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Ghana urged to accelerate SDGs implementation to achieve target

The United Nations (UN) has called on Ghana to accelerate implementation of key strategies and reforms aimed at ensuring realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

Acting UN Resident Coordinator, Sylvia Lopez-Ekra, said, although the country was making progress in the design and roll out of interventions, the pace of efforts was too slow and could hinder achievements from targets within the period.

She was speaking to Ghanaian Times on the sidelines of a two-day UN and Ghana Joint Programming Consultations on the UN Sustainable Development Partnership (UNSDP) aligned to the SDGs in Accra yesterday.

The event was to have the inputs of all government’s partnering institutions to collectively review, discuss and agree on priority areas of a joint workplan on the UNSDP and support needed by Ghana.

These accelerated efforts, Ms Lopez-Ekra said would include focusing more on areas where there are identified gaps and sustaining gains made in other areas.

Investment in social sector, including job creation and human capital development, was necessary in this regard in order not to leave any one behind, Ms Lopez-Ekra stated.

To encourage participation of all in achieving the goals, she said the UN was in the process of establishing a platform dubbed, “UN Information”, to enable tracking of implementation strategies, the use of funds, among others.

As a measure to address the US$2.5 trillion SDGs financing gap in developing countries, the Coordinator explained that, the UN has initiated an integrated financing strategy to mobilise resources locally by reforming tax regimes and engaging the private sector to raise funds.

Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, said the government has implemented initiatives to bolster resources mobilisation drive and ensure that the needed partnerships and structures were built to implement the SDGs.

He explained that in addition, government’s budget statement and economic policy was fully SDG compliant as the key outputs were all linked to the SDGs targets and indicators.

He said the government would ensure prudence in the management of resources available to the country and block all leakages, which allow for illegal outflow of resources.

Professor George Gyan Baffour, Minister of Planning, noted that, the workplan would focus on four thematic areas, including Shared Prosperous Economy, Social Investment in People, Protected and Safe Environment and Inclusive and Accountable Governance.

He called on the UN to continue its catalytic role in supporting the national development agenda and bringing to bear its expertise on developing and implementing sustainable strategies.

BY CLAUDE NYARKO ADAMS

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