US gives additional $127m financial support for development in Ghana

The government of the United States of America through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has committed an amount of $127 million for the next 12 months to support Ghana in achieving set objectives in democracy, governance, education, health and economic growth.

According to a press release issued from the Public Affairs Section of the US Embassy in Accra, Tuesday October 4, 2011 and copied to ghanabusinessnews.com, the addition of newly committed $127 million brings USAID’s total contribution to Ghana’s development to $656.5 million since 2003.

The press release says the USAID and the government of Ghana, represented by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MoFEP), agreed in 2003 to work together on four objectives deemed essential to Ghana’s development – the objectives as outlined in the release are; to  increase employment opportunities and income levels for poor Ghanaians; improve delivery of health service at the community, district, and regional levels; increase the percentage of children completing basic education and improve the quality of instruction; and, strengthen the capacity of Ghana’s local governance institutions to plan for development, increase revenue,  seek input and respond to citizen needs concerning the delivery of services.

According to the release, of the $127 million in new funding, $47 million is committed to increase agricultural production, employment opportunities and income levels for poor Ghanaians, $4.6 million is to support Ghana’s Education Strategic Plan, $4.9 million is to strengthen Ghana’s local governance institutions, and $70.5 million is to improve the delivery of health services for HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Maternal and Child Health, Family Planning and Reproductive Health, Water Supply and Sanitation, Nutrition and Higher Education.

By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi