"In West Africa, inequality has reached a crisis level. While a small number but
the vast majority of the population is deprived of
the most essential elements for a dignified life, such as quality education, health care and a decent work, despite a remarkable economic boom driven by industries
Extractives," says the report The West Africa Inequality Crisis prepared by the NGO Oxfam and Development
Finance International.
For many countries, growth is not pace with poverty reduction. Growth is not
quite inclusive and has so far seemed to benefit only a minority. "Inequality has reached
extreme levels in the region, so that today the richest 1% of West Africans are gaining
more than the rest of the population of the region combined."
Beyond the "shock phrases" – in Nigeria, the richest man in the country earns about 150
000 times more than the expenditure than the 10%; the poorest spend on average on their
basic consumption in one year; in Ghana one of the richest men in the country earns more in a month
that one of the poorest women in the country could not earn in 1,000 years; women from families
People in Mali are 15 times more likely to have a secondary education than those with a
poor families; West African countries lose about $9.6 billion a year through incentives
tax services offered to multinational companies, the equivalent of 100 modern hospitals – the ratio
seeks to measure governments' commitment to reducing these inequalities. The r Reducing Inequalities (ERI) classifies country data into three main areas of action: devote
progressive spending on sectors such as education, health and social protection; impose
richer than poorer and pay workers a living wage. It appears that
West African governments are the least committed to
reduction of inequalities. In this average, Burkina Faso and Senegal are exceptions in particular to
level of social expenditure.
Investing in agriculture as one of the ways to reduce inequality
Inequality is not inevitable, says the report. Support for agriculture is one of the solutions
advocated to defeat them. To do this, states must devote at least 10% of the national budget to
agriculture. An objective affirmed and taken in 2003 by the African countries in Maputo but almost not
respected, only two out of 15 countries in the region respect it. In addition, they must develop a national
gender crops other than cash crops. But also to rebalance public investment between the middle
rural and urban. Oxfam also stresses the need "to fully implement the
African Union land policies, focusing on the eradication of agricultural land poverty,
deprivation of agricultural land and insecurity of land use among the poorest populations,
and especially among women", to streamline land registration processes in order to limit
administrative formalities and cost.
Outside of the agriculture sector, Oxfam is also calling on governments to adopt tax increase social spending and strengthen labour market protection. At the plan of the
ECOWAS, it must put at the top of the scale of its priorities the fight against inequalities with the elaboration
a regional action plan