Accra, Ghana//-Latest research by Centre for Social Policy Studies (CSPS), a unique social policy research and academic institution of the University of Ghana indicated that COVID-19 highlighted the limitations of Ghana’s systems and strategies to protect its citizens especially the poor, women, other disadvantaged groups from shocks.
The research findings were presented on Thursday November 18, 2022, at a Stakeholders’ Consultation Workshop Towards the Development of a National Social Protection Shock Responses Strategy.
The research titled-COVID-19 and government shock response and gender-related assessment’ covered victims of flooding and market fire disasters in the Greater Accra Region, victims of tidal waves in the Keta Municipality in the Volta Region, and Bagre Dam spillage victims in the Savelugu Municipality in the Northern regions.
Effects of Bagre Dam spillage disasters
Research Fellow of the Centre for Social Policy Studies (CSPS) of the University of Ghana, Dr Ernestina Korleki Tetteh said the research found out that Bagre Dam spillage brought in a lot of snakes into the communities in the Savelugu Municipal Assembly, resulting in high degree of snake bites in the area.
She added that the dam spillage disaster also led to the collapse of houses, loss of farmlands and produce, loss of fishing materials, and loss of incomes.
According to her, the findings further indicated that most men, children, people with disabilities and everybody were at risk.
Gender and inclusive assessment of responses
Touching on gender and inclusive assessment of responses, Dr Tetteh noted that relief items such as food, beddings, toiletries, relocation, cash were distributed to the dam spillage victims.
There was also no consideration of the different forms of vulnerability when the dam spillage disaster occurred. Reactionary measures do not allow for luxury of gender and inclusive assessment before offering support, she noted.
The goals of the study are to consolidate and document government-led emergency (non-COVID-19) responses, in order to develop a historical inventory of shocks and responses, consolidate and document COVID-19 response operations and lessons, including the expansion of the LEAP program, among others.
COVID-19 Emergency cash transfer
An estimated 125, 000 Non- Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) beneficiaries who were considered extremely poor and vulnerable identified through Ghana National Household Registry (GNHR) data.
The COVID-19 emergency cash transfer by the government, World Bank and World Food Programme, according to the research enabled the beneficiaries to meet their basic nutritional needs.
It also improved their livelihoods to protect themselves against the coronavirus pandemic in the country. The COVID-19 emergency cash transfer mitigated the pandemic’s impact on poverty reduction efforts in Ghana. The government, World Bank and World Food Programme provided cash support in two tranches (December 2020 and January 2021).
Recommendations
The study called for the incorporation of considerations of gender and other vulnerabilities into the draft Social Protection Bill.
While recommending a criterion for emergency cash transfers that considers care responsibilities, programme flexibility for gendered and other forms of vulnerabilities, inclusion of women in design and decision-making, among others.
Presenting portions of World Bank Group’s new Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) for Ghana which estimated that at least one million more people could fall into poverty due to climate shocks, if urgent climate actions are not taken, Cynthia Anim Ampredu, Social Protection Specialist at World Bank Ghana, said shocks are real.
She said the country made major development gains over the past three decades including halved poverty from 56.5 percent (1991/92) to 24.2 percent (2012/13), and reduction of extreme poverty from 16.5 percent (2006) to 8.4 percent (2013).
Progress has slowed
Madam Ampredu however noted that this progress has slowed as the country recorded little change in extreme poverty since 2012/2013 2016/17, while extreme poverty rate dropped but absolute numbers increased.
Inequality is on the increase. Majority (70%) of the work force is in the informal sector which are Vulnerable due to inadequate policy and legal protection, according to her.
Regrettably, 70 percent of Ghanaians do not have access to any form of insurance which hampers their capacity to cope and recover from shocks.
The Minister of Gender, Children and Social Projection, Madam Lariba Zuweira Abudu said the findings of the two studies would provide input for the development of country’s shock-responsive social protection strategy.