Fellow at CDD-GHANA, Dr. Kwame Asiedu Sarpong has expressed astonishment about the Multidimensional Poverty Report, wondering why, after the amount of money invested in the government’s flagship programs, 24% of Ghanaians are deemed multi-dimensionally poor.
He is particularly concerned that this huge number of Ghanaians do not have access to education, healthcare, jobs, and better living conditions at a time when the government boasts about the free SHS policy and expanding the National Health Insurance Scheme.
According to Dr. Sarpong, the statistic infers that such persons are living below the poverty line of US$2.15 which translates into GHc34 per day.
“If 22% of Ghana’s population is multi-dimensionally poor, and the poverty line is defined as less than $2.15 a day, the calculation in Ghana cedis is GHS 34.00 per day”, he stated.
The Multi-Dimensional Poverty Index report which focused on health, living standards, education, and employment suggests that “a total of 7.3 million persons, representing 24.3 percent of -1 household population were multi-dimensionally poor.”
The report added that “Among these poor persons, 43.8 percent experienced severe poverty through deprivations in several dimensions simultaneously.”
Speaking in an interview with Prof. SF Gyasi on Abusua FM’s Bresosem, Dr. Sarpong explained that this report is an indictment on the government, as it suggests that the Planting for Food and Jobs program and the expansion of the National Health Insurance Scheme have not effectively addressed poverty.
“24% of our population have no access to education after 8 years of Free SHS. So you ask yourself, the Planting for Food and Jobs program we have invested so much in, where are the jobs it created? As for the NHIS, they claim it has been expanded so access has been improved, but is that really true?”, he quizzed.
Dr. Sarpong further expressed concern that Ghana is becoming a “failed state” after 67 years of independence insisting the country’s leaders have failed to allow the country to evolve and have instead exploited the people.
“I would agree with anyone who says Ghana is becoming a failed state. Our leaders have not allowed us to evolve, and in doing so, they exploit us. That is why, even after many years of independence, 22% of our population still lives in poverty.”
Dr. Asiedu Sarpong believes that the banning of Kwame Nkrumah’s books after the coup against him was a wrong approach, as it stifled intellectual debate and prevented the country from having important conversations about industrialization and poverty alleviation.
He bemoaned, “Sometimes I feel sad. Even though I strongly disagree with some of Kwame Nkrumah’s writings, I cannot fault him for the quality of his intellectual dexterity
“What came to people’s minds when they became President after Nkrumah’s overthrow, to ban his books? That’s part of our problems because if you do so, you’ve suppressed intellectual debate”
He then added “If we’ve had this conversation, industrialization should have been the key thing we should push. Nkrumah wrote his side of the story. JB Dankwa and others too did something. That’s how we debate and society evolves, and the people get educated.”
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Kwadwo Owusu
