The Governments of Ghana in the past and present have attempted to eradicate poverty and bring development to the people of Ghana through well thought through programs and policies. Some (or most) of these programs have specific aims with focus on the youth, women, and children. Whiles most of them had long term influence, others were to create a short-term relief for Ghanaian. There are other programs designed to support the aged in deprived areas, widows and many more.
The challenge however is that the poor implementation affects the sustainability of these programs. Most of them are wonderful programs that could change the lives of Ghanaians. Poor funding schemes, political bias, poor maintenance culture, and many other reasons cause the programs to remain defunct and mostly forgotten. This article shares a few of such programs with some details of operations to include the aims.
CORONAVIRUS ALLEVIATION PROGRAM BUSINESS SUPPORT SCHEME (CAPBUSS)
The Corona Virus Alleviation Programme – Business Support Scheme (CAP-BuSS) of GH¢600.0 million is to specifically support micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and was launched by H. E. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on 19th May 2020. The Scheme is part of the GH¢1.2 billion CAP approved by Parliament to address the disruption to economic activities due to the pandemic. Under the Scheme, Government, through the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI), and in collaboration with the business and trade associations and selected commercial and rural banks, rolled out a soft loan scheme with a one-year moratorium and two-year repayment period for MSMEs. The objectives of the Scheme are to provide emergency relief fund for MSMEs and entrepreneurs in Ghana, establish a comprehensive and financially sustainable emergency relief fund package for MSMEs, and provide them with technical assistance to ameliorate the impact of COVID-19.and provide them with technical assistance to ameliorate the impact of COVID-19. [source: gea.com)
NATIONAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATIVE PROGRAM (NEIP):
The Presidential Pitch is a special entrepreneurship initiative designed and organised by the Ministry of Business Development in conjunction with the National Entrepreneurship & Innovation Programme (NEIP).
The purpose of this initiative is to offer young Ghanaian entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 35 the opportunity to pitch their business ideas in the hope of obtaining funding to operationalise and scale their businesses. At the end of the individual pitches, a specified number of finalists are selected to receive varying amounts of funding grants for their businesses.
A panel of judges get to decide who obtains funding. These judges are all seasoned and accomplished entrepreneurs in their own right. To show the level of commitment he has towards youth entrepreneurship, the President of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Akufo Addo sits through all the business pitches.
The Student Entrepreneurship Initiative is an innovation and entrepreneurship solutions to Ghana’s graduate unemployment
The Presidential Empowerment for Entrepreneur with Disabilities is a special entrepreneurship initiative designed and organised by the Ministry of Business Development in conjunction with the National Entrepreneurship & Innovation Programme (NEIP). [source: NEIP.com]
NATION BUILDERS’ CORPS (NABCO)
The Nation Builders Corps (NABCO) programme is a government initiative to address graduate unemployment to solve social problems. The focus of the initiative will be solving public service delivery in health, education, agriculture, technology, governance and drive revenue mobilization and collection.
PLANTING FOR FOOD AND JOBS (PFJ) – MINISTRY OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
Planting for Food and Jobs is a flagship agricultural Campaign of the Government, with five (5) implementation modules. The first module PFJ (Crops) aims to promote food security and immediate availability of selected food crops on the market and also provide jobs. This module was officially launched by H. E. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo at Goaso on April 19, 2017, in the then Brong Ahafo Region. The five Modules are:
- Food Crops (PFJ)
- Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD)
- Greenhouse Technology Villages (3 Villages)
- Rearing for Food and Jobs (RFJ)
- Agricultural Mechanization Services (AMSEC)
YOUTH IN AGRICULTURE – MINISTRY OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
The Youth in Agriculture Programme (YIAP) is a Government of Ghana (GOG) agricultural sector initiative with an objective of motivating the youth to accept and appreciate farming/food production as a commercial venture, thereby taking up farming as a lifetime vocation.
The YIAP has the task and responsibility of mobilizing the youth to take up farming and its other related activities as lifetime vocation. By so doing the following benefits will be derived from the employment for the youth, through the provision of tractor services and agro – inputs;
The youth in Agriculture Programme has the objective of
- Making youth accept farming as a commercial business venture;
- Generate appreciable income to meet farmers domestic and personal needs;
- Youth will improve their standard of living-through improved income.
- Youth will be motivated to stay in rural areas, as inputs will be delivered at their farm gate, on credit basis and interest free,
- Produce enough food crops, meat and fish using modem methods.
Components of the Youth in Agriculture Programme (YIAP)
The Youth in Agriculture has four (4) components namely:
- Crops / Block Farm
- Livestock and Poultry
iii. Fisheries/Aquaculture and
- Agribusiness
PLANTING FOR EXPORT AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT – MINISTRY OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
The Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) Programme is a decentralized National Tree Crop Programme to promote rural economic growth and improve household incomes of rural farmers through the provision of certified improved seedlings, extension services, business support and regulatory mechanisms.
To create a legacy towards the realization of the Ghana Beyond Aid Agenda, the Government of Ghana through the joint effort by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and Ministry of Food and Agriculture rolled out the PERD programme to develop nine (9) commodity value chains namely Cashew, Coffee, Cotton Coconut, Citrus, Oil Palm, Mango, Rubber and Shea through a decentralized system.
The programme seeks to create sustainable raw material base to spur up the decentralized industrialization drive through One District Factory initiative. The 5-year PERD programme will support 1million farmers in 170 districts with certified free planting materials to cover over one (1) million hectares of farmlands and engage 10,000 young graduates as crop specialized extension officers.
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES- NATIONAL YOUTH AUTHORITY (NYA)
Economic empowerment and entrepreneurship;
- Online Digital Marketing & Entrepreneurship Training
- Apps Development Training
- Youth Innovation for Sustainable Development Challenge (YISDC).
- Training on Streetlights Installation and Repairs
- Youth Livelihood Farms
- Skills Toward Employment and Productivity Programme (STEP)
Youth Policy Governance and Leadership
- Review of the 2010 National Youth Policy
- Formation of District Youth Parliaments
- Youth Volunteer Work Camps & Development
NKOSUO COVID-19 RECOVERY RELIEF FUND (CRRP)
The Nkosuo program, with an initial commitment of GHS 90 million from the Mastercard Foundation, will provide financial assistance, in the form of grants and soft loans, via participating institutions, including banks, fintechs, mobile lenders, NGOs, and Business Development Services. The amount and type of financial support that will be provided to eligible, qualified MSMEs, both in the formal and informal sector, will vary depending on the size of the enterprise, their need, and repayment capacity.
INFRASTRUCTURE FOR POVERTY ERADICATION
IPEP is a special government initiative designed to facilitate development by providing infrastructure directly to the 275 constituencies in Ghana. NGOs, CSO and other advocacy institutions should commit resources into researching these programs to understand the dynamics of implementing them. Such researched details would provide recommendations for future government activities. If the knee-jerk cycle continues, the desired change will always be slow.
By Abdul Latif I M
Sources: websites – MDA
