Germany and Switzerland partner with Ghana to advance decentralisation and accountability reforms

The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) have launched the “Participation, Accountability and Integrity for a Resilient Democracy” (PAIReD) programme in a collaborative effort to strengthen local governance, public service delivery, and accountability in Ghana.

The initiative, supported by the European Union and SECO, is being implemented by the German development agency GIZ in partnership with Ghana’s Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development (MLGDRD), and the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC).

The launch event, held in Accra on 18 September 2024, brought together key representatives from the Government of Ghana, civil society organisations, the German and Swiss governments, and development partners.

Following the ceremony, participants engaged in a planning session to outline a one-year work plan for the programme.

PAIReD is a continuation of previous collaborations in the field of decentralisation and aims to support Ghana’s National Decentralisation Policy Strategy 2020-2024.

The programme focuses on three key objectives: improving the efficiency and transparency of Ghana’s intergovernmental transfers and local public finances, strengthening the capacity of state institutions to integrate development planning at the sub-national level, and enhancing accountability mechanisms in response to citizens’ demands for transparency.

In his keynote address, Divine Ayidzoe, director of research statistics and information management at the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, emphasised the tangible benefits of decentralisation.

“The social impact of decentralisation has been evident through enhanced service delivery and community engagement in development projects,” he noted.

Magdalena Wuest, acting head of cooperation at the Embassy of Switzerland to Ghana, Togo, and Benin, highlighted Switzerland’s long-standing commitment to decentralisation.

“Decentralisation is in Switzerland’s DNA. We have seen first-hand how important it is to deliver services as close to the citizens as possible. We are very pleased to support Ghana in the implementation of the PAIReD project. By strengthening the MMDAs [Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies], the districts will be better able to deliver much-needed services to Ghanaian citizens,” she stated.

David Collison, coordinating director at the Ministry of Finance, underlined the importance of accountability in the success of the programme. “Accountability is the cornerstone of a democratic society. Strengthening accountability mechanisms ensures that public officials and institutions are held to the highest standards of integrity and transparency,” he remarked.

The PAIReD initiative aligns closely with Ghana’s decentralisation strategy, which aims to improve local governance through more efficient management of public finances and stronger integration of development and land-use planning. By focusing on these areas, the programme seeks to create a more resilient and responsive local governance system that is better equipped to meet the needs of Ghanaian citizens.

Dirk Aßmann, country director of GIZ Ghana, directly addressed the Ghanaian partners: “We have been supporting the decentralisation agenda of Ghana for the recent years, and we feel privileged to continue this support through the PAIReD program on behalf of the German development cooperation, the Swiss economic cooperation and the European Union – and in close partnership and cooperation with all of you.”

Reporting by Caleb Ahinakwah in Accra

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