Northern Regional Coordinating Councils and partners present recommendations of maiden Northern Ghana Development Conference to Veep
A delegation of representatives of the Northern Development Authority and Regional Ministers of the Northern, North East, Savannah, Upper West and Upper East Regions with support from STAR Ghana Foundation have called on the vice president of the republic of Ghana, H.E. Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia on Thursday 24th October 2019 at the Golden Jubilee House.
Group photo of the visiting team with the vice president of the Republic of Ghana: H.E. Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia (5th from left)
Mr Alhassan Issahaku, Chief director of the NRCC, speaking on behalf of the organising committee of the maiden Northern Ghana Development Conference (NGDC) thanked the Vice President for honouring the invitation as the Guest of honour of the NGDC held in May 2019 at the Tamale Campus of the University for Development Studies. Mr Issahaku subsequently presented key recommendations proposed by stakeholders at the conference.
The recommendations include the following:
A forum for regular conversation between development actors in northern Ghana and the Heads of Cooperates;
Development of a sustainable peace and security architecture;
Implementation or review of the existing SADA Master plan;
Pool together a fund for agricultural transformation and Youth innovation support.
The Northern Regional Minister, Hon. Sa-eed Salifu on behalf of the other ministers acknowledged the continuous support of STAR Ghana foundation in the development of Northern Ghana.
The Vice President expressed his delight about the visit and reiterated the government’s commitment to the development of Northern Ghana. He indicated that five Key recommendations presented by the delegation fit into government agenda and encouraged the delegation to continue engaging with stakeholders and development partners to achieve the development of northern Ghana.
Delegation of the European Union to Ghana pay courtesy call to STAR Ghana Foundation
A 9-member European Union Election Observation Mission paid a Courtesy Call on the Programme Director /Acting Executive Director of STAR Ghana Foundation on Thursday, 19th September 2019, in Accra. The Mission, led by the Chief Observer Mr. Tamas Meszerics, was to follow up on recommendations made after the 2016 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections.
Group Photo of the EU Team and Staff of STAR Ghana Foundation
The discussions touched upon issues such as Vigilantism, RTI bill, Affirmative action and the 2020 general elections in Ghana. Mr Meszerics said he is impressed with the contributions STAR- Ghana continues to make in Strengthening Transparency, Accountability, and Responsiveness in the Ghanaian society.
Mr Ibrahim-Tanko Amidu, the Program director of STAR-Ghana, expressed his gratitude to European Union for their relentless support rendered to the STAR-Ghana programme.
Education Committee of Parliament visits selected Senior High and Technical Schools with support from STAR Ghana Foundation
The Education Committee of Parliament, with support from STAR Ghana Foundation and funding from the UKAid and EU has embarked on a working oversight visit to some selected senior high and technical schools in the Bono, Bono East, Ahafo, and Ashanti regions of Ghana. The Committee started its work on Monday 14th of October 2019 from the Bono East Region is expected to end on Friday 18th October 2019 in the Ashanti region.
Members of the Education Committee of Parliament tour infrastructural facilities at Techiman Senior High School
The purpose of the tour is to assess the status of implementation of national educational policies including the ‘free SHS Policy’ and the Semester (double track) system. Other areas of interest to the team are ongoing infrastructural projects funded by the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) as well as challenges of the second cycle institutions including special schools and youth with various forms of disability in education.
Hon. William Agyapong Quaitoo - Chairman of the Education Committee of Parliament, addressing the Press after a day's tour
It is expected that the independent oversight conducted by the Committee will document the emerging challenges and its impact on national education policies for redress. The monitoring visits also serve as spaces for cross-sector engagement between the Committee, Municipal, Metropolitan and District Assemblies (MMDAs), representatives of Civil Society Organizations and Parent-Teacher Associations, teaching and non-teaching staff of the schools, as well as the media. The host institutions include Techiman S.H.S., Tuobodom S.H.S., Goaso S.H.S., Ola Girls’ S.H.S., Notre Dame S.H.S., Twene-Amanfo S.H.T.S., Tepa S.H.S., Mankraso S.H.S., Toase S.H.S., Yaa Asantewaa S.H.S.
A staff of Tuobodom Senior High School takes her turn to provide feedback to Members of the Education Committee of Parliament
STAR Ghana in June 2017 signed a partnership framework with the Parliament of Ghana to help deepen and consolidate democratic governance in Ghana. The partnership with Parliament aims at helping to enhance Parliament's effectiveness in discharging its constitutional mandate.
STAR Ghana Foundation supports CMAC and Customs Division – GRA to promote citizen participation in revenue mobilization
The Citizen Movement Against Corruption (CMAC) in collaboration with the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has held a capacity building workshop aimed at promoting citizen participation, service delivery and improving revenue mobilization. The workshop, dubbed: Public Sector Watch Initiative (PSWI) was held in Accra on Friday 11th October 2019. This forms part of activities under the CMAC “Economic Rights Advocacy to Reduce Corruption Project” supported by STAR Ghana Foundation with funding from the UKAID, EU and DANIDA. The purpose of the workshop was to imbibe participation as a key function of increased revenue mobilization among key stakeholders.
A section of participants at the event
Colonel Kwadwo Damoah (Rtd), Acting Commissioner, Customs Division – GRA, indicated his interest and appreciation of the event and urged participants to see the challenge of revenue collection as a collective responsibility:
“… we are in this fight together, we need to understand issues involved, we need to get the cooperation and assistance of everyone and we need to have a clear direction that in indeed! this is a very important assignment for all of us. We are not to look at any one particular group, but we are all to look at it (tax evasion) as a social menace that requires cooperative effort from all stakeholders.”
Col. Damoah(Rtd) expressed his expectation of the event by indicating that:
“It is my expectation that when we are able to have series of such engagements, and those of us who by our acts of omission or commission may behave in a certain way that will give room for any types of perception, we understand ourselves better, and be conscious of whatever we are doing so that collectively we can find solutions to such disturbing problems and challenges”
Edem Senanu, co-convenor of CMAC in his address drew inspiration from Article 35 (6)(d) of the constitution of Ghana and asserted that: citizens have the responsibility to support Government, and Government has a bigger responsibility to create the platforms and spaces for citizens to receive feedback.
Edem Senanu, co-convenor, CMAC
He underscored the need to increase platforms for citizen participation to enhance an increase in revenue mobilization. He said:
“The platforms, spaces, and channels for citizen participation need to be increased so that many more Ghanaians will understand what they are trying to achieve, understand their responsibilities and be willing to give. If we don’t have those platforms available, citizens will not know, they will not own the process and they will not also feel they are obliged to support what the Government wants to achieve.”
It is expected that at the end of the two-day workshop, participants will apply the new knowledge of participation and outcome mapping to achieve policy results. Participants of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority will also be supported to develop an Action Plan to facilitate citizen participation in their work.
Participants reviewed case studies of best practices on participation and revenue mobilization in groups and in plenary discussions
In attendance were representatives of among others the following: Customs Division of GRA; Joint Committee of Freight Forwarders Association Ghana; Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders; Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana; Ghana Ports and Harbour Authority; Ghana Union of Trade Associations; TV3; CMAC; Westblueconsulting Ghana; GCNET; Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration; Ghana Integrity Initiative and STAR Ghana Foundation.
About the Public Sector Watch Initiative (PSWI)
The Public Sector Watch Initiative (PSWI) is a social accountability project initiated by the Citizens’ Movement against Corruption (CMaC) and hosted by Participatory Development Associates (PDA) with funding from STAR-Ghana Foundation. It is being implemented in collaboration with the Customs – Division, GRA.
Group photo of participants at the event
The Objective Is to help enhance service delivery, accountability, revenue generation and responsiveness of targeted public sector agencies through an accountability approach that uses direct citizen engagement with key state agencies to enhance institutional performance. This contrasts with a tactical social accountability approach that relies solely on access to information as a catalyst for generating transparency and accountability.
