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WEST GONJA DISTRICT Vulnerability and the Attainment of the MDGs at the Local Level West Gonja District Human Development Report 2007 Forward His Excellency, the President of the Republic tracking progress and feedbacks in their of Ghana, in his sessional address to development efforts. In 2004, the first set of parliament in 2007, spelt out Government's district human development report were development agenda for accelerated prepared for three district, Atwima, Builsa economic growth. The President's vision is to and Tema Municipality with the support of transform Ghana into a middle income UNDP. country with GDP of at least 1,000 US dollars by 2015. The main pillars for The theme of this second set of district achieving this growth are human resource human development reports, “Vulnerability development, private sector development and the Attainment of Millennium and good governance. These are critical for Development Goal (MDGs) at the Local attainment of good indicators for Human Levels”, which is also supported by UNDP is Development in the country. very appropriate in view of the fact that, empowering the vulnerable and the excluded Human Development is central to especially women to contribute to and share Government's development agenda. The in the benefits of growth of the economy traditional conceptualisation of well-being in ensure sustained poverty reduction. Ghana does not focus only on the income of a Vulnerability of communities, households person, but also on what a person is capable and the individuals to negative shocks can of doing, as well as, on the physical impact adversely on the attainment of the appearance of the person. The concept of MDGs and improvement in human human development may be considered as development. being well-suited to the average Ghanaian's concept of welfare and standard of living. I strongly believed that these district human While improving human health is development reports for the districts will intrinsically desirable, it is broadly critically unveil the interplay of vulnerability recognised that health is a necessary that communities, households or individual p r e r e q u i s i t e f o r s o c i o - e c o n o m i c faces in order to prevent the occurrences of development since it improves human the negative events or to mitigate or to cope capital, productivity and wealth. with the impact of the shocks. Ghana has produced National Human I wish to acknowledge the contribution and Development Reports in almost every year commitment of all stakeholders in the since 1997 which more often than not are development of these reports and call on all national aggregation of the human to acquaint themselves of the content and to development situation of the country. Useful realign their support for the implementation as these indicators and figures may be, they of the recommendations of the reports. do not present adequate and relevant micro Through such collective support, we shall information for district and local planning achieve the objectives of the GPRS II and the and decision making processes. Regional MDGs. and district level indicators of human development are therefore needed to provide critical information for making decisions on how resources are to be judiciously allocated. HON. KWADWO ADJEI DARKO (MP) District Human Development reports can be MINISTER, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, useful to assist district administrations in RURAL DEVELOPMENT & ENVIRONMENT i Vulnerability and the Attainment of the MDGs at the Local Level West Gonja District Human Development Report 2007 Preface Since 1997 UNDP Ghana has been working It is heart soothing to know that progress has with government to prepare and disseminate been made in achieving most of the MDG national human development reports. The indicators in health and education in the prime objective of the reports is to offer three districts. It is hope that efforts would guidance on policies and priorities required be made to sustain the improvement made at different levels by different actors to keep so far. Improvement in health and education development actions focused, coordinated and efficacious by presenting systematic infrastructure, fighting malaria and account and assessment of social and HIV/AIDS and reducing any form of economic developments in the country from vulnerability at all levels in the districts are the sustainable Human Development worth undertaking. Increasing the income perspective. base of the districts by setting up more economic ventures would go a long way to In recent times, UNDP Ghana has taken the mobilize revenue for the MDG activities in Human Development Report to the district the districts. The MDGs can and should be level to capture more development issues achieved at the local levels for national from the grassroots to provide a more in- attainment of the MDGs to be a reality. To depth diagnostic analysis on key human development issues; raise awareness about that effect, all hands must be on deck for the the critical development challenges; inform betterment of humankind. planning and resource allocation; and strengthen the link between national and It is our fervent hope and effort that the district development planning frameworks. report is extended to cover more districts, at To this end, three district human least ten (10) at a time. With this, more development reports were prepared in 2004 development issues at the district levels - on the pilot districts of Tema, Atwima and would be brought to the fore for more Builsa. appropriate actions to be taken. These current sets of the District HDRs cover another three (3) districts of Ahanta West, I encourage all national development Offinso, and West Gonja in Western, Ashanti orientated entities (civil society, and Northern Regions respectively on the development partners, and the government theme “Vulnerability and the Attainment of at large) to continue to share their the MDGs at the Local Level”. This year's suggestions to the approach to this report as theme is appropriate as it lends credence to we continue in our efforts to fill the gaps in the various shocks and risks communities the design of programs and projects towards and individuals are exposed to, and its the improvement of lives at the district and subsequent contribution to the derailment of community level. their efforts to live a meaningful and productive life. It is therefore hope that the reports would lend support to the district medium-term development plan, to further inform the on-going national development plan preparation, and to forge a closer link DAOUDA TOURE between these two documents and the GPRS II. UNDP RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE ii Vulnerability and the Attainment of the MDGs at the Local Level West Gonja District Human Development Report 2007 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The first Human Development Report for Preparation of the report, especially the West Gonja District has been completed primary data-gathering component, successfully due to the efforts and relatively easy. Our gratitude also goes to involvement of various government and non- Messrs W. A. Tarezina and Haruna government organisations. The UNDP Office Mustapha from the Ghana Statistical in Accra and the West Gonja District Service, who co-supervised the household Assembly provided useful assistance in survey. coordinating the preparation of the report. The ICT and Geography staff of the Ghana The overall project was guided by Professor Statistical Service provided noteworthy Ernest Aryeetey, Director of the Institute for assistance in extracting information from Social, Statistical and Economic Research various datasets which enabled the report to (ISSER), University of Ghana, and be organised in a manner that is particularly coordinated by Ms. Abena D. Oduro of the meaningful for district-level analysis. Mr. Nii Department of Economics, University of K. Bentsi-Enchill served as technical editor in Ghana. Dr. Isaac Osei-Akoto of ISSER was the production of the report and his responsible for the preparation of this report. contribution is highly appreciated. He was assisted by Mr. Rufai Kilu Haruna of the Department of Sociology, University of The report was finalised with active Ghana, and Mr. William Quarmine of ISSER. participation and in consultation with The other team members of the District members of the Economic Policy Unit of the Human Development Reports (DHDRs) UNDP namely Prof. Amoah Baah-Nuakoh, 2007 research group, Mr. William Baah- Messrs. Paul Derigubaa, Kordzo Sedegah, Boateng and Ms. Abena Oduro, drafted Emmanuel Otoo and Nicholas Amponsah, sections of the West Gonja report when the Ms. Simran Singh, and Ms. Mary Ankrah, main author was bereaved. particularly the Focal Point for Human Development Reports and Coordinator of The fieldwork received enormous the District Human Development Reports, contribution from the leadership of the West Mr. Kordzo Sedegah. The personal attention Gonja District Assembly, which assumed given to the entire process by the Resident ownership of the report without hesitation. Representative, Mr. Daouda Toure, is very In particular, the District Chief Executive, much appreciated. Mrs. Janet Jambia Alhassan, the District Coordinating Director, Mr. Kofi Kussachin, The report has also benefited from and the 2006/2007 National Service comments and suggestions made during the personnel attached to the District Assembly stakeholder workshop held in the district worked in diverse ways to make the after the completion of the draft report. DHDR 2007 Research