Ghana Makes Headway in Human Development

This year's UNDP "Human Development Report" gives Ghanaians cause for cautious optimism. In all, the country's human development performance has increased to 0.542 in 1999 up from 0.524 in 1995.

The report, which used the level of technological development to measure individual country's progress, places Ghana 119 on the ladder of human development.

The report shows that the country has been making steady progress in human development, moving from a low human development status a couple of years ago to a medium human development country.

Ghana's performance compared to those of Egypt, Namibia, South Africa, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya indicates that the country has a lot of catching to do if she is to move higher on the human development ladder.

The scourge of AIDS and other preventable killer diseases rampaging the population, widespread poverty, unemployment and high infant mortality rate are some social problems still confronting the economy.

Overall, the report suggests that Ghanaians should brace up for tougher times ahead and confront the problems head on.

On the field of education the country seems to be making progress. The report said the adult literacy rate as a percentage of ages 15 and above has gone up by 61.5% since 1999. The female rate as a percentage of male rate stands at 77%. The country's spending on education as a percentage of gross national product from 1985-87 is 3.4% and 4.2% from 1995-97. This figure is higher than public expenditure on defence. Sadly, public spending on health is still very low.

Compared to other countries, there is room for improvement considering the role of education in national development. Norway, which leads the pack of high human development countries by way of spending on education, spends 6.5% on education, while Egypt, which leads the African group, spends 4.5% on national spending on education.

The report said Ghana has ratified all international conventions against all forms racial discrimination and has one of the smallest number of internally displaced people on the continent. Ghana has also improved in the area of women participation in politics. The report said women occupy 9.0% of seats in parliament compared to Egypt's 2.4% to Morocco's 0.2%

On continent by continent, Africa still occupies the lower rung of least developed people. A total of 28 African countries are at the bottom of the table, with Sierra-Leone plagued by internal conflicts occupying the very last position.

Questions then arise as to the method of classification. Is it right using the level of technological development to measure a country's level of development? Considering the continent's educational backwardness a different method could have been used. But the report should not embarrass Africans. It is rather an awakening call for us to roll our sleeves up and join the globalisation train or forever be doomed. Read more in tomorrow's edition.