Poverty Gap between Poor and Rich Widened by Akufo-Addo Government – Dr. Sandaare
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Daffiama/Bussie/Issa, Dr. Sebastian Sandaare, has criticized the Akufo-Addo-led New Patriotic Party (NPP) government for failing to significantly reduce poverty in Ghana.
According to Dr. Sandaare, the government has not taken proactive measures to alleviate the economic struggles of Ghanaians.
He made these remarks during an interview with EXPRESSNEWSGHANA, in response to the government’s claims of disbursing over GHS5.4 million for social intervention policies.
While presenting the mid-year budget review statement to Parliament on July 23, 2024, the Finance Minister, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, stated that the government allocated GHS5.4 billion to bolster the Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty (LEAP) programme, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), and the school feeding initiative.
The Minister emphasized the government’s commitment to improving the quality of life for all Ghanaians, especially the most vulnerable.
However, Dr. Sandaare argued that the Akufo-Addo government is neglecting Ghana’s poorest and most vulnerable citizens, as poverty levels have increased.
He pointed out that many NHIS service providers have not been paid, and numerous LEAP beneficiaries have reported not receiving their benefits for months, raising concerns about the government’s handling of these funds.
“So the amount they claim to have released is just political rhetoric. How much do they owe service providers for the national health insurance? How much do they owe the vulnerable beneficiaries of LEAP? It is just political posturing. Service providers are still suffering and complaining about unpaid arrears,” he said.
Dr. Sandaare, a member of the Health Committee of Parliament, questioned the government’s commitment to addressing the needs of Ghanaians as the current administration’s tenure nears its end.
He emphasized, “If you compare the current economic conditions and what the government provides, you realize the situation for these vulnerable groups has worsened. The economic situation has exacerbated their plight. The support given to LEAP beneficiaries is insufficient.”
Dr. Sandaare called for transparency regarding payments to service providers and LEAP beneficiaries. He suggested that the government should take measures to alleviate the economic burden on these groups, criticizing the widening poverty gap under the current administration.
“The Akufo-Addo government has caused severe hardship. Even those in the middle class have been pushed down to lower levels, while a select few connected to power remain affluent. Many Ghanaian companies have collapsed, and LEAP beneficiaries cannot live meaningful lives with the current support,” he added.
Dr. Sandaare indicated that the next National Democratic Congress (NDC) government would decap the NHIS, ensuring that funds reach service providers and improve the scheme’s functionality.
“We need to decap the NHIS so that the government doesn’t withhold funds while service providers suffer. Releasing money occasionally is insufficient. Health facilities lack medicines and logistics, forcing patients to buy supplies, which undermines the objectives of national health insurance and affects our chances of achieving universal health coverage,” he lamented.
He warned that if the government fails to release funds to support the NHIS and other health services, Ghana risks missing the 2030 target for achieving universal health coverage under the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on access to health for all.
“I don’t see Ghana achieving universal health coverage with the current situation,” he concluded.
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Source: Felix Nyaaba // expressnewsghana.com
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