Members of Parliament have stressed that Ghana’s transparency and accountability reforms under the Open Government Partnership (OGP) must be fully owned and driven by national priorities rather than external donor influence.
The call was made during the commemoration of OGP Week, where lawmakers reflected on Ghana’s progress since joining the global initiative in 2011 and outlined steps needed to strengthen its implementation.
Minister of State for Public Sector Reforms and MP for Tempane, Lydia Lamisi Akanvariba and MP for Ho West, Emmanuel K. Bedzrah, in a joint statement on Friday, emphasized that while international partnerships have supported Ghana’s reforms, the agenda must remain anchored in national ownership and democratic accountability.
“The Open Government Partnership remains a valuable platform for Ghana to deepen democratic governance and restore public trust,” Hon. Akanvariba stated.
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She added that Ghana’s progress in transparency reforms should not be treated as externally driven compliance, but as a long-term governance commitment.
“We must 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,” she said.
She underscored the need for stronger institutional commitment from all arms of government to sustain gains made under the OGP framework.
The Minister noted that Ghana’s reforms, including the Right to Information Act and the establishment of beneficial ownership disclosure systems, demonstrate the country’s ability to lead its own governance transformation.
“Ghana has made notable progress through the OGP platform, but sustaining it requires political will, adequate funding, and stronger citizen engagement beyond Accra,” she stated.
The MPs further called for increased collaboration between Parliament, civil society organisations, and government institutions to ensure broader participation in decision-making processes.
They stressed the importance of expanding consultations to regional and local levels to ensure that governance reforms reflect the needs of citizens across the country.
According to the statement, Parliament’s Open Government initiatives, including the Open Parliament Action Plan and OGP Caucus, are key mechanisms to deepen legislative transparency and accountability.
The lawmakers urged the government to prioritize pending legislative commitments, such as the Community Service Bill 2026 and enabling instruments for the Right to Information Act and the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act.
They argued that full implementation of these reforms will strengthen Ghana’s credibility in global transparency rankings and reinforce public trust in governance institutions.
The members stressed that Ghana’s OGP journey must remain a shared national responsibility rather than a donor-dependent programme.