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| Since independence, successive governments and development partners have initiated and implemented development interventions in Northern Ghana. It is however, sad to state that notwithstanding these interventions, the area continues to lag behind the rest of the country in terms of development. Though there is no denying the fact that some modest gains had been made over the years due to these interventions, it is evident that there still exists a yawning gap between Northern and Southern Ghana. One reason may be that most of these development interventions are initiated and drawn without the active involvement and participation of the local people themselves. The recent floods which wreaked havoc in Northern Ghana served as a wake-up call for all stakeholders in the development of Northern Ghana to be more pro-active. The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning in the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the 2008 fiscal year stated: ”Following the recent floods in Northern Ghana and the prolonged gap in development between the northern part of the country and the south, the government would introduce a medium to long-term development strategy next year to transform the economy and society of Northern Ghana. With seed money of GH025 million, the government would set up the Northern Ghana Development Fund into which development partners would be encouraged to contribute” (Daily Graphic, Friday, November 16, 2007). 2008 Northern Easter School The subsequent announcement of the establisment of the Northern Endowment Fund by the Northern Development Forum, in the view of the Institute of Adult Education, provide a fertile ground to bring together people from Northern Ghana to deliberate dispassionately but critically on how to move Northern Ghana forward by fashioning out a new development agenda for the area. It is the expectation of the Institute that the 2008 Northern Easter School will attempt to provide answers to the following critical questions: Why is Northern Ghana still relatively under-developed notwithstanding development initiatives by successive governments and development partners? Has Northern Ghana really received its fair share of the National Cake? Does Northern Ghana lack the necessary human and material resources for the development for development programmes;? These and other related issues of concern will engage the attention of participants to the 2008 School. |
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