PNC calls for equitable disbursement of MCA Fund

Accra, June 12, GNA - The People's National Convention (PNC) on Monday rejected the Government=92s basis for the disbursement of the 500 million dollars Millennium Challenge Account (MCA), which excluded some regions, including the two upper regions.

"The exclusion of districts in Upper East and Upper West Regions, which the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS) paper cited as the most deprived regions in the country, among the list of beneficiaries to the Fund, is unacceptable," Dr Edward Mahama, PNC Leader, stated at a press conference in Accra.

The pres conference was attended by leading members of the Party including Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan, Acting National Chairman; Dr Somtim Tobiga, National Treasurer; Mr David Monah, National Youth Organiser; and Major Kwadwo Boakye-Gyan, Spokesman for the defunct Armed Forces Revolutionary Council; a presidential hopeful on the ticket of the Nkrumaists.

Dr Mahama joined others to demand an explanation from the Government why the Upper Regions were excluded from the list of beneficiaries and asked whether poverty profile or agricultural potential or availability of water disqualified the two Regions. "We are absolutely stunned by this omission or commission on the part of the Government as reflected in the non-equitable manner this poverty reduction MCA is to be applied...the non-inclusion of districts from these Regions has generated a lot of concerns about the real motive of Government with regard to beneficiary districts," the PNC Leader said.

"We absolutely abhor this naked contradiction of the MCA and the GPRS," he emphasised.

Making a case for the two Regions, the PNC Leader cited the huge agricultural potentials of the Regions. These include production of cotton for the textile industry; the Tono and Vea dams, which are being underutilized due to insufficient investment in rehabilitation of their infrastructure.

The PNC leader called on the Government to take steps to include districts from the two Regions to effect the letter and spirit of the Government's own Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS) paper. Government must act now to indicate sensitivity for the plight of the people in the two Regions and to enlist confidence in Government=92s documents, he said.

Major Boakye-Gyan, who supported the position of the PNC, said the basis for excluding the two Regions without factual research was flawed and called on the Government to re-assess the modalities.

Ghana is to draw 500 million dollars from the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) instituted by the United States Government to fight poverty and promote good governance.

Ghana seeks to establish the Millennium Development Authority, which would supervise, manage and ensure the implementation of Ghana government programmes under the MCA.

The Authority would also pursue the eradication of poverty through overseeing and managing other development programmes funded by the Government and development partners.

The MCA was instituted in 2002 by the US Government to provide alternative sources of funding development in developing countries. Under the MCA concept, beneficiary countries are allowed to propose their own programmes to receive funding.

Criteria for selection of beneficiaries are formed on the basis of governing justly, investing in people and encouraging economic freedom. Ghana is among 16 countries in the developing world and one of seven African countries to have been selected to benefit from the Fund.