In a significant stride towards understanding and addressing poverty, the Deputy Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation, and Rural Development, Hon. Vincent Ekow Assafuah Esq, launched Ghana's first Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) for 261 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) at Alisa Hotel, Accra.

The event, graced by high-profile attendees including Prof. Samuel Kobina Annim, Government Statistician, and Dr. Kodjo Mensah-Abrampa, Director-General for the National Development Planning Commission, marked a pivotal moment in the country's approach to poverty measurement and reduction.

Hon. Assafuah Esq emphasized the importance of viewing poverty through a multidimensional lens rather than solely through income levels. He highlighted that the MPI would foster increased interest and dialogue on aligning microdata, statistics, and policy to more effectively combat poverty.

The Deputy Minister noted that while Ghana made significant strides in poverty reduction during the early 21st century, recent global crises like the COVID-19 pandemic have reversed some of these gains. He stressed the need for coordinated, multi-sectoral approaches to address the complex and interconnected drivers of poverty.

He revealed that the latest data indicates a positive economic recovery with GDP growth and reduced inflation rates. However, he acknowledged that despite these improvements, substantial challenges remain, as evidenced by the modest reduction in poverty rates relative to GDP growth.

Hon. Assafuah Esq lauded the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) for its dedication in producing the MPI reports, which are crucial for evidence-based planning and implementation at local levels. The reports will assist in targeting beneficiaries for various programs and projects, and provide baseline data to monitor local development progress.

The MPI reports, according to Hon. Assafuah Esq, will support the Medium-Term National Development Policy Framework (MTNDPF) 2022-2025 and the monitoring of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He urged MMDCEs and officers to leverage these reports to guide their developmental strategies.

Hon. Assafuah Esq reaffirmed the ministry's commitment to ensuring that MMDAs utilize the MPI reports to inform policy and design effective interventions. He called on all stakeholders, including Ministries, Departments, Agencies, Development Partners, Civil Society, and the private sector, to collaborate in this mission to alleviate poverty and improve food security for vulnerable households.

Source:     Darling Maame Efua Cann

                 (Public Relations Unit, MLGDRD)

Staff of the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development have shared knowledge on lessons learnt in the Kingdom of Morocco the Ministry’s efforts to ensure the successful implementation of component two (2) of the Public Sector Reforms for Results Project (PSRRP) to improve efficiency, accountability and citizen engagement in the delivery services.

The one-day post study tour review workshop disseminated findings on Internally Generated Fund (IGF) systems, management and administration, and alternative revenue potentials, strategies and policies to help improve that of Ghana.

Participants  were taken through overview of the study, reviewed a draft report from the study , lessons learnt and the way forward.

The Director in charge of Human Resource at the Ministry, Mr. Kwabena Denkyira who led the tour delegation to Morocco said lessons learnt from the study aid Ghana develop strategies and policies to improve on local revenue mobilization at the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).

The Public Sector Reform for Results Project (PSRRP) is an initiative of the Government of Ghana that partially support the implementation of the National Public Sector Reform Strategy (NPSRS) for the period 2018-2023.

SOURCE: SANDRA OWUSU ASAMOAH
                (PUBLIC RELATIONS UNIT, MLGDRD)

The Senior Presidential Advisor, Hon. Yaw Osafo-Maafo, has commended the Births and Deaths Registry (BDR) for enhancing their service delivery by decentralising their operations to the regional and district levels across the country and also incorporating modernised records keeping that would ensure easy accessibility and retrieval of accurate births and deaths records.

The commendation came when Hon. Osafo-Maafo handed over Combined Maternal and Child Health Record Books (CMHRB) to the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and launched a sensitisation campaign for public education on the CMHRB. The book is significant to the socio-economic development the country.

The initiative is by the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development (MLGDRD) through the Births and Deaths Registry (BDR), in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service (GHS), with support from the Public Sector Reform for Results Project (PSRRP), under the auspices of the office of the Senior Presidential Advisor.

The Ag. Registrar of the BDR, Madam Henrietta Lamptey, explained that her outfit would ensure every child is legally registered immediately after birth, regardless of the location, and the CMHRB will enable the registration process for birth.

Hon. Vincent Ekow Assafuah Esq, a Deputy Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation, and Rural Development, acknowledged the support of the PSRRP to the BDR to improve efficiency and service delivery.

This is significant in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 16 and providing legal identity, including free birth registration by 2030.

The Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 2020 (Act 1027) provides for notification for births and deaths. This provision envisages that every birth and death within the country should be recorded accurately.

Source: Sandra Owusu Asamoah

              Public Relations, Unit, MLGDRD