NORPRA Demands Explanations

PRESS RELEASE, DATE: 21/11/10


NORPRA Demands Explanations ON WHY GOVERNMENT IS RENEGING ON ITS PROMISE TO ADDRESS DEVELOPMENT IMBALANCES IN GHANA.


Members of Northern Patriots in Research and Advocacy (NORPRA) wish to humbly demand explanations from government why it is gradually reneging on its promises to allocate substantial amount of state resources to address regional development imbalances and inequalities in Ghana.
As a matter of fact, government has prudently managed the economy resulting in the economy recording an unprecedented GDP of GHC 44.8 billion to join middle income economies with a very stable macro-economic environment as proven by the country’s macro-economic indicators, but the question that is worth asking is what then prevents government from delivering on its campaign promises to make life better for the poor in society.
It is recalled that one of the factors that led to the landslide victory of the NDC party in the 2008 general elections was the social contract it entered with Ghanaians particularly those from the north that it was fully aware of the serious deprivations and unacceptable levels of poverty in northern Ghana and was therefore going to take immediate and urgent steps to bridge the development gap between the North and the South when given the mandate. To achieve this, the contract stated, government will;
• Set up a Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) with initial start-up capital of GHC 200 million with annual contributions from government of GHC 100 million each year for 20 years and
• Lead a Donor Conference on Northern Ghana, with the aim of raising an additional $200 million from Ghana’s Development Partners and the Private Sector, in order to assure SADA a firm and solid financial foundation.
It is therefore quite unbelievable and shocking to note that despite endless public outcry against meager budgetary allocation to SADA in 2010, government for the 2nd time allocated ONLY GHC 25 MILLION to SADA as stated in paragraph 905 in the 2011 Budget Statement.
Historically, the NDC government is known for its unfair treatment to the people of northern Ghana despite the overwhelming support it draws from the area. According to a World Bank report in 1998, while government spent $22.05 and $22.09 per pupil in the basic schools in the Upper East and Upper West Regions respectively between 1992 and 1994, it spent $174.24 and $ 61.22 per pupil at the same level of education in Central and Volta regions respectively.
Again, according to Ministry of Finance Public Expenditure Review in 1997, the National Recurrent and Development Expenditure showed that the three northern regions were much disadvantaged. While Eastern, Ashanti and Volta Regions got 16.7%, 16.7% and 13.6% respectively, northern, Upper West and Upper East regions had to contend with 8%, 2.3% and 0.8% respectively.
Notwithstanding these facts, a good number of people of northern extraction remain committed to the NDC even in opposition with the hope that the sympathetic professor who is known to be very sensitive to the plight of the poor and vulnerable groups would right the wrongs and change the status quo for the better. Unfortunately very little commitment is seen in the Mills-led administration to bridge the South-North development gap.
It is quite regrettable to note that northern Ghana which suffered so much of governance of discrimination and marginalization under the immediate past government, it is again seriously suffering governance of dishonesty and deceit under the current regime.
Government’s failure to capture SADA as its major pro-poor policy intervention in the 2011 Budget Statement sends clear signals that SADA is not government’s priority and this is undoubtedly not only deepening the feelings of Ghanaians that the Mills-led administration can not be trusted and relied on to address regional inequalities but also seriously undermines Article 36 (2d) of the 1992 constitution which enjoins the state to build healthy and sound economy by ensuring that there is even and balanced development of Ghana.
Inspired by President Mills’ own words that “Ghanaians should always hold their leaders to the principles of accountability and not limit their participation in the democratic process only to the periodic casting of ballot”, NORPRA will engage government through series of activities to compel it to deliver its part of the social contract it entered with the people.

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Ayorogo Adongo Bismark
(President)
0246 067 564