Third world countries are taking sustainable steps to alleviating poverty.

Ghana, like many other African countries, has had its fair share of sustained and inclusive growth which has led to the reduction of the poverty rate by half.

The new World Bank poverty assessment has recorded a reduction from 52.6% to 21.45 between 1991 and 2013. Although several efforts have been made to end the vicious cycle of poverty, Ghana is still fraught with several challenges.

According to “Poverty Reduction in Ghana: Progress and challenges” sustained poverty reduction requires a commitment to reducing inequality and improving access to opportunities for all citizens.

Governance and poverty reduction is a sine qua non situation. A holistic participatory approach must be adopted by government and stakeholders that involves the poor. This must take place within a framework of good governance.

Policymakers must make it a point to promote a public consultation that cuts across the country. A country can experience a significant level of economic growth and the governance model will still not be considered good to reduce the rate of poverty because economic growth is not a model for measuring poverty rate.

Countries with good models of governance and economic growth have shown increasing trends of poverty alleviation.

Ghana, with her vast resources, has not been able to improve the lives of her people for reasons that can be attributed to lack of transparency, disregard for the end users during policy implementation and lack of accountability. Implementing social interventions such as the LEAP program which seeks to alleviate poverty in the short term does not translate to poverty reduction in the long term.

This is because Ghana’s currency coupled with high rate of inflation loses its purchasing value; hence sums of money given to families today may depreciate in value tomorrow.

Government should identify key areas of growth for rural communities where the rate of poverty is way higher than in the urban communities, and implement systems that only seek to provide people with monthly stipends, but economic activities where community members by exhibiting community ownership are empowered to be productive in order to sustain development overtime.

Government should laboriously ensure that all anti-corruption strategies are fully functioning to ensure transparency and effective management of Ghana resources.

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By: Adelaide Yiriyelleh

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Togbe Afede XIV, President of the National House of Chiefs (NHC), said it should not be lost on anybody that corruption “discourages innovation and discourages hard work”, adding that everyone is needed to get actively involved in the fight to make it a disincentive.

Addressing the second general meeting of the chiefs this year in Kumasi, Togbe Afede asked that the chiefs lead by example in helping to change the attitudes of citizens.

“Let us remember, this is our time to make the difference, and we cannot do this unless we speak against wrong doing,” he said.

He drew attention to the correlation between discipline and development, and said the most disciplined societies were the most developed.

Togbe Afede reminded his colleague chiefs to do more to bring development to their people.

He also applauded the government for its bold development vision to have a country beyond aid. He said government projects such as the one district one factory, free senior high school policy and the Ghana Card, were good initiatives that can promote development in the country.

Togbe Afede rallied the chiefs to eschew selfishness and work together to modernize and transform the chieftaincy institution.

The goal should be an institution that “is relevant to the needs of our people, an institution whose work meets the expectations and aspirations of our people”, he added.

Professor Kenneth Agyemang Attafuah, Director of National Identification Authority (NIA), announced that 2,500 mobile registration officers were going to be deployed for registration of citizens for the Ghana Card.

The registration, he said, would be done region by region – starting from the Greater Accra and ending in the Upper West Region.

More than 5,000 people would also be assigned to visit every community to help everybody to understand the importance of acquiring the national identification card.

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SourcE: GNA

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Mr. Rawlings, who was speaking in Nigeria, said corruption had eaten so deep into the fabric of society that the quest to clean up seems to rather create hardship instead of reducing the cost of living.

“A new way may have to be devised to fight this kind of corruption without creating undue hardship for our people,” the former President said, when he delivered keynote remarks at a lecture organized by the University of Ibadan Alumni Association (UIAA), at the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti in Nigeria last week.

Many Nigerians have baulked against the anti-corruption drive of President Muhammadu Buhari because of the austerity measures taken to curb the menace.

Former President Rawlings said good leadership could be sustained and preserved if citizens used the power of our vote wisely. Both the people of Ghana and Nigeria, he noted, had served notice to leaders that if they fail to protect the interest of the people they will not be allowed to stay in power.

Dr. Makanjuola Owolabi, a renowned aviator, consultant physician, human factors instructor, farmer and retired Senior Nigerian Air Force officer delivered the lecture on the theme, ‘Leadership with Character’.

Flt. Lt. Rawlings also charged Nigerians to check the dangerous corruption of ethnicity that appears to be gaining ground in that country.

“Let’s find a way out of this dark trap. Stop threatening each other on tribal grounds. Let’s learn to accommodate each other. The continent needs you strong and united,” he urged.

The former President also questioned the quality of some of the personalities who ascend to political leadership positions on the continent.

He said: “The culture of the wealthy by any means becoming leaders is problematic. Unfortunately we have under the guise of democracy allowed the rich to purchase our power of choice. Leadership is no longer about desirable traits such as honesty, hard work, empathy and courage but simply a position for the highest bidder.

“Today to be a successful politician all one needs is a pocket large enough to sway the conscience of the vulnerable in society. The watchdog role of the media has slowly been eroded. Gradually we are losing focus on the things that are important like proper qualification and character,” the former President said.

“We need to self-identify as a continent where our development is no longer dependent on the West. We need to start helping our communities. It is unfair that when there is a crisis in Somalia, Africa responds only when the West has taken the initiative. Lately the narrative is changing as we saw in The Gambia not too long ago. ECOWAS and the African Union found their lost teeth and supported the Gambian people to restore the change they had voted for.”

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

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According to Mr Amidu, middle-class Ghanaians must speak up on issues that affect the country to ensure that Ghanaians are not short-changed.

In his latest public statement copied to citifmonline.com, Mr Amidu said, “It is important that as many enlightened middle-class Ghanaians speak up to defend the majority of our citizens who are uneducated in the Whiteman’s ways but funded our education through college and university. Ghanaians must be the beneficiary of our public purse and not just a few political elite and establishment figures.”

He said it was important for enlightened Ghanaians not to be indifferent in the affairs of the country but speak in defence of the decision of Ghanaians to votes out the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for a New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.

Martin Amidu said silence on the party of the middle-class means “allowing this looter Government to deliberately make it impossible for the Government you popularly vote for to govern smoothly upon assuming office on 7^th January 2017.”

“Do not sit on the fence at this last hour and allow looters who came into office by the razor-thin majority vote of Justices of the Supreme Court to intimidate fellow citizens Putting Ghana First,” the statement said.

Martin Amidu’s statement comes after many Ghanaians expressed shock at the appointments of substantive commissioners for the Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), by President Mahama about two weeks to handing over power to a new government.

Find Mr. Amidu’s full article here

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @jnyabor

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Mr Samuel Harrison-Cudjo, a Research Officer at the GACC, said the training was part of efforts by the organisations to disseminate and educate citizens on the CDD-Ghana’s “I Am Aware” Project, at the district level.

The new LANets Officials are from the Karaga, Sagnarigu, Gushegu, Nkoranza South, Kadjebi and Ada East Districts,

They would be trained be able to use up-to-date information and evidence-based data on the state of public service delivery in the country.

They would specifically cover data related to the state of infrastructure and its provision, resource allocation, and service delivery outcomes in the provision of basic education, health, water, sanitation, security, roads and agriculture to demand for accountability from duty-bearers.

Mr Mohammed Awal, a Research and Programme Officer at the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development, at the opening of the training programme, on Wednesday, said the LANets comprised Civil Society Organisations, Community-Based Organisations and other organised interest groups in the District.

These, he said, also included Women’s groups, Persons with Disability groups, Religious groups, youth groups, opinion and Traditional leaders, artisans’ associations and market women Associations.

He explained that the LANet concept sought to enhance the capacity of civil society actors at the local level for effective engagement and collaboration between civil society and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to promote citizens’ participation in governance.

Mr Awal said the “I Am Aware” was the CDD-Ghana’s flagship project, on accountability and transparency.

It is a non-partisan citizen empowerment campaign, while the LANets exist in 33 districts in seven regions comprising the Northern, Western, Central, Brong-Ahafo, Volta, Ashanti and Greater Accra Regions.

He said the project collected, analysed, archived, and disseminated user-friendly socio-economic data on the state of public good and public service delivery in 216 districts, located in all the 10 regions of the country.

The aim, he said, was to empower citizens, particularly, the poor and vulnerable, to improve their awareness and engagement with duty-bearers in order to make them more accountable and responsive.

He explained that the data was in formats that were easily accessible to citizens.

It also tracked commitments and promises made by public officials and duty bearers to improve public service delivery and disseminated the progress made twice a year during the project period.

The GACC is a cross-sectoral grouping of public, private and civil society organisations with the sole aim of building a national effort to confront the problem of corruption and advance effective control measures.

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Source: GNA

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The two teams had met earlier in Casablanca last Saturday and played out a 1-1 draw but the Stars were victorious this time around.

The team took the lead in the 13th minute through captain Asamoah Gyan when he tapped home a cross from Jordan Ayew from close range.

But the away side came back into the match when defender Diarra Mohame Lamine scored in the 34th minute. He stroked home his shot after an initial free kick took a deflection and landed in his path to send both sides into the break tied at 1-1.

After the break, Ghana started well and in the 55th minute, the Black Stars were handed a penalty after a shot went off the hand of a Guinean defender.

Midfielder Andre Ayew scored from the spot to put Ghana into the lead. The goal spurred the Guineans into action and they created chances including a 80th minute volley that went just past the goal post with Adams stuck to his spot.

Ghana held on and got a third goal on the break. Defender Baba Rahman run the ball towards the Guinean goal and set up substitute Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu who placed the ball beyond Guinean goalkeeper Naby Yattara.

The win gives Ghana 8 points; a two-point lead over Togo who beat Uganda 1-0 in Lome while Uganda and Guinea are tied on 4 points each.

Teams:

Ghana starting lineup:

Stephen Adams, Harrison Afful, Baba Abdul Rahman, Awal Mohammed, Jonathan Mensah, Rabiu Mohammed, Solomon Asante, Kwadwo Asamoah, Asamoah Gyan, Jordan Ayew, Andre Ayew.

Guinea starting lineup:

Naby Yattara, Issiaga Sylla, Diarra Mohame Lamine, Fodé Camara, Abdoulaye Cissé, Boubacar Fofana, Naby Keita, Ibrahima Conté, Ibrahima Traoré, Camara Abdoul Razagui, Idrissa Sylla

By: Nathan Quao/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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His goal, which briefly brought the two teams level, has been selected by FIFA’s experts in a shortlist for Goal of the Tournament of Brazil 2014.

The goal consisted of a pass into the left hand channel from Kwadwo Asamoah, a back-heeled pass from captain Asamoah Gyan and a shot with the outside of the left boot of Ayew after he controlled the pass.

But it was not enough to save Ghana as a few minutes later John Brook connected a corner to win the match for the Americans.

Fans will have the opportunity to choose the strike that tops the lot from the World Cup and will succeed Diego Forlan’s sweet volley against South African from the last World Cup.

However, Ayew’s goal faces strong competition from the classy volley from Colombia’s James Rodriguez against Uruguay, Robin Van Persie’s audacious header against Spain, the unstoppable free-kick from David Luiz against Colombia, Tim Cahill’s first-time volley against Holland, World Cup winner Andre Schurlle’s left-footed angled shot against Brazil and a host of many others including Lionel Messi’s free kick against Nigeria.

Fans can visit the FIFA website and make their choice on what they think is the best goal from the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Fans can follow this link to vote for their Goal of the Tournament:

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/videos/goal-of-the-tournament/index.html

By: Nathan Quao/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Listen or download

Show details

It’s a Nigeria special edition as the Super Eagles become one of the first African countries to name a provisional 2014 World Cup team:

– Exclusive interview with Peter “the prodigal son” Osaze Odemwingie who touches on  (with Oluwashina Okeleji)

– Detailed team profile of Super Eagles with Stephen Keshi, Vincent Enyeama and John Obi Mikel

– Ghana’s Andre Dede Ayew tells us that he wants to stay in Marseille and rubbishes rumours of €10m links with Napoli and more

– We do a part 2 with Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah who speaks about interference in selection of squad for Brazil World Cup,

– Nathan Quao returns with his Africans Abroad segment: top 10 Africans in Serie A.

And who wins our Samsung Galaxy S3 mini this week?

_

Presented by Gary Al-Smith and produced by Nathan Quao/Gary Al-Smith for Citi FM & Supersport.com. Aired: May 2, 2014.

**Soundtrack details**
Song Title: Someway Bi
Artist Name: M.anifest
Produced by: Yung Fly
Singitdamnit Music/Cumbancha Music Publishing (BMI) 2013

More detail: www.facebook.com/FCAfricaRadio

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