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By Desmond
Davis, head of the London office of the RNG
London, 9th of July
GNA – West African governments must redouble efforts to reduce inequalities
as the region has the most extreme divisions between the rich and the poor of the world,
according to the first regional commitment to reduce the inequality index (CRII)
report.
Launched by
Oxfam and Development Finance International coincide with the start of
Tuesday of the High Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development in
New York, Index Calls on West African Governments to Give Priority to Fighting
inequality.
L & # 39; s index
measures, compares and ranks the commitment of West African governments to three
pillars: public spending, taxation and labor markets.
The numbers are
rigid.
For example,
Five of Nigeria's richest men have a combined wealth of $ 29.9 billion – more
the country's entire national budget for 2017.
However, about
60% of Nigerians live on less than US $ 1.25 a day, the threshold of
absolute poverty.
Inequalities
between rural and urban populations is particularly visible in West Africa,
index notes.
In Ghana, 62.3
% of urban households have access to treated water, compared to 17.1%
% of rural households. In addition, 88.6% of the urban population is
connected to the national network against 48.3% of the rural population
population.
The quantity of
the wealth held in Africa has increased by 13% between 2007 and 2017, according to estimates.
the index, three West African countries recording the strongest growth: Côte
Ivory Coast (43%), Ghana (39%) and Nigeria (19%).
"These
The increase in national wealth provided a huge opportunity to improve
the lives of many, but unfortunately much of it has benefited only a few and has
been hidden off and not taxed. "
He adds that
ECOWAS countries lose about US $ 9.6 billion in corporate income tax
incentives offered to multinational enterprises.
"It would be
enough to build about 100 modern and well-equipped hospitals each year in the
region or seven new hospitals per country in one year ".
The three most
West African countries committed to reducing inequalities are Cape Verde,
Mauritania and Senegal, the three least engaged being Nigeria, Sierra
Leone and Niger.
Burkina Faso is
the only country in West Africa among the 10 most engaged in social development
expenditure in Africa.
West Africa has
the least population with access to water and decent education in Africa,
while Nigeria has the worst score on social spending, not only in Africa, but also
the world, according to the index.
West Africa
Universal health coverage is the lowest of all subregions of Africa.
The average
Universal health coverage in the ECOWAS region is 38% compared to 47.2%.
The index indicates that 50% of the population is in East Africa and 50.2% in Southern Africa.
On the
education, the index notes that if all 15-year-olds reached a basic level
level of education, West Africa could increase its economic growth by almost
four percent.
«This index
reveals that West African governments are exacerbating inequalities in
underfunding of public services, such as health care and education, "said Adama
Coulibaly, regional director of Oxfam in West Africa.
"It also shows
that the ECOWAS governments are underfunding the agricultural sector on the one hand
hand, while under-taxing corporations and the rich, and failing to block
on tax evasion, tax evasion and corruption, on the other.
"C & # 39;
unacceptable."
On the work
the index, West Africa is the region most dominated by men.
Africa in terms of participation in the labor market.
The gap is
the largest in Mauritania, where only 31% of women of working age are paid
67.7% of men, against 45.5% in Benin.
women and 69.9% of men.
Ghana's work
The market is the most inclusive in the subregion with 74.8% of women and
79.2% of men, according to the index.
Although 35 for
Agriculture occupies more than 50% of the economy of West Africa.
labor force, especially women, most governments in the region do not honor the
Malabo is committed to investing 10% of their national budget in
agriculture, according to the report.
The report also
presents an ambitious political agenda to combat inequalities in West Africa, both
for national governments and for ECOWAS.
"There is
nothing inevitable about the inequality crisis in the West African region, and
without drastically increasing the commitment to reduce inequality, the crisis is
only to get worse, "said Joel Akhator Odigie of the African branch of the
International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa).
"Governments
can build a better future for all, including women and girls who are the
most affected by inequality – not just a privileged few. "
GNA
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