A. Policy Studies

(I) Studies include Analysis of the impact of policy on the economy of Ghana, Macroeconomic Stability and Growth; Fiscal Policy Issues; Debt Management Issues; Monetary Policy Issues; Inflation; Exchange Rate Policy; Trade Policy; Indusrial Policy; Agricultural Transformation and Sectoral Policy issues.

(II) Research Ouput and Dissemination

The Center organizes Workshops and Seminars on results and findings of CEPA research activities (including project and contract studies).

The main publications are the Ghana Macroeconomic Review and Outlook and the Ghana mid-Year Macroeconomic Review both of which come out once a year.

Each Macroeconomic Review provides in-depth analysis of the:

Agricultural Sector
Industrial Sector
Public Finance and Fiscal Operations
Money, Credit and Banking
Trade and Payments
Social Sector Issues (Education, Health, Housing etc.)

B. International Trade and Agriculture
(I) International Payments Systems in ECOWAS

Over the past two years, CEPA has been involved with five other countries—Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal, Guinea and Burkina Faso—in a collaborative research project on International Payments Systems. One factor, which militates against increased trade integration among ECOWAS countries, is the high level of transaction costs associated with the International Payments System. Funded by IDRC, the objective of the International Payments System in ECOWAS is to facilitate trade transactions by reducing the transactions costs involved in increasing the credibility of the system.

Extensive research work has already been completed and CEPA will be involved with the write-up of a synthesis and submission a seven-chapter manuscript for publication.

(II) Regional Economic Integration

Trade integration is a central objective of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) established in 1975. For ECOWAS, regional integration is one of the elements necessary for the eradication of mass poverty among their peoples. However, in spite of the establishment of ECOWAS, the level of trade among its members remains low.

In line with this, CEPA will undertake a collaborative research study with participating researchers from the Ministry of Regional Economic Integration, Ministry of Finance and University of Ghana in Ghana, and the University of Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso into some of these issues. The study is to be sponsored by European Commission.

(III) Agricultural Production Survey

This will involve an assessment of agricultural production conditions for 2001 covering all ten regions of Ghana.

C. Infrastructure and Utilities

(I) Energy Demand Projections

CEPA is involved in this collaborative research study with the Energy Commission. The study, being funded by DANIDA, aims at projecting future economic and social developments in the context of the Government of Ghana’s Strategic National Energy Plan (SNEP).

CEPA’s task is mainly to provide inputs into the process of establishing the data foundation for the elaboration of the SNEP and to provide an overview of the methodology and techniques used to obtain and analyze the data. CEPA is responsible for the description and analysis of socio-economic factors that drive the demand for energy services, the choice of technology, and the choice of fuels. The focus of the study is on forecasting macroeconomic and social indicators for the next twenty years, which will have an impact on the development of the demand for energy, the technologies used and the choice and consumption of energy resources.

(II) Energy Consumption Survey

In 1998, the country was hit by an energy crisis. Briefly, the crisis entailed a drastic curtailment of domestic and industrial energy supply because of the low water level in the Akosombo hydroelectric dam. The Volta River Authority (VRA), which controls the dam, had to resort to this measure in order to save the dam from a complete shutdown.

The exercise adversely affected both domestic and industrial users. A case in point is the curtailment of power to the country’s mines, which are the country’s leading foreign exchange earners. The adverse impacts of the shock included reduced capacity utilization, increased production costs, and potential reduction in employment. It is clear that a proper energy planning could have averted the situation. This has put to the fore the importance of systematic energy planning as a way of ensuring sustained provision of energy supply.

It is in this light, CEPA intends to carry out an energy consumption survey. The objective of this survey is to gather baseline information on energy consumption by key firms and companies in the mining and industrial/manufacturing sectors of the economy for purposes of projecting the likely consumption path for the next twenty years. The survey will also be used to gain some insights into continuously low levels of production in the country’s manufacturing sector.

D. Social Sector, Poverty and Gender Issues

(I) Financing Options for Tertiary Education

The social sector covers special features on a wide range of issues, health, education, housing, and poverty analysis. This year, the special feature will focus on financing options for tertiary education.

(II) District Level Baseline Poverty Indicators

Participating countries in the HIPC Initiative are expected to utilize the resources made available through the debt relief component of the Initiative for poverty reduction. Ghana’s Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS) paper is to be published soon and will provide a framework for the utilization of debt relief resources. In line with this, CEPA conduct a baseline survey to provide district level poverty indices and indicators of interest at the district level to assist in accurate assessment of the PRSP Process.

E. MIMAP Ghana Project

The Micro Impact of Macroeconomic Policy (MIMAP) is an IDRC interdisciplinary initiative, which among other things assists in the refinement or redesign of macroeconomic policies to achieve an optimal mix of economic, social and environmental objectives. In 2001, CEPA began a Ghana MIMAP Project in collaboration with the International Development Research Center (IDRC) and Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

In 2002, MIMAP Ghana, in collaboration with some Canadian institutions, will organize Poverty and Modeling training sessions for researchers. There will also be internship programmes for young researchers and students from the Economic Policy Management Programme of the University of Ghana. The project will also involve researchers from other institutions outside CEPA—essentially, the National Development Planning Commission, ISSER, and the Institute of Economic Affairs.

F. Industrial Development Project

The objective of this project is to analyze the Industrialization Process of Ghana and to suggest strategies to improve it. The specific issues to be addressed will include:

Corporate Sector Performance: A survey will be conducted to assess the state and perception of the corporate sector from the firms themselves.
Competitiveness of Ghanaian Manufacturing: In-depth industrial survey with a focus on sectors with the potential for enhanced competitive advantage as well as to determine sector input requirements.
Manufactured Exports: Support for institutions charged with the development and promotion of exports

Capacity Utilization

Human Resource Development and Utilization: To what extent do Ghanaian manufacturers regard these as critical to industrial development?
The WTO and Industrial Development in Ghana
To what extent does the WTO create incentives for Ghana's industrial development? A review of the WTO articles and agreements will be reviewed to examine whether they create incentives or disincentives for Ghana's industrial development.

G. Library and Information Resource Center

(III) Acquisition and documentation of library materials with emphasis on policy analysis.

The library also has

- a databank on major economic aggregates

- CD-ROM providing a comprehensive reference guide.

H. CEPA Representation

CEPA will participate fully in a number of Seminars, Workshops, Public Lectures and Television Programmes, which may be organized by other institutions as part of her dissemination efforts.

(I) National Advisory Committee and Working Groups

CEPA is currently represented on the National Advisory Committee of Producers and Users of Statistics (NACPUS) working groups. The objective of NACPUS is to give guidance in the harmonization and improvement of general statistics assembled in the country especially by the Ghana Statistical Service. The workings groups are as follows:

Fiscal and Monetary Statistics;
Trade Statistics;
Social Statistics; and
The Poverty and Welfare Statistics.
I. Project and Contract Studies

The center also farms out project on contract basis to CEPA associates in various areas of policy relevance, such as Macroeconomic and Sectoral Policy Issues; Trade and Commercial Policy; Privatization; Financial Sector Issues and Labour Market Issues