Market women in Ghana’s capital are calling for clearer, more accessible information on how the nation’s petroleum revenues have been spent since oil production began in 2010, highlighting persistent communication gaps between authorities and local traders.
Deputy Market Queen of Madina Market, Theresa Ansong, said in an engagement with PIAC that traders have long lacked information about government spending of oil funds. “Nobody has engaged us to explain how our petroleum revenues have been used,” she said, stressing the need for simplified presentations in local dialects. “We must break down the complex systems around petroleum revenues so we can share our views and benefit from national resources.”
The call came during an engagement organised by the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC), which brought together women traders from Madina Main Market, Adenta Market, and Bohye Market. The meeting aimed to explain PIAC’s annual findings, clarify government expenditure on oil-funded projects, and collect feedback from participants.
PIAC Chairperson Richard Ellimah, as reported by Daily Graphic, emphasised the importance of inclusive engagement, noting that market women’s experiences are often underrepresented in national discussions. “We have intensified community outreach programmes to ensure that market women no longer remain marginalised groups in policy engagement,” he said. He added that sessions like these provide a safe space for traders to ask questions and understand the use of petroleum revenues.
Ellimah also urged Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to intensify public education following amendments to the Petroleum Revenue Management Act (PRMA), which now directs a portion of petroleum funds into the District Assemblies Common Fund. “Such transparency will allow citizens to question local expenditure and effectively hold public officials accountable,” he said.
PIAC plans to extend similar outreach programs to other major markets across the country, pending support from development partners. The committee’s efforts reflect a broader push to deepen local accountability and ensure citizens, including market traders, can meaningfully participate in discussions on national resource management.
The initiative underscores a growing recognition that public understanding of petroleum revenues is crucial for transparency and governance, particularly among groups historically excluded from national policy conversations.
