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THE GHANA NATIONAL GOVERNANCE PROGRAMME
GENERAL BACKGROUND
1.1 Historical and cultural setting
Ghana attained independence in 1957. Since then, Ghana has experienced a series of governance failures and four coups d'etat. Economic development over this period has been characterized by experimentation with socialism, military rule and, more recently, with market economy and economic liberalization. All these have had a profound influence on the nature of governance and level of social-economic development.
After a long hiatus of civil political activity a democratic constitution was promulgated in 1992 ushering in the "Fourth Republic. The country held its Presidential and Parliamentary elections and a President and Members of Parliament were elected who for the first time since independence completed their tenure of office.k The establishment and acceptance of the parliamentary democratic system seemed assured when in 1996 the second elections under the same constitutions were accepted by all concerned as "free and fair" and Parliament included members of minority parties as well as the majority (Government) party.
1.2 The Political Structure
The Constitution of the Fourth Republic established a multi-party democratic political order. It provides for three main governance institutions: The Executive (Presidency), Parliament, and the Judiciary. These are to be co-operatively independent and supportive. The Executive includes a cabinet consisting of Ministers of State plus executive of the regional and district administrations some of whom hold ministerial positions. Parliament consists of the Speaker and 200 elected members representing constituencies from 10 regions with a total of 110 districts. Parliament is divided into a Majority Party and the Minority Party or Parties. Ten Standing Committees and Sixteen Select Committees reflect different shades of opinion in Parliament and scrutinise appointments and policies and their implementation. Parliamentary niceties are observed and debate has been lively - a feature of true democracy. The Judiciary is organized around a judicial system made up of the Bar and the Bench, headed by the Chief Justice, tribunals, lower and circuit courts, higher courts and the Supreme Court. In addition to these three, the Constitution also makes provision for the establishment of Independent Commissions among which are: the Media Commission for the promotion of freedom of the media and responsible journalism; the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice which combines the work of the Ombudsman with the promotion of human rights; the National Commission on Civic Education for the promotion of good citizenship and good governance, and the National Electoral Commission to promote, educate and organize free and fair elections in the democratization process.
1.3 Socio-economic status
Ghana has a population of about 18 million occupying an area of 239,000 square kilometers, with a population growth rate of 2.9% per year and a life expectancy at birth of 56 years, an infant mortality of 79 per one thousand; a 60% adult literacy rate; and a nominal GNP per head of US$430 ($1,970 estimated Purchasing Power Party). Ghana is clearly not a middle-income country. It ranks 127th out of 174 countries in the Human Development Index for 1993 (in the UNDP Human Development Report 1996).
In 1983 the Government decided to pursue an Economic Recovery Programme in cooperation with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. By 1990 the expected results had not been achieved and the Government established a National Planning Commission with responsibility to advise it on development policies and oversee the attainment of development goals.
Although Ghana made substantial progress in the growth of its GDP from 1980 to 1993, it is still heavily dependent on subsistence agriculture and has not developed a significant manufacturing sector. Economic gains so far have been based on the service sector of which trading is the most important component. Improving the production base of the economy, especially that of agriculture vis-a-vis the population growth rate, remains a major challenge for sustained economic growth and poverty alleviation. Other major economic challenges include: a low degree of monetization, persistently high levels of inflation, continuing depreciation of the national currency, heavy dependence on foreign aid, and failure to attract private investment to any significant degree.
Objectives and Strategies
2.1 Scope of the governance programme
The long term objective of Ghana is to become a middle income country by the year 2020. In the medium term (1996-2000) the objective is to consolidate the gains of the Economic Recovery Programme and the Structural Adjustment Programme. These measures were intended to realize the full benefits of these policy measures, to translate them into real economic growth and improved quality of life for the general population.
VISION 2020 is the Government's long-term development strategy. Unveiled in 1995, it represents a vision of development and governance for the next 25 years. In a preface to "Ghana - Vision 2020 (The First Step: 1996-2000)" the President of the Republic of Ghana described it as "not a plan but a planning framework to provide guidance to planning agencies to prepare their own development plans" and asked that the document should "be made available to the general public to enable many people to contribute meaningfully to the discussions". It calls for a comprehensive transformation of the economy and society in order to effect significant improvement in the quality of life of all Ghanaians. Vision 2020 seeks to emphasize the following:
- national self reliance and independence of thought in all spheres of human endeavor
- creativity and innovativeness in all social and economic activities
- good governance at all political and administrative levels
- accelerated and sustainable economic growth, with due regard to the protection of the environment
- equi social and spatial development; and
- the promotion of the positive cultural ethos of Ghanian values, beliefs and norms.
To achieve this vision of a highly improved quality of life for Ghanaians by the year 2020 the following objectives have been set:
- basic human rights and freedoms for all citizens (including the right to own property and the right to information and freedom of speech and association), irrespective of one's social, economic and political status and religious belief;
- equi distribution of the benefits of development and hard-core poverty;
- universal access to work, shelter and leisure, with adequate remuneration for all categories of workers and affordable shelter for all;
- an adequate and affordable water supply and health care system for all citizens;
- universal basic education, with improved access to secondary and tertiary education;
- provision of appropriate measures (legal and equipment) for safeguarding the internal and external security of the nation so that individuals, communities and corporate bodies can feel confident enough to pursue their daily activities in peace and stability;
- economic growth (or increase in national income) of about 8% per annum on the average; and
- proper management of the population and its growth, resulting in a continuous annual increase in real income per person.
2.2 Linkage with the national development plan
Governance and development are inextricably linked. There is no separate budgetary allocation for governance, but the allocations from the Development Budget for many activities, for supporting District Assemblies, for example, and for elections during 1997 to Unit Committees, support a process of decentralization to bring government closer to the people. Allocations from annual budgets for parliament, the Judiciary, the Independent Commissions and Local Government are also crucial for good governance.
2.3 Strategic framework
Ghana is committed to promoting the involvement of Civil Society in the development process, using participatory and bottom-up approaches. There is also a devolution of power and resources to Local Authorities and their communities in line with a decentralization policy that has been adopted. These approaches are intended to reinforce development led by the private sector with public sector in an enabling and supportive role. Reforms in both pubic and private sectors will ensure greater transparency and accountability in the development process.
Against this strategic framework a newly created Programme Steering Committee will be expected to guide and operationalize a people-focused National Governance Programme.
Components of the Programme
COMPONENT OBJECTIVES COMPONENT ACTIVITIES AND ASPIRATIONS EXPECTED COMPONENT OUTPUTS 3.1 Promoting Civil Society involvement in the institutions of government Reforming the legislative environment for Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and improving relations between CSOs and the three areas of government: parliament, executive and judiciary
Strengthening and coordinating apex CSO bodies, improving capacity for self-regulation, accountability, and standards and improving the balance and complementarities of CSOs
More participation by CSOs in governance
Strengthening civic responsibility in accoun government, with appropriate checks and balances
3.2 Strengthening Parliamentary Democratization Supporting the Electoral Commission for autonomous and effective management of the electoral system
Strengthening interaction between Parliamentary Select Committees and Civil Society interest groups
Improved delivery by the Electoral Commission
Strengthened role of Civil Society in Law-making in Parliament
3.3 Supporting the Executive in effective administration and coordination Strengthening the coordination of reform initiates for effective development (the National Oversight Committee, National Institutional Renewal Programme, Civil Service Performance Improvement Programme, Public Financial Management Report Programme)
Promoting effective planning and implementation in the public sector in co-operation with CSOs and their interest groups, to ensure better accountability and transparency
Improved public sector management
Strengthened public participation and accountability
3.4 Ensuring justice and protection of human rights Strengthening the judiciary and ensuring its independence in the administration of justice and fairness as established under the constitution
Promoting the reform and effectiveness of the judicial system: the Attorney General's Department, the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Bar, and the Law Reform Commission
Strengthening legal reporting and administration
Strengthening the independent Constitutional Commissions
Expeditious judicial process
More efficient legal system
Improved human rights, civic educations, electoral process; stronger and more responsible independent media, etc.
3.5 Greater decentralization to improve local participation in development
Statutory creation of District and Unit Committees and coordinating bodies
Elections for members of District and Unit Assemblies
Strengthening District and Unit Committees and their staff to facilitate shift of functions from central to local levels
Government closer to the people
District Committees functioning by late 1977
Better policy formulation and management at all levels;
better co-operation between levels
3.6 Greater devolution of responsibilities in public administration
Initiatives for new structures in public administration, agencies, etc. (as for Immigration Service, Customs and Excise Preventative Service), and monitoring and evaluating these
Increased role for CSOs at all levels - Area District and National
More efficient and accoun public service, public expenditure and revenue collection
More ownership of development, more sustainability
3.7 Establishing a National Governance Programme Work of Programme Steering Committee, first meeting April 1997
Initial Workshop to help identify opportunities and priorities to strengthen governance, June 1997
Quarterly meetings of Committee and annual review of progress of National Governance Programme
List of priority projects
Greater participation
Ownership for proposed projects
Procedures for Coordinations and Implementation
4.1 Institutional Framework for the National Governance Programme
The National Governance Programme will be steered by a Programme Steering Committee composed of representatives from Parliament (Chair), the National Development Planning Commission, the independent Constitutional Commissions, Private Sector, Civil Society and relevant development partners.
The National Institutional Renewal Programme, located in the President's Office, will provide Programme Management and serve as the Coordinating Agency for programme activities.
4.2 Time frame
It is expected the first phase of the Programme will run for four years to coincide with the National Development Plan to the Year 2000, within the framework of Vision 2020.
4.3 Monitoring and Reporting
It is anticipated that the Programme Steering Committee will meet on a quarterly basis to ensure that available resources are allocated to programme activities in line with the National Programme. The quarterly Committee meetings will serve as monitoring fora for the representatives of the stakeholder in the PSC. The Committee's reports will be shared with the constituencies for greater transparency and accountability. Committee meetings will be complemented with Annual Review Meetings of a broader nature involving the key players as well as beneficiaries and Civil Society along with development partners. Where necessary, reports will be tailored to accommodate specific constituencies.
4.4 Success Indicators and Benchmarks
The progress in the Programme will be measured along the following broad indicators and benchmarks being worked out in the Programme's development:
a) With specific reference to Parliamentary Democracy, the focus will be on improved and regularized publications for ready access by Civil Society and its organization; strengthened and improved involvement of Civil Society in lawmaking and accoun interaction with the three branches of government;
b) On the Executive's role in public administration the indicators to be looked at include improved coordination of the reform process and evidence of effective decentralization where responsibility is shared amongst the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies at the centre as well as at the local levels;
c) Regarding the Judiciary, benchmarks will include an expedited judicial process, increased public confidence in the judiciary and swift and responsive legislative reform;
d) With reference to the Civil Society the main indicators would legislative reforms in favour of Civil Society Organization (CSOs), evidence of strong CSO apex bodies for effective coordinations and self-regulating concerning all the three branches of government (Parliament, Executive and Judiciary).
4.5 Evaluation
The quarterly meetings of the Programme Steering Committee and the Annual Review exercises will complement an in-depth evaluations to be undertaken half-way through the first phase of the National Governance Programme. That will cove all the three branches of government and examine the responsiveness of Civil Society in the programmed activities. Development partners may be called upon to work together with various Programme stakeholder in relevant appraisals.
Overview of financial requirements .
1 Total resources required
Ghana's National Governance Programme includes many activities undertaken by the Ministries, Departments and Agencies of central Government, the different levels of local Government and many parts of Civil Society. Budgetary provision by the Government, the private sector, NGOs, funding agencies and others indicates the resources available but it is difficult to ascertain what proportions of these allocation should be considered to support governance. The whole budget for Parliament and for District Committees, for example, supports governance in Ghana.
Budget allocation reelect financial constraints. Additional resources are needed to improve the services given to Parliament and the facilities available to its members; to increase the salaries of public servants to parity with the private sector and provide the equipment needed to maximize their efficiency - this improving their support for the Executive and their service to the people; and to increase allocations for the Judiciary, for the Independent Commissions, and for Local Government at all levels. That list is incomplete, requirements for an effective National Governance Programme.
There are also, in many cases on a smaller scale, various initiatives to improve governance and resources are required for these. But one characteristic of good governance is its pluralism and it is easier to indicate the resources required for selected activities than to estimate a total.
The June 1997 Workshop on Governance will be the first activity of the programme Steering Committee for Ghana's National Governance Programme. It is tasked to help identify priorities for improving the quality of governance in way that will bring maximum benefit to the people and developing ownership and wide support for their implementation.
It is expected that the Government of Ghana will wish to support some or all of these priorities. The Minister representing Ghana at the Africa Governance Forum may wish to a short paper indicating priorities and the resources required.
5.2 Resource gap
It is expected that it will be possible to estimate resource requirements and resource gaps after the initial Workshop on the National Governance Programme has identified selected priority activities.
