Ghana cannot make progress without infrastructure development – Professor
Professor Xu Liping, a Researcher at the International Poverty Reduction Center in China, has advised that Ghana’s development aspirations should focus more on building a strong infrastructure base.
“It is appropriate that the government invested massively in the construction of roads and railways, housing, educational, health, irrigational and electricity facilities, together with the provision of potable water and other social amenities”, she noted.
Prof. Liping, who was delivering a paper on the topic “China’s Conception and Practice of Poverty Reduction – a Model for Ghana”, at a seminar in Beijing, China, said this could not be glossed over as the nation sought for long-term remedy for her development challenges.
“Infrastructure development is the basis for industrialization, wealth-creation and also for the alleviation of poverty amongst the masses”, she observed, adding that, developing countries that had attracted direct foreign investment over the years all towed this line.
The thirty-day seminar is being organized by the China International Publishing Group (CIPG) Training Center, a Beijing-based professional training institute, with sponsorship from the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China and the State Council Information Office of the People’s Republic of China.
Media professionals selected from the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), Information Services Department (ISD), as well as officials of Ghana’s Ministry of Information, are participating in the programme.
It is designed to sharpen their professional skills to enhance their competency for effective work, especially within the framework of the Sino-Ghana development agenda, to help promote the socio-economic and cultural interest of both countries.
Ghana had since its independence in 1957 promoted bi-lateral relationship with China, and the country under the current President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, remained committed to sustaining this partnership.
In a recent interview with the China Global Television Network (CGTN), the President affirmed the country’s resolve to deepen further this cooperation via various development initiatives for the mutual benefit of the two countries.
With its huge investment in exchange programmes, technology transfer and infrastructure development, China has established a strong presence in the West African country and is coordinating with the leadership to improve the living standards of the people within the context of the sustainable development goals.
Prof. Liping indicated that her country currently, was working assiduously to eliminate absolute poverty amongst some 30 million rural folk in various provinces by 2020.
Consequently, the State Council Group for Poverty Alleviation and Development had constituted working teams to advance this objective.
The vision is to improve the labour force and food supply, while providing good housing and educational facilities for the needy and underprivileged in the Chinese society.
The Researcher said with the implementation of good socio-economic policies and tenacity of purpose, the Asian giants had been able to improve life expectancy from 60 to 70 years, and having a real economic growth of more than six per cent per year.
Since opening up to foreign trade and investment after its economic reforms in 1979, it had been among the world’s fastest-growing economies.
Source: GNA