Promoting social security systems through ILO Ghana-Luxembourg Social Trust Project

Abuja (ILO-News/Report) - The International Labour Organization (ILO) Ghana-Luxembourg Social Trust (GLST) project has officially been closed. The project represented a concrete implementation in a delimited setting of the ILO’s Global Social Trust concept which saw the promotion of social security systems through solidarity as an instrument of sustainable development cooperation in a global world. The ILO cooperated with Luxembourg Trade Union to implement the project at Dodowa, Ghana and the direct beneficiaries were the vulnerable pregnant women and children. The implementation of the project commenced in 2009 ended 2014.

At inception, the Ghana-Luxembourg Social Trust pilot project targeted 700 women with children under the age of five. The women received a regular financial subsidy of 30 Ghana Cedi upon fulfillment of certain conditions. This conditional cash benefit enabled the women and their families to benefit from health care insurance and thus medical services which improved the maternal and infant health status as well as improved their living conditions and opportunities for the women and their families.

In her remarks at the closing ceremony of the project the ILO Director for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone and the Gambia, Mrs. Sina Chuma-Mkandawire stated that the provision of a regular and steady flow of income for pregnant women and children under the age of five living in low income households was a unique feature of the cash transfer programme and of particular importance in the African context where maternal and child health outcomes were still lagging behind compared to other regions and countries around the world. According to her, it was therefore encouraging to see that the government decided to build on the experience of this project to extend the same kind of benefit to four thousand families in the north of Ghana. According to her, the ILO was proud to see that the project had already triggered such replication effects and hoped that eventually, every pregnant women in Ghana would receive the support she needed to ensure she could have a healthy pregnancy and ensure her children grow up to good health.

The closing ceremony which was in 2 parts held at the Conference Room of the District Office and had in attendance among other dignitaries Alhaji Sarhack Nartey, District Chief Executive of Ningo-Prampram District, Mr Armand Drews, Project Manager ONG OGB-L Solidarite Syndicale and Mrs Chinyere Emeka-Anuna who represented the Director, ILO Country Office, Abuja as well as . Others were the Deputy Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection as Guest of Honour and Hon (Mrs) Dela Sowah. Following a brief opening remark by Alhaji Nartey, goodwill messages were presented by Mr. Drews, the ILO Country Office Abuja Director and Veronika Wodsak of ILO’s SOCPRO Department, Geneva. A brief presentation by Ms Khayati, the National Project Officer for ONG OGB-L Solidarite Syndicale showcased the achievements of the projects, challenges and the way forward.

Following the official closing ceremony of the project in Accra, the dignitaries and officials moved to the project site where a large crowd of the focal persons, the implementing agencies, the beneficiaries and the villagers were awaiting the arrival of the dignitaries for the closing ceremony at the site of the project.

At the project site, Alhaji Nartey made brief opening remarks while Mr. Emmanuel Lartey, District Chief Executive of Shai-Osudoku District gave a welcome address followed by a keynote address by the Deputy Minister, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon (Mrs) Dela Sowah. In her address, she thanked the ILO and OGB-L for their collaboration and also stated that the government of Ghana was ensuring that about 100,000 citizens befit from different social protection schemes. She also used the opportunity to inform the audience about the ILO Maternity Protection Project (MAF) and the UNICEF Social Protection Project 1000.

Two beneficiaries of the Ghana-Luxembourg Social Trust (GLST) shared their experiences with GLST and recounted how the project has improved their lives and incomes, while one of the implementing partners, Ghana National Health Insurance Scheme official equally shared the experience of it organization in working with OGB-L. After this, OGB-L and ILO also used the opportunity to appreciate and acknowledge excellent collaboration of the relevant stakeholders including the Ministries, implementing partners and the beneficiaries. Plaques were presented to all the relevant stakeholders and staff of the project, while the focal persons in the different communities, nurses and beneficiaries were awarded certificates.