The Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) Ghana is urging the government, corporate institutions, non-governmental organisations, individuals and all other stakeholders to collaborate in promoting the drive for inclusive development in the country.
Speaking at a stakeholder engagement on inclusion and diversity in Damongo in the Savannah Region on Thursday 27 April, the team lead for social inclusion and gender at CDD Ghana, Regina Tetteh, said that Ghana in its attempt to promote inclusive development has developed policies and programmes that foster the inclusion of marginalised communities such as women, youth and ethnic minorities.
Tetteh stated that several policies have been initiated by various governments to bridge the gap between developed communities and deprived areas.
The initiatives include the Rural Electrification Programme, the National Health Insurance Scheme, School Feeding Programme, the Free Senior High School Policy, promotion of girl child education and the eradication of child labour.
Tetteh stated that these policies are laudable but have not been well implemented.
Co-existing
She said, “so, we have gathered here this morning to share the findings of key issues that are highlighted in the report by Global Centre for Pluralism.
“We will also discuss how best we can work together to reduce conflicts in the region and promote inclusive development. Our own constitution in Ghana promotes inclusion. That is why it grants rights to all citizens and encourages us to co-exist.
“There is the need for us to embrace diversity. We put our energies together to promote development. The findings in the report reflect exactly what pertains to our society.
“For us, the recommendation we are making to all stakeholders, including the government, is to ensure that measures are put in place to promote inclusion.”
The said the choice of Damongo in the Savannah Region for this engagement was because it is “a cosmopolitan area with many different people. The promotion of inclusiveness and diversity is very important.”
Rajvir Gill, a programme officer at the Global Centre for Pluralism, shared some findings from the research report. She noted that in Ghana, the research was focused on the north-south divide.
The report showed that there is a big disparity in the level of education, access to healthcare and economic opportunities between the northern and the southern regions.
Women in politics
Gill expressed worry about the under representation of women in politics. She added that the limited economic opportunities available to women affects how they participate fully in society.
Gill hopes the centre will have more dialogue with the government and other organizations to highlight the challenges in the northern parts of Ghana and get more funding them.
CDD, a non-governmental research think tank, has worked to promote and strengthen democracy, good governance and inclusive development in Ghana and Africa through research and policy analysis, advocacy, networking and capacity development for the past 25 years.
The Global Centre for Pluralism is a Canadian-based international centre for research, education and exchange about the values and practices that underpin pluralist societies.
Reporting by Tahiru Abdul-Washiru in the Savannah Region
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