Imagine a Ghana where every cedi allocated in the national budget is spent efficiently, every government project is completed on time, and public services meet the needs of every citizen. This vision is attainable if every Ghanaian citizen actively participate in holding the government accountable for how public funds are managed.
Ghana’s National Budget is far more than a financial report; it serves as a strategic blueprint for the nation’s development, encompassing infrastructure, social welfare, and overall economic well-being, among other key areas. However, to most Ghanaian citizens, this document remains an abstract that is heard only in parliament and analyzed by economists. This must change. Every Ghanaian has a role to play in monitoring public spending and ensuring transparency and accountability in financial governance.
The Budget Affects Every Ghanaian
Government budgets directly affect everyday life—from the quality of roads and hospitals to the availability of schools and social welfare programs. When funds are mismanaged or misallocated, the result is often poor infrastructure, inadequate healthcare, and failing education systems.
According to the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), financial mismanagement and corruption are major contributors to poor service delivery..The Auditor-General’s 2021 report revealed financial irregularities amounting to GHS 12.8 billion, including procurement violations, unauthorised payments, and incomplete projects.. These funds could have been used to improve critical infrastructure and expand access to essential services.
By monitoring how the budget is implemented, citizens can help ensure public resources are used efficiently and equitably, thereby improving lives and building a stronger nation.
Transparency and Accountability: A Shared Responsibility
While the government has the primary duty to ensure transparency, it is the role of citizens to demand accountability. Public financial accountability is a cornerstone of democracy, and research shows shows that active citizen engagement reduces corruption and increases the quality of public services.
Civil society organisations like BudgIT Ghana, Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), and SEND Ghana work to make budget data accessible, however, without active citizen participation, these efforts lose impact. Ghanaians must engage by asking critical questions:
- How are public funds being spent?
- Are projects being completed as planned?
- Who is benefiting from government allocations?
In countries where citizens actively monitor budgets, public service delivery has improved significantly. A study on social accountability mechanisms in Uganda found that when communities engaged in budget oversight, school performance improved, and health service
Technology as a Tool for Budget Oversight
With the advent of digital platforms, tracking the national budget has become relatively easy. Budget documents, expenditure reports, and project monitoring dashboards can today be accessed by citizens through websites, social media, and civic tech tools. For example, through the use of civic-tech tools, BudgIT Ghana translates complicated budgetary information into simplified formats so that ordinary people can meaningfully engage with such information and understand how the government uses public funds.
Civic technology has further been instrumental in facilitating budget transparency around the world. For example, the “Open Data Initiative” in Kenya made all government spending available to its citizens, which greatly helped increase public scrutiny of the government’s expenditure and reduce corruption. The same can be done for Ghana’s budget and procurement processes.
In addition, Ghana’s Public Financial Management Act, 2016, (Act 921), demands openness in budgetary procedures, yet implementation gaps exist. The more citizens use digital tools to track projects and expenditures, the stronger the pressure will be on the leaders to uphold financial discipline.
BudgIT Ghana: Driving Citizen Engagement in Budget Transparency
BudgIT Ghana plays a crucial role in simplifying financial data and making it accessible to everyday citizens. Through data visualisation, community outreach, and civic technology, BudgIT enables citizens to track public spending and demand accountability from their leaders. The organisation promotes budget literacy and policy advocacy, equipping citizens with the knowledge and tools to actively engage in public finance.
BudgIT also seeks partnerships with organisations, institutions, and social impact initiatives to advance transparency and accountability. The ultimate goal is to establish a culture of responsible governance, where public funds are utilised effectively for national development.
What is the Cost of Inaction?
Failure to monitor public spending comes at a high cost. Whenever citizens do not pay attention to how their respective governments are spending money, inefficiencies and corruption thrive.
According to the 2023 Open Budget Survey, Ghana scored a disappointing 17 out of 100 for Public Participation, highlighting the lack of citizens to engage in and influence the budget process. The country’s budget oversight system scored just 28 out of 100, revealing that key institutions, including the Ministry of Finance, Parliament, the Fiscal Council, and the Auditor-General’s Office are not providing adequate scrutiny or monitoring of public funds. On budget transparency, Ghana scored 46 out of 100, indicating a significant lack of accessibility to critical budget data, fostering fiscal obscurity and limiting citizens’ ability to demand accountability. These findings underscore the urgent need for greater public engagement, institutional reforms, and strengthened budget oversight mechanisms to ensure responsible financial governance and prevent misuse of public resources. The World Bank estimates that corruption alone costs African countries close to $148 billion every year and Ghana suffers significantly from this loss.
The impact of this can also be seen through projects that have stalled due to mismanagement like the Saglemi Housing Project which was expected to provide 5,000 low-cost housing units. This project has remained uncompleted for years now and this is owing to the misappropriation of funds. These failures result in the waste of resources and deprive citizens of basic services.
The development of Ghana is dependent on an active, informed, and engaged population that holds leaders accountable. A passive citizenry only enables the prevalence of corruption but an active one, on the other hand, prevents it.
A Call to Action
Every Ghanaian has a stake in how public resources are used. It is time to move beyond passive observation and become active budget watchdogs. Here’s how you can start:
- Educate Yourself – Follow platforms like BudgIT Ghana that simplify budget data.
- Engage with Public Officials – Attend town hall meetings, ask questions and demand transparency.
- Report Irregularities – Speak out when you notice mismanagement or corruption.
- Use Digital Tools – Take advantage of available civic tech tools to track projects and budget allocations.
- Encourage Others – Spread awareness within your community to build a culture of accountability.
The Power of Citizen Oversight
The national budget of Ghana is not merely a set of figures on paper; it forms the basis for development, infrastructure, and social amenities within the country. Without vigilance, the intended benefits of public funds are lost to mismanagement and corruption. It is not only the duty of the government and civil organisations to ensure transparency and accountability, but also active public participation in all aspects is a collective duty.
By embracing technology, engaging with policy thinkers, and insisting on financial accountability, every Ghanaian can contribute to ensuring that national resources are used effectively for the benefit of all. The consequences of inaction are dire, including abandoned projects, a lack of social services, and slower national development. On the other hand, active citizenship fosters a culture of openness that promotes better governance and ensures positive change when all citizens monitor government spending.
Now more than ever, Ghanaians need to be more active budget watchdogs, not passive onlookers. The future of Ghana’s economic prosperity depends on informed and engaged citizens. The time to act is now. Let us hold our leaders accountable, track public spending, and work together to build a more transparent and prosperous nation.