Ghana to finalise report on post-2015 MDGs

Ghana’s Report on Post- 2015 Development Agenda for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is expected to be finalised and sent to the United Nations (UN) for the special session of the General Assembly this year.

The report, which is expected to be incorporated into the global UN Report, will be the basis for inter-government negotiations for the Post-2015 global development agenda. Dr Pa Lamin Beyai, Economic Advisor, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), said this on Tuesday at a validation workshop on the findings of Ghana’s Post 2015 consultations in Accra.

The workshop, organised by the UN Systems in Ghana and the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), was to authenticate the various stakeholder consultations which has already been held throughout the country.

Dr Beyai said the consultation process, which covered all the 10 regions, deprived communities and slums was to elicit the views of Ghanaians on the kind of development agenda they would want after 2015. He said the objective of the country's consultations was to stimulate discussions among national stakeholders and to garner inputs and ideas for a shared global vision.

He said Ghana was selected among 50 countries to take part in this process initiated by the UN Sectary General. Dr Beyai said the various consultations provided a unique opportunity to all citizens of Ghana, especially the poor and vulnerable, to contribute directly to the formulation of global development priorities for the next generation.

He said the consultations captured views and recommendations across a wide range of issues including social, environment, economic development, food security and nutrition, good governance and transparency, health and education, and population dynamics including ageing, international and internal migration and urbanization.

He said Civil Society Organizations, during the various consultations, also raised issues concerning employment, youth development and engagement, educational reform, improved community health care, climate change and energy issues.