By Joyce Danso
Accra, Aug. 22, GNA – Caritas Ghana, a development and humanitarian arm of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, has launched its Five-Year Strategic Framework in Accra to strengthen collaboration for human development.
The 2025 to 2030 strategic framework seeks to, among other things, provide good governance, justice and peace building as well as foster participation in accountability, peaceful elections, and support migrants, refugees and displaced persons.
The strategic framework was launched at the Caritas Ghana Donors Conference, on the theme: “Strengthening Collaboration for Integral Human Development in Ghana.”
The High-level conference brought together donor agencies, government officials, development partners, civil society leaders and representatives of the Catholic Church to explore pathways for stronger collaboration in advancing human development in Ghana.
Its previous strategic framework (2017-2021) brought out some challenges and implementation lacunas such as funding and donor fatigue and disconnection between ideas and field-level operation, hence the new strategic framework.
Dr Fritz Gockel, a development leader and former Senior Lecturer, University of Ghana, commended Caritas Ghana for the tremendous support towards the marginalised and vulnerable in various communities in Ghana and beyond.
“You indeed have brought hope to countless people through your flagship programme, which have impacted on migrants and refugees and same have been a beacon of hope for many children and their families,” he said.
Dr Gockel lauded the organisation for constantly reviewing and retooling its systems and practices before coming out with the new strategic framework.
He said reviewing and retooling its systems would make it a more relevant and efficient system than other institutions that brought hope to the poor and vulnerable.
Dr Gockel noted that prioritising the needs of the poor was not only an act of charity but a matter of justice, recongnising the dignity and rights of the poor, which were often overlooked or not respected in social, political and economic systems.
He was elated at the focus on Sustainable Agriculture and Livelihoods, Environment, Water, Sanitation and Health (WASH) and Climate Change, Emergency Preparedness and Response and Social Services among others to ensure the welfare of the vulnerable.
Dr Gockel noted that the strategies captured in the new framework would go to the heart of what development was all about.
“These strategies aim at reducing poverty and promoting agriculture, food security, and diversified income sources through climate-smart agricultural practices,” he said.
“It would also promote climate resilience, natural resources conservation, and sustainable farming and water management practices.”
He urged Caritas Ghana to align itself and be guided by the National Development Planning Commission’s Coordinated Programme of Economic and Social Development Policies.
Dr Gockel tasked it to mainstream its local operations with the various district assemblies to achieve the desired impact.
“A definitive institutionalised engagement with the district assemblies would reinforce Caritas Ghana’s commitment to emergency preparedness, community resilience, and ensuring that the voices of women, youth and persons with disability are heard and valued.”
The Most Reverend Matthew K. Gyamfi, President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, noted that the global landscape of development was shifting, and donors’ priorities were evolving.
He said aid resources were becoming more constrained as challenges confronting communities were deepening in complexity.
“Confronted with this reality, we have chosen not to retreat, but to respond with courage and vision. Out of an honest appraisal of our strength and shortcomings, we have crafted the strategic Framework 2025-2030, our bold blueprint for institutional renewal,” the Most Rev. Gyamfi said.
“This is not mere rhetoric. It is a concrete programme of reform. It calls us to strengthen governance, refine systems, and enhance our capacity for monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning.”
“In practice this means fortifying diocesan development offices, adopting tools that ensure results are carefully tracked and centering local leadership in all that we do.”
Mr Richard Akurugu, the Executive Director, Caritas Ghana, said the organisation would continue to offer social services by improving access to quality education and primary healthcare, especially for marginalised and vulnerable communities.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe