Open Space workshop co-faciliated by Nana Kwesi Acheman IXth, Paramount Chief of Lower Dixcove and Vice President of Western Regional House of Chiefs
LOGODEP conducted 17 workshops on different governance topics for Traditional Authorities during the lifetime of the program
MTDPs are four year "rolling over" master plans for the MMDAs which integrate the plans of the deconcentrated sector departments operating in the districts with the activities of the MMDAs.
Over 800 newly elected and appointed Assembly Members participated in the trainings. The training, which was conducted by ILGS, covered such topics as: Local Government and District Assembly Systems; Committees of the Assembly and Functions of Assembly Members; Enhancing Participation and Accountability in the Management of Assemblies; Resource Mobilization at the Local Level
As Traditional Authorities are the custodians of the land, LOGODEP’s spatial planning work required close collaboration with the Regional House of Chiefs. The ICT equipment handed over facilitated and enhanced that collaboration.Traditional authorities have proscribed legal functions to fulfil within communities which often include the production of documents. The ICT equipment donated by USAID facilitated such documents being produced in electronic form as opposed to handwritten.
Production of a Mini-Drama Series: Supporting your local government to deliver: “Have your say!” The Mini-Drama DVD series was highlighting in six three minute dramas an issue of concern for communities and their interaction with local government. The mini-dramas provided a starting point for community discussions which fed into follow up live broadcasts. Video were a powerful draw-card for rural communities and for all members of society irrespective of age and gender. This episode is one example.
Improving public participation in local governance, 41 grantees, US$ 1.3 million. During the launching ceremony a cost sharing agreement with Government of Ghana on improving IGF for target districts was also signed.
Approximately 250 community meetings with follow-up radio shows conducted throughout Program. Questions of accountable leadership, District Assemblies service delivery for citizens and and transparency and accountability issues were discussed. Parallel to these activities LOGODEP embarked on an elaborated public awareness program on Street Naming and Property Addressing
equipment & satellite maps handed over to target districts and beginning of GIS training & other trainings for district stakeholders in LOGODEP's IGF approach on increasing revenues
Launching of the National Street Naming & Property Addressing Policy and Operational Guidelines by the then Vice President H.E. J.D. Mahama
For each of the 17 districts a set of maps were prepared. One map depicted population density while the other map showed the distribution of health facilities in space and described the ease with which one can travel from a given location to another location to access a health care facility. GPS data determined the precise location of each health service point in the Western Region. It was the first time that Health Departments were able to add a spatial component to their health sector plans
Street signs are installed and a reliable tax database with tax collector zones established
District data collection teams being shown how to identify streets and specific properties on satellite maps. District teams are also trained in preparing stencils with street names to be imprinted on walls of properties and businesses
In response to LOGODEP's innovative SNPA approach, President issues a Directive for roll out of approach in all 216 MMDAs
The study was conducted by SNV and final results were submitted on 12 August 2013. Radio panel discussions with call-in sessions, citizen review board discussions with beneficiary stakeholders, community score cards and semi-structured interviews were used. Dimensions assessed were quality of service delivery, transparency & accountability, inclusion/participation/equity and most significant behaviour changes. On a scale from Very Good to Satisfactory community members rated the services delivered by three small grantees as Very Good and four as Good.
In November and December 2010 the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) conducted a baseline survey on citizen participation in the Western Region. The 2013 Citizen Survey provided a comparison with the baseline survey of 2010 and pointed out trends in key areas such as awareness and knowledge of local governance, understanding of the functions of local government and participation in local governance issues.
Manual was officially launched in Upper West, Wa, by the Hon Deputy Minister Baba Jamal in the presence of the Regional Minister, Regional Deputy Minister, representatives from the RCC and representatives from all MMDAs in the Upper West Region. Eva Osei, LOGODEP’s Local Government Expert was present at the launch. She then accompanied the Hon Deputy Minister during his orientation tour through all 10 regions and made a presentation in each region about the Manual to explain the different steps.
LOGODEP initiated several rounds of technical working group meetings with TCPD/ILGS/NDPC on integrating spatial planning processes into the MTDP planning guidelines. The methodologies developed are now integrated into the MTDP guidelines for all of Ghana's 216 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assembly (MMDAs) in Ghana. In collaboration with TCPD LOGODEP also provided hands-on training for the 22 Western Region Districts to acquire the necessary GIS skills to translate the compiled district profiles and proposed physical developments into space. In addition participants were also introduced to a new open source software QGIS.
Small grants during the second phase of the program concentrated on transparency & accountability issues in LOGODEP's target Districts
LOGODEP is capacitating Internal Audit Units and Audit Report Implementation Committee members and is clearing existing backlogs. 14 ARIC reports and 31 quarterly IAU reports were submitted at regional & national level.
Minister of Finance, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, World Bank, Canadian High Commissioner, German Integrated Services and others participate
Street signage installed, reliable database established & dlREV software for printing demand notices and processing tax database issues installed on MMDA's computers with finance personnel trained in using software
As part of the governance support LOGODEP in collaboration with the Western Region Queen Mothers Association prepared a road map for improving female participation in local government. The road map was based on workshops LOGODEP held between 2012 and 2013 for female Assembly Persons and the Western Region Queen Mother's Association. The workshops focussed on providing women leaders with Advocacy and Policy Influcencing (API) skills; leadership and communications skills training and introduction to key concepts of local governance
198 out of 216 MMDAs in Ghana submitted valid surveys which were used for data processing. The results of the online survey displayed very mixed results. 95,96 % of the MMDAs which participated in the survey didn’t finalize the Presidential Directive on Street Naming and House Numbering. Roughly 25 % of MMDAs reported that no satellite maps are available in the Districts. Out of the 75 % of MMDAs which indicated to have satellite maps available only 54 % reported to have satellite maps available which are between one and three years old. 43 % of all respondents reported that the resolution of the satellite maps they are using is lower than .5 meter per pixel. These figures suggest that almost half of the MMDAs in Ghana are using satellite maps which do not meet the technical specifications necessary for implementing the Presidential Directive on Street Naming and House Numbering. Unfortunately it is safe to expect that these MMDAs will be unable to bring the assignment to a successful closure even if they receive sufficient funding from the national level.
As of February 2015 LOGODEP had supported the production of 20 radio programmes and 19 community information center meetings where female candidates could talk to their electorates. In addition, the Queen Mother’s Association had distributed all the promotion material for improving female participation in the local government elections. (jingle broadcast on all relevant FM stations with support of Queen Mothers association)
In data based on December 2014 trial balances, IGF increase in the five target districts were calculated at: 45 %; 39 %; 18 %; 34 % and 42 % compared with previous year. The approach is very cost effective as the system will generate enough revenue to cover the costs of the system by 2017!
Planners of all 22 Districts in the Western Region now have the capacity to translate plans into space using modern GIS technology. On average 16 maps were produced by each of the 22 MMDAs and integrated into the 2014 - 2017 Medium Term Development Plans.
LOGODEP commissioned a documentary from a human interest perspective which used the example of the work in the target Districts to show how increased tax compliance has been achieved through the methodology the Program has pioneered and the importance of equity. The documentary tells the story through the perspective of Assembly staff, local taxpayers and Traditional Authorities.
Assessing public satisfaction with service delivery comparing results with baseline 2010 baseline study and 2013 assessment.
Some members of the Queen Mothers Association wrapping Kente, a fabric that is worn by the Chiefs and individuals at ceremonial events, as a farewell gift for LOGODEP's CoP, Peter Frickert
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