Ghana Integrity Initiative

About Programmes
Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) is the local chapter of Transparency International (TI), the global civil society organization leading the fight against corruption. GII, launched in December 1999, is a non-partisan, non-profit civil empowerment organization focused on the delivery of essential themes necessary for the creation of a National Integrity System.

GII’s vision is to make Ghana a corruption-free country in all spheres of human endeavour where people and institutions act with integrity, accountability and transparency.

GII's Programmes Area

Research and Advocacy Programmes : -GII conducts evidenced-based research on corruption related issues and publish its findings. GII also sensitize relevant stakeholders and enter into dialogue on the findings of its research to advocate for legislative and institutional reforms.
Public Education and Capacity Building Programmes : -GII educates the public on the causes, effects and solutions to the problem of corruption as well as the importance and avenues for reporting corruption and seeking redress. GII through its quarterly newsletter (GII Alert) also highlights significant happenings in anti-corruption in Ghana and around the world.

AFRICA EDUCATION WATCH PROJECT
The ‘Africa Education Watch’ is a three year programme being implemented simultaneously in seven African countries namely; Ghana, Morocco, Niger, Uganda, Senegal and Sierra Leone. The programme is in two phases, first the diagnostic or assessment phase which ends in 2008 and the second phase consisting of awareness-building and advocacy campaigns at national and regional levels over a two year period (2009-2010). The programme is supported by Hewlett Foundation in Washington through Transparency International Secretariat in Berlin, Germany.

Goal:

The main goal of the African Education Watch (AEW) project is to support the design and implementation of education policy reforms using evidence-based information and to address leakages and inefficiencies in the use of resources for primary education financing.

Objective:

The main objective of the study is to assess resource allocation to primary schools, their use, identification of leakages and an assessment of the extent to which beneficiaries are involved in decisions about the use of resources in primary schools. The second objective is to promote transparency in resource utilization and improvement in efficiency in education spending not only in the study countries but throughout the world

Past Activities
As part of the planning phase PM attended a workshop in Senegal
Development of sector analysis paper on education march 12, 2005
Proposal for the survey
Workshop in Accra to discuss the survey instrument
A desk study was conducted in preparation for the methodology workshop in October, to gather information on resource allocation to the education sector and the budget process as it affects the education sector.
GII hosted a methodology workshop in October, 2007 in Accra that brought together representatives of all local chapters that are participating in the study and staff of the TI-S in Berlin as well as the consultant and a representative of the funder. The workshop deliberated and agreed on the methodology, particularly the sample and questionnaires to be used for the surveys.
Desk Study – where information and policies of the Education sector were studied in-depth to understand the system better

TRANSPARENCY AND INTEGRITY IN SERVICE DELIVERY IN
AFRICA (TISDA) PROJECT
In January 2009, GII launched a 3-year project titled “Transparency and Integrity in Service Delivery in Africa (TISDA) focusing on the water supply sector.

TISDA is being implemented by TI National Chapters in seven other African countries including:
Cameroon, Nigeria, South Africa : Education sector
Ghana, Kenya, Senegal: Water Sector
Uganda and Zambia: Health Sector

TISDA aims to achieve greater integrity, transparency and accountability in the provision of basic services through effective research and advocacy.

Research phase

Establishment of a nine member advisory committee comprising Public, Private and Civil Society Organisations in the water sector who provide technical guidance and support for the TISDA project.
Consultations with key stakeholders in the water sector to ensure maximum cooperation and support for the project
Identified and work with other civil society organisations in the water sector (partners) in three selected regions on the TISDA case studies and advocacy.
Developed a draft national desk study report
Carried out case studies in six (6) selected communities (urban, peri and rural areas) in three regions (Greater Accra, Volta and Ashanti region) to assess the possible risks related to transparency, accountability and participation and their impacts on water service delivery.

On the basis of the information collected “risk maps” are developed which would provide the basis for the development of participatory and inclusive advocacy strategies seeking to engage end users, service providers and decision makers at government level in addressing issues related to corruption in the water sector

NB: Risk Maps assess the performance of water service delivery with regards to transparency, accountability and participation.

TAX JUSTICE & GENDER IN GHANA

This project is in partnership with Christian Aid (CA) and Ghana Association of Women Entrepreneurs (GAWE).

The project was conceived out of an earlier research conducted by CA titled “Taxation and Development in Ghana.” The project confirmed that taxation is an important catalyst for political accountability and will accelerate progress towards country led development by reducing state’s dependence on donors.

Given the large percentage of women in the informal sector, the current Tax and Gender study being implemented by GII will among others seeks to find out “the impact of taxation on women, and to investigate the costs and benefits of the current tax incentives framework for business women”.

It is estimated that 10,000 business women in 6 regions will be captured in this exercise in addition to local tax officials in these districts. It is expected to be completed by March 2011.

REGIONAL/DISTRICT -LEVEL WORKSHOPS

Since 2004, GII has pursued an agenda to bring the campaign against corruption and demand for accountability to all citizens by organizing District and Regional-level capacity building workshops.
The workshops aim to bring the issues of corruption and good governance to the doorsteps of the most important stakeholders our democratic dispensation.
In all over 60 workshops have been organized in all the regions of Ghana.

   Other objectives:

To create awareness about the negative effects of corruption and to sensitize citizens to demand responsiveness, accountability and transparency from people and institutions in their communities and district administrative structures;
To enhance the participants understanding of the phenomenon of corruption, its nature and causes and manifestations.
To mobilize citizens at the grassroots to become anti-corruption monitors and crusaders
To instill trust and confidence in participants that despite the pervasiveness of corruption in the social, economic and political environment of the Ghanaian society, it can be controlled
To identify and collaborate with stakeholders to work out specific/participatory strategies and modules for combating corruption.

PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF GII QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER

   Since 2004, GII has been publishing a quarterly newsletter called “GII Alert.” For some time now, the newsletter continues to feature more local contents to bring to bear the issues of corruption in Ghana and particularly Africa. Students, Partner organisations, Researchers, Parliamentarians and other stakeholders continue to patronize the newsletter and request for subsequent editions of the Alert to be delivered to their respective organisations indicating the usefulness of the newsletter to their work.

ADVOCACY AND LEGAL ADVICE CENTRE (ALAC)

In April 2009 GII launched the ALAC to provide an avenue for citizens and corporate bodies who become victims or witnesses of corrupt practices to report corruption and seek to redress.

The Center also collects data on corruption complaints to advocate for institutional and structural changes in order to minimize the prevalence of corruption in Ghana

ALAC offers the following services:

Toll-free line (0800-100-25) from Ghana Telecom. Callers do not pay for calls they make.
Consultation with trained legal advisors
Referrals to Anti-Corruption Agencies for investigations and redress of complaints.
Outreach programmes (Mobile ALACs)

With support from the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) the ALAC will carry out some outreach programmes from October 2010 to March 2011 to raise awareness about the services ALAC offer and empower citizens to report acts of corruption.

POVERTY AND CORRUPTION IN AFRICA PROJECT (PCA)

The role of corruption in perpetuating poverty has been one of the key rationale for Transparency International (TI) and its national chapters such as Ghana Integrity Initiative’s continued fight against corruption.

In an effort to create change towards a world free of corruption and thereby reduce poverty and accelerate development, six of TI’s national chapters in Sub-Saharan Africa namely Liberia, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Zambia and Ghana are implementing a programme titled “Poverty and Corruption in Africa (PCA) – Strengthening TI’s ability to Respond.”

Applying a modular approach, the PCA Programme seeks to:

Increase the impact of TI/national chapter’s work on the livelihoods of disadvantaged communities in sub-Saharan Africa and;
Strengthen the capacity of TI national chapters in Africa to develop and implement dedicated programmes that address corruption in the development process, opening opportunities for and building on participation of disadvantaged groups.

In Ghana, PCA is focusing on empowering three communities in the Ga East Municipality including Adenkrebi, to demand transparency, responsiveness and accountability in the provision of water to their communities.

LAUNCH AND RELEASE OF TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL ANNUAL REPORTS

Corruption Perceptions Index?
The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) measures the perceived level of public-sector corruption in countries around the world. The CPI is a "survey of surveys", based on different expert and business surveys.

Global Corruption Report

Is a global report on the state of corruption around the world on a specific subject. Examples of past publications include: Corruption and the private sector, corruption and health, corruption in construction and reconstruction etc.

The Global Corruption Barometer

The Global Corruption Barometer is a survey that assesses general public attitudes toward and experience of corruption in dozens of countries around the world.

TI Bribe Payers Index

The TI Bribe Payers Index evaluates the supply side of corruption - the likelihood of firms from the world’s industrialised countries to bribe abroad.

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