Overall Growth and Poverty Reduction

The Ghana Growth and Poverty Reduction Support Program (GGPRSP) forms the cornerstone of Canada's support towards achieving development objectives in Ghana. The main focus of this contribution is to help the Government of Ghana implement its Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS II 2006-2009) and subsequent national development plans. GGPRSP Component 1 is Canada’s contribution to the Multi-Donor Budgetary Support (MDBS) program. Activities through the MDBS include improving budget planning for poverty reduction delivery of basic services strengthening technical and management expertise and improving public financial management and oversight. As with all budget support initiatives Canada is working in close cooperation with other donors and the Government of Ghana to strengthen its aid effectiveness by focussing on effective transparent and accountable country systems; increasing donor coordination and harmonization; and strengthening mutual accountability. Budgetary support also fosters greater policy dialogue among CIDA government and partners thus helping to strengthen efforts for effective focussed aid as well as long-term development results. This initiative is continuously monitored and evaluated in coordination with other donors. The expected results for our contribution to MDBS include progress throughout Ghana in areas such as access to education and health care (for girls and boys) as well as provision of other basic services. Additional expected results include progress in other areas such as improvements in the transparency and rigour of public financial management and overall capacity building and better governance in Ghana. All this helps to build overall capacity in Ghana and to sustain results achieved long after the initiative is completed.