The Minister of State for Public Sector Reforms and Member of Parliament, Tempane Constituency, Hon. Lydia Lamisi Akanvariba read a joint statement on the floor of the Parliament of Ghana to commemorate the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Week.
In the statement, she applauded Ghana for adopting the OGP Principles to advance democratic rule and enhanced public service delivery. She also announced to the House key achievements attained by the country locally and globally through the implementation of the National Action Plans.
Despite the Achievement, she emphasized that “sustained progress requires renewed commitment”. She therefore called on Parliament and the Executive to provide adequate funding, enhance parliamentary oversight, deepen multi-stakeholder collaboration and prioritize the passage and implementation of pending legislative commitments under the 5th National Action Plan.
Read the full Statement Below
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE OPEN GOVERNMENT PARTNERSHIP (OGP) INITIATIVE IN GHANA AND CELEBRATION OF OGP WEEK 18TH – 22ND MAY, 2026 HON. LYDIA LAMISI AKANVARIBA, MP FOR TEMPANE CONSTITUENCY AND MINISTER OF STATE, PUBLIC SECTOR REFORMS, AND HON. EMMANUEL K. BEDZRAH, MP FOR HO WEST CONSTITUENCY AND CHAIRMAN OF THE OGP CAUCUS IN PARLIAMENT.
Mr. Speaker, I rise, to make a Joint Statement with my colleague on the implementation of the Open Government Partnership in Ghana and commemoration of OGP week which falls on the 18th – 22nd May annually.
Ghana has been a member of the Open Government Partnership since its inception in September 2011.
Mr. Speaker, in line with the globally accepted standards, Ghana’s OGP operates through a co-creation process involving government, civil society, and other stakeholders. The Public Sector Reform Secretariat, under the Office of the President, serves as its national Secretariat.
A 20-member Steering Committee, with equal representation from government and civil society co-chaired by my good self and a representative from Civil Society oversees the development and monitoring of National Action Plans. This National Steering Committee includes two Members of parliament from both sides of this House.
Mr. Speaker, since joining the Open Government Partnership, Ghana has achieved notable results through the OGP platform. These include the passage and operationalization of the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989); the establishment of a public beneficial ownership register; reforms in public financial management driven by the Public Accounts Committee and Audit Reports commitment; and the strengthening of open data initiatives in sectors such as health, education, and extractives. Around half of the commitments in Ghana’s last concluded Action Plan achieved moderately early results, with progress particularly evident in access to information and corporate transparency.
This Parliament of Ghana has also been a significant player in the country’s OGP efforts, following the launch of an Open Parliament Action Plan, the establishment of an OGP Caucus in Parliament, an Open Parliament Steering Committee co-chaired by Mr. Speaker himself and a representative from Civil Society, as well as an Open Parliament Working Group that comprises of senior staff of parliament working in concert with collaborators from civil society organizations.
Rt. Hon. Speaker, Ghana’s participation in the OGP has also gained continental and global recognition. At the 2023 Open Government Awards held during the OGP Global Summit in Tallinn, Estonia, Ghana won the Africa Regional Award in the National Category for its commitment to “Public Accounts Committee and Audit Reports,” which was cited as the most inspirational reform for enhancing accountability and transparency. Additionally, Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Assembly – an OGP Local member – was recognized in the Local Category for its Youth Entrepreneurship and Women Empowerment Programme. In 2021, Ghana’s Open Data Initiative implemented in 2013 received the OGP Impact Award for innovations such as “Where My Money Dey” and the “Online Blood Bank of Ghana.”
Recently at the African Open Government Partnership Conference held in Rabat, Morocco, Ghana was touted for its Open Parliament tenets, and as a country working to mainstream OGP across the State. Ghana is building an ecosystem that connects national reform with parliamentary openness, local innovation, civil society engagement, and citizen participation.
Mr. Speaker, while these achievements are commendable, sustained progress requires renewed commitment. I therefore call on this august House and the Executive, on this occasion of Open Government Week, to:
Provide adequate financial and political support for the full implementation, midpoint refresh of the 5th National Action Plan and OGP in its entirety in Ghana.
Strengthen Parliament’s institutional role in the OGP process through the Open Government Parliamentary Caucus, the Open Parliament Action Plan, and the Open Parliament Steering Committee – which under the auspices of Mr. Speaker, is working towards providing an extensive briefing of the Committee of the Whole House on OGP in the coming days.
Deepen multi-stakeholder engagements to ensure that consultations extend beyond Accra and reflect the voices of citizens in all regions.
Prioritize the passage and implementation of pending legislative commitments such as the Community Service Bill 2026, Legislative Instruments to operationalize the following Acts. The Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989) and the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act, 2025 (Act 1146) to consolidate gains in transparency and accountability.
Mr. Speaker, the Open Government Partnership remains a valuable platform for Ghana to deepen democratic governance and restore public trust. It is imperative that we treat its implementation not as a donor-driven project, but as a national reform agenda owned by Parliament, the Executive branch, and the people of Ghana.
I thank you, Rt. Hon. Speaker, for the opportunity.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com
