equality as leveling the playing field for girls and boys by ensuring that all children have equal opportunity to develop talents.In an address, the Deputy Minister for Women and Children's Affairs, Hajia Hawawu Boya Gariba, noted that this year's women's day celebration which coincided with the 15th anniversary of the implementation of Beijing Platform for Action (BPFA) calls for serious stock taking and that areas identified for further action should be strictly adhered to. "It has been emphasized that reproductive child health component which entails family planning, safe motherhood, adolescent health and development, reproductive tract cancers for women and men, menopause and andropause, gender-based violence, working with men as users of reproductive health services, child health programmes, education on sexuality during the life cycle and care of the aged need to be expanded".She continued that with regard to education a great deal of emphasis has been placed on achieving gender parity in primary and secondary education.
These among others, Hajia Gariba noted, when they are adhered to, will place Ghana in a better position to achieve the MDGs, particularly goal 3: promotion of gender equality. Mr.Lawrnce Amesu, Director of Amnesty International, Ghana, called on all opinion leaders and authorities to abolish all forms of traditional and cultural practices that negatively affect women."
Amnesty International will take the opportunity of the Beijing+15 review and appraisal to draw attention to the urgent need for governments to acknowledge and respond to the critical gaps in the implementation of the BDPfA, which is also crucial for ensuring meaningful progress on the MDGs.
These gaps cannot be addressed unless governments, traditional leaders and related authorities address the remaining barriers to the enjoyment of women's rights", he stated. Mr. Amesu appealed to the Ministers of Education and Women and Children's Affairs to institute investigations into alleged gender-based abuses being perpetrated against girls and women in some schools, colleges and universities and to bring the culprits to face the full rigors of the law.
2,858 workers lose jobs in 2009
Available statistics at the National Labour Department (NLD) show that a total of 79 companies nationwide filed for redundancy in 2009 as result of which 2, 858 workers were affected.
Their reasons' That the cost of production is too high, they are suffering from low levels of productivity and non-availability of capital, staff rationalization and outsourcing of some activities. Of the 79 companies that filed for redundancy, the industrial / manufacturing sector led by over 60%.
A source at the NLD explained that these companies range from pharmaceutical, mining, insurance, construction to hospitality industries.
The source at NLD attributes this despondent situation to the fact that unpatriotic people come in with goods from world over and are able to sell cheaply to Ghanaians who patronize them regardless of their quality.
Unfortunately, since local producers cannot sell their products cheaply because of high production cost they are left with no other choice than to reduce their labour force or close down totally.
With these constraints to investment and the growth of local industries, the source added, the saying that the private sector is the engine of growth may not materialize if these complaints of the business community are not resolved.
In fact, he stressed, the companies would continue to fold up with the NLD receiving more redundancy applications.According to the source, in 2008 the NLD recorded 40 companies that filed for redundancy which affected 1,793 workers and 47 companies in 2007. From January 2010 to the beginning of this month (February) it has recorded 4 applications from companies seeking to be declared redundant.
In the last few years, particularly in textile sector, there have been several cases of retrenchment of workers.
This has also led to an increase in the underpayment of workers, employers engaging workers on casual basis and contract work.
Others have totally shut down. Under the Labour Act, applicants are required to apply to declare redundancy four months prior to the contemplated exercise.
The source explained that upon receipt of such applications, labour inspectors are sent out to investigate whether the exercise is a genuine one. They go to the field to ascertain if the applicants are facing real crisis or it is just a case of victimization.
In essence, the department has to be convinced. Packages for such redundancy exercises are often in accordance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) existing and binding unions and employers.
Their reasons' That the cost of production is too high, they are suffering from low levels of productivity and non-availability of capital, staff rationalization and outsourcing of some activities. Of the 79 companies that filed for redundancy, the industrial / manufacturing sector led by over 60%.
A source at the NLD explained that these companies range from pharmaceutical, mining, insurance, construction to hospitality industries.
The source at NLD attributes this despondent situation to the fact that unpatriotic people come in with goods from world over and are able to sell cheaply to Ghanaians who patronize them regardless of their quality.
Unfortunately, since local producers cannot sell their products cheaply because of high production cost they are left with no other choice than to reduce their labour force or close down totally.
With these constraints to investment and the growth of local industries, the source added, the saying that the private sector is the engine of growth may not materialize if these complaints of the business community are not resolved.
In fact, he stressed, the companies would continue to fold up with the NLD receiving more redundancy applications.According to the source, in 2008 the NLD recorded 40 companies that filed for redundancy which affected 1,793 workers and 47 companies in 2007. From January 2010 to the beginning of this month (February) it has recorded 4 applications from companies seeking to be declared redundant.
In the last few years, particularly in textile sector, there have been several cases of retrenchment of workers.
This has also led to an increase in the underpayment of workers, employers engaging workers on casual basis and contract work.
Others have totally shut down. Under the Labour Act, applicants are required to apply to declare redundancy four months prior to the contemplated exercise.
The source explained that upon receipt of such applications, labour inspectors are sent out to investigate whether the exercise is a genuine one. They go to the field to ascertain if the applicants are facing real crisis or it is just a case of victimization.
In essence, the department has to be convinced. Packages for such redundancy exercises are often in accordance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) existing and binding unions and employers.
Women want a stake in oil economy
Preliminary findings about the gendered impacts of oil and gas exploration, development and land use in areas like Akwidae, Achoawa, Miamia, Egyambra, Dixcove, Princess Town and Cape Three Points in the Western Region revealed that, due to ignorance, hundreds of acres of land are being given out to investors for meager amounts.
"In one community we learnt that about 143 acres of land has been sold for GHc 1000 (ten million old cedis) which cannot buy even an acre of land in Accra. How would the people have their fair share of the land to continue their farming with this distribution of prime natural resources or community assets?" asked Dr. Rudith King of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
She lamented that 60% of information indicates that only some civil society organization and NGOs are sensitizing the people, citing Friends of the Nation as one of the CSO that has been educating the people.
She was speaking at a forum in Accra organized by NETRIGHT under its Gender, Oil and Gas Project. It was under the theme "Engaging with Oil and Gas Issues from a Gender Perspective."
Dr. King noted that gender concerns are been raised now to pave the way to engage effectively on policy.
She expressed the fear that the capital intensive oil sector could replace the labour intensive subsistence agricultural sector and may not create balanced growth and development. Already widespread unemployment is reported to have hit some communities in the Western Region, where oil has been discovered.
The limited employment opportunities in these areas are being threatened by the oil industry.
With the main livelihoods in such areas being fishing, farming and petty trading at the subsistence level, the farmers, especially women are currently limited as to how far they can go.
"Are we creating awareness for our youth to know what is involved and about the implications of the oil? Are we going to allow our female children to fall victim to commercial sex working with its attendant factors such as HIV/AIDS?" she inquired.
She added that the outcome of schools is not encouraging to give people there employment, as the youth do not go beyond Junior High School, looking at the fact that oil extraction is a technology driven business.
"With high unemployment levels and with this level of education will they be able to find jobs? Outsiders will come and take the jobs because we don't have the expertise."
Dr. King cautioned that Ghana may be sitting on a time bomb because if the youth see other people working and they don't have jobs, one day they will explode.
"There is looming danger ahead and all of us must work to guard against it.""Compensation for land use and degradation must be enforced. Assembly men and women and communities must be sensitized about the critical gender issues and ccommunities have the right to protect and make demands from state institutions responsible for such decisions".
The Convener of NETRIGHT, Dr. Rose Mensah-Kutin explained her organization's Gender, Oil and Gas Project is intended as a learning process for women to understand better so they can engage effectively.
"Social relationship is at the centre of any national development, so as women can also contribute as far as learning and experience of oil and gas is concerned."
"In one community we learnt that about 143 acres of land has been sold for GHc 1000 (ten million old cedis) which cannot buy even an acre of land in Accra. How would the people have their fair share of the land to continue their farming with this distribution of prime natural resources or community assets?" asked Dr. Rudith King of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
She lamented that 60% of information indicates that only some civil society organization and NGOs are sensitizing the people, citing Friends of the Nation as one of the CSO that has been educating the people.
She was speaking at a forum in Accra organized by NETRIGHT under its Gender, Oil and Gas Project. It was under the theme "Engaging with Oil and Gas Issues from a Gender Perspective."
Dr. King noted that gender concerns are been raised now to pave the way to engage effectively on policy.
She expressed the fear that the capital intensive oil sector could replace the labour intensive subsistence agricultural sector and may not create balanced growth and development. Already widespread unemployment is reported to have hit some communities in the Western Region, where oil has been discovered.
The limited employment opportunities in these areas are being threatened by the oil industry.
With the main livelihoods in such areas being fishing, farming and petty trading at the subsistence level, the farmers, especially women are currently limited as to how far they can go.
"Are we creating awareness for our youth to know what is involved and about the implications of the oil? Are we going to allow our female children to fall victim to commercial sex working with its attendant factors such as HIV/AIDS?" she inquired.
She added that the outcome of schools is not encouraging to give people there employment, as the youth do not go beyond Junior High School, looking at the fact that oil extraction is a technology driven business.
"With high unemployment levels and with this level of education will they be able to find jobs? Outsiders will come and take the jobs because we don't have the expertise."
Dr. King cautioned that Ghana may be sitting on a time bomb because if the youth see other people working and they don't have jobs, one day they will explode.
"There is looming danger ahead and all of us must work to guard against it.""Compensation for land use and degradation must be enforced. Assembly men and women and communities must be sensitized about the critical gender issues and ccommunities have the right to protect and make demands from state institutions responsible for such decisions".
The Convener of NETRIGHT, Dr. Rose Mensah-Kutin explained her organization's Gender, Oil and Gas Project is intended as a learning process for women to understand better so they can engage effectively.
"Social relationship is at the centre of any national development, so as women can also contribute as far as learning and experience of oil and gas is concerned."
Give women equal participation in climate change decision making
A Gender Expert Mrs. Tutuah Mensah has stated that women and men have a right to equal protection and equal participation in climate change decision making.
She stressed that since health and economic consequences of climate change result in chronic poverty, gender mainstreaming in climate change is necessary.She was speaking at the 4th biennial conference of district assembly women under the auspices of Abantu for Development and ActionAid Ghana.
She spoke on "Critical Gender Issues in the Climate Change Debate." She said that, "Possible interventions include awareness, campaigns, advocacy, research, institutional analysis, establishment of gender and climate change working group and natural resource management policy.
"Climate change is referred to as the long-term fluctuation in precipitation, temperature, wind and all other aspects of the earth's climate. It is currently considered one of the biggest challenges facing the world with 75% of greenhouse emission from developed world and Africa already vulnerable to it.
Several fora on climate change have deduced that climate change and its impact poses a challenge to democratic sustenance as overall objective of democratic governance is to secure equitable development for society.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, (EPA) an estimated 35% of Ghana's land mass is desert and this is advancing at an estimated 20,000 hectare per year.
Consequently, there will be loss of livelihood for most people in Ghana, since desertification reduces land available for farming activities.
Already, Ghanaian small scale farmers, particularly women in the northern parts are facing displacement from their farm lands to an influx of foreign companies engaged in jatropha and sugar-cane plantation for biofuel production.
UNICEF on the occasion of World Health Day last year cautioned that the impact of climate change could fall disproportionately on women and children.The theme for WH Day 2008 was climate change and health.
Nearly 10 million children under age five die every year of largely preventable diseases. Many of the main global killers of children including malaria and diarrhoea are sensitive to changes in temperature and rainfall, and could become more common if weather patterns change.
In addition, women and children tend to be disproportionately affected by hurricanes and flooding, which climate change experts say will increase in intensity and frequency in coming years.
The destruction of homes, schools and health centres resulting from natural disasters reduce services available to families.Climate change experts also predict that warming and shifting rains could impact crop production, which could reduce food availability.
In 2006, some 36 per cent of children globally were either moderately or severely underweight.
Last year, report by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) found that malnutrition and associated disorders, including those relating to child growth and development, could increase as the global climate changes. Reduced supplies of clean water in some areas could also add to the burden on rural women and girls, who are usually responsible for collecting water for cooking and washing.
"The voices of women and children must be heard and their needs assessed as part of the international response to prospective changes to the environment, and they must have access to the knowledge and tools necessary to protect themselves and their communities", said Ann M. Veneman, Executive Director of UNICEF.
An Official of the EPA Mr. Emmanuel Arthur explaining climate change on Ghana's water resources, said there will be a reduction in freshwater flows between 15-20% for the year 2020 and 30-40% for year 2050 in all the basins.
"Irrigation water demand was to increase to about 40% and 150% for 2020 and 2050 due to climate change respectively and 5% and 17% without climate change.
Hydropower generation is seriously being affected by climate change leading to about 60% reduction in available water in all basins by 2020, this crisis currently being experienced nationwide."
He said Ghana as a developing country can only reduce her vulnerability to the impact of climate change by managing her natural resources and population in a sustainable manner.
He emphasised that Ghana should meet the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
She stressed that since health and economic consequences of climate change result in chronic poverty, gender mainstreaming in climate change is necessary.She was speaking at the 4th biennial conference of district assembly women under the auspices of Abantu for Development and ActionAid Ghana.
She spoke on "Critical Gender Issues in the Climate Change Debate." She said that, "Possible interventions include awareness, campaigns, advocacy, research, institutional analysis, establishment of gender and climate change working group and natural resource management policy.
"Climate change is referred to as the long-term fluctuation in precipitation, temperature, wind and all other aspects of the earth's climate. It is currently considered one of the biggest challenges facing the world with 75% of greenhouse emission from developed world and Africa already vulnerable to it.
Several fora on climate change have deduced that climate change and its impact poses a challenge to democratic sustenance as overall objective of democratic governance is to secure equitable development for society.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, (EPA) an estimated 35% of Ghana's land mass is desert and this is advancing at an estimated 20,000 hectare per year.
Consequently, there will be loss of livelihood for most people in Ghana, since desertification reduces land available for farming activities.
Already, Ghanaian small scale farmers, particularly women in the northern parts are facing displacement from their farm lands to an influx of foreign companies engaged in jatropha and sugar-cane plantation for biofuel production.
UNICEF on the occasion of World Health Day last year cautioned that the impact of climate change could fall disproportionately on women and children.The theme for WH Day 2008 was climate change and health.
Nearly 10 million children under age five die every year of largely preventable diseases. Many of the main global killers of children including malaria and diarrhoea are sensitive to changes in temperature and rainfall, and could become more common if weather patterns change.
In addition, women and children tend to be disproportionately affected by hurricanes and flooding, which climate change experts say will increase in intensity and frequency in coming years.
The destruction of homes, schools and health centres resulting from natural disasters reduce services available to families.Climate change experts also predict that warming and shifting rains could impact crop production, which could reduce food availability.
In 2006, some 36 per cent of children globally were either moderately or severely underweight.
Last year, report by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) found that malnutrition and associated disorders, including those relating to child growth and development, could increase as the global climate changes. Reduced supplies of clean water in some areas could also add to the burden on rural women and girls, who are usually responsible for collecting water for cooking and washing.
"The voices of women and children must be heard and their needs assessed as part of the international response to prospective changes to the environment, and they must have access to the knowledge and tools necessary to protect themselves and their communities", said Ann M. Veneman, Executive Director of UNICEF.
An Official of the EPA Mr. Emmanuel Arthur explaining climate change on Ghana's water resources, said there will be a reduction in freshwater flows between 15-20% for the year 2020 and 30-40% for year 2050 in all the basins.
"Irrigation water demand was to increase to about 40% and 150% for 2020 and 2050 due to climate change respectively and 5% and 17% without climate change.
Hydropower generation is seriously being affected by climate change leading to about 60% reduction in available water in all basins by 2020, this crisis currently being experienced nationwide."
He said Ghana as a developing country can only reduce her vulnerability to the impact of climate change by managing her natural resources and population in a sustainable manner.
He emphasised that Ghana should meet the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Chinese firms get school muniform contract
While the Minister of Trade and Industry, Miss Hannah Tetteh is visibly worried about the downward trend of Ghana's textile industry; allegations that the Ministry of Education has awarded the printing of free school uniforms to Chinese companies is a direct negation of the Trade Minister's efforts, (See August 7 edition of Public Agenda).
Recently when the Minister of Education, Mr. Alex Tettey-Enyo, inaugurated boards of five agencies under the Ministry, he told the media that the free school uniforms for one million basic school pupils announced in the 2009 budget will be ready for distribution when the 2009/2010 academic year begins in September.
Perhaps, what Mr. Tettey-Enyo did not tell the media was that his Ministry had awarded the contract to Chinese companies, in the same style as the previous government side-stepped local industries and awarded the printing of the Ghana@50 anniversary cloth to Chinese companies.
The initiative was intended to benefit pupils from deprived communities, as well as local textile manufacturing companies.
Sources at the Ministry of Education blamed the government's decision on what they claimed to be the huge quotation by local textile companies.
This newspaper has however gathered that the underlying reason for awarding the contract to the Chinese is that government needed companies that could pre-finance the printing to meet the September deadline.
Little wonder that the Textile, Garment and Leather Workers Union (TGLEU) are accusing faith and challenging it to rather look into the factors that contribute to the so-called huge estimates by the local companies.
"If government is seriously committed to ensuring the growth and survival of local industries, and the creation of jobs for the youth to eliminate armed robbery, then it should look into factors that make production cost so high. It must look at the quality of fabrics and the numerous taxes imposed on local manufacturers," stated Mr. Abraham Koomson, General Secretary of TGLEU in Accra.
Information doing the rounds indicates that the government actually ordered the uniform from China before inviting the local textile companies, a replay of the Ghana @ 50 cloths, perhaps.
This explains why ATL, GTMC and GTP declined the offer. Only PRINTEX took up the challenge but it run into the trap when it allegedly quoted a huge amount.
According to Mr. Koomson GTP, GTMC, PRINTEX and ATL can together produce good quality and any quantity of uniform needed for pupils in basic schools throughout the country.
"We are helping Chinese to create jobs at the expense of our people. Importing and selling is not good. In the long term it will not be good for our economy.
Public Agenda has learnt that the Ministry of Local Government claimed it does not have a hand in the contract but only waiting to distribute to the district assemblies.
At Press time on Friday efforts to get the Ministry of Education to confirm or deny the allegation proved futile. This reporter personally went to the Ministry on two occasions, during which the Ministry's PRO promised to get back to her.
Subsequently, several calls on the PRO's mobile phone went unanswered. Ghana's textile industry continues to face challenges. Despite the sector's struggles to hold its own against multinational companies, the situation worsens each day.
"Where lies the fate of tertiary graduates who pursue Industrial Art course with textile option on the labour market as the sector faces total collapse?" asked Mr. Koomson.
He said it is about time government paid attention to what is happening in the industry so as not to create any further unemployment in the economy.
The textile industry in Ghana used to contribute significantly to the Gross Domestic Product, (GDP) and employed a chunk of the teeming unemployed youth. No more.
Recently when the Minister of Education, Mr. Alex Tettey-Enyo, inaugurated boards of five agencies under the Ministry, he told the media that the free school uniforms for one million basic school pupils announced in the 2009 budget will be ready for distribution when the 2009/2010 academic year begins in September.
Perhaps, what Mr. Tettey-Enyo did not tell the media was that his Ministry had awarded the contract to Chinese companies, in the same style as the previous government side-stepped local industries and awarded the printing of the Ghana@50 anniversary cloth to Chinese companies.
The initiative was intended to benefit pupils from deprived communities, as well as local textile manufacturing companies.
Sources at the Ministry of Education blamed the government's decision on what they claimed to be the huge quotation by local textile companies.
This newspaper has however gathered that the underlying reason for awarding the contract to the Chinese is that government needed companies that could pre-finance the printing to meet the September deadline.
Little wonder that the Textile, Garment and Leather Workers Union (TGLEU) are accusing faith and challenging it to rather look into the factors that contribute to the so-called huge estimates by the local companies.
"If government is seriously committed to ensuring the growth and survival of local industries, and the creation of jobs for the youth to eliminate armed robbery, then it should look into factors that make production cost so high. It must look at the quality of fabrics and the numerous taxes imposed on local manufacturers," stated Mr. Abraham Koomson, General Secretary of TGLEU in Accra.
Information doing the rounds indicates that the government actually ordered the uniform from China before inviting the local textile companies, a replay of the Ghana @ 50 cloths, perhaps.
This explains why ATL, GTMC and GTP declined the offer. Only PRINTEX took up the challenge but it run into the trap when it allegedly quoted a huge amount.
According to Mr. Koomson GTP, GTMC, PRINTEX and ATL can together produce good quality and any quantity of uniform needed for pupils in basic schools throughout the country.
"We are helping Chinese to create jobs at the expense of our people. Importing and selling is not good. In the long term it will not be good for our economy.
Public Agenda has learnt that the Ministry of Local Government claimed it does not have a hand in the contract but only waiting to distribute to the district assemblies.
At Press time on Friday efforts to get the Ministry of Education to confirm or deny the allegation proved futile. This reporter personally went to the Ministry on two occasions, during which the Ministry's PRO promised to get back to her.
Subsequently, several calls on the PRO's mobile phone went unanswered. Ghana's textile industry continues to face challenges. Despite the sector's struggles to hold its own against multinational companies, the situation worsens each day.
"Where lies the fate of tertiary graduates who pursue Industrial Art course with textile option on the labour market as the sector faces total collapse?" asked Mr. Koomson.
He said it is about time government paid attention to what is happening in the industry so as not to create any further unemployment in the economy.
The textile industry in Ghana used to contribute significantly to the Gross Domestic Product, (GDP) and employed a chunk of the teeming unemployed youth. No more.
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