According to a release from the Public Affairs Section of the United States Embassy in Accra, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has made a commitment of $127 million to promote development activities in Ghana, in the next year. The commitment is a part of the collaboration between the US and the Republic of Ghana that aims to promote democracy and governance, education, health and economic growth in the country. At present USAID’s total contribution to Ghana’s development stands at $656.5 million, including the new funds amounting to $127 million.
In 2003 USAID and the Government of Ghana, represented by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MoFEP), made an agreement to achieve the our most essential objectives that are supposed to be very crucial in the development of the country. These objectives include increasing employment opportunities and income levels for poor Ghanaians, improving access to health service at the community, district, and regional levels, providing basic education to more children, with special emphasis on improving the quality of instruction, and helping Ghana’s local governance institutions to make plans for development .
The new funds amounting to $127 million will also be spent for various development purposes in Ghana. Approximately $47 million will be utilized to increase agricultural production, employment opportunities and income levels for poor people in Ghana, $4.6 million will be used to promote Ghana’s Education Strategic Plan, $4.9 million will help strengthen Ghana’s local governance institutions, and $70.5 million will be utilized to provide better health services for HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Maternal and Child Health, Family Planning and Reproductive Health, Water Supply and Sanitation, Nutrition and Higher Education.
“USAID’s commitment of an additional $127 million in development support for Ghana is taken in close consultation with the Government of Ghana. It reflects the United States’ strong support for the policies and plans Ghana has put in place to improve health and education services for its citizens and our shared objective to generate prosperity and security for both the Ghanaian people and the American people,” said Cheryl Anderson, Mission Director of USAID/Ghana.
