Minister Blames HIPC On Low Per Capita Income

It is Ghana's per capita income of 390 dollars that makes it a poor country and not the government's adoption of the Highly Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative.

The adoption of HIPC, therefore, was an acceptance of the reality of the abject poverty, that some of the people have had to endure, Mr Ernest Akubuor Debrah, Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, said in a speech read for him at the close of the sixth annual congress of the Brong Ahafo and Ashanti regional chapters of the Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana in Berekum at the weekend.

He said the initiative offered a sustained programme that would enable the country to gain debt relief from the Paris Club of creditors. The club is made up of highly industrialised countries.

Most of the criticisms against the government's action, stemmed from misconceptions of the policy and the current economic situation in the country.

"The fact that the PNDC/NDC governments failed in their partnership with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, leaving behind a state of despair in the socio economic lives of Ghanaians, does not mean the NPP government will also fail with the HIPC initiative."

The Regional Minister gave the assurance that the government would not relent in efforts to restore dignity to Ghanaians in real terms by improving their economic status.

Mr Kwabena Kyere-Yeboah, Berekum District Chief Executive, said, even though, the government was primarily responsible for education, teacher trainees have a key role to play in providing good quality education.

Changing of an educational policy in itself does not lead automatically to quality education unless supported by competent, dedicated and committed teachers, as well as adequate logistics.

Mr Kyere-Yeboah expressed regret that most of the newly trained teachers posted to the rural schools have refused such postings on account of lack of basic amenities in such areas.

He said the majority of hard working, honest and dedicated Ghanaians in the rural areas were the main producers of the nation's wealth and there was no justification to deprive them of education.

The congress was, under the theme: "The role of teacher trainees in policy making". Sixty delegates from the 10 teacher training colleges in the two regions attended.