Inequalities: Ghana's richest earn more in a month than their poorest in 1000 years – Oxfam

General News of Friday, July 12, 2019

Source: Graphic.com.gh

2019-07-12

A new report by Oxfam and Development Finance International found that inequalities between rural and urban populations are increasing in Ghana.

The West Africa Inequality Crisis report, which provides an overwhelming badessment of inequalities in West Africa, found that in Ghana, 62.3% of urban households have access to treated water, but only 17.1% of rural households and 88.6% of the urban population connected to the national network, compared to 48.3% of the rural population.

He added that, although the amount of wealth held in Ghana has increased by 39% between 2007 and 2017, much has benefited only a few privileged and has been hidden offshore and untaxed.

"In Ghana, 1,000 new millionaires in US dollars have been created over the period 2006-2016 and one of the richest men in Ghana earns more in a month of its wealth than any of the most poor could not earn in 1,000 years, "says the report. .

"If a few have become very wealthy, nearly one million people, mostly in the Savannah region of the country, have been locked up in the poverty basin during this period and thousands of people already poor have become deeper into poverty. "

According to the report, inequalities between rural and urban populations are particularly noticeable in West Africa.

He noted that in Ghana, 62.3% of urban households had access to treated water, but only 17.1% of rural households and 88.6% of urban population were connected to the network. 48.3% of the rural population ".

"The inequality of wealth not only creates a gap between rich and poor, but it also has a strong gender dimension, for example, in Ghana, only 60 of the 1,000 new millionaires in US dollars were added to the Millennials of the country over the decade ending In Likewise, in Ghana, men own 62% of household residences and 62% of farmland, while only 37% of real estate owners are women. ".

Adama Coulibaly, Oxfam's Regional Director for West Africa, described as unacceptable the incidence of growing inequality in West Africa.

"This index reveals that West African governments exacerbate inequality by underfunding public services, such as health care and education. It also shows that ECOWAS governments underfund the agricultural sector, while under-taxing corporations and the rich, and fail to fight tax evasion, tax evasion and corruption, # 39; other. This is unacceptable, "said Adama Coulibaly, regional director of Oxfam in West Africa.

The report also noted that Ghana's labor market was inclusive in a West African region dominated by men.

"West Africa is the predominantly male-dominated region of Africa in terms of labor market participation." The gap is widest in Mauritania where only 31% of women in the region are female. 67.7% of men in paid employment in Benin 45.5% of women and 69.9% of men The labor market in Ghana is the most open in the world. region, with 74.8% of women and 79.2% of men ".

recommendations

The report recommended that West African governments and ECOWAS develop national plans as well as a regional plan to narrow the gap between rich and poor, with clear and time-bound goals.

"These plans must also ensure that national data on income and consumption are regularly updated and made available to the public so that levels of inequality can be minimized.
monitored ".

Some of the plans mentioned include: allocate a minimum of 20% of government budgets to promote free, public quality public education, and allocate a minimum of 15% of government budgets to fund a free, universal public health sector; easily accessible and high quality Redistribute rich to poor through progressive taxation and strengthen the land rights of the poorest:

Sure

The report on the West Africa inequality crisis by Christian Hallum and Kwesi W. Obeng measures, compares and ranks the commitment of West African governments to three pillars: public spending, taxation and labor markets. The report also includes a regional badysis of agriculture and land rights.

Oxfam released the index ahead of the High Level Policy Forum on Sustainable Development in New York, which urges governments of West African countries to prioritize the fight against inequality. This year marks the fourth year of the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and one of the 17 SDGs is to reduce inequalities.

"It is time for the West African governments to act decisively. To reinforce this commitment, West African governments must promote progressive taxation, increase social spending, strengthen labor market protection, invest in agriculture and strengthen smallholder land rights. We can not overcome poverty without fighting inequality, "said Adama Coulibaly, regional director of Oxfam in West Africa.