The lack of administrative data to better assess progress on the Sustainable Development Goals, (SDG) is one of the major challenges affecting Ghana’s plan to attain the targets.
This was revealed at the second High Level Ministerial Meeting (HLMC) held in Accra on February 28th, 2018.
Ghana together with 193 other countries were expected to achieve 17 goals set by the United Nations, UN, as a way of improving the lives of their citizens.
These include the creation of decent work, access to health care services, women empowerment and children’s welfare, quality education, population dynamics, improved sanitation, equitable distribution of wealth and equal treatment for persons with disability.
National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), is the government agency tasked to spearhead the attainment of the goals.
However, data on Ghana’s progress since 2015 when the goals were endorsed is not much despite some work having been done towards achieving those goals.
The UN has therefore presented an approach to partner Ghana ahead of the 2030 deadline.
UN resident coordinator for the SDGs, Christine Evans-Klock, presented the plan at the second High Level Ministerial Committee meeting which was formed by President Akufo-Addo (HLMC) on September 7, 2017, to oversee Ghana’s SDG implementation processes in order to meet the deadline.
At the meeting, insufficient administrative data to better assess progress on the Goals was one of the concerns raised.
A baseline report reflecting challenges to achieving the SDGs was also discussed as well as the economic growth rate required to achieve the goals.
Members of the High Level Ministerial Committee include the Ministers for Planning, Finance, Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Monitoring and Evaluation, Gender, Children and Social Protection, Trade and Industry, Health, Local Government and Rural Development, Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Education, Sanitation and Water Resources, Justice and Attorney General, Employment and Labour Relations Food and Agriculture and Fisheries and Aquaculture Development.
The committee was chaired by the Minister for Planning, Prof. George Gyan-Baffour.
By Nana Oye Ankrah
