Government’s Approach In Feeding The Poor Inappropriate, And Could Spell Doom – ChaLog
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A Policy Think Tank, Chamber for Local Governance (ChaLog) has bemoan the approach by Government in the distribution of food to the less privileged, and vulnerable in society relating to the partial lockdown.
Government recently announced a stimulus package of Gh¢9.5 billion to enable them to the coronavirus in the country.
A designated amount of Gh¢280 million has been set aside to feed the vulnerable of all categories under a livelihood empowerment programme under the auspices of the Ministry of Gender Children And Social Protection.
A Press statement sighted by www.ahotoronline.com and Radiooneghana.com of the Chamber for Local Governance called on government to do the needful by integrating the Metropolitan, Municipal And District Assembly (‘s) MMDAs in the distribution chain of food to the vulnerable in the country.
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ChaLog argued further that, the district assemblies are vested with powers to undertake these initiatives and endowed with Social Welfare And Community Development department, to supervise social interventions as these, in the wake of unforeseen contingencies, where the identification of the vulnerable in society forms part of the their core mandate.
The use of Political actors in the feeding process, according to the Policy Tank defies the status, and legislative tenets of the District Assemblies.
Read…..below
CHAMBER FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE (ChaLoG)
P. O BOX SK 330, SAKUMONO ESTATES, TEMA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
13TH APRIL, 2020
GOVERNMENT’S APPROACH TO FEEDING THE ‘VULNERABLE’ IN THE LOCKDOWN AREAS IS A RECIPE FOR DISASTER – ChaLoG
The Chamber for Local Governance (ChaLoG) upon the two (2) weeks of assessment of the government’s approach being used to feed the ‘vulnerable’ in the lockdown areas has come to the firm conclusion that the entire processes leading to the handling and distribution of food is a recipe for disaster as the country is at a high risk of spreading COVID 19 rather than it’s prevention through the lockdown. This is because the much touted WHO protocol of social distancing is completely nonexistent in almost all the areas ChaLoG assessed.
ChaLoG in commending the feeding the vulnerable initiative taken by the government in the COVID 19 fight, is however, opposed to the specific selection by the President of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and Faith Based Organisations (FBO) to spearhead the cooking, handling and distribution of food to the vulnerable in the lock down areas instead of the Metropolitan/Municipal/District Assemblies (MMDAs) which have Social Welfare and Community Development Departments that sees to the day to day issues and concerns of vulnerable people in all the MMDAs across the country owing to their comprehensive and up to date data on vulnerable people.
ChaLoG blames the overcrowding scenes at the designated food distribution centres on the government’s refusal to use the appropriate agency (MMDAs) who are vested with the power and responsibility to work and support all vulnerable people in the communities on a day – to – day basis prior to the COVID 19 pandemic in Ghana, to spearhead the identification of the vulnerable people to be fed.
This action of government has undoubtedly opened the flood gates for all manner of people who clearly do not fall within the bracket of vulnerable people to throng the designated food distribution centres to be fed because it is ‘free food’ thereby creating the opportunity for people to mass up on a daily basis to be fed at a time of a lockdown to rather enforce social distancing to help stem the spread of COVID 19.
ChaLoG therefore strongly calls on government to do the right thing by fully engaging the MMDAs (Social Welfare & Community Development) to take charge for the strict identification of the vulnerable people using their comprehensive database to reach out to the real vulnerable people in the communities affected by the lockdown, so as to help government achieve its originally intended aim and also to save government the wanton dissipation of its financial resources from feeding people who in the strictest sense of the word are not vulnerable people.
Long Live Local Governance
Long Live ChaLoG
Long Live Ghana
Signed
- Dr. Richard Fiadomor President 0243138633
- Hon Romeo Elikplim Akahoho Executive Secretary 0244967680
- Hon Alhaji Ibrahim F. Faila Public Relations Officer 0244237456
- Ing. Joshua Quist Director of Research 0546456940
Cc
Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development
Ministry of Gender and Social Protection
Parliamentary Select Committee on Local Government & Rural Development
National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG)
Civil Society Organisations
Non Governmental Organisations
All Media Houses
By: Nana Dogbe / AHOTOR News
