Local eyes on public purse: the GH¢7m revolution

Thirteen dis­tricts. Thousands of pages of audit reports. Countless hours of citizen oversight. These numbers might seem meaningless, until you realise they represent a quiet revolution in public ac­countability that’s sweeping across Ghana’s local governments. Armed with determination and trained in financial oversight, ordinary citizens – from community leaders to concerned residents – have transformed into powerful watch­dogs of public resources. Their relentless pursuit of accountability has yielded remarkable results – in just one year, their efforts have recovered nearly GH¢7m from 13 districts, funds that had previously vanished into a maze of financial infractions flagged in the 2022 Auditor General’s report.

The story behind this transfor­mation begins with a troubling pattern. For years, the Auditor General’s recommendations gath­ered dust in government offices across Ghana. Research painted a grim picture: only 48 per cent of audit recommendations were ever acted upon, while financial infractions continued to mount. Even the introduction of the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NACAP) in 2014 seemed unable to stem the tide of financial mismanagement plaguing local assemblies.

Grassroots Movement

The Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) emerged as a catalyst for change in this challeng­ing landscape. Recognizing that traditional top-down approaches to fighting corruption had limited impact, the organisation pioneered a grassroots strategy that would revolutionise local governance accountability. With support from the Hewlett Foundation, GACC launched an ambitious initiative to create and train networks of citizen watchdogs who would monitor their local assemblies and ensure accountability at the community level.

This vision materialised as the Local Accountability Network (LANet), a strategic programme designed to increase citizen participation in local governance. GACC’s approach was compre­hensive – they developed training programs to help ordinary citizens understand complex audit reports, track fund recovery processes, and monitor procurement procedures. They established communication channels between citizens and local authorities, and created platforms for regular dialogue about financial management.

The network’s reach has grown impressively. Today, LANet op­erates in 34 districts across 13 of Ghana’s 16 administrative regions. Their mandate extends beyond mere observation – they actively engage with local authorities, mon­itor contract awarding processes, and ensure proper procedures are followed in everything from pro­curement to asset disposal. Regular dialogue sessions between LANet members and assembly officials have become a cornerstone of local governance in many districts.

Success Stories

The success stories span the country. In the Central Region, the Mfantseman Municipal Assembly recovered GH¢21,095.60 out of financial infractions amounting to GH¢24,251.60. The Ellembelle District Assembly in the Western Region clawed back GH¢29,000 in unearned salaries. These aren’t just numbers – they represent resourc­es returned to communities for development projects and public services.

The Executive Secretary of the GACC, Mrs Beauty Emefa Narteh, explains the organisation’s ap­proach: “We believe in empowering citizens with knowledge and tools. When people understand their rights and the processes involved in public financial management, they become powerful agents of change.” She emphasizes the importance of preventing financial malfeasance rather than just re­covering lost funds. “If the money that was supposed to be used to undertake a project two or three years ago was embezzled and it is retrieved this year, we will lose the value of that money,” she points out. “So, we should be preventing malfeasance from happening in the first place.”

Innovation in action

In Kadjebi, Northern Volta, the impact of citizen oversight has been particularly striking. Led by the determined Comfort Tsaku, the local LANet team has not only recovered funds but also sparked innovation in revenue collection. “In years past, not much effort was invested in implementing the AG’s recommendations,” Tsaku explains. “Working together with my colleagues made up of promi­nent persons, the Kadjebi District Assembly has recovered GH¢3,489 in 2022.”

The initiative has transformed how local authorities handle public funds. An official at the Kadjebi Assembly, who preferred not to be identified, reveals a significant innovation: “Revenue officers now collect levies and fees via mobile money and not cash. Cash collection in the past resulted in shortage. Ending that mode has increased revenue by nearly half.” The official proudly notes that their assembly wasn’t cited for any financial malfeasance in the upcoming Auditor General’s report, crediting this success to proactive measures and stringent financial management. “Their role is important so we invite them during occasions and involve them as much as possible,” he adds.

Expert perspectives

The Director-General of the Internal Audit Agency, Dr Eric Oduro Osae, sees LANet’s achieve­ments as a blueprint for national reform. “Look at the quantum that has been retrieved in this short period,” he notes. “If we are able to replicate it in the other 240 dis­tricts, you can imagine how much funds we can mobilise.” He par­ticularly commends the innovative approach of training journalists to spotlight audit citations and discuss issues on radio, adding that “the media can do so much if empow­ered. For instance, if it’s about pro­curement, journalists could reveal the identity of persons contracts have been awarded to and if they are politically exposed.”

Beyond financial recovery

The impact extends beyond financial recovery. In Mfantseman, LANet’s advocacy led to tangible improvements in public services. The network played a crucial role in operationalizing the Nsanfo health facility, which had stood idle due to utility service issues. This success demonstrates how citizen oversight can directly enhance community well-being.

The road ahead

Looking ahead, GACC plans to strengthen these networks further, organising project management and advisory meetings, analysing audit citations, and facilitating district-level celebrations of the African Union Anti-Corruption Day. These activities aim to institu­tionalise citizen oversight and make it a permanent feature of local governance.

As this quiet revolution con­tinues to spread across Ghana’s districts, it’s becoming clear that the power to transform public financial management lies not in grand gestures, but in the dedicat­ed oversight of ordinary citizens. Every recovered cedi, every im­plemented audit recommendation, every improved process represents a victory for accountability.

Like the first drops of rain that herald a storm, these initial successes signal a greater transfor­mation coming to Ghana’s local governance. The message is clear: when citizens stand guard over public resources, the entire nation prospers. And in the halls of dis­trict assemblies across Ghana, that prosperity is taking root, one audit report at a time.

BY JONATHAN DONKOR WITH ADDITIONAL FILES FROM GNA