An Assessment of Ghana’s Efforts in Achieving Sustainable Development

Abstract

The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, called on all countries to adopt National Sustainable Development Strategies (NSDS) that will integrate and harmonize development policies by ensuring that they balance economic, social and environmental objectives. It also called for the establishment of solid and resourced institutions that can ensure this integration in a more coherent and coordinated manner. This paper assesses Ghana’s efforts in the implementation of sustainable development (SD) strategies with particular emphasis on the period 1990-2002. The study does this using SD indicators selected by the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment. Analysis of the data indicates that the country has made some efforts in ensuring SD through the formulation of new policies and/or the modification of existing ones to suit SD objectives. In the area of economic sustainability, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flow, net Overseas Development Investment (ODI), Gross National Savings (GNS) and Gross Domestic Investment (GDI) has all increased. However, dependence on external loans, huge trade and current account deficits as well as the inability to add value to primary product pose a threat to SD. On the social indicators, poverty and inequality has generally reduced. Also, access to sanitation and safe water has improved together with other health and education indicators. In the area of environment, total land area under cultivation has increased together with irrigated agricultural land though the increase is marginal. Sadly, the percentage of people using biomass is very high. Carbon dioxide emissions from the consumption of Petroleum and Carbon Intensity on the average have increased though in global terms, Ghana’s emission of carbon dioxide from the use of petroleum products is quite low. Inspite of these successes, there are many challenges. General and specific policy measures aimed at improving the implementation of the SD agenda are provided.