Renowned economist and the Director of NYU Africa House and the Center for Technology and Economic Development (CTED), Prof. Yaw Nyarko has urged a shift in perspective regarding equity issues, cautioning against overreliance on the Ghanaian government to address all societal inequalities.
Addressing a gathering for the opening ceremony of the University of Ghana College of Humanities 6th International Research Conference, Prof. Nyarko, who served as the keynote speaker, delivered a thought-provoking address in alignment with the conference’s theme, ‘Addressing Inequalities: Building Socioeconomic and Environmental Resilience for Sustainable Development.’
In his speech, he urged a reevaluation of approaches to societal disparities, advocating for broader engagement and innovative solutions beyond sole reliance on government intervention.
“Let’s be careful of asking the government to solve all of our problems of inequality, the Ghana government cannot do it, the government should do this, they should give fertilizers, they should reduce, give free, do this and that.”
Prof. Nyarko also emphasized the need to consider the sources of funding for such initiatives. He warned Ghanaians against the reflexive call for increased taxes, noting the potential adverse economic effects
“Everybody is talking about increasing taxes, be careful, somebody has the taxes and if they are paying the taxes by reducing economic activities… somebody will suffer.”
His remarks underscored the need for a nuanced, multi-faceted approach to addressing inequality, one that incorporates diverse stakeholders and innovative solutions beyond intervention.
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Story by: George Dwumfour Boateng | univers.ug.edu.gh
