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Stakeholders urge government: don’t cut funding to key sectors of economy
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• The stakeholders
In spite of dwindling economic fortunes, the government has been urged not to cut expenditure on key sectors that seek to promote social and economic well-being of citizens.
Stakeholders say areas such as Education, Health, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) as well as Child and Social Protection should continue to receive adequate funding, in view of current economic hardship.
This and other recommendations were the highlights of a discussion on ‘Social Protection Financing in Ghana’ organised by SEND Ghana and its partners in Accra last Friday.
A United Nations International Children’s (UNICEF) Report presented at the forum indicated that reduction in expenditure of important sectors of the economy may adversely affect the gains made in reducing poverty and attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The report which made analysis and provided recommendations across five strategic sectors observed that budget allocation to the education sector had decreased from 15.74 per cent in 2020 to 13.11 per cent in 2022, and that 90 to 95 per cent of the allocations to the Ministry of Education went into payment of compensation of employees.
This scenario which is evident in other government Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs), according to UNICEF, would “negatively affect the delivery of social services, especially for women, children and the vulnerable.”
“Investing in children’s health, nutrition, sanitation, education and protection is important to unlock their potential and contribute positively to economic activities. The cost of inaction in these areas is enormous and cannot be overlooked,” it stated.
Stressing the need to secure social intervention policies, the report prompted the government to ensure “regular and timely” release of funds for social programmes such as the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) which had consistently experienced delay in payments.
The report established that though allocations for LEAP had seen “significant increases since 2017,” the value of the money paid to beneficiaries had reduced as a result of inflation, hence the need to adjust the payments accordingly.
In the health sector, it called for increase in total health budget as well as “investments that tackle the prevention and control of communicable diseases, neonatal health and adolescent reproductive health.”
While urging increased budget allocation to key sectors, it suggested “progressive revenue-raising policies,” to support social interventions and further proposed introduction of “a shock-responsive emergency fund to ensure that the government can respond quickly to emerging crises.”
Panelists at the forum, including Members of Parliament, Representatives of MDAs, Academia and Civil Society Organisations, maintained that government expenditure in areas such as social protection, education, health, among others, should be seen as an investment rather than waste of resources.
Mr Mawutor Ablo, Director, Ghana Productive Safety Net Project, Ministry of Gender and Social Protection (MOGSP), said equitable resource allocation to fundamental sectors of the economy would have positive impact on the citizenry and contribute to national development.
“Any money spent on the extremely poor and vulnerable is empowering them to become more productive so if we accept social protection as an investment we have to create the fiscal space for that to happen,” he noted.
Mr. Nii Lantey Vanderpuje, Member of Parliament for Odododiodo Constituency, also emphasised the need to increase funding for social protection and basic social services to help ease the economic burden on citizens.
Dr. Emmanuel Ayifah, Deputy Country Director, SEND Ghana, said the organisation would continue to engage the government and stakeholders on the issues raised which would be factored into the 2023 Budget and Economic Policy Statement of the government.
By Ernest Nutsugah
African leaders have been urged to strengthen political commitment and domestic investment to end preventable maternal deaths and AIDS by 2030.
The call comes as African health ministers and policymakers meet in Accra to deliberate on health financing, health security and universal health coverage across the continent.
Mr Edouard Bizimana, Burundi’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and Development Cooperation, made the call on Tuesday at the opening of the African Union’s (AU) 25th Extraordinary Summit on Health in Accra.
He said Africa needed increased domestic investment to build resilient health systems as it continued to grapple with infectious diseases and the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Mr Bizimana, who is also Chairperson of the AU Executive Council, said although Africa accounted for nearly 17 per cent of the world’s population, it bore 24 per cent of the global disease burden while having less than three per cent of the global health workforce and only one per cent of global health expenditure.
“Despite maternal mortality declining by nearly 40 per cent since 2000, Africa still accounts for about 70 per cent of maternal deaths globally, while almost two-thirds of people living with HIV reside on the continent,” he said.
Mr Bizimana said the growing burden of NCDs was placing additional pressure on already stretched health systems.
“These figures are not merely statistics. They represent painful human realities, preventable losses and unacceptable inequalities, they remind us that health is not an expense it is a strategic investment and a prerequisite for our sovereignty and development. “he said.
Mr Bizimana said recent global health emergencies had exposed Africa’s vulnerability and underscored the need to expand local production of medicines and vaccines, strengthen the health workforce and improve emergency preparedness.
“Our citizens expect resilient health systems where every mother can give birth safely, every child has access to essential healthcare and every African enjoys quality health services regardless of where they live,” he said.
The two-day summit, being held ahead of the 20th Extraordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government, has brought together health ministers, policymakers and health stakeholders to identify solutions to Africa’s health financing and security challenges.
Madam Florence Samizi, Tanzania’s Deputy Health Minister, called for stronger collaboration among AU Member States to accelerate progress towards universal health coverage.
The summit is being held on the theme: “Advancing Justice, Equality and Universal Health Coverage: Ending AIDS, Tuberculosis, Improving Maternal Health, Addressing Endemic Non-Communicable and Neglected Tropical Diseases in Africa.”
The meeting is expected to adopt the Accra Declaration, a roadmap to strengthen Africa’s health systems and advance health sovereignty by 2030. -GNA
Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana’s Department of Political Science, Dr. Joshua Jebuntie Zaato says the imprisonment of the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, will have little meaning unless it leads to a broader crackdown on illegal mining.
In a post on his Facebook page on the July 21, 2026, Dr. Zaato said the judgment should mark the beginning of efforts to completely eradicate galamsey and hold all those involved accountable, regardless of their political affiliation.
He said the country must work towards restoring polluted rivers, protecting forests and ensuring that people implicated in illegal mining activities are prosecuted.
According to him, those the President has publicly acknowledged to be involved in galamsey should face prosecution.
He called for the prosecution of district chief executives (DCEs), members of Parliament (MPs) and senior political party officials who have been accused of engaging in or supporting illegal mining.
Dr. Zaato further urged the government to take decisive action to end the destruction of the country’s forests caused by galamsey.
He maintained that the imprisonment of Chairman Wontumi would only have a lasting impact if it results in a comprehensive and impartial fight against illegal mining across the country.
By: Jacob Aggrey
