Oxfam estimates that just one of the richest men in Ghana earns from his wealth more in a month than one of the poorest women could earn in 1000 Years.
According to Oxfam, inequality is slowing down poverty reduction, hampering economic growth and threatening social cohesion.
In a research conducted by Oxfam with its partners SEND Ghana and Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition with support from UNICEF on “Inequality in Ghana” came out with alarming inequality rate.
This was revealed at the lunch of inequality research report Wednesday, (19 September, 2018) on “Building a more equal Ghana”.
At the launch a documentary which shows inequality was shown and there was also a discussion panel to answer question from the public.
According to the report titled ” Building a more equal Ghana” nearly 300,000 more men, women and children could have been lifted out of poverty between 2006 and 2013 had inequality not increased during the period.
Also the top 1% have now accumulated more wealth than the world put together. Such extreme inequality makes no moral or economic sense and it is hampering efforts to end poverty.
Decade of experience in the world’s poorest communities have taught Oxfam that poverty and inequality are not inevitable or accidental, but the result of deliberate policy choice.
Oxfam revealed on Wednesday at the launch that it has five key drivers of inequality in the country, poor financial management, poor public services, work not paying, gender equality and corruption and political capture.
The fight against inequality to beat poverty lies on the shoulders of government and also for Ghanaians to hold them accountable.
According to a financial expect from the institute of local Govement Mr. Eric Oduro,” we are equal before the law and must demand exact accountability of them. We have enormous resources which can help the marginalised in the society. I’m calling on government to speedly pass the Right to Information Bill into an Act.”
He further added that “if the government is not breaching the inequality gap, vote that government out of power and bring a new one. If we start doing that politicians will start taking us serious. ”
On the issue of gender inequality and disability Mrs Oforiwa Fefoame from sight savers Ghana noted that ,”about 90% of people with disability do not have access to decent work.Also the traditional stigma , discrimination ,and ignorance must be erase.”
She added that,”the traditional issue that, when you employ a person with disability he is not going to perform or if the person has ill appearance he is cursed and the curse Will affect the organization. All these are impressions that need to be move away from our society”.
The panelists concluded that the national disability act, state clearly that every public and private sector institution most employ a person with disability and must be implied.
Story by: Maryam Hassan
