Okyeman Foundation leads crusade against negative perception
The Okyeman Foundation, a Netherlands-based Ghanaian non-governmental organisation (NGO), is leading the crusade against growing public perception in The Netherlands that donor support for developing countries is misused, hence the need for the Dutch government to scrap such aid.
The project, dubbed “Thank You Netherlands”, has objectives including promoting Ghana-Netherlands development co-operation work in Ghana in particular and developing countries as a whole, educating Dutch people on the role their country plays in Ghana with regard to the provision of universal basic education, reducing child mortality, improving maternal health and combating HIV/AIDS.
It also seeks to promote development work among migrants in The Netherlands.
The Project Director of the Okyeman Foundation, Dr K.A. Adansi-Pipim, told the Daily Graphic in Accra that “the project will help create awareness in The Netherlands that funds sent to Ghana are used for the purpose for which they are provided”.
The Netherlands Government supports Ghana with 76 million Euros annually. The amount goes into helping finance Ghana’s health care, education, the environment and budget support.
It is also the largest donor to Ghana in the area of the environment and the third in the area of health care.
The Netherlands also co-operates with eight other donors to support the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MoFEP) in terms of policy development for Ghana.
Dr Adansi-Pipim noted with concern that achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Ghana in the areas of hunger reduction, the environment, education for all, agricultural development and water would be affected should The Netherlands Government bow to pressure regarding the issue.
He said the foundation had identified 20 Dutch NGOs working in Ghana and would produce an extensive documentary on their operations, as well as mount photo exhibitions on their work in six major cities in The Netherlands.
The photo exhibitions, which would be mounted in Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Gouda, Utrecht, Almere and Groningen, would be preceded by the showing of documentaries to bring vivid images of the situation on the ground to the Dutch public.
“It will also provide substantial evidence on the impact of Dutch development support to Ghana and ultimately influence the participation of others in Ghana’s development, either by providing moral support or financial contributions and even volunteer work in Ghana,” he said.
Dr Adansi-Pipim said the foundation would also engage the Royal Netherlands Embassy in the country to know “its policy direction towards the country and its specific or concrete plans concerning the issue at stake”.
He indicated that The Netherlands Government was also at the forefront of empowering ethnic minorities in that country to support development programmes in their respective countries.
“We are positive that the project will make it possible for the Dutch public to know that their contributions to Ghana’s development are not being wasted,” Dr Adansi-Pipim emphasised.
The project, dubbed “Thank You Netherlands”, has objectives including promoting Ghana-Netherlands development co-operation work in Ghana in particular and developing countries as a whole, educating Dutch people on the role their country plays in Ghana with regard to the provision of universal basic education, reducing child mortality, improving maternal health and combating HIV/AIDS.
It also seeks to promote development work among migrants in The Netherlands.
The Project Director of the Okyeman Foundation, Dr K.A. Adansi-Pipim, told the Daily Graphic in Accra that “the project will help create awareness in The Netherlands that funds sent to Ghana are used for the purpose for which they are provided”.
The Netherlands Government supports Ghana with 76 million Euros annually. The amount goes into helping finance Ghana’s health care, education, the environment and budget support.
It is also the largest donor to Ghana in the area of the environment and the third in the area of health care.
The Netherlands also co-operates with eight other donors to support the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MoFEP) in terms of policy development for Ghana.
Dr Adansi-Pipim noted with concern that achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Ghana in the areas of hunger reduction, the environment, education for all, agricultural development and water would be affected should The Netherlands Government bow to pressure regarding the issue.
He said the foundation had identified 20 Dutch NGOs working in Ghana and would produce an extensive documentary on their operations, as well as mount photo exhibitions on their work in six major cities in The Netherlands.
The photo exhibitions, which would be mounted in Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Gouda, Utrecht, Almere and Groningen, would be preceded by the showing of documentaries to bring vivid images of the situation on the ground to the Dutch public.
“It will also provide substantial evidence on the impact of Dutch development support to Ghana and ultimately influence the participation of others in Ghana’s development, either by providing moral support or financial contributions and even volunteer work in Ghana,” he said.
Dr Adansi-Pipim said the foundation would also engage the Royal Netherlands Embassy in the country to know “its policy direction towards the country and its specific or concrete plans concerning the issue at stake”.
He indicated that The Netherlands Government was also at the forefront of empowering ethnic minorities in that country to support development programmes in their respective countries.
“We are positive that the project will make it possible for the Dutch public to know that their contributions to Ghana’s development are not being wasted,” Dr Adansi-Pipim emphasised.
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