ECONOMY OF GHANA NETWORK

IMPLICATION OF RTI LAW ON GOOD GOVERNANCE AND TRANSPARENCY & ACCOUNTABILITY

BY FLORENCE DENNISGHANA ANTI-CORRUPTION COALITION (GACC)

OUTLINE

WHAT IS GOOD GOVERNANCE

INDICATORS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE

WHAT IS SOCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY

CRITICAL FACTORS FOR SUCCESS OF SA

EXAMPLES OF SA & HOW THEY HAVE WORKED WITHOUT RTI

IMPLICATIONS OF RTI ON GG & SA

PRACTICAL ISSUES IN GHANA

WHAT IS GOOD GOVERNANCE

It is a complex process mechanisms and institutions through which citizens and groups articulate their interests, exercise their legal rights, meet their obligations and mediate their differences

INDICATORS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE

Accountable

It is a fundamental requirement and the bedrock of good governance

It is an obligation to report, explain and be answerable for the consequences

Transparent

Citizens should follow and understand the decision making processes

Clarity in the outline processes

Follows rule of law

Decisions should be consistent with laid down laws

INDICATORS - CONTD

Responsive

Proactive feedback to citizens concerns in a timely manner

Equitable and Inclusive

All category of citizens feel their interest and concerns are considered as part of the decision making process e.g marginalized, physically challenged, gender

GOOD GOVERNANCE

Efficient and Effective

Cost efficient and effective in using resources

Less leakages and lapses

Participatory

Consultations and solicit inputs of citizens in decision making

WHAT IS SOCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY

“An approach towards building accountability that relies on civic engagement i.e. in which it is the ordinary citizens and/or civil society organizations who participate directly or indirectly in exacting accountability”

(Malena, Forster and Singh, 2004)

CRITICAL FACTORS OF SUCCESS OF SA

Political Environment

Democratic

Multi-party system

Civil rights are respected & guaranteed,

Transparency

Access to information

CRITICAL FACTORS

Civil Society Capacity

Level of Organization of CSOs

Membership based

Technical and Advocacy skills

Legitimacy

Level of responsiveness

Accountability to their own members

CRITICAL FACTORS

Role of Media

Independent media

Informing and educating the public

Ownership is pluralistic

State capacity

Functioning public administration

Devolution of authority & resources

Build partnerships with all key stakeholders

Transparency & accountability

CRITICAL FACTORS

State and civil Society synergy

Trust and respect

Effective and constructive engagement

Institutionalization

Ensure impact and achieve better results

TYPES OF SA

Investigative Journalism

Civil Society Monitoring

Public Interest law suits

Citizen Vigilantic

Civil Society led actions

Committee for Joint Action (CJA)

Accountable Governance Group

EXAMPLES OF SA IN GHANA

- APRM

- Citizen Report Cards

School Feeding tracking

Monitoring of DACF

Budget Expenditure Tracking

Text book tracking

Community Assessment on Poverty Reduction

How have these SA been Implemented without an RTI

Regional & International Requirement

MOU will have to be signed with the Public Institutions concerned

Discretion to provide information is based on institutions

Such process does not sustain SA

EFFECTS

Makes advocacy & policy input difficult

Limits constructive engagement with public institutions

Findings are sometimes challenged

Builds mistrust with Civil Society

Leads to politicization of development issues

CS get confused as to who is credible in terms of information provided

Affects collective action

Weakens holding government accountable

RTI-SA-GG

Information should be available & reliable

Quality and accessible

Should be delivered on timely basis

RTI should provide for passive information – information upon request &

Active information – proactively provide information on government business

RTI-SA-GG

RTI is a tool for GG and SA

RTI provides the basis for critical analysis of issues of public concern

Provides information to citizens for collective action

Provides for rights and responsibilities of citizens and government

Provides citizens the opportunity to verify information provided by government

Enables constructive engagement

PRACTICAL ISSUES IN GHANA

Judgement debt Issues

Citizen Vigilantic

GYEEDA

EXAMPLES

India

Citizen Report Cards

Nigeria

Contract Monitoring

Latin America

Brazil, Panama, Columbia, Mexico Peru, Chile Conditional Cash Transfers to the Poor

Budget Monitoring

Citizen Reports Cards in improving health care

Oversight of Supreme Audit Institutions

CONCLUSION

Social Accountability ensures and sustains good governance

RTI is key in empowering citizens to hold duty bearers accountable

RTI is fundamental in social accountability and good governance