It is Time for a Paradigm Shift from the Dependency Mentality in Ghana

It is Time for a Paradigm Shift from the Dependency Mentality in Ghana

Star Ghana Foundation and its strategic partner, the West Africa Civil Society Institute -WACSI, launched the Giving for Change Project in Ghana with a clarion call on citizens to maximise local giving and local philanthropy. The call comes as a result of the dwindling source of funds from Western countries which can partly be attributed to donor fatigue and the global financial downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Giving for Change Project is part of the “strengthening the civil society framework’’ programme funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Under the framework, the Dutch government is supporting local community activities in 8 countries, including Ghana, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Brazil, Kenya, Mozambique, Palestine, and Uganda. The goal of the programme is to promote domestic resource mobilisation and local philanthropy as a strategy for increasing local ownership.

The well-attended event held in the conference hall of Tomreik Hotel on 17 June 2021 was under the theme: “Promoting Social Justice Philanthropy for Inclusive and Sustainable Development in Ghana’’. All the speakers made a strong case for the need to ignite local giving.

Speaking at the launch of the 5-year project in Ghana, Hamdiya Ismaila, representing the Governing Council of Star-Ghana Foundation, charged civil society organisations (CSOs) to build local sources of funding in their initiatives. According to her, this will help CSOs to take direct ownership.

Former Managing Director of Stanbic Bank Ghana, Naa Alhassan Adani

The Chairman of the launch and former Managing Director of Stanbic Bank Ghana, Naa Alhassan Adani, now a chief, advanced his case from the cultural perspective of local giving. He charged Ghanaians to leverage existing cultural values that ignite local giving.

According to him, Ghana and Ghanaians alike need a “paradigm shift away from the dependency mentality that focuses on the central government for development’’.

While advocating for more sustainable funding, Dr Kofi Osei-Kusi, a renowned Ghanaian philanthropist with the Osei -Kusi Foundation, opined that “the surest way to achieving sustainable and inclusive social justice is by galvanising local giving and local philanthropy for development”.

He further urged Ghanaians to understand that prevailing circumstances are pushing nations and individuals to be self-reliant. Hence, he admonished Ghanaians to embrace local resource mobilisation.

Kwami Sefa-Kai, a renowned Broadcast Journalist with the Despite Media Group, and a philanthropist with the Kokorokoo Charity Foundation – a not-for-profit foundation that supports health facilities across Ghana with child incubators lauded the Giving for Change initiative in Ghana. Leveraging on his experience, he mentioned that mobilising funds demands trust, networking, patience, and a lot more fortitude from fundraisers or project implementers to achieve set targets. He expressed optimism about the Giving for Change project in Ghana.

H.E Ronald Strikker, the Dutch Ambassador to Ghana, expressed optimism about the Giving for Change Project, stating that “Ghana is a free country and, that’s a fantastic thing because it is not always the case in other countries”. He later assured the continued support of the Dutch Government towards the project.

The statements made by these prominent figures engenders hope in the project that will be implemented between January 2021 and January 2025. The Giving for Change programme promotes a development agenda that is driven by the people and for the people.

 

 

 

About the author

Robert Oppong is a Ghanaian. He holds Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a speciality in Development Communication. He is a gender and a social activist with great knowledge in participatory communication, international governance and development.

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Robert Oppong

Robert Oppong is a Ghanaian. He holds Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a speciality in Development Communication. He is a gender and a social activist with great knowledge in participatory communication, international governance and development.

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FIIFI BOATENG

Fiifi is a Ghanaian and currently serves as Communications and Information Officer at the West Africa Civil Society Institute. He joined the Institute in December 2020.

NANCY KANKAM KUSI

Nancy is a Ghanaian and currently serves as Programme Officer in the Knowledge Management unit at the West Africa Civil Society Institute. She joined the Institute in January 2021.

AGNES ADWOA ANIMA

Agnes is a Ghanaian and currently serves as Head of the Administration unit in the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI). She joined the Institute in October 2021.

DORIS ODEI

Doris holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social sciences (Economics and Sociology) from the University of Cape Coast. She is passionate about impacting young lives hence co-founded Impart Foundation. A non-profit organization which seeks to empower young lives through education, technology and entrepreneurship.

PRINCE AKOWUAH

Prince Akowuah is a Ghanaian and currently the Programme Assistant in the Translation Unit at the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI). She joined the Institute in 2020.

MAXWELL APENTENG

Maxwell Apenteng is a Ghanaian and joined WACSI in September 2010. He provides gardening and janitorial services at the Institute.

GEORGE ADU-MINTAH

George Adu-Mintah is a Ghanaian and currently the Protocol Assistant/Driver at the West Africa Civil Society (WACSI). He joined the Institute in October 2006.

IBRAHIM KWAKU GBADAGO

Ibrahim Kwaku Gbadago is a Ghanaian. He joined the Institute in 2008 and provides janitorial services and assisting the institute's errands. Before joining the Institute, he worked at the Palestinian embassy in Accra, Ghana.

RUTH YAKANA

Ruth Yakana is from Cameroon and currently the Receptionist at the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI). She joined the Institute in 2020.

BETHEL KWAME BOATENG

Bethel is a Ghanaian. He provides technical and IT related support to the Institute. He joined the Institute in October 2006.

WHITNAY SEGNONNA

Whitnay Segnonna holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Management from the University of Benin. With 2 years of experience, she has a strong knowledge of organizational and project management. Combined with her bilingualism, she is very passionate about her work. She joined WACSI as Project Assistant on Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) for the Capacity Development Unit.

STELLA YAWA WOWOUI

Stella Yawa Wowoui holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Translation Studies. She has a perfect grasp of both French and English, as well as an intermediate level in Spanish. She is currently working as a Project Assistant on the Techsoup Project.

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GRACE AKPENE ZIGGAH

Grace Akpene Ziggah is a Togolese and currently the Logistics Officer and also assists in administration duties at the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI). She joined the Institute in June 2009.

LILLIAN DAFEAMEKPOR

Lilian Dafeamekpor is a Ghanaian and currently the Assistant to the Executive Director at the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI). She joined the Institute in 2020.

JOHN P. FRINJUAH

John P. Frinjuah has expertise and interests in civil society, international development, democracy and governance, conflict, crisis, and security. He has extensive experience working with civil society and international development organizations where he supported and managed research, programmes, and provided technical assistance on a variety of themes around public policy, governance, and development. He is an alumnus of the University of Ghana and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy - Tufts University in the United States, with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from two institutions respectively. John speaks English, French and several Ghanaian and regional West Africa languages.

GERVIN CHANASE

Gervin has extensive international development experience, including 5 years of policy advocacy and capacity building of grass root organisations. He has implemented over the years a combination of agriculture value chain, livelihood, food security and governance and rights programmes.
Prior to joining WACSI, Gervin worked on two USAID projects focusing on agriculture value chain development and governance in northern Ghana
Gervin holds a master’s degree in development & Governance from the University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany as well as a Masters in Global Studies from the Universities of Vienna (Austria), Leipzig (Germany) and California (Santa Barbara), USA. He is passionate social justice and inclusion.

LEANDRE BANON

Leandre Banon, Beninese, joined WACSI in September 2014 as Capacity Development Programme Assistant. Since then, he has worked in various units within the Institute to support operational and institutional capacity strengthening programmes for civil society in the region. Currently serving as Capacity Development Programme Officer at WACSI, his main responsibilities involve designing, planning, implementing and monitoring capacity development programmes for civil society constituents and grouping across the West Africa. Leandre is a certified Change the Game Academy Programme Trainer. His background lies in the areas of economics and development planning.

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Samuel Appiah is a Ghanaian and currently the Programme Officer in the Finance and Administrative Unit at the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI). He joined the Institute in May, 2016.

JIMM CHICK FOMUNJONG

Jimm Chick Fomunjong, Cameroonian, joined WACSI in May 2018 as the Head of the Knowledge Management and Communication Units of the Institute. He has over ten years’ experience as a journalist and a development communications expert. He has a vast experience in supporting African organisations to strengthen their internal and external communications, building and sustaining relationships with the media and, leveraging on the power of social media to promote their mission. He is also excellent at supporting organisations to set up and operationalise functional communications and knowledge management systems. He has a deep passion and expertise in supporting Africans and African civil society organisations to document their praxis, share and learn from experiences documented from the African civil society sector.

FRANCK A. SOMBO

Franck Sombo is a development practitioner with the drive to lead self and others to influence productivity and efficiency. His work involves supporting organisations to develop strategic plans, design monitoring and evaluation systems, develop and use relevant performance measurement tools to track progress, assess organizational growth and institutionalise learning. Franck has eight years of experience working with WACSI where he currently serves as the Head, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning. His academic qualifications include Masters in Organisations’ and Projects’ Management, and in Business Sciences and a High National Diploma in Finance and Accounting.

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OMOLARA T. BALOGUN

Omolara is a development practitioner and advocacy strategist with over 15 years of progressive experience in development programming targeted at strengthening civil society in West Africa.

She joined WACSI in November 2009 as a Regional Advocacy Consultant and later became the first Policy Advocacy Officer of the Institute in 2010.

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NANA ASANTEWA AFADZINU

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