The Network of Associations of Registered NGOs(NARNGO) has called for proposals that would empower them in collaboration with government to feed over 10 million vulnerable people in society on daily basis.
They argued that hunger and abject poverty triggered socio-economic and moral decay challenges resulting in unemployment, poverty, hardships, which also encouraged people to engage in Lesbianism, Gayism, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex Plus (LGBTQI+), armed robbery, illicit drugs, “sakawa”, cyber fraud, cybercrime, occultism to survive.
A statement signed by Kofi Lucas, President of NARNGO and Project Strategist said pressure and stress on bread winners struggling to put food on the table for the family was quite frustrating and needed collective attention.
The statement called for concepts and initiatives for Government to “Call for Proposals” from NGOs to act as a lead facilitator and to develop a comprehensive concept to feed at least on daily basis 10 Million Needy Youth and Senior Citizens at the community levels nationwide for the next four-years.
It said the Lead facilitating NGO must take advantage of Government’s flagship programmes such as Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ), Rearing for Food and Jobs (RFJ), One-District-One Factory (1D1F), Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) to champion the cause.
The statement also called on the Facilitating NGO to create and establish Cooperative Business and Artisanal Ventures to employ at least One million Jobless Youth and Adults Nationwide.
“The role that Government, stakeholders, Strategic Alliances and all on board will play must be properly defined for effective collaboration and realization of the aims and objectives of the project within 4-years.
“In Africa and for that matter Ghana, what matters most to the down-trodden is putting food on the table. In view of this, it behoves all political parties and any ruling government to spend much of their times, efforts and strategies in developing holistic, massive and comprehensive pro-poor interventions to put food on the table on daily basis for at least 30 per cent of the entire population who are struggling genuinely.
“To reduce poverty and vulnerable the NARNGO President suggested to stakeholders to least create One million jobs, feed at least 10 million Senior Needy Citizens / struggling Pensioners, the Poor and the hungry, Single Needy Mothers, the Needy Widows, the Orphans, Street boys & girls and Vulnerable persons fed daily in 3,000 electoral areas out of 5,702 electoral areas nationwide as a pilot project for 4 years.”
The statement also suggested that Agriculture Food products (DRY FOODS) be given to at least 270,200 families in NEED in the remaining 2,702 electoral areas nationwide every month.
“The COVID-19 Pandemic lockdowns, have exposed the major weakness of the entire World, including Ghana. We saw on TV Stations how people were in long queues struggling for cooked foods and or dry food stuffs in some Western, Eastern and African countries including Ghana.
“The facilitating NGO, should have what it takes to partner Government and strategic partners in solving these problems of magnitude dimensions that has created unrest and unease by the populist: ‘WE ARE HUNGRY, WE WANT JOBS”.
It said the concept must be seen working towards lifting the living standards of the citizens through feeding or providing dry food stuffs and creating jobs for the Poor and Needy (Apprentices, trainees, internes, National Service Personnel.), Widows and Orphans, struggling Pensioners, Less-privileged and vulnerable (Street persons and beggars, Truck pushers, Kayaye ), Workers earning below or a little above the minimum wage, Unemployed Graduates in the communities, Unskilled Unemployed Youth in the communities among others, deprived schools (Special Schools) and institutions (Psychiatric Hospitals, Aged Homes, Orphanages.) in Ghana.
“When through this initiative is translated into reality, and we demonstrate in practical terms, that we are One-Another’s-Keeper, and on daily basis, over 10million people are fed, or provided with dry food stuffs and at least One million jobs created for the jobless, then these slogans: We Care for You / We are Working for You /We are Working for Ghana /and or Better Ghana Agenda/Government Flagship programmes, then all these slogans become meaningful, appreciative and reasonable to the down-trodden.
“We are of the view that passing the anti-LGBTQ+ Law alone, may not end the practice, promotion and funding LGBTQI+ activities, if consideration is not put on creating massive jobs, feeding target groups and above all, fervent 24-hour-non-stop daily prayers by prayer warriors and intercessors at all levels.
“Government needs all and sundry to combine forces with good plans, intentions, passion, compassion, can do spirit, perseverance, vision, innovations, initiatives and commitment to join hands with it to solve the numerous problems and challenges facing Ghana by disseminating to the Grassroots, Government’s Coordinated Programme of Economic and Social Development Policies 2017- 2024. An Agenda for Jobs: Creating Prosperity and Equal Opportunities For All.”
The statement said the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta informed the 2021 graduating class of the University of Professional Studies-Accra (UPSA) that government’s payroll was full – making it unsustainable to keep adding to the employment figures in the public sector, hence the need to create their own jobs.
“According to him, government’s role is to create the needed enabling environment, establish micro-stability and ensure that citizens have the right skillset – and that is what government is going to do: focus on the youth and budget for their demands.
“The future for you in regard to jobs is the most important thing for you at this stage, and we have gone through a period when most people look for a job from government or state institutions; but that payroll is full.
“I can tell you that because we are spending about 60 percent of our revenue on remunerating some 650,000 people, and that is not sustainable,” he said.
It said the NARNGO) and Critical Strategic Thinkers Network (CSTN), were in partnership to champion the implementation of the initiative to complement Government’s efforts at making life bearable to the down-trodden.
“Critical Strategic Thinkers Network (CSTN), is a developmental Think Tank made up of Deep Thinkers and Problem-Solving Experts (Strategists, Specialists, Talents and Professionals).
They appealed to the President through the office of the Chief of Staff, to call for proposals from Developmental NGOs as the President’s Project Code-named: “THE PRESIDENT’S PROJECT- OPERATION FEED GHANA”, which is similar to the Presidential Pitch.
“This is to complement government’s efforts to tackle unemployment, poverty and hunger facing especially the down-trodden at the community levels just to mention a few.”
