Civil society activists and organizations that have reservations about Ghana government's dealings with the Bretton Woods institutions will have to nurture the feeling for some time to come as the end to the relationship is not anytime soon.

On Tuesday, Vice President John Dramani Mahama said government recognized and appreciated the uneasiness of social movements about these institutions. But "Government is engaging the IMF and World Bank with its eyes wide open."

According to him, government is "using the opportunity to stabilize our economy, but still ensuring that investments in poverty eradication programmmes such as LEAP, School Feeding, school uniforms programme, investment in agric are not only maintained but increased."

The Vice President was addressing the opening of the 4th General Assembly (GA) of the Social Watch in Accra. The GA was hosted by Third World Network-Africa (TWN-Africa) and Network for Women's Rights in Ghana (NETRIGHT), Convenor of Social Watch Ghana from October 27 to 29. It was the first time the GA has been held in an African country.

A major concern of many social activists has been the conditions that are always attached to support from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The latest concern has been that Ghana is set to miss out on a much needed US$150m World Bank support to the 2009 annual budget, following its inability to keep faith with the Bank on agreed triggers for the release of the funds (see October 19 2009 edition of Public Agenda).

Vice President Mahama was concerned that though Ghana, and Africa as a whole, had contributed little to the global economic crisis as well as the Climate Change, yet it was these poor and developing countries, especially the poor rural women and children, which were hit hardest by the effects of the crisis.

He was also worried about the collapse of commodity prices on the world market, noting that it was very devastating for the poor African farmer. He cited the example of sheanut which grew in the poorest parts of the country - Northern Ghana, whose picking and processing was mainly dominated by poor rural women. He said the price of the commodity had slumped on the international market with the consequence of deepening rural poverty in that part of the country.

He praised Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Non Governmental Organisations(NGOs) for adding a new dimension to governance in Africa. "Indeed the persistent demands from social movements and citizen groups such as Social Watch for accountability from governments and international institutions have added a new dimension and momentum to global policy." He was hopeful that Social Watch would advocate for equal rights for all.

Welcoming participants to the event, Dr Mensah-Kutin, Convenor of NETRIGHT, indicated that the objective of this year's GA was to ensure that governments of the world helped to eradicate the crisis of food and fuel which has bedeviled the world with women and children suffering most.

Ms. Dorcas Coker-Appiah, Executive Director, Centre for Gender Studies and Human Rights Documentation (Gender Centre), who chaired the opening session, indicated that women were those who bore the brunt of the current economic crisis because in developing countries women were mostly bread winners of their families. She therefore encouraged CSOs, NGOs and other private sector institutions to ensure that their governments respond to the food, fuel, shelter and other social amenity needs of their citizens.

Mr. Roberto Bissio of Social Watch Global Secretariat said governments should be held accountable for their pledges on eradicating poverty. He added that governments and citizens have roles to play to make eradication of poverty a success. Therefore, the methods that governments employ to help eradicate poverty should be people entered.

Dr. Rose Mensah-Kutin, Convenor of NETRIGHT, told Public Agenda in an interview that civil society shall "hold government accountable on its promise" of engaging the Bretton Woods institutions responsibly.

She explained that social movements are anxious about engagements between the government, the WB and IMF owing to their role in fostering the interests of developed economies. Against the background of the unfavourable mass effects of the structural adjustment programme and other initiatives, she said social movements felt more comfortable if developing countries played ball with the developed economies in the arena of the United Nations.

The 4th Social Watch GA held under the theme "People first: Social Watch's Response to the Global Crises" brought together over 100 participants from over 50 countries around the world.