Overview

At-a-Glance

Action Plan: Ghana Action Plan 2021-2023

Action Plan Cycle: 2021

Status:

Institutions

Lead Institution: Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice

Support Institution(s): State actors involved Criminal Investigation Division (CID), Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) CSOs, private sector, multilaterals, working groups Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC), Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII),

Policy Areas

Capacity Building, Judiciary, Justice

IRM Review

IRM Report: Pending IRM Review

Early Results: Pending IRM Review

Design i

Verifiable: Yes

Relevant to OGP Values: Yes

Ambition (see definition): Low

Implementation i

Completion: Pending IRM Review

Description

Problem to be addressed ● Lack of protection and assistance to persons exposed to severe danger from witnessing in court proceeding for criminal offences

The commitment  To provide effective protection for persons who are exposed to danger for witnessing in criminal Republic of Ghana - Open Government Partnership - NAP-4 18 prosecutions

Contribution of commitment to solving problem ● Commitment will ensure that witnesses in criminal trials especially corruption trials feel safe to testify

Relevance of commitment to OGP values  Will strengthen rule of law and the fight against corruption

Additional information

Milestone Activity with a verifiable deliverable Start Date: End Date:  Establish Witness Protection Agency Nov. 2021 June 2023  Provide Agency with human, financial and logistical support Nov. 2021 June 2023  Provide training for security agencies on the application of the law to protect witnesses July 2022 June 2023

IRM Midterm Status Summary

Action Plan Review

Commitment 3. Implement the Witness Protection Act

● Verifiable: Yes

● Does it have an open government lens? Yes

● Potential for results: Modest

Commitment 3: Witness Protection Act

This commitment outlines high-level objectives that could significantly improve the ability of witnesses in Ghana to come forward. However, the concrete activities to achieve these aims were not clear from the commitment text or interviews conducted. For example, would implementation include the passage of legislation or budget allocation by Parliament? How will this commitment overcome previous obstacles, such as financial constraints, to establishing the Witness Protection Agency? If revised, those implementing are encouraged to include milestones that describe specific, measurable, actionable, relevant, and timebound (SMART) activities.

Witness Protections (GH0030)