It’s now becoming quite clear that President Akufo-Addo’s “Ghana Beyond Aid” mantra is a mere empty slogan designed to tickle the ears of lovers of slogans. In a latest twist to the debate, President Akufo-Addo suggests that “Ghana Beyond Aid” does not mean Ghana will not receive any form of aid from international donors.
Background
On Monday, March 20, 2017, at a roundtable meeting with some selected Chief Executive Officers of leading African and international companies, on the sidelines of the 5th edition of the Africa CEO Forum, President Akufo-Addo posited: “we want to build an economy that is not dependent on charity and handouts, but an economy that will look at proper management of its resources as the way to engineer social and economic growth in our country.”
Subsequently, during the 2018 State of the Nation’s Address (SONA, 2018) the President repeated himself saying: “Mr Speaker, our nation is on the right path. We will build a Ghana beyond Aid.”
Criticisms and Clarifications
With no clearly defined benchmarks many have criticized the agenda as a shallow, amorphous, populist rhetoric lacking specifics and clear direction. The critics’ argument has been boosted by the continuous receipt of foreign support in various sectors of the economy months after the bold declaration (including the recent controversial Ghana-US Military Aid).
Government has been making efforts to explain the “Ghana beyond Aid” agenda. First the Minister of Information—Dr Mustapha Hamid—announced a programme to galvanize sections of the population to get them to understand this vision of Ghana Beyond Aid and how every section of our population could “plug into it.”
Ghana beyond Aid Pillars
Subsequent to the Information Minister’s announcement, a conference on “Moving Ghana Beyond Aid—Revenue Mobilization” was organized in Accra, where Vice President Bawumia was reported saying: “Government could not continue to build schools to educate the nation’s children, provide adequate health services, provide safe and adequate water, provide sanitation services and provide law and order on the inexhaustible charity of donor projects; that domestic revenue mobilization, was an integral part of President Akufo-Addo’s vision of a Ghana Beyond Aid.
Dr Bawumia further revealed what he termed the five pillars of the Ghana Beyond Aid project: (i) enhancing domestic revenue mobilization; (ii) encouraging higher private savings, (iii) leveraging the country‘s resources for development; (iv) transparent, prudent and accountable use and management of public resources; and (v) the innovative mobilization and use of external resources.
Ghana beyond Aid Charter Committee
On Wednesday June 13, President Akufo-Addo inaugurated a “Ghana beyond Aid” Charter Committee chaired by Senior Minister Hon. Yaw Osafo Marfo to give substance to the Ghana beyond Aid concept; and to “set out a charter which will present the true meaning, purpose and also the calendar of implementation that will allow the country to reach her goal.”
Foreign Development Assistance (Aid)
There are basically three forms of international aid. The first form is private Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) from multinational or transnational corporations. These are typically equity holdings of foreign assets by non-residents of the recipient country. For example, Ghanaian companies may engage in FDI by buying a controlling interest in a Nigerian company.
The second form is official development tools designed and funded by government agencies or international nonprofits to combat poverty and may include humanitarian efforts spearheaded by wealthier nations and governments that are members of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). OECD countries spend lots on money yearly on foreign aid.
Between 1962 and 2012, these wealthy countries were reported to have contributed a cumulative $3.98 trillion in foreign aid. Bilateral aid occurs when one government directly transfers money or other assets to a recipient country for various reasons. It is the dominant type of state-run aid and what many people know as foreign aid. The other forms remain relatively unknown.
The third form of international development assistance is foreign trade—much larger and much less intentional. Openness to foreign trade is the leading indicator for developmental progress among poor countries; maybe due to the fact that free-trade policies tend to get along with economic freedom and political stability.
Moving Ghana beyond Aid—Fiction or Reality?
It is easier to conclude that “Moving Ghana beyond Aid” is just another carefully worded political mantra seeking to simplify and limit the subject of aid to bilateral aid than accept it is an achievable goal.
Conclusion
Much has not been heard from the “Ghana beyond Aid” Charter Committee since its inauguration. One would have thought they would have developed an effective communication system to reach out to the citizenry to clarify what exactly “Ghana Beyond Aid” means, and also be obtaining feedback on the project. One would have assumed that by now they would have drawn plans that will bring on board competent Ghanaians and intellectuals with a clear and practical understanding of development planning and Social Policy. But nothing of the sort has been reported. If the President’s current position on the subject is anything to go by, then it is safe to assume that Ghana Beyond Aid has finally committed suicide and its body cannot be found.
Have our condolences, boy!