16th March, 2013

The Daily Graphic wonders how the Millennium Development Goals - MDG's and other development targets can be achieved if poverty gaps are widening and many of the young people are becoming illiterate adults. According to the paper, all is not well for the country as far as efforts aimed at closing the gap in order to attain the MDG's in the next two years are concerned. This is because the 2012 Ghana Social Development Outlook Report launched in Accra recently indicates 25 percent of Ghanaians are still living in poverty whiles 46 percent adults are illiterates. The paper believes the government needs to take another look at its policies meant to improve the quality of life of the people. To the paper, the present policy direction where government is pursuing cost recovery for social services such as education and health is not the best, saying, it will only accelerate the  deteriorating living conditions in the country. The Graphic calls for more spending in the social sector with the view to helping the poor lead better lives.

The Ghanaian Times adds it voice to the call to implement the Mental Health law. This the paper says, will help streamline mental health delivery in the country as well as decongest the psychiatric hospitals. According to the paper, mental health continues to suffer neglect in terms of pragmatic and sustainable actions which can benefit the poor and the marginalised with mental health problems. The Times calls for the clearance of all hurdles in the way of the implementation of the law to pave the way for the establishment of the authority.

GBC