An Economist at the Economics Department of the University of Ghana, Dr. Baah Boateng, has stated that the country lacks visionary direction especially in the area of policies which has resulted in the increasing cases of poverty today. Dr Boateng said poverty levels in Ghana will continue to rise if the government does not put the necessary measures in place to deal with the issue permanently. He was speaking on Dwaso Nsem on Adom FM on Tuesday in reaction to a World Bank report that 30 per cent of the country’s population is poor in spite of several years of rapid development. Dr Boateng said reducing poverty is a nation-wide effort which should not be left for the government alone to tackle but suggested that government must learn from First and Second World economies on how they strategized to reduce poverty and follow those steps. Also commenting on the same topic, the Member of Parliament for Dormaa West, Mr. Kwaku Agyeman Manu blamed the government for neglecting the poverty eradication programmes initiated by the erstwhile NPP administration. The Chartered Accountant said the Kufuor-led administration reduced the poverty index from 38 to 28 per cent in 2008 showing a 10 per cent reduction. He accused President Mills’ administration of abandoning the proposed model of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) when it should have been followed so that the country will achieve its goals on poverty. Story by Samuel Mantey/Adomonline.com/Ghana