Ghana Undergoes Landmark Peer Review

Addis Ababa, 27 January 2006 - Ghana is the first African country to successfully complete the five stages of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), after African leaders assessed the country's performance and heard its feedback and action programme.

African heads of states, members of the APR Forum, conducted the peer review of Ghana on 22 January on the sidelines of the AU summit in Khartoum. They assessed the country's political, economic and corporate governance, as well as socioeconomic development based on the final review report.

The final review report submitted to the leaders listed capacity constraints, gender disparity, corruption, lack of decentralization and land issues as the main governance concerns in Ghana. Others problems included chieftaincy, unemployment, external dependence, and brain drain.

But the report also identified several best practices in Ghana worthy of emulation by other countries, including success in consolidating democracy. It noted there had been three successful elections and transfers of power since 1996, as well as unique institutions for stakeholder dialogue such as an Annual Governance Forum, the People's Assembly, and National Economic Dialogue. The report also commended Ghana's contribution to regional peacekeeping.

In response to the issues raised in the report, Ghana has prepared a fully costed [at $5 billion] and time-bound programme of action, dealing with each of the issues raised, as well as monitoring and evaluation processes.

In a presentation to the heads of state in Khartoum, President John Kufuor indicated that his administration had already committed $50 million for land administration policies. He also said he had set up "a special ministry" to help resolve the chieftaincy problem. Furthermore, he added, the government had submitted a bill for a national identification system and had set up a Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs. The results "are better macroeconomic conditions and debt forgiveness of about $7 billion," he stated.

In the area of fighting corruption, he said the government had taken a number of measures including repealing the libel law to make it easier for news media to expose corruption, enacting the anticorruption act, and conducting civic education. Ghana has also launched a Local Government Institute aimed at building capacity in local governance.

Finally, President Kufuor stated that he would turn the Independent Ghana APRM Governing Council into a permanent body so that it could continue monitoring implementation of the programme of action.

ECA's Executive Secretary, Under Secretary-General Abdoulie Janneh, who attended the peer review in Khartoum, noted that the APRM "is important for Africa's development and it deserves ECA's full support".

"The peer review of Ghana is an important milestone for the improvement of governance in African countries," he added.

ECA has been instrumental in providing support to the APRM process.

"Indeed, it has gone beyond its pioneering role in generating the peer review idea to providing invaluable support to the APR Panel and Secretariat and to participating African countries," said Emmanuel Nnadozie, the APRM focal point at ECA. "ECA and other strategic partners have helped to ensure the credibility and independence of the process."

Ghana and Rwanda are the first two countries to complete the self-assessment exercise and their action programmes were due to be heard in Khartoum. However as the Rwandan president was not present, only Ghana was subjected to the final stage.

[Note: The APRM is a five-stage process requiring broad consultations with key stakeholders inside the countries.

Stage One: Countries undergo a comprehensive national self-assessment exercise involving all relevant constituencies. The assessment report and draft programme of action are then sent to the APRM.

Stage Two: The APRM Secretariat undertakes a country review visit.

Stage Three: The country review team prepares a draft report.

Stage Four: APRM chairperson communicates recommendations to the head of state and government of the country under review.

Stage Five: Country report and action programme are publicized.

The APRM comprises a panel of eminent persons to oversee the process and ensure its integrity.