The World Bank Country Director for Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Pierre Laporte has expressed his gratitude and applauded the relaunch of the Parliamentary Network of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) Ghana Chapter.
The Network comprises of Parliamentarians from over 160 countries across the world and discuss, deliberate on issues of financing social and economic infrastructure in their respective countries with support from the World Bank and the IMF.
At the relaunch in Accra, Pierre Laporte said the move forms part of World Bank’s commitment to work closely with the Government of Ghana in the socio-economic agenda in ensuring that basic services are adequately provided to meet the needs of the citizenry.
He added that government comprehensive framework to institute reforms to map out areas of the economy throughout the years must be properly monitored and evaluated for the benefit of the citizens, particularly at the grass root level.
He said other countries for that matter Parliamentarians have engaged the World Bank through the network in their various countries and as such “we have responded to their request by releasing grants for developmental projects.
Laporte explained that fervent monitoring of projects will demonstrate the culture of value for money and as a result the country will achieve its quest of becoming economic self-sufficient in growth and development.
He hinted that the World Bank releases a whooping sum of $500 million yearly for projects in the education, health, water, roads, energy among others as part of the drive to enhance the wellbeing of Ghanaians as well as skills development.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war have impacted negatively on the economy of Ghana, adding that the relaunch of the Parliamentary Network will create conducive platform for the World Bank to support Ghana in its post COVID-19 era for accelerated growth and development.
In a remark, Kweku Agyemang Kwarteng, Chairman, Finance Committee of Parliament said the network involves scores of MPs both from the political divide with the primary purpose of working to achieve the social and economic needs of the constituents as well as build capacities of MPs to effectively and efficiently discharge their duties.
For his part, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, Ranking Member of Finance Committee commended MPs for putting their acts together to revive the network saying the relaunch was timely and is geared towards addressing the socio-economic needs of the constituents.
Am impressed that both MPs of the House have demonstrated commitment to be part of the network which will bring to bear the needs of the people from the bottom-up approach of governance.
The Ghana Chapter of the Parliamentary Network has Mr. Kwaku Agyeman as Chairman and Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson as Vice Chairman.
Source: Ben LARYEA
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