The Partnership for Growth Joint Steering Committee meeting commenced with opening remarks by Ambassador Robert P. Jackson at the Movenpick Hotel in Accra on May 4, 2016. The ambassador shared insights from his first 90 days in Ghana, highlighting interactions with various sectors and emphasizing the critical issues of access to reliable power and affordable credit.
Ambassador Jackson noted that progress has been made in addressing power reliability, citing the addition of over 600 megawatts to Ghana's power grid. He attributed this advancement to collaborative efforts under President Obama's Power Africa Partnership and ongoing reforms supported by USAID experts within the Ministries of Power and Petroleum.
He stressed the importance of continued efforts: "Mitigating the risk for private sector investment," "Addressing the issue of the sector’s massive circular debt and past arrears," "Implementing a transparent tariff-setting process that enables stakeholder scrutiny and appeal," and "Restructuring the distribution sector."
Ambassador Jackson expressed concern over delays in implementing the second Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact, which aims to enhance Ghana's power sector with nearly $500 million in investments. He urged commitment to meet a target date for its entry into force: “Let’s not let this opportunity slip away.”
On access to credit, he acknowledged challenges such as high inflation rates and interest rates affecting small and medium enterprises. He advocated for increased bilateral trade between Ghana and the United States through initiatives like the African Growth and Opportunity Act.
Concluding his remarks, Ambassador Jackson reaffirmed U.S. commitment to its development partnership with Ghana through this initiative: “It is an honor to co-chair my first Partnership for Growth meeting.”