Poverty Reduction Support Credits : Ghana Country Study
The Poverty Reduction Support Credit (PRSC) instrument was put to use at an opportune juncture in 2003 when, after a period of economic crisis, macroeconomic stability had been restored to Ghana and a reform process had been mapped out. The Bank us...
Main Authors: | , |
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Format: | Working Paper |
Language: | English en_US |
Published: |
Washington, DC: World Bank
2017
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/988621468030626957/Poverty-reduction-support-credits-Ghana-country-study http://hdl.handle.net/10986/27864 |
Summary: | The Poverty Reduction Support Credit
(PRSC) instrument was put to use at an opportune juncture in
2003 when, after a period of economic crisis, macroeconomic
stability had been restored to Ghana and a reform process
had been mapped out. The Bank used this instrument to signal
strong support to the Government for the reform process,
which was at risk of being derailed in the run up to the
2004 elections. The PRSC was perceived as a clear departure
from previous adjustment lending, which was characterized by
acrimonious negotiation of conditions. Following
independence from Britain some 50 years ago, Ghana
experienced rapid economic growth, spurred by commodity
exports and industrialization linked to import-substitution
policies. But by the early 1980s, standards of living had
declined sharply, and Ghana had joined the ranks of other
low-income African countries. Ghana's economic reform
program, launched in 1983, marked a notable change in policy
direction and a shift from a state-controlled economy to a
more market-driven system. Ghana made progress in regaining
macroeconomic stability and achieved its Highly Indebted
Poor Country (HIPC) initiative completion point by 2004.
Even so, progress was uneven, and the economy remained
vulnerable. Ghana was among Africa's top 10 performers
in the 2008 doing business report, and its ranking on
corruption indicators is the best of low-income African
countries. A recent national survey found that 75 percent of
households regard corruption as a serious national problem,
and 80 believe it has worsened in recent years. |
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