UNIVERSITY OF GHANA

LOCALISING THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS IN GHANA: AN

ASSESSMENT OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS AND CHALLENGES OF GOAL 1 IN THE
ACCRA METROPOLITAN ASSEMBLY.


BY

REUBEN ATSU KATAKO
(10287867)




A LONG ESSAY SUBMITTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF GHANA, LEGON, IN
PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF A
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
(PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION OPTION)




JUNE, 2014


i

DECLARATION
I hereby declare that this long essay is the result of my own research and has not been presented
by anyone for any academic award in this or any other university. All references used in the
work have duly been acknowledged.
I bear responsibility for any shortcomings.


.. .
REUBEN ATSU KATAKO DATE
(10287867)











ii

CERTIFICATION
I hereby certify that this long essay was supervised in accordance with the procedures laid down
by the University.



.................
DR. THOMAS BUABENG DATE
(SUPERVISOR)











iii

DEDICATION
I dedicate this work to the Glory of Almighty God for his grace and strength towards me to
through my education. Special dedications to my Dad Mr. Godwin Yao Katako for his immerse
support in my education.
















iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This work could not have been accomplished without supervision of Dr. Thomas Buabeng a
lecturer at the Department of Public Administration and Health Service Management for his
great insights, intellectual inspiration and whose guidance, constructive comments, criticism and
support made this study possible. Much thanks to Mr. Emmanuel Yeboah-Asiamah for his
immerse support in coming out with this work.
I would also like to thank the officials of all the Departments at the Accra Metropolitan
Assembly who contributed by giving me information to come out with this study especially Miss
Ama Agyeiwaa a National Service Person at the Assembly who helped during the data
collection.
Warmth gratitude goes out to the respondent at International Need Ghana and Tunak Foundation
as well as the beneficiaries Mr. Yaya Ayitey, Naa Kwoley, Adjei Roberts and Mercy Ashietey
for their response and supports for me to take information from them for the study.
A special appreciation to my class mates for their encouragement and inspirations towards
completing of this work.







v

TABLE OF CONTENT
Tittle Pages
DECLARATION..i
CERTIFICATIONii
DEDICATION..iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT...iv
TABLE OF CONTENTv
LIST OF ABBREVITION...viii
ABSTRACTx
CHAPTER ONE: GENERAL INTRODUCTION
1.0 Introduction1
1.1 Background to the study1
1.2 Problem Statement.4
1.3 Study Objectives7
1.4 Research Question.8
1.5 Significance of the Study..8
1.6 Scope of the Study8
1.7 Limitation to the Study.9
1.8 Chapter Organisation10




vi

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0 Introduction..11
2.1 The Millennium Development Goals Framework11
2.2 Understanding Poverty.13
2.3 Progress in Poverty Reduction..21
2.4 The Localisation of the Millennium Development Framework22
2.5 Challenges Affecting the Reduction of Poverty26
CHAPTER THREE: METTHODOLOGY
3.0 Introduction ..29
3.1 Research Paradigm29
3.1.1 Research Design.29
3.2 The Profile of the AMA30
3.3 Sources of Data.31
3.4 Target Population..32
3.5 Sample Size...32
3.6 Sampling Technique......33
3.7 Instrument of Data Collection...33
3.8 Data Management and Analysis34
3.9 Ethical Consideration34




vii

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
4.0 Introduction36
4.1 Intervention by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly to Reduce Poverty..36
4.2 Progress of Poverty reduction in Accra Metropolitan Assembly43
4.3 Challenges of Poverty Reduction in Accra Metropolitan Assembly..48
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATION
5.0 Introduction54
5.1 Summary.54
5.2 Conclusion..56
5.3 Recommendation57
References...59
Appendix.65









viii

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
ADF African Development Fund
AfDB African Development Bank
AMA Accra Metropolitan Assembly
CEPEP Center for Development of People
CSO Civil Society Organization
DACF District Assembly Common Fund
DCF Disability Common Fund
DFID Department for International Development
ERP Economic Recovery Program
FAO Food and Agriculture Organization
FCUBE Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education
GDP Gross Domestic Product
GLSS Ghana Living Standard Survey
GPRS Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy
IFAD International Fund for Agricultural Development
IIED International Institute for Environment and Development
IMF International Monetary Fund
LEAP Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty
MDGs Millennium Development Goals
MLGRD Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development
MMDAs Metropolitan Municipal and District Assemblies
MOFEP Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning
NGO Non-Governmental Organization
NHIS National Health Insurance Scheme
NYEP National Youth Employment Program
OECD Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development


ix

PNDC Provisional National Defense Council
SFP School Feeding Program
SMEs Small and Medium Scale Enterprises
SSA Sub-Saharan Africa
UN United Nation
UNCHR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
UNDP United Nations Development Programme
UN-NGLS United Nations Non-governmental Liaison Service
UNSD United Nations Statistics Division














x

ABSTRACT
The coming into force of the Millennium Development Goals in the year 2000 by the UN and its
member countries sparked the zeal in nations, especially, developing countries to deal with their
poverty challenges. This charged nations like Ghana to come up with policies and programmes
with its developing partners and local institutions. The purpose of this study was to examine the
achievements and challenges of achieving Millennium Development Goal One in the Accra
Metropolitan Assembly. The researcher used qualitative research method and employed both
primary and secondary data for the study. Purposive simple sampling technique was used to
select and interview respondents for the study. The findings from the research demonstrated that
Livelihood Empowerment Programme, School Feeding Programme and National Youth
Employment Programme are some of the programmes initiated to reduce poverty. Some of the
challenges that impeded the reduction of poverty in the AMA include poor database
management, resource constraint, lack of commitment and corruption. The study concludes that
the identified challenges could be addressed if the Accra Metropolitan Assembly works in
collaboration with various stakeholders to make the poverty intervention programmes work
effectively and achieve its intended objectives. The study recommends that high level of
commitment, transparency, innovation and responsibility on the part of the Assemblys staff and
authorities should be seen with strong partnership with donor and Non-governmental
Organizations.


1

CHAPTER ONE
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The study sought to assess the achievements and challenges of Millennium Development Goal
One in Accra Metropolitan Assembly. This introduction chapter provides a background to the
study, problem statement, and objective of the study. It also presents the research questions,
significance of the study and the scope and limitation to the study. The chapter is therefore
organized along these themes.
1.1 Background to the study
In September 2000, representatives of UN member nations signed a resolution on eight
development goals, which they pledged to fulfill, in order to achieve a better world by
2015. The aim of these goals is to alleviate people from extreme poverty, hunger,
illiteracy and disease; achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women,
environmental sustainability and a global partnership for development.
The Millennium Development Goals were to address the special needs of the individual nations
especially the developing countries where hunger, poverty, illiteracy and environmental issues
just to mention a few are challenges facing these developing nations. The Millennium
Development Goals direct ways of solving these problems. With these goals, the international
community has in fact committed to provide more and better aid to the least developed countries,
to develop an open and fair international trade and financial systems to cancel debts. This
confirms Hulme (2009) assertion that the millennium development goals are global agreement to


2

reduce poverty and human deprivation at historically unprecedented rate through collaborative
actions. This collaborative effort includes the support of international communities of supper
power nations and organizations.
In late 2000, when the United Nations (UN) tried to come out with goals to eradicate
poverty problems, they came out with a Declaration that has come to be known as the
Millennium Development Goals. In this Declaration the UN considered the Millennium
Development Goals as having eight clear dimensions and according to the declaration, countries
were supposed to focus on these eight dimensions if poverty is to be reduced by the year 2015.
These eight dimensions include: the twin issue of extreme poverty and hunger. The second
dimension is universal primary education this seeks to address issue of illiteracy. The
third dimension is the promotion of equality in terms of gender and thereby empowering
women. The fourth is the reduction of child mortality. The fifth is the improvement of maternal
health. The sixth is the combating of HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. The seventh is
ensuring environmental sustainability and finally, the eighth is developing global
partnership for development (Todaro & Smith, 2006).
Todaro and Smith (2006) observed rightly that the Millennium Development Goals are the
strongest statement yet of the international community to ending global poverty. They
acknowledged the multi-dimensional nature of development and poverty alleviation; an end
to poverty requires more than just increasing incomes of the poor. The issue of poverty has been
for a long time at the heart of development efforts among the nations of the world; both poor and
rich alike. It is a cardinal focus of the Millennium Development Goal; the first of the eight goals
which is to half the proportion of the worlds population living below US$1 per day by the year,
2015 (United Nations, 2010). More than one billion people live in extreme poverty, which is


3

defined by the World Bank as subsisting on less than one dollar a day. According to UNSD
(2005) poverty is multifaceted, manifested by conditions that include malnutrition, inadequate
shelter, unsanitary living conditions, unsatisfactory and insufficient supplies of clean water, poor
solid waste disposal, low educational achievement and the absence of quality schooling, chronic
ill health, and widespread common crime.
Africas development and growth agenda has in recent times been threatened by mass and
intractable poverty and social deprivation. Indeed, in the developing world, poverty is fast
eroding the little economic gains, with a substantial percentage of the populace being poor. It is
estimated that people in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and south Asia are among the poorest in the
world (World Bank, 1989). According to Fox and Liebenthal (2006), reducing poverty in
Africa appears to be difficult especially in achieving positive success. They added that
poverty in Africa as a whole has an incremental basis; and the way forward of meeting the
Millennium Development Goals seem to be receding. For instance, World Bank report and
findings on per capita growth of Africa showed averaging 1.6 per cent over the 2006 to 2015
period. However, even this is far short of the growth needed to reduce poverty to half of the
1990 level. In fact, the number of poor in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is expected to go up from
314 million in 2001 to 366 million people in 2015 (Fox & Liebenthal, 2006).
According to the UNDP (2007), observed that the poverty profile of Ghana was first analyzed
spatially in 1998/99 through the Ghana Living Standards Survey (GLSS) assignment and it
was realized that five out of the 10 regions had 40 per cent or more of their people living in
poverty. These regions were the Eastern, Central, Upper West, Upper East and Northern Regions
with profiles of 44 percent; 48 percent; 84 per cent; 88 per cent and 69 per cent respectively. The
second attempt in 2005/06 at studying the level of poverty in Ghana revealed that an average of


4

28.5 percent of the people are poor which may imply that some of the interventions at
poverty reduction have yielded positive results. However, the poverty profiles of the three
northern regions of Ghana are still comparatively high.
In the city of Accra, people sleep in kiosks, roadsides, lorry stations, petrol stations, and
many other unsecured places. The level of slums in the cities suggests that there is urban poverty.
Migration from the villages to the cities in search of jobs has caused congestion in the cities.
Many people in the cities live on less than one or two dollars a day because they do not
have jobs. Poverty is not limited to the rural settings alone. In most countries including Ghana
there is urban poverty. Towns and villages around the cities are characterized by high levels of
poverty. Poverty, therefore, is not only a rural phenomenon but also observable in the urban
settings. Since poverty can be found in both the rural areas and the urban areas, who
therefore is the, poor. Public places of convenience are congested. Even though it is clear that
urban dwellers have advantage as compared to their counterparts in the rural settings, it is also
obvious that some rural dwellers are better off than their counterparts in the cities.
1.2 Problem Statement
In the past years till date there has been much progress in reducing poverty and ensuring well-
being but poverty still remains endemic to huge proportions of people. Poverty is a pervasive and
complex problem in the developing countries of Sub Saharan Africa. In most regions in
developing countries, its indicators include low family incomes, poor remuneration for workers,
inadequate housing, and prevalence of diseases, acute water shortage, a pervasive unemployment
rate, low producer prices, poor market outlets, and a lack of road networks to enhance
transportation of farm produce. Also, Obeng (2011) suggested that poverty reduction has been


5

an important political concern in Ghana over the years because it is believed to be the universally
accepted way of achieving economic growth in the country. He further put forward that the
intended purpose is to raise the living standards of the people and improve upon their quality of
life.
As a result, different economic policy reforms are pursued to achieve that, but the impact has not
been felt by all, especially those in the rural areas. An example is the Economic Recovery
Program (ERP) which aimed at freeing the economy, installing liberalized trade and investment
and pursuing export-led economic growth strategy was concentrated in the urban areas. The
program achieved crucial economic success in the first ten years with all macro-economic
indicators showing strong positive growth to a World Bank and International Monetory
Fund (IMF) assisted macro-economic framework. However, there were some widespread
criticism that the impact of the program was not felt by all.
A report by UNDP report issued in (2006), indicated that one billion people worldwide live
in extreme poverty, earning less than one American dollar per day. A further 1.5 billion are
trying to make ends meet on less than two dollars per day. Most people in the rural areas still do
not have access to food, shelter, good healthcare and education and according to Ghana
Statistical Service Survey (2008) 28.5% of Ghanaian population lives below the poverty line.
Unfortunately, majority of these people live in the rural areas where about 80% of food crops are
produced; yet their incomes are insufficient for adequate diet. This is because the rural poor are
mostly small scale entrepreneurs or small scale farmer.
Yasmin (2013) revealed that, relative poverty is ubiquitous and is constantly increasing with
little chance of it being completely eliminated; in this regard it appears that the level of poverty


6

in developing countries is either going to remain as it is or take a turn for the worse. Dozens of
projects have been undertaken in the quest to eradicate poverty in developing countries, but
many of these projects either solved half the problem or did not meet expectation. Projects can
be constructed in many ways, but a project without proper planning, monitoring and controlling
is destined for failure.
Obeng (2011) noted that since 1993, different projects and programmes have been initiated and
instituted by the Government of Ghana in order to reduce poverty and some of them are:
Agricultural services rehabilitation programme, Global 2000, the Medium Term Agricultural
Development Programme, primary Health Care and Expanded Programme on Immunization,
provision of Potable Water, Programme of Action to Mitigate the Social Cost of Adjustment
(PAMSCAD), Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE), Government Capitation
Grant, Government School Feeding Programme, Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS) 1
and 2.
African Development Fund (2005) informs that urban life offers many opportunities for
individuals to better their social, economic and cultural condition as well as that of their family,
but the risks associated with the very same urban life also significantly increase the vulnerability
of urban populations. The insecurity it generates particularly affects those groups whose
livelihood strategies primarily depend upon income-generation and whose assets are insufficient
to allow them to face the risks associated with urban life.
Accordingly, it can be extremely difficult to build a general agreement and make significant
commitment from the many stakeholders involved in organization and society at large (Willard,


7

2009). This makes it difficult on multiple levels to effectively implement poverty eradication
policies in the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (Bartlett & Chase, 2004).
The Millennium Development Goal One seeks to reduce poverty levels but it appears the
assessment of poverty reduction is calculated at national level using aggregate figures. With such
circumstance, it is difficult to unearth the peculiar challenges facing specific metropolis or
districts. For instance, the Metropolitan and District Assemblies in Ghana rely on the National
Statistics to know the number of people who are poor but this may not be the true reflection of
poverty in the metropolitan or district assembly.
The study therefore sought to assess the achievements and challenges of poverty reduction in the
Accra Metropolitan Assembly with the context of Millennium Development Goals One.
1.3 Study Objectives
The main objective of this study was to assess the achievement and challenges of MDG1 in
Accra Metropolitan Assembly. The study was underpinned by the following specific objectives;
1. To identify the interventions by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly in poverty reduction.
2. To assesses progress of poverty reduction effort by Accra Metropolitan Assembly in the
metropolis.
3. To find out the challenges affecting the reduction of poverty in the metropolis.




8

1.4 Research Question
In order to achieve the objectives above the study sought to answer the question: what are the
achievements and challenges of Accra Metropolitan Assembly in achieving MDG1. The study
answered three specific questions namely;
1. What are the interventions by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly in poverty reduction?
2. What is the progress of poverty reduction effort by Accra Metropolitan Assembly in the
metropolis?
3. What are the challenges affecting the reduction of poverty in the metropolis?
1.5 Significance of the Study
The study provides a working poverty reduction management strategy to research, practice and
policy in order to achieve the Millennium Development Goal One.
Also the study contributes information which serves as a premise for further research into issues
of poverty reduction strategy in the local assembly with minimal challenges. The findings to the
study are sufficiently accurate and reliable to make an informed generalization about the extent
of poverty reduction that has been carried out in the Accra Metropolitan Assembly.
To policy and practice, the study provides guidelines to Accra Metropolitan Assembly to take
strategic options to address the poverty reduction challenges in Accra for sustainable
development and gain more achievements.
1.6 Scope of the study
The study recognizes the meaning and conceptualization of Millennium Development Goal 1
with its target indicators which includes halving between 1990 and 2015 the proportion of people


9

whose income is less than one dollar a day, achieving full and productive employment and
decent work for all, including women and young people and halving between 1990 and 2015 the
proportion of people who suffer from hunger. However, it focuses more on achievements and
challenges of poverty reduction in Accra Metropolitan Assembly by 2015. The scope of the
study covers the Accra Metropolitan Assembly with these specific areas: Nima, Osu, Gamashie
and James town. The study also covers the Accra metropolitan department that is the planning
department, social welfare, budget, urban and transport, town and country, community
development, and the office of the coordinating director of assembly and their capacity with
respect to human resource, finance and logistics in ensuring the reduction of poverty in the
metropolis.
1.7 Limitation to the study
Data collection was difficult since most public officials found it difficult to give out facts to
researchers especially students. Also drawbacks to this study were information and availability
of secondary data on the level of poverty in the metropolis which would have helped in
comparing performance of the assembly over the years. The study was not pre-financed by any
resourceful organization but by the researcher for academic purposes and also that some
questionnaires did not return since it touched on very key management issues and strategy. Most
respondent felt reluctant to respond to the questionnaires which would have helped the
researcher to conduct the study.
Furthermore, the MDG1 is about eradicating extreme poverty and hunger through but the study
concentrated on reduction of poverty.


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1.8 Chapter Organization
The study is organized into five chapters. Chapter one gives a general introduction to the study.
The chapter provides background to the study, the problem statement, and objectives of the
study. It also contains scope and limitation, significance of the study and chapter organization.
Chapter two presents conceptual definitions and review of relevant literature. Chapter three of
the study gives detailed approaches and methods to be employed for data collection and analysis.
In addition, the chapter discusses research paradigm, design and source of data. It also presents
sampling techniques, sample size and data management. Chapter four is devoted for the analysis
and discussions of field data and interpretation of results. The final Chapter provides a summary
of findings, conclusions and recommendations for achieving MDG 1 in the Accra Metropolitan
Assembly.











11

CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0 Introduction
This chapter reviews poverty reduction issues and builds a conceptual framework with which the
study was undertaken. Some theoretical definitions were looked at such as localization, poverty,
poverty approaches, challenges and interventions to reduce poverty which all relate to the goal
one of the MDGs.
2.1 The Millennium Development Goals Framework
The Millennium Development Goals is a global strategy adopted to address issues of sustainable
development in all nations especially developing nations. As a strategy, Archetti (2006) put it
rightly as an innovation in the international development cooperation strategy which takes their
origin from courses, junctions, researches and from global political context of changed attention
towards development cooperation and sustainable development.
The MDGs have resulted in significant achievement on a global level which seeks to achieve
eight goals, eighteen targets and forty monitoring targets. These goals and targets are based on
the UN Millennium Declaration which the UN General Assembly approved in the year 2000 as
part of the Secretary Generals road map towards implementing the declaration. The UNDP
worked with other UN departments, funds and programs, the World Bank, the International
Monetary fund and the organization for Economic Cooperation Development to identify over 48
quantity indicators to assess progress. The MDGs are structured as follows;


12

Goal 1 - To eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Goal 2 - Achieve universal primary education
Goal 3 - Promote gender equality and empower women
Goal 4 - Reduce child mortality
Goal 5 - Improve maternal health
Goal 6 Combat HIV/AIDs, malaria and other diseases
Goal 7 - Ensure Environmental Sustainability
Goal 8 - Develop a global partnership for development
According to Hyam (2013), achievement of the first seven goals is intricately bound to the effort
in the industrialized countries in that they can support the developing countries by meeting their
commitment on goal eight. The developed countries with good economic growth must provide
increased aid and give debt relief and open their markets and technology with no strings to the
under-developed and developing countries (UNDP, 2003).
However, a commitment has been made by the world leaders to achieve the MDGs and this can
be done by integrating the goals into their national policies. Recognizing the responsibilities of
respective leaders was a hallmark that constitutes undoubtedness of moving forward with the
MDGs strategies. Pronk (2003), the MDGs are innovative strategies that is achievable because
they are directed to human development; they are at the same time global and local, then concern
to the whole world and at the same time every country; they are directed to aim not to a means;
they are directed; they are ambitious and reachable.


13

Nonetheless, while governments and international bodies have made commitments to implement
the MDGs, it cannot be possible if there is not much cooperations and supports from the
international communities and bodies especially to developing countries. For this reason IIED
(2003) report suggested that any discussions of development assistance and of the role of
international agencies has to consider the relevance of the MDGs at least two reasons: most
government and international have publicly committed themselves to the goals; and many are
making changes in their institutional structures that they hope will increase effectiveness in
meeting these goals.
2.2 Understanding Poverty
Poverty is in developed countries and it is very extreme in developing countries. It is mostly
featured in the whole region of the developing world. The foundational cause of poverty lies
within local situations combined with national and international circumstances. It has been
described by Akerele et al. (2012) that the poor people can be view and known as groups of
people who are in poverty. They can also be described as individuals with unfavorable
circumstance who are identified by lack of material benefits such as income and other basic
needs of life. It is the result of economic processes occurring at a different of levels, as well as a
range of specific social and economic conditions that appear to define the possibilities of the
individual. The evidence of poverty include material deprivation, lack of assets, isolation,
vulnerability, lack of decision making powers, constrained freedom of choice and opportunity
in matters of production, consumption, employment and socio-political representation (Appiah,
2000; Dinye, 2002).


14

According to World Bank (2013) to put an end to poverty and we must promote shared
prosperity unequivocally by ensuring progress in non-cash dimensions of welfare including
education, health, nutrition, and access to essential infrastructure, as well as about enhancing
voice and participation of all segments of society in economic, social, and political spheres. It
must be noted that poverty can lead to the inability to perform in society and makes an individual
more vulnerable to income, environmental vulnerability and societal shocks (Adjasi & Osei,
2007).
Poverty Approaches
The understanding of poverty is considered in different fashion by separate organizations and the
measurement of poverty differs as well (Makoka & Marcus, 2005). According to Kotler et al.
(2006), the difficulty coming out with a single definition of poverty constitute by a number of
indicators. Poverty can be understood as the state of being without the proper condition of daily
living, often associated with need, hardship and lack of resources across a wide range of
conditions, and the UNHCR (2004) defines poverty as human circumstance associated by the
sustained or increasing lack of resources, capabilities, choices, security and power necessary for
an adequate standard of living and other civil, cultural, economic, political, as well as social
rights. Also Bradshaw (2006) defines poverty as is the lack of important features like basic food,
shelter, medical care, and safety are generally thought necessary based on shared values of
human dignity. But it must be understood that what is a necessity to one person may not be the
same for the other. That is why Sen (1999) argues that the needs may be relative to what is
possible and are based on social definition and past experience.


15

Poverty in another sense can be defined in four approaches as present in Basile presentation in
2002 and these four approaches are: monetary, capability, social exclusion, and participatory
approach. The monetary approach is the commonly use approach. Poverty is identified with a
shortfall in consumption or income. The approach is consistent with the view that utility is an
adequate definition of well-being and monetary expenditure a satisfactory measure of utility that
is monetary indicator provides a common denominator of measurement for comparability
(Laderchi, Saith & Stewart, 2003).
Theoretical Dimensions of Poverty
Theories of poverty explain that the cause of poverty is multidimensional. It is the point of
looking at poverty not in one way but on multi-faceted ways and that brings all aspects of the
agents that bring about poverty today. According to Bradshaw (2006) recent reviews on poverty
agrees that there exist different theories of poverty, which can be grouped in multiple ways.
Further explanation from the World Bank (2002) reveals that poverty policies of various
countries have made use of a broad conceptualization of poverty associated with different
dimensions of poverty. Poverty has its impact on different people such that the concept of
poverty is relative depending on different interest groups and individuals experiencing it (Rank,
2004). The theoretical dimensions are individual, cultural and Structural discussed below:
The Individual Dimensional Theory
This also called the Poverty Caused by Individual Deficiencies. It is argued in this dimension
that the individual is responsible for their poverty situation. Weber (2001) argues out that
poverty is as result of Gods punishment from the individuals sin or inherited sin from parent.
Rainwater (1970) critically discusses individualistic theories of poverty as a moralizing
perspective and notes that the poor are afflicted with the mark of Cain. They are meant to


16

suffer, indeed must suffer, because of their moral failings. In another argument Gans (1995)
related that the individual factors that fuel poverty include individual attitude, human capital, and
welfare participation and with Kluegel et al. (1995) and Jordan (1996), they both reiterated that
the cause of poverty is seen in the individual morals and behavior. It then concluded that the
individuals according to this theory must compete for rewards through moral living and hard
work and punishment will go for those who do not work hard and make bad choices. In order to
forestall poverty among individuals communities should avoid and counter efforts to
individualize poverty, provide assistance and safety net (Bradshaw, 2006).
The Cultural Dimensional Theory
The concepts of culture of poverty explain how poverty is created and maintained by a society.
The cultural dimension of poverty suggest that the environment has it impact that is it shapes and
influence poverty among people (Quigley, 2003). The theory of culture of poverty is understood
on the basis that both the poor and the rich have values, beliefs, and behavioral norms which
differs (Mandell & Schram, 2003). The culture of poverty also works on the basis that the the
indidual has the power to be liberated from poverty (McIntyre, 2002). This theory explains that
poverty is created by the transmission over generations of a set of beliefs, values, and skills that
are socially generated but individually held. Individuals are not necessarily to blame because
they are victims of their dysfunctional subculture or culture (Sameti, Esfahani, & Haghighi,
2012). It has been noted that the culture of poverty theory is characterized by the 'deviant'
behaviors of the poor to typical patterns of socialization. In this view the poor as a group have to
be blamed for their behavior. For example, because they failed to teach their children to value
education or to respect private property rights therefore their poverty. To improve the groups


17

well-being in society Goldstein (2001) observed that redefining culturally appropriate strategies
is the way forward like developing local craft cooperation and microfinance cooperation.
Structural Dimensional Theory
The ways by which economic structures are factored in an economy that includes the level and
variation in unemployment, median income, and measures of income inequality indicates the
level of poverty in a particular society (Jordan, 2004). Different view on structural factors
argue that capitalism creates conditions that promote poverty. Beeghley (2000) noted that
the effect of economic structure stating that irrespective of individual effort that is hard
work and skill; the structure of the economies ensures that millions of people are poor.
Overview of Global Poverty
Hundreds of millions of people struggle with poverty around the world. The measurement of
poverty in different part of the world have shown that the basic needs approach to poverty
assessment is well known method of assessing poverty among the developing countries (UNSD,
2005). It has been observed by Harrison (2007) that more than one billion people live in extreme
poverty, which is defined by the World Bank as subsisting on less than one dollar a day in the
past years less than 30 per cent of the worlds extreme poor lived in low income countries, and
more than 70 per cent of the worlds income poor lived in middle income countries (Kanbur &
Sumner 2011; Sumner 2010; 2012a; 2012b). Human development has such a similar pattern, the
most evident is malnutrition (Sumner, 2010), multi-dimensional poverty (Alkire et al. 2011;
Sumner 2010), and the global disease and mortality burden (Glassman et al. 2011).
Poverty has seen in all developed and developing countries and is found both in the rural and
urban areas. According to Ravallion (2007) higher percentage of the global poor dwells in rural


18

areas, empirical evidence indicates that the proportion of poor people living in urban areas of
developing countries keeps rising at an increasing rate due to urbanization. Osinubi (2003)
argues that the complexity of poverty in urban areas in developing countries has risen more than
in rural areas. Household socio-economic and community factors also influence poverty and
peoples welfare in developing countries (Akerele, 2011). Socio-economic characteristics such as
age and gender of households, educational status of household head among others have been
identified as crucial factors that could influence poverty among urban households in developing
countries (Osinubi, 2003). It has been revealed by Lopez and Valdes (2000) that the current
state of poverty in developing worlds are poor because of the small productive assets held by
individuals in their quality and quantity.
Developing countries are still in the early stage of the development process this because most of
them have agriculture value added which represents that larger shares of the total GDP are still
agriculture-based (Dao, 2009).
Furthermore, Ghanaians lives in poverty gap, about 8 per cent (Adjasi & Osei, 2007). Poverty in
Ghana is higly rural especially in the Northern Savannah regions. The urban areas in the country
have lower incidence rates of poverty. Also, Adjasi and Osei (2007) suggested that in household
where there is much education among parent there is low poverty. It has been noted that owning
or operating a business as well as benefiting from remittances from abroad improve the welfare
status of households. The Government of Ghana and UNDP (2007) pointed out that the trend of
poverty in Ghana is different across the various actors of the economy. Poverty is specifically is
noticed in two major sectors in Ghana, that is the agriculture and the informal sector, with their
agricultural sector being worse affected.


19

Poverty Reduction Interventions
The reduction of poverty has been a challenge over the years, therefore, the coming in force of
MDG1 re-echoed the reason why poverty is endemic. Nations especially developing ones
struggle to reduce poverty not to talk about eradicating it but in recent years some success has
been achieved. In an IMF 2005 working paper, it was uncovered that foreign aid has helped to
achieve the course of reducing poverty and this is as a result of donors adopting MDGs as a
purpose of donating.
Also, many strides have been achieved in MDG1 due to globalization. The proponent of this
argument asserts that as more nations are integrated on a global stage it brings about faster
growth of their economy as they diffuse. In this argument it is believed that low income
economies will then join the global markets from manufacture and service then the poor can
come out of their vulnerability from the interaction with the global trends which connect them to
get better job and increase productivity.
Furthermore, civil societies and non-governmental organization form alliances with government
and political institutions to fight poverty. This has been done through implementation of pro-
poor programs, creating awareness and ensuring human right is observed via employments and
access to any opportunities for the vulnerable and disabled.
It is worth noting that there are three main dimensions of sustainable development if poverty
is to be eradicated and they are: the economic, social and environmental and that they are to be
brought together harmoniously. In order to eradicate poverty the principle of good governance,
transparency and accountability should work together (UN, 2010). Good government practices
like honesty and fairness, free of corruption; decision making open to the input of the public and


20

follow-up actions in accordance with decisions made, will help reduce poverty (World Bank,
2013) and that they can help ensure that the benefits of growth and poverty reduction policies
actually reach the poor.
UNDP (2000) indicated that the role of civil society cannot be down played, that is, the process
of allowing and encouraging the participation of the poor themselves in the making of policies,
especially those who are affected directly with poverty.
In a report by World Bank (2002) stated that the provision of basic services and budgetary
policies, thus, the way in which public resources are mobilized and spent determines the kind of
impact that it has on poverty. A fair and equitable public budgetary policy (relating to
expenditure, taxation and government fiscal priorities) can also help to promote economic
growth, reduce inequality and make development more pro-poor. Examples of success in pro-
poor and participatory budgetary policies can be found in India, Brazil and Uganda.
Alkire (2011) argued that policies that foster quality growth need to be complemented by
those that can directly accelerate and sustain poverty reduction across all segments of the
population. This presupposes strong national ownership of, and political commitment to, a
poverty reduction agenda . Atkinson et. al. (2002) observed that policies that may accentuate
or perpetuate poverty and exclusion, or cause a deterioration in the natural environment, would
need to be identified and their impacts ameliorated.
Notwithstanding, Birner et al. (2006) put forward that environmental issues should be addressed
because most poor people depend on agriculture for their livelihoods, the governance of natural
resources, such as water, soil, rangelands, and forests, requires special attention to ensure that
hunger and poverty reduction strategies are sustainable in the long run. To ensure effective


21

poverty eradication, steps must be taken to establish and strengthen leadership and oversight
functions of the Executive and Parliament. Communication between civil society, traditional
authority and all branches of government should be institutionalized as a means of strengthening
public policy management (GPRS, 2003).
2.3 Progress in Poverty Reduction
According to Ejolu (2008), in measuring the progress of poverty reduction the following
principle must be considered, that is, it must be country-driven, result measurement oriented,
comprehensive, partnership- oriented and measurement must be in long term perspective. In a
report by United Nation (2013) it was revealed that the proportion of people living in extreme
poverty has been halved at the global level. The world reached the poverty reduction target five
years ahead of schedule. In developing regions, the proportion of people living on less than $1.25
a day fell from 47 per cent in 1990 to 22 per cent in 2010. About 700 million fewer people lived
in conditions of extreme poverty in 2010 than in 1990 (UN, 2013). This indicates positive
progress in the achievement of MDG1.
In Ghana, however, available data shows that the proportion of people living in extreme poverty
has been halved from about 36.5% in 1991/2 to about 18.2% in 2005/6. The incidence of wasting
has declined from a peak level of 11.4% in 1993 to 5.3% in 2008, while the occurrence of
underweight has declined from about 31% in 1988 to 13.9% in 2008. Proportion of children aged
0-35 months suffering from stunting reduced from 29.9% in 2003 to 28% in 2008 (MOFEP,
2008).
Islam (2013) noted that progress in attaining the MDGs have been slow because employment
related targets were not incorporated early enough by policy makers in developing countries and


22

the absence of social protection for the unemployed so the attainment of MDG 1 target B
would not be attained until its reconsidered in post 2015 development agenda with much
attention by policy makers and protection of employed and unemployed in other words
employment was integrated into development agenda aimed at poverty reduction.
Also in African Development Bank report it was noted that the hunger index for Africa for that
matter Ghana has been able to reduce hunger by 57 percent between 1990 and 2008 owing to
favorable rainfall patterns, stable good governance, sound macroeconomic policies, and
substantial investments in agriculture between 1990 and 2008.
2.4 The Localization of the Millennium Development Goals Framework
Localization of the MDGs is a process of integrating the MDGs into local policy content. This is
done by adopting MDGs from the basis of the globe to the national context or content to local
content. Jamie (2010) argues that pursuing the accelerated achievement of the MDGs is by
increasing the involvement of local governments and other local-level stakeholders. This can be
built on four dimensions, notably that all poverty is local in many countries; local governments
are charged with delivering services that are highly relevant to MDG progress in many countries;
the local public sector has largely been by passed in pursuing poverty reduction and the MDGs;
there is strong reason to believe that local governments as well as other local-level organizations
offer the potential to improve public service delivery in ways that would accelerate progress
toward the MDGs.




23

Localization Process

Fig 2.4 Localization Process
Source: Authors Construct
Global Basis (initiation stage)
This is the first stage where the MDGs tones were set, thus, they were designed as global goals
with global target (Haggins, 2013). The UN member nations through a resolution signed an
agreement to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. These goals and targets are based on
UN Millennium Declaration. The actors here are United Nations member nations, United
Nations General Assembly (UN GA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and
other UN Departments, World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), and Organization for
Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). At this level United Nations Departments
and affiliated organization acts as monitors.


24

National Basis (national integration stage)
Countries have been oriented to include the MDGs to their national context and priorities (UN-
NGLS, 2002). Leader of the member nations by political will and their commitment integrate the
MDGs into national policy through executive instrument, legislation and state institution
implements them. This should be done by involving government officials, line ministries and
beneficially communities thereby gaining ownership of the process by all stakeholders. Actors
here are political leaders, executives, legislature and the state institution and bureaucrats.
However, when integrating the MDGs Haggins (2013) noted that it is wrong to view the MDGs
as global goals with global targets even though it is a global phenomenon. It should be a
countrys intent otherwise its focus will be lost on the country policy level.
Local Basis (Local Integration stage)
This is where local authorities integrate the MDGs into local polities. In order to achieve this,
Metropolitan Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAS), grassroots and civil society are
made aware so that their demands are considered and they may feel part of the policy so that they
work to fulfill the demands of the policy. This must be done on the principle of equity,
participatory and consensus.
It must be noted that at the local level the authorities prepare MDG Baseline, identify relevant
MDGs in the local context, develop participatory process to identify key local indicators for each
MDG, prepare base-line for each indicator from locally available sources or proxies, prepare
MDG Profiles based on baseline and situation analysis, identify benchmark in the city wit h other
cities and national averages.


25

In Ghana since 1988 local government has become the development agent at the local level.
Through the Local Government Act 1993, (ACT 462), local governments exercise deliberative,
legislative and executive functions to ensure sustainable development at the local and community
level. Thus, the local government is a planning and implementing authority of programmes and
strategies to minimize the vulnerability of communities. Local government is in charge of
developing basic infrastructure and responsible for development, improvement and management
of human settlements and the environment. The District Assemblies have powers to make
development plans based on locally determined priorities; raise revenue and execute their own
budgets. This is done through formulating and implementing integrated and comprehensive
medium term development plans which incorporate priorities of the grassroots. In respect to this,
district local governments are in a better position in setting localized, area specific MDG targets
by identifying development needs of the communities in which they operate.
The Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) have the most appropriate
framework for implementing poverty reduction and sustainable human development strategies.
The developmental role of MMDAs has become important, given the socio-economic challenges
confronting the people at the local level.
Ghanas decentralization derives took a bold step in December, 1988 when the then Provincial
National Defense Council (PNDC) government adopted a new policy on decentralization.
According to Nederveen (2001), the World Bank and IMF now accept development from below
and participation of stakeholders as necessary requirement for development and poverty
reduction. In Ghana, the practice of decentralization is growing from strength to strength.


26

In a report by CEDEP (2006) the MDGs were global in nature and needed to be localized by
making it meaningful to the people at the district and sub-district levels. The understanding of
MDGs at the local level make it comes into fusion and easy localization.
2.5 Challenges affecting the reduction of poverty
The desire and passion to eradicate poverty has been identified as the most critical challenge
facing development in the world today; particularly for countries in the developing world. In
recent times poverty reduction has engaged the attention of the global community. For instance,
the World Bank and the International Monetary Funds (IMF) Poverty Reduction Strategy
Initiative introduced in 1999 - sought to make aid more effective in reducing poverty,
(World Bank, 2002), but there has been challenges to the realization of the MDG1.
According to Chetwynd et al. (2003) one obstacle against poverty eradication is corruption and
they argued that corruption affects poverty by first impacting economic growth factors, which, in
turn, impact poverty levels. In other words, increased corruption reduces economic investment,
distorts markets, hinders competition, creates inefficiencies by increasing the costs of doing
business, and increases income inequalities. By undermining these key economic factors, poverty
is exacerbated, whilst Chong and Calderon (2000) and Gupta et al. (2002) find a positive and
linear relationship between them. In a report by transparency international (2008) suggests that
corruption undermines these development pillars, an individuals human rights and the legal
frameworks intended to protect them. In countries where governments can pass policies and
budgets without consultation or accountability for their actions, undue influence, unequal
development and poverty result.


27

Another challenge to the eradicating poverty is inadequate human capital of the labor force,
which results in lower productivity and inability to compete for employment in emerging sectors
that pay adequate wages (Teitz & Chapple, 1998). Most people in developing countries are
illiterate or have low education so therefore their inability to get employment even if they get
their wages is very low.
Also majority of people living in rural and urban areas lack secure title and tenure to land which
pose as a challenge in eradicating poverty. Accordingly, they do not stand a chance when rich
and powerful actors assert that they are lawful owners to the properties in question (FAO, 2003).
Due to high healthcare costs, pervasive corruption, adverse climatic conditions and a lack of
access to credit markets with fair interest rates there is a high incidence of distress sales by the
poor (Catalla & Catalla, 2002). All these factors, and the lack of social safety nets, make the
rural population highly vulnerable. Thus it is easy, even for non-poor, to get trapped in the
vicious cycle of poverty (FAO, 2003).
Donkor (2011), noted that various assemblies generates little internally generated fund which
they spend on recurrent expenditure and over depend on the district assembly common fund
which is not to support poverty reduction programs. Most poor people lack access to the formal
economy because they cannot afford proper registration and legal documents. Accordingly,
companies find it difficult to employ them, purchase from them, sell them longer-term contracts
or lend to them.
Nordgard (2006), revealed that the four characteristic features of good governance, that is
accountability, participation, empowerment and non-discrimination and equality do not exist.
The poor cannot hold the state accountable if it does not perform its duties, this has altered the


28

status of the poor, and by disempowering them and weakening the poor get their demands. The
poor have a right to poverty reduction, but the approach does not specify exactly what the
content of this right is. Thus, it is impossible to monitor the efforts of national governments, and
as a result the poor are unable to claim their rights (Nordgard, 2006).
Bureaucratic system is another issue that affects poverty reduction. Alornyeku (2011), noted that
bureaucratic pathology and technocracy are any form of attitude and behavior among the
bureaucrats and technocrats in MDAs and MMDAs which obstruct progress, achievement of
public objectives and customer care and satisfaction therefore affecting poverty reduction.
According to Boakye-Sarpong (1998), the administrative processes presupposes that a positive
relationship between the Administrator and his clientele members of the public who enjoy his
services.
Lapianka, Oorschot, and Gelissen (2009) observed that laziness is also a challenge of poverty
reduction. They argued that lack of initiative and laziness comes about as a result of lack of will
power among the people who are poor which is associated with ones own choice and self-
infliction therefore do not have the urge to liberate themselves of poverty.
The economic and social issues which include income generating activities, education just to
mention a few were observed by Adjasi and Osei (2007), as a challenge to poverty eradication.
This is believed to affect welfare as they are important in modelling the factors determining t he
likelihood of being poor (Kyereme & Thorbecke, 1991; Coulombe & Mckay, 1996; Grootaert,
1997).




29

CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
3.0 Introduction
This chapter discusses methods and procedures that were employed in undertaken the study. In
other words, the chapter discusses the researchers paradigm, design, sources of data, data
collection process and tools that will be used to analyze them.
3.1 Research Paradigm
The study adopted qualitative research approach that used multiple methods of investigating a
contemporary phenomenon in-depth and within a naturalistic setting (Creswell, 2007; Stake,
1995). Qualitative research seeks to understand a given research problem or topic from the
perspectives of the local population it involves. This method employed multiple methods to
obtain data because no single source of information can be trusted to provide a comprehensive
perspective, thus, this aspect relate to human behavior which are not easily measurable except
when the researcher investigates using qualitative methods. According to Creswell (2009), the
four data collection methods that inform a qualitative study are document review, audio-visual
material review, observations, and interviews.
3.1.1 Research Design
The study employed a case study approach. According to Creswell (2007), a case study is a
qualitative approach in which the researcher explores a bounded system (a case) over a period of
time through detailed, in-depth data collection from a variety sources (interviews, observations,
document analysis and questionnaires), and reports a case description and case-based themes.


30

This helped the researcher to collect first-hand data that allowed probing into the general poverty
state in the Metropolis. It also assisted the researcher to provide a step by step way of looking at
events, data collection, and analysis of information and reporting of results.
3.2 The Profile of the AMA
AMA covers an area of 173sq km. The Metropolis is located on Longitude0535'N and on
Latitude0006'W. The Metropolis is bounded on the East by the Ledzokuku Krowo Municipal
Assembly, on the South by the Gulf of Guinea, on the West by Ga South Municipal Assembly
and on North by the Ga West Municipal Assembly.
The estimated population of Accra as collated in the 2010 Population and Housing Census
(PHC), is 4.5 million including daily influx population of 1 million who commute to the
City for various socio-economic activities, which most often are non-existent thereby
resorting to social vices and economic crimes.
Accras population like that of other urban centers is a very youthful with 56% of the population
under the age of 24 years. It will be realized from the age sex ratio that 51% of the population are
females and the rest 49% males. This gives a sex ratio of 1:1.04 males to females. The
dominance of females over males is a reflection of the nationwide trend where the
estimated ratio is 1:1.03. The need to target women in any development programme in
the Metropolis can therefore not be over emphasized.
The Capital of the Metropolis is Accra. It is to be noted that Accra is both the regional capital of
the Greater Accra Region and the national capital of the Republic of Ghana.


31

Accra is a major center for manufacturing, marketing, finance, insurance, transportation, and
tourism. The economy consists of Primary (farming, fishing, mining and quarrying), Secondary
Sectors (manufacturing, electricity, gas, water, construction) and Tertiary Sectors (Wholesale
trade, retail trade, hotel, restaurant, transportation, storage, communication, financial
intermediation, real estate service, public administration, education, health and other social
services). as an urban economy the service sector is the largest, employing about 531,670
people with the informal service subsector absorbing the largest number of labour force in the
sector. The second largest, secondary sector employs 22.34% of the labour force (that is 183,934
people). Accra has 114,198 of its labor force unemployed, making an unemployment rate of
12.2% (UN-HABITAT, 2011).
Poverty can be found throughout Accra, permeating a wide variety of neighborhoods. The most
vulnerable populations include not only those typically associated with the poor - low-income
wage earners - but also "new" urban poor who lost their livelihoods as a result of recent
economic reforms, including especially large numbers of former civil servants. The indigenous
populations of Accra, the Ga, who traditionally farmed and fished in the area, are now among the
poorest households; and households headed by women, particularly single women, experience
high rates of poverty. In Accra, however, less than 15 percent of households engage in any
agricultural production, and even those that do are only able to cover an average of 7 percent of
their household's food needs.
3.3 Sources of Data
The data used for the study were collected from both primary and secondary sources. Primary
data is a type of information that is obtained directly from first-hand sources by means of


32

surveys, observation or experimentation. It is a data that has not been previously published and is
derived from a new or original research study and collected at the source. The Primary data were
from respondent such as officials from Accra Metropolitan Assembly as well as Tunak
Foundation and International Need Ghana and beneficiaries of poverty intervention programs in
the metropolis.
Secondary data involves the collection of data from an already existing dataset, which had
previously been collected by another researcher, usually for a different research question. The
secondary data was used by the researcher from both published and unpublished works from
reviewed articles, official statistics and report which were obtained from the websites of the
Accra Metropolitan Assembly and other related published works on Accra Metropolitan
Assembly.
3.4 Target Population
The population of this study comprised Officials of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly,
International Need Ghana and Tunak Foundation as well as beneficiaries of the poverty
reduction programs in the assembly.
3.5 Sample Size
The study involved seventeen (17) participants. Eleven (11) officials from eight departments
were selected that is; Planning Department, Town and Country Department, Social Welfare
Department, Budget Department, Urban and Transport Department, Community Development
Department, the office of the Coordinating Director and the Department of Food and
Agriculture. Staffs were selected to fill an open-ended questionnaire. The staffs of the
department were selected because of their duties to ensure that poverty is reduced in the


33

metropolis. The individual staffs were selected because they actually implement policies in order
to reduce poverty in the metropolis and they can give informations pertaining to the study.
Also, two (2) Non-governmental organizations were selected due to their little involvement in
reducing poverty. These NGOs are International Need Ghana and Tunak Foundation where One
(1) staff in each of these NGOs was interviewed face to face.
Furthermore, four (4) beneficiaries participant who have benefitted from the poverty reduction
programs in the metropolis were selected using a simple random sampling technique and they
include a fisherman, farmer, trader and old man.
3.6 Sampling Technique
The researcher used purposive sampling for the study. Purposive sampling technique is a type of
non-probability sampling where the researcher consciously selected particular management or
staff of Accra Metropolitan Assembly, the Non-governmental organization and beneficiaries.
This was to ensure that each individual gave crucial information pertinent to the study. This
technique was used because it enabled the researcher to target key respondents who would
provide relevant information needed by the researcher.
3.7 Instruments of Data Collection
The researcher distributed interview guide which had open-ended questions to obtain
information from officers of relevant departments in AMA about the achievements and
challenges of MDG 1 in the metropolis. The researcher was guided by interview guide which had
open-ended questions to collect information from the respondents. The researcher gave out semi-
structured questionnaire to the staffs and management of the assembly in order to know the depth


34

of individual content. This method was used for the study because each staff and management
has different perceptions, and experiences on the challenges and achievement of eradicating
poverty. The researcher used a study data that was based on semi-structured questionnaires
which contains open-ended question.
Also, the researcher had one-on-one interviews with Non-governmental organizations to acquire
important information about their activities in the metropolis that has helped reduces poverty.
The researcher interacted with the beneficiaries of the Assemblys intervention to reduce poverty
so as to ascertain how they have imparted by these interventions. According to Kendall and
Kendall (2002) open-ended interviews questions allow interviewees to respond how they wish to
and to what length they wish. They also noted that one-on-one in-depth interviews personal
feelings, perception and opinions which allows ambiguities to be clarified.
3.8 Data Management and Analysis
The researcher used interview guided questionnaires, face to face interview and interaction from
respondents and then wrote them word for word by analyzing them in themes guided by the
objectives of the study. Also the researcher analyzed the study with direct quotations from
participants; this is because some quotations were revealing as they answered the questionnaire
which were open-ended questions.
3.9 Ethical Consideration
Ethical issues are very important as of who speaks for whom, when research is conducted by
an outsider about poor people (Chambers, 2007). This is an important consideration in relation
to any social science study. The following ethical issues were ensured by the researcher;


35

Informed Consent
The researcher obtained an informed consent from all the respondents and participants in this
study. This was done through presentation formal letter of consent from the researchers
supervisor to the officials of AMA and the NGOs involved in the study introducing the main
objectives of the study to them but the beneficiary participants were given oral consent about the
study.
Confidentiality and Anonymity
Strict adherence to confidentiality about the information that was obtained from
respondents was observed. The names of the respondent were not used but the term participant
and respondent was used since their views represent the larger population, findings were
generalized and not linked to a particular participant.
Language
Simple English Language was used to acquire information from the organizations selected for
the study. This is because the official language of these organizations was English. However, the
beneficiary participants were interviewed in local language, that is, in Twi language. This is
because some of the participant in this category could not speak the English language.




36

CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
4.0 Introduction
This chapter dealt with the presentation and analysis of data gathered. The discussions and
data analysis were based on the research objectives. The chapter is therefore organized into
themes based on the research objectives which are: Interventions by the Accra Metropolitan
Assembly to Reduce Poverty in the metropolis, Progress of Poverty Reduction in Accra
Metropolitan, and Challenges that hinder the Reduction Poverty in the metropolis.
4.1 Interventions by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly to Reduce Poverty
The AMA initiated various interventions which helped to reduce poverty. These interventions
are pro-poor programs which the assembly has implemented to reduce poverty in the metropolis.
These pro-poor programs include: The Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty, School
Feeding Program, Training Programs for fishermen and farmers, Provision of subsidy, National
Health Insurance Scheme, and National Youth Employment Program. According to a respondent
at the assembly:
Some of the pro-programs are national policy programs which have been incorporated by the
assembly as a directive from the central government and this include Livelihood Empowerment
Against Poverty and National Youth Employment Program and School feeding program




37

Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP)
The LEAP is an intervention to improve the lives of individual Ghanaians identified to be
extremely poor. Its beneficiaries include single parent, orphans, elderly poor, disable, and
vulnerable children in the Accra Metropolitan Assembly. However, the program was initiated by
the government of Ghana to give cash to the extremely poor individuals in order to enhance their
lives and reduce poverty and hunger among them. The respondents at the assembly revealed that
since the inception of this programme, lives of beneficiaries have improved and they hope to
expand it. For instance a participant at the assembly observed that:
As a result of the programme chalking some success by giving cash at every three month, the
assembly in conjunction with the Social Welfare Ministry is going to expand the programme to
cover new targeted areas especially the unreached people in the Accra Metropolitan Assembly.
The point was reiterated by a respondent from the Tunak Foundation that they have also
implement programs similar to the LEAP program and unlike the LEAP program they only deal
with selected communities due to financial constraints but the respondent from an International
Need Ghana related that:
The LEAP program is good but need to be reviewed so that the objective of reducing poverty in
the metropolis can be realized.
Also, response from a participant who is a beneficiary indicated that truly they have benefits
from the LEAP program. The participant argued that even though the LEAP cash given to them
is not monthly, but in a way the program has helped off load some burden of poverty so the
participant put forward that:


38

The cash given them is meager as people who live in the city with high cost of living.
This then informs that though the LEAP is good the poor in the metropolis need to have their
cash increased as result of the standard of living in the metropolis.
The National Health Insurances Scheme (NHIS)
The NHIS which is a national program to give subsidized and quality healthcare that is
accessible by all in the country is one of the pro-poor programs the assembly has initiated in
realizing the MDG1 in the metropolis. The assembly gives free registration and access to good
healthcare to the poor and the vulnerable which disallows the poor from paying any fees or
register for NHIS on their own since most of them are low income earners and paying for
healthcare will bring expenditure shocks. A respondent from the assembly noted that:
The NHIS as initiated has helped given better assisted healthcare to the vulnerable children
and mother including the poor who are sick and the elderly so for that the assembly has done
well.
Also another participant from the assembly revealed that the free NHIS is enjoyed by the
informal sector where some poor people and unemployed exist. Respondents from the side of the
beneficiaries agreed that the assembly does give them free NHIS registrations and the insurance
is renewed when it expires but one of them argued that:
Sometimes when we visit the hospital for treatment we are told that we are to buy some of the
drugs because the NHIS does not cover all drugs that is needed for the treatment our ailments.
This sometimes does not help at all especially if such a drug is so important, so the AMA should
do something about it.


39

Furthermore a participant from the NGOs noted that they do not give NHIS in mass as AMA
does but once in a while they do perform medical outreach program in the poor communities to
give them free treatments and educate them, but a respondent in this category said for them they
mostly register children whose parent are poor on the NHIS scheme and they ensure renewals if
their dates expires.
Disability Common fund Program
According to the respondents at the assembly a percentage of the District Assembly Common
Fund (DACF) has been allocated to individuals with disability to improve their standard of
living. They are given about 2% of the share of DACF which is mandatory and is entitled to the
Disability Common Fund (DCF). The researcher found out from the participants that a
committee known as the Disability Fund Management Committee has been setup in the
metropolis in collaboration with the disabled association to manage the DCF. The DCF is used
for skills development programs, educational support and NHIS registration for the disabled in
the metropolis. A respondent asserted that:
Even though it is a mandated for the assembly to give 2% quota to DCF it is seen by the
assembly as a way of reducing poverty among the disabled by the assembly.
Provision of farm input and Training of farmers and fisherman
The fisher folks and farmers were not left out of the pro-programs since some of them are
extremely poor therefore the need to support them with training and inputs was initiated by the
assembly. The researcher found out from the participants who have benefitted from this program
that, the assembly provided fishing and farm inputs including subsidies to their inputs which
helped manage cost for them.


40

These inputs were given them because most of them cannot purchase them and even if they can,
they need credits facilities from financial institutions which are much expensive to repay so the
need for the assembly to support them and some of these provisions include premix fuel, canoes,
fishing gears and outboard motors. A respondent of the assembly put forward that:
The assembly does not actually give inputs for free but rather give subsidies for these inputs
which include fertilizers, pre-mix fuel and other gadgets.
Furthermore a participant who is a farmer and a beneficiary noted that:
We have received various training in cockerel prospect like bird rearing, fish production and
harvesting, and methods of fishing.
A participant from the assembly noted that:
The aim of these programs for fisher folks and farmers is to increase food security and growth
in income and for them to apply innovations after training.
Most training organized by the assembly also cut across onion production, effective and safe use
of Agro-chemicals, nursery practice and record keeping.
As wholeness of prosperity a respondent from the assembly noted:
farmers are also educated on HIV and malaria.
It was noted that as a result of giving these subsidies for the inputs and training to farmers and
fishermen the assembly is achieving the MDG1. This is because the program has helped to
reduce poverty among the farmers and fishermen through the training they were given so they
apply innovative ways to improve their productivity. The respondents from the NGOs did not


41

actually have such programs for farmers and fishermen but they indicated that they train women
in skills development and entrepreneurship programs which they do seasonally in the metropolis.
Acquisition of land for Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs)
The assembly also acquires land and then develops it for small scale enterprises including retail,
table top and whole sale businesses. The Small and Medium Scale Enterprises pays some token
for every month for the portion of land given them. A participant from the assembly explained
that:
The assembly does acquire land for the SMEs to reduce cost acquisition on that part of SMEs.
In addition, a beneficiary of this program indicated that getting land for their business is cheaper
and more assured than getting it from an individual who will charge so much, which would not
help them to save from their proceeds or profits. The respondent then put forward that:
Our savings have increase by getting land from the Assembly showing that it is an
achievement on the part of the assembly in reduction of poverty.
Community upgrade in deprived areas in the metropolis
The assembly have done some community upgrading in deprived areas by assisting them with
development of layouts including greenly and open space, helping in acquiring land tittles for
families, mobilize communities around savings and education on processes of formal housing
finance acquisition, encouraging multi-storey redevelopment for space for additional housing
facilities, collaborating with land-lords to reduce rents and building toiletries with good roads. A
respondent from the assembly wrote that:


42

The community upgrading in deprived areas have concentrate over the years at Gamashie and
Mapose.
School Feeding Program (SFP)
The SFP is a program initiated to provide good nutritional meals using locally grown food stuffs
for school with low attendants and with children coming from poor homes. According to the
respondents from the assembly, the aim of the SFP is to reduce poverty, improve food security
and in this way poverty is reduced in a long run. Another participant from the assembly informed
that:
The SFP is to reduce hunger and malnutrition so that pupils can learn and function with much
concentration on their academics while in school.
As a result of the SFP the respondents agreed that it has increased enrollment in schools since
poor parent cannot feed their children whiles at home due to poverty therefore bringing them to
school to be fed. The SFP has reduced absenteeism, school dropout and has addressed
micronutrient deficient in pupils of school attending age. A participant informed that:
The SFP has not only impacted pupils but also domestic food production thereby helping
reduce poverty among households.
A beneficiary whose wards enjoys school feeding program said:
I do not have to worry about what my children will eat when they leave for school due to the
SFP and this has helped me to take them to school always unlike before I would not have taken
them to school because I do not know what they will eat because I do not have.


43

This has shown that by performing the SFP the assembly is helping achieve the MDG1 since
parent need to only to take their wards to school and the little cash they have they can invest
them into small business which will help improve their lives.
National Youth Employment Program
The assembly also is involved the national youth employment program which employs youth in
the metropolis. The various employment areas the respondent gave are environmental sanitation
program in conjunction with Zoom Alliance, road maintenance and repairs with Ministry of
Transport.
Specific Programs initiated towards the reduction of poverty in the Metropolis
The specific programs initiated to the reduction of poverty are not different from the pro-poor
programs. These programs include the implementation of the LEAP which provides money or
cash for persons who are extremely poor, vulnerable, elderly, disabled and orphaned across the
metropolis. Community upgrading is also another specific program which is to improve the
layout in poor areas, provide cheap rents for the poor, construction of good roads and toiletries,
and formal housing acquisitions. Furthermore, the assembly has implemented skills development
program with social inclusion poor areas to ensure marginalization.
The areas in the metropolis where poverty is prevalent include Old Fadama, Gamashie, Chorkoe,
Nima, Maamobi, Kotobabi, and Osu anchor.
4.2 Progress of Poverty Reduction in Accra Metropolitan
The progress of the poverty reduction was analyzed using the MDG1 targets, thus, halving,
between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than one dollar a day and


44

then achieving full and productive employment and decent work for all, including women and
young people then lastly halving, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people who suffer
from hunger. The participants have all heard of the MDG1 in the metropolis with an exception of
two beneficiary respondent who claimed not have heard about the MDG1 in the metropolis nor
have been told by the assembly. Also, with their understanding of the content of the MDG1 they
agrees to that the fact that it was about eradication of extreme poverty and hunger with exception
of the two beneficiaries respondent who do not know the MDG1 because they are not educated.
The state of poverty in the metropolis compared to five years ago
In asking the respondents of the assembly as to the state of poverty in the metropolis compared
to 5years ago, they wrote that there is much improvement. As poverty is link to sanitation,
education, health, agriculture and roads, over the past five years the assembly collects trash from
homes, industries and organizations in conjunction with various private waste collectors and
disposes them safely. A participant link the sanitation management to employment that:
Youth who are unemployed are having jobs now by Sweeping Street, and waste collection to
reduce poverty among the youth.
The assembly has helped to improve school facilities and built new schools with the SFP running
these has improve the educational sector in the metropolis and expansion of road networks and
construction with proper training for fishermen farmers has passively improve the agriculture
sector. One respondent wrote:
The LEAP has expanded by increasing the number of beneficiaries leading to the reduction of
poverty drastically in the metropolis.


45

The reason for the present condition
In addition, the reason for the present condition that is, improvement in the state of poverty as
compared to five years ago as noted by the respondent from the assembly is that; due to the
implementation of the number of pro-poor programs like the LEAP, SFP, NYEP, and Skills
development programs for the poor and vulnerable. The influx of Non-governmental
organizations in social works and programs like helping school dropout to learn a trade and
helping women to develop new skill via training programs instituted by the various NGOs in the
metropolis. Furthermore, a respondent from the assembly also noted that:
The AMA also gives scholarships to the needy but brilliant student in the metropolis
This has helped reduce pressure on poor parent and create a prosperous future for the needy
children. In another point, the growth of financial institutions giving soft loans has helped
reduced poverty in the metropolis but not much has realized in this area. A participant giving a
perfect reason for the present conditions pointed out that: The assembly tries to sustain the
programs.
The reasons for high incidence of poverty in the metropolis
The high incidence of poverty in the metropolis as suggested by a respondent from the assembly
is that: People see Accra Metropolitan Assembly as Greater Accra.
This means that a lot of people cannot differentiate between the metropolitan from the region and
this ignorance has brought people to the metropolitan rather than the region which in turn leads
to overcrowding in the metropolis where people do not have homes to sleep, unemployed and
therefore subjecting themselves to poverty.


46

Also, rural-urban migration is another reason for high incidence of poverty in the metropolis.
People leave their home towns and come to Accra in search of greener pastures thereby
increasing poverty when the purpose for which they came is not realized; and the social
infrastructures are not adequate to contain migrant.
The rate of divorce in the metropolis has led to single parenting, when a divorced individual is
not in good economic stance he or she then falls below poverty line. Other response given was
that laziness among the youth; high birth rate and teenage pregnancy are factors that have led to
the high incidence of poverty in the metropolis.
Meeting target A - Halving Poverty by 2015
Eight respondents said Yes that is agreed that the metropolis will be able to meet the target of
the MDG1 a-halving poverty by 2015. A respondent wrote
The AMA will be able to meet the target because of the programs and project carried out,
building of new markets to be able to accommodate more traders and introduction of small scale
loans for business.
On the other hand four participant responded No in meeting MDG1 target a with no pleasant
reason and two responded not sure because they believed 2015 is closer but a respondent in
this group wrote: there is more room for improvement, while three responded that the
assembly will try and a respondent in this sect wrote so far on the right path to halving
poverty. Looking critically at these responses and the time for achievement of this goal which
2015, halving poverty will be quiet difficult because not much data is known for people in
poverty and the pro-programs has not been implemented in some communities in the metropolis.


47

Meeting target B Achieving full and Productive Employment
In achieving full and productive employment and decent work for all, including women and
young people by 2015, ten respondents agreed that it can be achieved and a respondent in this
group noted that:
By hard work, positive attitude and change in ideology will help achieve MDG1 target b and
another respondent added that:
The assembly in collaboration with the social fund are currently training the less privileged on
skills development where the vulnerable get trained with various types of skills to be able earn a
living, examples are hair dressing, mechanics and tailoring.
Four of the participant noted that the metropolis would not be able to achieve full employment
while three did not give any response. Literature have shown that employment related targets
were not incorporated early enough by policy makers in developing countries and the absence of
social protection for the unemployed so the attainment of MDG 1 target B would not be
attained until its reconsidered in post 2015 development agenda with much attention by policy
makers and protection of employed and unemployed (Islam, 2013).
Meeting target C Halving the proportion of those who suffer from hunger by 2015
Halving the proportion of people who suffer from hunger by 2015 received the following
responses six respondents wrote yes to the achievement of this target while a respondent in this
category noted:
It is because people will be able to learn a trade and that will help them earn a living with the
training acquired.


48

Two respondent were not sure because they believe this goes beyond AMA whilst 4 responded
because No whiles five people did not respond.
It can be drawn from the literature that when it comes to the reduction of hunger, Ghana has
made much progress from 1990 to 2008 (AfDB, 2011) and this can be associated to Accra
Metropolis since it is a host market for farm products which engage poor in employment and
access food for them in reducing hunger and poverty but more will be need to done since the
assembly need to reduce hunger in the metropolis.
4.3 Challenges of Poverty Reduction in Accra Metropolitan Assembly
Inadequate funds
Fund necessary for the management and implementation of the pro-poor programs in the
metropolis are inadequate which threaten poverty reduction in the metropolis. A participant
asserted that:
Funds received for the programs are sometimes redirected to other projects of the assembly
and very small percentages are invested in the poverty eradicating programs.
In other times also the budgeted funds for the development and poverty reduction programs are
not enough. This confirms an assertion by Donkor (2011) that various assemblies generates little
internally generated fund which they spend on recurrent expenditure and over depend on the
district assembly common fund which is not enough to support poverty reduction programs.




49

Political Interference
Also political influences in decision making at the assembly has become a constraining factor in
poverty reduction in the metropolis. A respondent wrote:
When the assembly makes a decision to implement a program the political government that is
the central government interject and redirect the assembly to perform another other than what
was formerly plan by the assembly.
It is believed that the politician do this to buy votes and deliver it campaign promise leaving the
assembly the delays in its programs implementation affecting the realization of the MDG1.
Bureaucratic system
The administrative processes presupposes that a positive relationship exist between the
administrator and his clientele members of the public who enjoy his services (Boakye-Sarpong,
1998) but this is mostly not the case. The clientele here are the beneficiaries of the various
poverty intervention programs and the administrators, thus the assembly officials who implement
the programs. According to respondent:
Due to unnecessary bureaucratic processes which can be overlooked like approving of funds
and deployments of staffs, goes through long processes that sometimes delays delivery of
services that is related to poverty reduction.
This then brings about untimely implementation of some of the pro-poor programs which indeed
may be important for the beneficiaries to enjoy these programs therefore becoming a challenge to
reduce poverty.



50

Social factors
The social factors that impede the reduction of poverty includes: laziness, bribery and corruption.
Laziness among the youth of today and their resilient to participate fully in the assembly
programs to empower them to be innovative and gain employment is not laudable. The
literatures have shown that the laziness comes as result of lack of will power which is associated
with ones owns choice and self-infliction (Lepianka, Oorchot and Gelissen, 2009).
Also, bribery and corruption where assembly members and staffs use resources for their personal
gain and allows their family members to enjoy the poverty reduction programs instead of the
general interest of the poor hinders poverty reduction. A respondent observed that:
Some of the officials register their own families who are not poor on the programs which I
think is a form of corruption.
By officials giving poverty interventions to their undeserved families they have deny the right of
the poor to these programs meant to help them come out of poverty therefore being a challenge
in poverty reduction. Chetwynd et al. (2003) also suggested that as a result of corruption
economic growth is impacted which in turns impact poverty levels and undermines the rights of
the individual (Transparency International, 2008).
Also, mismanagement of the assemblys fund and embezzlement of large sum of money meant
for pro-poor programs implementation are redirected by the political officials and appointees to
for their political agenda which potentially have negative effect on poverty reduction.




51

Local factor
The attitude of both local people and assembly staffs pose a challenge in the reduction of poverty
in the assembly. A participant noted that:
Some local who are not actually poor pretend to be and then benefit from the MDG1 programs
instead of someone who is truly and extremely poor to benefit from the program.
This obstacle is there because staffs and the assembly do not do background checks properly
before enrolling beneficiaries unto the programs there making many poor poorer as Beeghley
(2000) put forward that the structure and officials of the economy create conditions that ensures
that millions of people are poor.
Resources constraint
Other obstacles are lack of resources and logistics to implement the poverty reduction programs.
According to a respondent:
Resources like financial, skilled personnels and logistics like cars and other instrument to help
carry out the poverty reduction programs are not enough.
The need to engage technical personnel who are able to adequately manage and implement the
poverty intervention programs with professionalism are in short supply in the assembly which
has become a very major challenge in poverty reduction in the metropolis.
The limited cars and motor cycles as transportation for movement officials to be to implement
and assess the extent of the programs are very scarce which poses a challenge for the reduction
of poverty in the metropolis.


52

Poor Data Management
In addition, another factor hindering poverty reduction at the assembly level is poor data
management, the assembly lacks proper records on the number of people who actually poor, and
they rely on the national statistics department for such information. A respondent wrote:
The assembly does not have enough resource to conduct headcount to ascertain the number of
poor people in the metropolis.
This then means that not all poor individuals or groups have been enrolled to benefit from the
interventions. The assembly would not be able notice who is poor and who is not since their
database is not up to date because it does not recognize actually who is poor. Poor database
management does not well inform the assembly as to how to direct resources or pro-poor
programs to those who are actually in need.
Policy Direction
Furthermore, lack of policy direction on the part of the assembly that is, setting unrealistic goals
and objectives which are not achievable by the assembly and then politics at the assembly
hinders the achievement if the MDG1. A respondent note:
The assembly does not always modify an adopted national program but take national objectives
which are much broader than the assembly, but if the assembly will set objectives that it can be
implement I am sure that we will go far.
This then means that assembly after adopting a program and its objectives; it does not prioritize
the objectives to achievable goals. This then reveals that in order to set policies and draw
programs to reduce poverty the assemblys management must set and prioritize objectives that


53

can be achieved so that the assemblies will not vague target. Due to unrealistic goal setting,
improving well-being and livelihoods of the poor posits a challenge. Yasmin (2013) indicated
that projects can be constructed in many ways, but a project without proper planning, monitoring
and controlling is destined for failure.
Cultural factors
The cultural factor includes the perception of the people to solely depend on the assembly for
their upkeep instead of finding other alternatives. Their religious belief has made them to accept
that poverty is normal because it God who blesses and curses. Another factor is that they lack
initiatives to be innovative to be entrepreneur and take up responsible to come out of poverty
therefore militating against the realization of MDG1 in the metropolis. A respondent noted that:
Some people think that it is the responsibility of the government and assembly to take care of
the poor like the western world so they lazy about and others believe it better to be poor on earth
and go to heaven rich.
The notion of always depending on the government to reduce poverty is challenge in poverty
reduction. The environment has its impact that shapes and influences people to think of poverty
in a particular direction and that poverty is transferred from generation to generation through
values and beliefs (Quigley, 2003; Sameti et. al, 2012).



54

CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMENDATION
5.0 Introduction
This chapter presents a summary to the study and findings. It also draws conclusions based on
the findings. The final part suggests recommendations that are informed from the conclusions in
order to enhance the realization of MDG1 in the Accra Metropolis.
5.1 Summary
The study sought to assess the achievements and challenges of MDG1 in Accra Metropolitan
Assembly. A case study design within a qualitative approach was adopted for the study.
Seventeen (17) respondents were selected for the study. The main instrument for primary data
collection was one-to-on-one in-depth interviews were facilitated by an guide. The findings of
the study have been summarized below;
Interventions by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly in Poverty Reduction
The Accra Metropolitan Assembly had initiated various programs towards poverty reduction by
implementing some interventions. These interventions are pro-poor programs that have helped to
reduce poverty in the metropolis. The findings of the study show that poverty is prevalent in Old
Fadama, Gamashie, Nima, Mamobie, Kotobabi, and Osu Anchor and that the assembly is
working hard to reduce poverty in these areas. It further revealed that the Livelihood
Empowerment Against Poverty, School Feeding Program, National Health Insurance Scheme,
National Youth Employment Programme, Disability Common Fund, Input and training for
farmers, Acquisitions of land for SMEs, and Community upgrade in deprived areas in the


55

metropolis were some of the specific pro-poor programs initiated to reduce poverty. The
beneficiary of these programs includes students, the disabled, vulnerable, elderly poor, women,
children, and unemployed.
The study further revealed that the beneficiaries of these pro-poor programs have been provided
with gains including; cash, nutritious food for pupils of school going age, skill development
through training, education and cash to the disabled, plots of land for small businesses and
subsidy on premix fuel, fertilizers, and other fishing inputs like buying canoes, fishing gears,
outboard motors and training for farmers are some of the programs the assembly has instituted to
reduce poverty.
Progress of Poverty Reduction in Accra Metropolitan Assembly
In assessing the progress made in the reduction of poverty, it was realized that the respondent
understood the content of the MDG1 as eradicating extreme poverty and hunger. This then form
the basis by which the Assembly can work to reduce poverty in the Metropolis.
The specific areas of improvement found include sanitation, education, health, agriculture, roads
and employment;, the expansion of the pro-poor programs to affect more beneficiaries therefore
reduction of poverty even though literature have shown that poverty in urban has increased. The
study showed that the reason for the present condition is as a result of the springing up of NGOs
helping the poor, school dropouts, and women; increase scholarships by the AMA; financial
institutions giving soft loans and the efforts of the assembly to sustain the program.
It was also found that the reason for the high incidence of poverty in the metropolis includes
migration that is rural urban, the metropolis being a business center that attracts people all over
the country, inadequate social infrastructure to contain the populate, increasing rate of divorce


56

leading to single parenting, laziness among the youth and high birth rate as result of teenage
pregnancy.
One the question of being able to halve poverty in the assembly a majority of 8 respondents said
yes, four said no, two were not sure and three of the respondents wrote that the assembly is
trying. However, only 6 of the 14 respondent believed that the AMA not is capable of halving
the proportion of people who suffer from hunger. Critically looking at the response, the
researcher believes that the MDG1 targets are not going to be achieved.
Hindrances to the Poverty Reduction in AMA
The findings of the study showed that local and cultural factors hindering poverty reduction
includes wrong perception about poverty, religious beliefs seeing poverty as a righteous
affliction, and culturally being a general curse. At the assembly level it was revealed that data
management, poor policy direction, political interference, bribery and corruption, inadequate
funds and lack of technical know-how among staff are challenges which affect the achievement
of the MDG1.
5.2 Conclusion
Based on the findings of the study various pro-poor interventions by the AMA have played a
major role in reducing poverty among the beneficiaries in the Metropolis. In other words, much
progress has been made in the reduction of the poverty in the Metropolis by enrolling more
beneficiaries unto the pro-poor program. The progress has been successful due to stakeholders
participation like Non-government Organisations offering training for women and school
dropout, giving of scholarship and financial institutions giving soft loans for people to start
business which all workers to achieve the objectives of reducing poverty. Besides the progress


57

made in reduction of poverty was partly due to stakeholders participation and the enrolment of
beneficiaries unto poverty reduction program as noted by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly.
The study further concludes that challenges such as bribery and corruption, financial constraints,
poor database management, political interference and lack of commitment on the part of the
stakeholders impeded the reduction of poverty in the metropolis which in turn made it difficult to
realise MDG1.
5.3 Recommendation
From the conclusion drawn above, the study makes four main recommendations to enhance
poverty reduction and the realization of MDG1 in the Accra Metropolis.
Firstly, the poverty reduction interventions initiated by the AMA should be expanded by adding
more communities. This can be done through purposeful planning in order to assess the
communities and individual who are extremely poor and vulnerable. The assembly should form
partnership with other organizations of similar interest so that this goal can be achieved.
Secondly, improvement in database management should be given urgent attention. The
metropolis depends solely on the national statistical department to know the number of poor
people in the metropolis which may not be accurate. It is therefore important for the assembly to
undertake a rigorous census to ascertain the number of people who are extremely poor in the
metropolis to facilitate realistic and effective planning process.
Furthermore, it was imperative for the Accra Metropolitan Assembly to consider alternative
sources of funding for its poverty reduction eradicating programs like sourcing for funds from
local sources, donors, institutions, corporate organizations, banks, financial institutions and


58

developing partners. This is against the background that the DACF which is the main sources of
funding for the Assembly has some challenges in its implementation.
The assembly needs to encourage enterprise development in the Metropolis, by promoting
innovation and strengthening of capacity so that SMEs will be able to be productive and create
more jobs to reduce poverty. Also, related to this is the need to educate the citizens to see
poverty as abnormal condition so that they appreciate why they should come out poverty no
matter their background.














59

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APPENDIX
UNIVERSTIY OF GHANA BUSINESS SCHOOL
DEPARTMENT PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND HEALTH SERVICE MANAGEMENT
ACADEMIC PURPOSE (all information given will be strictly use for academic purpose)
TOPIC: LOCALIZING THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS IN GHANA: AN
ASSESSMENT OF THE CHALLENGES AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF GOAL 1 IN THE
ACCRA METROPOLITAN ASSEMBLY
Postal Questionnaire schedule for MDG1- reducing extreme poverty and hunger adopted from
the Department of Public Administration and Health Services Management, University of Ghana
Business School.
SECTION A: BACKGROUND OF PARTICIPANTS
Department:
Officers Name
Position
SECTION B: INTERVENTIONS BY THE ACCRA METROPOLITAN ASSEMBLY IN
POVERTY REDUCTION
i. What pro-poor programs have been initiated to reduce poverty in the Accra Metropolitan
Assembly?
ii. What specific local programs were initiated towards reduction of poverty in Metropolis?

SECTION C: PROGRESS OF POVERTY REDUCTION IN ACCRA METROPOLITAN.
MDG1 Targets:
A. Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than one
dollar a day
B. Achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all, including women and
young people
C. Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people who suffer from hunger
i. Have you heard about the MDG1 in the Metropolis?


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ii. What is your understanding of the content of the MDG1?
iii. What is the state of poverty in the Metropolis-compared to 5 years ago
iv. What are the reasons for the present condition?
v. What are the reasons for high incidence of poverty in the Metropolis?
vi. In your opinion, will the Metropolis be able to meet the targets of the MDG1a-halving
poverty by 2015? Give reasons.
vii. In your opinion, will the Metropolis be able to meet the targets of MDG1b- achieve full
& productive employment and decent work for all, including women and young people
by 2015? Give reasons
viii. In your opinion will the Metropolis be able to meet the targets of MDG1a-halving the
proportion of people who suffer from hunger by 2015? Give reasons

SECTION D: CHALLENGES THAT HINDER THE REDUCTION POVERTY IN THE
METROPOLIS
i. What are the factors constraining the realization the reduction poverty?
ii. Why do you think the obstacles are there?
iii. What are the factors hindering or facilitating of reduction poverty at the Metropolitan
level?
iv. What are the local factors that hinder the reduction poverty in Accra Metropolitan
Assembly?
v. What are the cultural factors that militate against the reduction of poverty in Accra
Metropolitan Assembly?