The West African Media Network for Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), has expressed concern at the low growth rate being recorded by member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The Group said the current growth rate of between four and five per cent, instead of between eight and nine per cent target expected to reduce extreme hunger by 2015, was a threat to the attainment of the MDGs.
It also expressed worry at the low progress being made in the areas of maternal and child health, gender equality and sanitation in most countries in the West Africa with regards to attaining the MDGs.
This was contained in a petition the Group issued to ECOWAS member states ahead of the United Nations (UN) Summit on the MDGs, which opens in New York on Monday, September 20, 2010.
The Group demanded that ECOWAS Head of States rededicate themselves and work towards the consolidation of peace, security and respect for human rights in the sub-region through democratic governance.
The statement demanded that the governments should develop and ensure prudent management of the sub-region’s natural resources to the benefit of the people.
It said: “In this regard, 20 per cent of all revenues should be invested in productive sectors of the economy including health, agriculture and education with a national strategy to deal with the resource curse that has afflicted countries like Sierra Leone and Nigeria”.
The statement also requested that ECOWAS member states should design, implement and monitor programmes and policies that would create decent jobs for all, especially young people, women and persons with disability in the region’s natural resources sector such as gold, oil and gas.
The petition demanded that national budgets be made MDGs compliant, by allocating more resources to health, agriculture, education, sanitation, governance with special attention on marginalized groups such as women, children and disabled; and also deal with resource leakages at all levels
It said maternal and child mortality should be seen as a national emergency with corresponding efforts by governments, development partners and community leaders to provide adequate health facilities and professionals.
“Governments should fulfil their continental commitment of allocating 15 per cent of their annual budget to health, where 40 per cent of this allocation should go into the provision of health facilities.”
The statement demanded that a consultative and participatory policy be developed to address the sub-region’s sanitation and climate change needs with a focus on rebuilding slums for sustainable development.
It said Head of States of the sub-region should commit themselves to regional trading, reduce the level of importation from Europe and America, and avoid trade systems and agreements such as the current Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union.
The petition demanded that member states should decisively use the forthcoming UN Review Summit in September, as a platform to rededicate their commitment to pursuing the MDGs as well as develop an all-inclusive five-year “Breakthrough Action Plan” in consultation with civil society organisations, faith based organisations, traditional authorities and other stakeholders.
The Network is a body of journalists from the ECOWAS sub-region, committed to working to ensure the achievement of the MDGs.