News
Ghana improves marginally in global rankings on budget transparency
• Dr. Emmanuel Ayifah
Civil Society Group Send Ghana and its partners have asked government to continue taking steps to ensure transparency and inclusiveness when putting together public budgets.
They have again called for “strengthening the oversight responsibility” of the Legislature and the Audit Service in budgetary processes.
Their remarks follow recent findings from an Open Budget Survey which indicated “a slight improvement” in public access to budget information in Ghana.
The Open Budget Survey is the world’s only comparative, independent and regular assessment of transparency, oversight, and public participation in public budgets in 120 countries.
According to the International Budget Partnership (IBP)’s Open Budget Survey (OBS) 2021, which launched the country’s results on July 28, Ghana’s transparency score remains below the threshold of 61, which is considered sufficient information for the public to engage meaningfully in budget processes.
Ghana’s transparency score, according to the report, increased from 54 in OBS 2019 to 56 in OBS 2021. This means that citizens have greater access to the information they need to participate in decision making and hold the government to account.
“Improving budgetary transparency is more important than ever given Ghana’s fiscal constraints and debt concerns,” Godson Aloryito, programmme officer of IBP said in Accra.
“Open budget practices are a winning proposition — they build public trust that governments can deliver, can help secure buy-in for hard tradeoffs governments are facing, and can lead to lower borrowing costs at a time when debt is at an all-time high.
“We urge Ghana to continue to take steps to make its budgetary process more transparent and inclusive, particularly around detailed reporting on public expenditures and the public debt,” he added.
The survey which found that there were limited opportunities for public participation, established that the Legislature and the Ghana Audit Service provided weak oversight during the budget process, with a composite oversight score of 39 in OBS 2021 — a notable drop from a score of 50 in OBS 2019.
“Bringing the public into the budgetary process can greatly bolster Ghana’s fiscal governance,” Dr. Emmanuel Ayifah, Deputy Country Director of SEND Ghana indicated.
“We have seen the value of involving communities in decisions around how to manage public resources by ensuring that public funds reach those who need them most during this difficult financial moment.
“We urge Ghana to put in measures to strengthen the oversight functions of the Legislature and the Ghana Audit Service,” he said.
By Ernest Nutsugah
The National Identification Authority has resumed the Ghana Card registration exercise for children between the ages of 6 and 14 in the Volta and Oti regions.
According to the Authority, the exercise begins on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, in collaboration with the National Health Insurance Authority.
In a statement issued on May 4, the NIA said the exercise forms part of a nationwide campaign aimed at registering about 3.1 million children to strengthen Ghana’s national identity system.
The Authority explained that the Volta and Oti regions are the first areas selected for the phased national rollout, with each phase expected to last at least 21 days.
Registration teams are expected to move from school to school, covering both public and private institutions, to register eligible children.
The NIA said registration will take place daily from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
It added that children within the age bracket who are not in school can visit designated schools or registration centres in their communities to register.
According to the Authority, parents or guardians registering a child must present the child’s original birth certificate, valid Ghanaian passport or certificate of acquired citizenship.
Where these documents are unavailable, a parent, relative or legal guardian may complete an Oath of Identity form.
The NIA further explained that in cases where a child has no known relatives, two Social Welfare Officers may vouch for the child under oath.
Parents and guardians who have enrolled their children onto the National Health Insurance Scheme were encouraged to present the child’s NHIS card or number during registration.
The Authority stressed that persons presenting children for registration must be Ghanaian citizens, at least 18 years old, mentally sound and possess a valid Ghana Card.
The NIA also advised children who registered during the 2024 pilot phase but have not yet received their cards to visit their district offices for collection.
The Authority warned that providing false information or assisting in the registration of non-Ghanaians is a criminal offence punishable by law.
It reaffirmed its commitment to building a secure, reliable and inclusive national identity system for all Ghanaians.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Police in the Aburi District arrested 11 suspects for alleged possession of arms and ammunition without authority in connection with the Adambrobe chieftaincy dispute, the Command revealed on Monday.
Ten suspects were arrested on Sunday, May 3, at Adambrobe, Aburi.
Police identified them as Dawu Joseph, a farmer; Kwame Aboagye, a vulcanizer; Samuel Obeng, a taxi driver in Adambrobe; Owusu Paul, a member of the Adambrobe Asekyere family; Jerry John Kwame Atilla, a businessman in Sowutuom; and private security men Evans Dekadzor, Christian Atsu, Samuel Annan, Thomas Davidson, and Richard Agyeman.
The Aburi District Command retrieved five pump-action rifles, 23 live cartridges, one taser, six phones, and one body armor during the operation.
Police also impounded two vehicles used to transport the suspects: an unregistered Ford pickup and a Toyota Corolla with registration number GE 2560-19.
An additional suspect, Douglas Amoako Danquah, was arrested Monday, May 4, after being sighted in a procession within the area, police said.
The arrests are linked to the ongoing chieftaincy dispute in Adambrobe.
Suspects are currently in police custody assisting in investigations.
The Eastern Regional Police Command assured the public of their continued commitment to maintaining peace and stability in Adambrobe and urge all parties to exercise restraint.
