STAR Ghana Foundation Monitoring and Evaluation Team in the company of CALID visits SDA Hospital in Tamale
A monitoring and evaluation team from STAR Ghana Foundation, led by the Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Manager – Frank Kwaku Amoateng, has in the company of representatives of the Centre for Active Learning and Integrated Development (CALID) and the League of Youth Associations in Tamale, have embarked on a field monitoring visit to the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Hospital in Tamale.
Front view of SDA Hospital in Tamale
The visiting team was received by the Director of the SDA Hospital in Tamale – Ekao Amouzou, on Wednesday 4th March 2020 at his office. The purpose of the visit was to obtain at first hand, progressive changes that have emanated from the implementation of the CALID’s `Fighting Unapproved Charges for Health Services` project funded by STAR Ghana Foundation.
Ekao Amouzou, Director, SDA Hospital, Tamale
The Project initially had a special focus on 3 health facilities in the Tamale Metropolis: Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH), Tamale Central Hospital, and the Tamale West Hospitals. The SDA Hospital was later added in September 2019 to expand the project scope and replicate results and learning from the other hospitals.
The implementation of the project has succeeded in empowering citizens of the Tamale Metropolis on their rights as clients of the various hospitals. The project has also facilitated the creation of reporting platforms and channels including a mobile short messaging system (SMS) platform for citizens to report corrupt acts of hospital staff. A case in point is the creation of a customer relations desk at the Tamale Teaching Hospital to respond to customer complaints.
Group photo of the visiting Team and Staff of the SDA Hospital
In October 2017, STAR Ghana launched an Anti-Corruption Call aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of citizens’ actions against corruption through the provision of among others: grants and technical support.
Stakeholders in Northern Region sensitized on the road map and code of conduct for the eradication of political vigilantism
NORSAAC in partnership with Sagani TV, and with support from STAR Ghana Foundation has sensitized key stakeholders in the Northern Region of Ghana on the vigilantism and related offenses ACT 999. The sensitization workshop, held at the Regal Hotel in Tamale on March 3, 2020 also enlightened participants on the Roadmap and Code of Conduct to end Political vigilantism for peaceful election 2020.
Alhassan Mohammed Awal, Executive Director of NORSAAC
Alhassan Mohammed Awal, the Executive Director of NORSAAC in his welcome address expressed his gratitude to STAR Ghana Foundation for funding the event and shared the purpose of the gathering by indicating that:
“The content of the Vigilantism and Related Offences Act 2019 as well as the Roadmap and Code of Conduct to End Political Vigilantism is not well known to citizens particularly key citizens such as religious and traditional leaders who hold significant influence across political divisions. The huge influence that religious and traditional authorities hold in northern Ghana must be utilized for the operationalization of the Vigilantism and Related Offence Act 2019 as well as the Roadmap and Code. If the traditional and religious leaders demonstrate greater commitment to uphold the Vigilantism and Related Offence Act 2019 as well as the Roadmap and Code of Conduct to End Political Vigilantism, greater success will be achieved in that direction. This will undoubtedly contribute to peaceful elections in December 2020.”
Frank Amoateng, Senior M&E Manager, STAR-Ghana Foundation
Frank Amoateng, Senior M&E Manager of STAR-Ghana Foundation, speaking on behalf of the Executive Director of STAR Ghana Foundation, Ibrahim-Tanko Amidu, acknowledged the efforts of NORSAAC in promoting good governance in Ghana, particularly in northern Ghana. He indicated the motivation behind the Foundation’s support to the NORSAAC project to include an effort to contribute to a peaceful and credible election 2020.
He urged the participants at the event to participate fully in the training and be good ambassadors of the knowledge and information they will acquire at the event. He said:
“it is not enough for you to be here, what is important is to learn and share. The opportunity you have to be here comes with a greater responsibility of contributing to the fight against vigilantism and for that matter a credible and peaceful election in December 2020”
George Amoh, Acting Executive Secretary of the Ghana National Peace Council
The training session was facilitated by George Amoh, the Acting Executive Secretary of the Ghana National Peace Council and moderated by Abubakari Kawusada – Gender and Governance Programme Manager of NORSAAC. Participants at the event were introduced to and sensitized on the Roadmap and code of conduct to end political vigilantism, as well as the vigilantism and related offenses ACT 999.
Panoramic view of participants at the event
The event, which is the first in a series, will be replicated in the four other regions of northern Ghana. It is expected that the training will contribute to Increased knowledge and actions of 32 paramount chiefs from 3 regional house of chiefs in the north, 30 CSOs, 55 religious leaders, and 72 regional political party leaders on the Vigilantism and Related Offence Act 2019 as well as the Roadmap and Code of Conduct to end political vigilantism.
The event forms part of activities to be implemented under the NORSACC election 2020 project funded by STAR Ghana Foundation. In August 2019, STAR Ghana Foundation launched a call for proposals under its Election 2020 Call to increase the effectiveness of citizens’ actions for credible, peaceful and inclusive presidential and parliamentary elections.
First Annual General Meeting of the STAR Ghana Foundation held in Accra
STAR Ghana Foundation in fulfillment of the Companies Act has held its first Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Accra, Ghana. The meeting afforded an opportunity for the Governing Council (GC) of the Foundation to report on activities of same to the Subscribers of the Foundation after its first year of incorporation.
Ibrahim-Tanko Amidu, Executive Director, STAR Ghana Foundation
The event, chaired by the vice-Chair of the Governing Council, Charles Abugri, discussed two reports from the office of the Chair of the GC and that of the Executive Director respectively. Ibrahim-Tanko Amidu, Executive Director of the Foundation presented updates on the key activities of the Foundation within the period November 2018 to December 2019. Read the full report.
Prof. Akilagpa Sawyerr (middle), former Chair of the Steering Committee of the STAR Ghana Programme in a conversation with some participants at the event
Among the key issues discussed are: updates on the human resource capacity of the Foundation; programme implementation; fundraising and networking. In attendance were subscribers of the Foundation, Members of the Governing Council of the Foundation, the STAR Ghana Programme Management Team, and the Media among other stakeholders.
Clara Osei-Boateng (middle), representative of DFID in a chat with some participants at the event
STAR Ghana Foundation was established as an independent organisation in November 2018. Led by the Steering Committee of the STAR Ghana programme, the establishment was the realisation of the ambitions and commitment of many people and diverse organisations, including the Funders’ Committee representing our core donors, the programme management consortium led by Christian Aid and, most importantly, the citizens of Ghana.
A cross-section of participants at the event, glancing through the annual report
3rd Annual Strategic Learning Event held in Accra, Ghana
After four years of programme implementation, STAR-Ghana Phase 2 has made substantial progress in the roll-out of key thematic grant calls including the Election 2020 Call, the ‘3C&L’ approach and Learning Framework (Communities of Practice and Learning - CoPL). It has successfully launched the STAR-Ghana Foundation in November 2018.
The programme continues to support a wide range of strategic and small grant partner initiatives across the country – engaging with national and district level actors to strengthen civil society engagement with the government for increased transparency, accountability and responsiveness.
As experience accumulates from collaboration with grant partners, the establishment of the new Foundation and application of the 3Cs&L mission (convening, coordination, catalyst, and learning), this event affords the STAR-Ghana team – together with Programme Consortium Partners and other key stakeholders, the opportunity to pause once again for strategic reflection to harvest and apply lessons from practice.
The event was held in Accra from Tuesday 25th to Wednesday 26th February 2020 on the theme: “Celebrating success; resourcing active citizenship for the future”
