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Ghana

Civic Participation and Accountability (GH0026)

Overview

At-a-Glance

Action Plan: Ghana Action Plan 2017-2019

Action Plan Cycle: 2017

Status: Active

Institutions

Lead Institution: Parliament, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Office of the Head of Local Government Service,and, Ministry of Finance FDU,

Support Institution(s): National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Office of the Senior Minister, Office of the Head of the Civil Service (OHCS) and CHRAJ; SEND Ghana, Center for Democratic Development and Institute of Democratic Governance

Policy Areas

Fiscal Transparency, Public Participation, Subnational

IRM Review

IRM Report: Pending IRM Review

Starred: Pending IRM Review

Early Results: Pending IRM Review

Design i

Verifiable: Pending IRM Review

Relevant to OGP Values: Not Relevant

Potential Impact: Pending IRM Review

Implementation i

Completion: Pending IRM Review

Description

What is the public problem that the commitment will address?: As part of efforts to strengthen citizen’s engagement at the sub-national level, a framework on participatory planning and budgeting has been developed by the Local Government Service (LGS) to guide Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in citizens’ engagement. The new Local Governance Act (Act 936) passed by Parliament in 2016 dedicates a whole section to popular participation. The Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Local Government have consequently developed a manual and an action plan to guide its implementation. In 2013, the Government of Ghana through the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD) commenced implementation of the Local Government Capacity Support Project (LGCSP) in some 46 selected Metropolitan and Municipal Assemblies (MMAs). An integral component of this project is the establishment of Social Accountability (SA) units, development and use of public financial management templates by the participating assemblies to improve citizens’ education, communication and engagement. In the second action plan the government proposed to establish Client Service Units (CSU) in all the District Assemblies. This action has been substantially implemented. There is the need to move further the process to promote effective citizens’ participation in decision-making processes.; What is the commitment?: The commitment is to strengthen mechanisms for ensuring that citizens can receive feedback from elected officials (both Members of Parliament and Assembly Members).; How will the commitment contribute to solve the public problem?: The commitment is to expand the civic engagement process through innovative ways to ensure that citizens can receive feedback from elected officials (both Members of Parliament and Assembly Members). In addition, the decentralized institutions at the sub-national level are to be accountable to citizens by annually reporting on budget implementation to include non-financial information.; Why is this commitment relevant to OGP values?: The commitment will help improve opportunities for the public to influence the decisions by the elected officials (both at the local and national levels). It will also help to improve the quality and accessibility of information to the public.

Ghana's Commitments

  1. Open Contracting and Contract Monitoring

    GH0020, 2017, Infrastructure & Transport

  2. Anti-Corruption Transparency

    GH0021, 2017, Anti-Corruption Institutions

  3. Beneficial Ownership

    GH0022, 2017, Beneficial Ownership

  4. Fiscal Transparency and Accountability

    GH0023, 2017, Fiscal Transparency

  5. Extractives Sector Transparency

    GH0024, 2017, Extractive Industries

  6. Right to Information

    GH0025, 2017, Legislation & Regulation

  7. Civic Participation and Accountability

    GH0026, 2017, Fiscal Transparency

  8. Technology and Innovation

    GH0027, 2017, Capacity Building

  9. Starred commitment Open Contracting

    GH0014, 2015, Anti-Corruption Institutions

  10. RTI

    GH0015, 2015, Right to Information

  11. Citizen’s Participation

    GH0016, 2015, Public Participation

  12. Fiscal Openness

    GH0017, 2015, Legislation & Regulation

  13. Starred commitment Revenue Management

    GH0018, 2015, Legislation & Regulation

  14. Open Data

    GH0019, 2015, Open Data

  15. Fiscal Responsibility

    GH0001, 2013, Legislation & Regulation

  16. Fiscal transparency

    GH0002, 2013, Capacity Building

  17. Right to Information

    GH0003, 2013, Capacity Building

  18. Human Rights and Anti-Corruption

    GH0004, 2013, Anti-Corruption Institutions

  19. Extractive Sector Revenue Management

    GH0005, 2013, Extractive Industries

  20. Investment Oversight

    GH0006, 2013, Anti-Corruption Institutions

  21. Citizen Participation

    GH0007, 2013, Capacity Building

  22. Code of Conduct Bill

    GH0008, 2013, Asset Disclosure

  23. Audit Reports

    GH0009, 2013, Audits and Controls

  24. National Broadcasting

    GH0010, 2013, Civic Space

  25. E-Immigration

    GH0011, 2013, Citizenship and Immigration

  26. Financial Management

    GH0012, 2013, Citizenship and Immigration

  27. Starred commitment Policy Portal

    GH0013, 2013, Citizenship and Immigration