Accra, Ghana, November 19, 2018//-Mapping citizens’ “most important problems” onto Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) revealed that SDG8 (“decent work and economic growth”) stands out as the top priority for 57% of Africans.
The survey conducted by Afrobarometer, a leading pan-African and non-partisan research network, in 34 African countries including Ghana with sample size of 1,200 to 2,400 also added: “Next in priority are SDG2 (“zero hunger”), SDG3 (“good health and wellbeing”), SDG16 (“peace, justice and strong institutions.”
But priorities vary by country and region, age, gender, level of poverty and socioeconomic development, according to the Afrobarometer Pan-African Profile which was released in Accra, Ghana today.
Presenting the highlights of the Afrobarometer findings, Dr Eden Selormey, Afrobarometer Field Operations Manager for West, North and East Africa, noted that across the 34 surveyed countries, unemployment tops the most important problems that Africans want their governments to address.
It is followed by health, infrastructure/roads, water/sanitation, education, management of the economy, and poverty, she added.
Besides the SDG8, each of the seven other SDGs captures the attention of between 20% and 31% of respondents, including SDG2 (“zero hunger”) (31%), SDG3 (“good health and wellbeing”) (27%), SDG16 (“peace, justice and strong institutions”) (26%), SDG9 (“industry, innovation and infrastructure”) (24%), SDG6 (“clean water and sanitation”) (24%), SDG1 (“no poverty”) (22%), and SDG4 (“quality education”) (21%).
The remaining SDGs draw only very modest levels of attention from respondents as “most important” priorities, Dr Selormey stated.
However, she said that; “other Afrobarometer data reveal that African publics typically also value these goals (e.g. gender equality, climate change), even if they are not the first things on their minds in the struggle for daily survival.
Poverty and low socioeconomic development, both at the individual level and the country level, strongly shape priorities. Jobs/economic growth and good governance are higher priorities for wealthier individuals and for more economically developed countries”.
Among poorer people and countries, jobs and growth are still important, but people place higher priority on fighting hunger and having adequate supplies of clean water and energy.
The highest-priority sectors often record the worst government performance (e.g. jobs and economic management), she quoted as one of the key findings of the survey.
“Public opinion data can help track progress toward the SDGs and offer useful guideposts for boosting performance and achieving SDG success. Understanding public priorities can facilitate more effective policy making and strengthen public engagement”.
Speaking at a panel discussion after the release of the survey findings, a Policy and Communications Analyst at the SDGs Advisory Unit at the Office of the President, Dr Louise Carole Donkor, said she wasn’t surprised at the findings.
This she explained is because Ghana’s economic growth has not been stable for the past decade. So, the demand for jobs and healthcare facilities, among others by the citizens is crucial.
Dr Donkor used the occasion to explain what the government is doing in the area of the SDGs. To this end, she said the government has a number of structures set up to champion the SGS in the country.
These Dr Donkor mentioned include SDGs Technical Committee, and Inter-ministerial committee on SDGs.
The Economic Advisor to UNDP, Madam Radhika Lal observed that although Ghana is putting efforts to implement the SDGs, providing sustainable jobs for its citizens has been a problem.
On his part, the Co-chair of CSO Platform for SDGs, George Osei-Bimpeh called for a sustained public education on the SDGs in the country. This is because most people in Ghana have little or no knowledge on the SDGs.
In his closing remarks, Prof Henry Kwasi Prempeh, Executive Director of Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), a leading democratic and governance think-tank in Ghana and beyond, urged the civil society organizations and the public in general to show more interest in the SDGs.
By Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh, African Eye Report
