Ghana has scored 46 out of 100 in the 2023 Global Open Budget Survey (OBS), which assesses public access to central government budget information. The OBS is the world’s only independent, comparative, and fact-based research tool that uses internationally accepted criteria for this purpose.
In his presentation, Mr. Mohammed Tajudeen Abdulai, Program Officer of SEND Ghana, revealed that Ghana’s performance in the OBS has declined, with the country scoring lower in transparency compared to its 2021 score. The drop is attributed to delays in publishing In-Year Reports online and a reduction in the information provided in the Executive’s Budget Proposal.
Ghana’s low performance in public participation was particularly concerning, scoring just 17 out of 100. The survey found that citizens were not adequately involved in the various stages of the budget process, and not all eight budget documents were published on time.
The report recommended that the Ministry of Finance should pilot mechanisms to monitor budget implementation and engage more actively with vulnerable and under-represented communities, either directly or through civil society organizations, to ensure sufficient budget allocation.
It also suggested that Parliament and the Audit Service should allow public or civil society testimonies during budget proposal hearings and audit report discussions. Additionally, the Executive’s Budget Proposal should be submitted to legislators at least two months before the start of the year, with committees required to examine in-year budgets and publish their findings online.
Mrs. Harriet Nuamah Agyeman, Country Director of SEND Ghana, stated in an interview that Ghana’s performance in the OBS is a call to action for all three arms of government to enhance good governance and engage the public more extensively on budget issues. She emphasized that the government must be willing to involve citizens in decision-making processes to ensure accountability and support effective democracy.
