Keyword

World Bank, poverty, village infrastructure projects

Abstract

This paper has come about as a result of the researcher’s interest in rural development. One of the authors’ was involved in the implementation stage of the Village Infrastructure Project as assistant project co-ordinator in one of the big districts in Ghana. This paper attempts to analyse the role of the World Bank in reducing poverty in Ghana with respect to Village Infrastructure Projects which started in 1998 and ended in 2003. The total cost of the project was estimated as $60million where communities were encouraged to apply for concessionary funding for rural infrastructure in four key areas namely; Water, Transport, Post harvest Facilities and Capacity Building. Poverty reduction efforts have bedevilled Ghana since independence in 1957. This is due to dramatic reversals in economic and social development. With these problems coupled with debt burden, there has been the need for the government to look elsewhere to support her budget and developmental needs. World Bank, one of the foreign financiers has supported Ghana in various ways such as the Structural Adjustment Programme which many economic commentators regarded it as a failure. Village Infrastructure Projects was meant to augment government efforts to reduce poverty and increase the quality of life in the rural communities. The programme was also meant to be participatory and demand driven. This paper will look at poverty in general and measurement, Village Infrastructure Projects, gains and problems ass


Full Text : PDF
References
  1. Atwima District Reports 2006
  2. Appleton Simon (1995) Poverty in Uganda, Characteristics, causes and constraints. Center for the study of African Economics. Oxford University press.
  3. Blackburn et al (2000) Mainstreaming Participation in Development. OED Working
  4. Paper Series, No 10, Washington: The World Bank
  5. Boateng, F K “The role of intermediate means of transport modes in the alleviation of road transport constraints in Ghana; A case study of Village Infrastructure Project; Research paper 2002. 
  6. Fields, G.S (1994). Poverty and income distribution. Data for measuring poverty and inequalities in the developing countries, Journal of Development Economics vol.44.
  7. Ghana Statistical Service 2003
  8. Jhingan M.L (1997).The Economics of Development and Planning.Vrinda publications limited.
  9. KFW Report 2006
  10. Manuh T (1989) “A study of selected voluntary Development in Ghana”. Women as 
  11. and Beneficiaries of Development assistance. Association of African Women for Research and development, Dakar
  12. Nkum Associates & Ghartey Associates, (2000), Poverty Reduction Consultations, NDPC/ GTZ
  13. Porter Gina “Intermediate means of transport”. A review paper with special reference to Ghana February 2002
  14. Ravallion, M. (1996); how well can method substitute for data? Five experiments of poverty analysis, The World Bank obeserver,vol.2.
  15. Government of Ghana- National Action for Poverty Reduction MLGRD, Accra- Ghana
  16. 1995
  17. Todaro MP. (1992) Economics of a developing world, 3rd edition. Addison Wesley Longman.
  18. Sachs Jeffrey, The End of Poverty: How can we make it happen in our life time, Penguin Group 2005
  19. World Bank website