GACC Trained Citizens to Monitor Mineral Funds

Last month, the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) trained citizens in six mining districts to monitor how money from the Minerals Development Fund (MDF) is disbursed and utilised. The initiative aims to promote transparency, accountability, and the effective use of mineral revenues to benefit local communities.

The one-day workshops brought together civil society groups, religious leaders, persons with disabilities, and community members from New Abirem, Sefwi Wiawso, Manso Nkwanta, Prestea, Tarkwa, and Kenyasi. Participants were introduced to practical tools for tracking MDF revenues and assessing whether projects funded under the scheme are implemented as planned.

The sessions also strengthened their understanding of the disbursement and utilisation of the MDF, established by an Act of Parliament (Act 912, 2016), to provide financial resources for the benefit of mining communities and institutions. The Fund is expected to support local development, mitigate the negative impact of mining, and improve the livelihoods of citizens living in resource-rich areas.

A key outcome of the training was the formation of citizen groups, known as Local Accountability Network (LANet), in each district. These citizen networks are expected to play a critical role in promoting responsive governance and amplifying community voices in mining areas. They will engage local authorities, monitor MDF-funded projects, and advocate for the transparent use of mining revenues.

As part of the training, the GACC team and its partners paid courtesy calls on the District Assemblies to introduce the project and the LANets. Participants expressed appreciation for the increased awareness, adding that citizen engagement would empower them to demand accountability and ensure that mineral wealth brings real progress to their communities.

Organised in partnership with the Centre for Extractives and Development Africa (CEDA), the Africa Disability Institute (ADI), and the Northern Patriots in Research and Advocacy (NORPRA), with support from the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP).

Mr. Solomon Nyankah

Monitoring and Evaluation Officer

Solomon Nyankah is the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at the GACC. He is a hard-working, self-starter, team player, dedicated, and results-oriented person committed to rendering effective service to any organisation through continuous learning and self-development for the benefit of the organisation and society. He possesses excellent interpersonal, data collection, and management skills. Solomon is proficient in the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, and Excel).

Prior to his appointment at GACC, Solomon worked with the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) as a technical planning analyst in the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Division. He joined the NDPC from 2017 to 2023. His duties included coordinating the preparation of the national Annual Progress Reports (APRs) from 2017 to 2022; the President's Coordinated Programme of Economic and Social Development Policies (CPESDP) 2021–2024, and the National Medium Term Development Policy Framework (NMTDPF) for 2018–2021 and 2022–2025. He also provided technical assistance in the preparation of the National Development Monitor; the SDG Voluntary National Review Reports (2019 and 2022; sector and district development plans and progress reports; and the mid-term evaluation of the medium-term National Development Policy Framework, "Agenda for Jobs, Creating Prosperity and Equal Opportunity for All, 2018 -2021". Solomon provided technical backstopping for district planning officers on participatory M&E; served as a national trainer on the District Development Data Platform (DDDP) for all regional economic planners, district planning officers, and MIS/statisticians in Ghana; and was a resource pe rson for an ECOWAS sensitization workshop on ECOWAS Protocols held in the Central Region. He also facilitated the mainstreaming of integrated social services indicators into district plans.

Solomon Nyankah holds a B.Sc. degree in Development Management from the University for Development Studies. Other training certificates include: Integrated Planning and Reporting Toolkit (IPRT) by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA); SDG Toolkits Integration, Monitoring, and Evaluation; and Data Visualisation and Advanced Data Visualisation (Tableau and Canvas) by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ)

The Parliament of the Republic of Ghana in accordance with the provisions of the Fourth Republican Constitution in October 1993 enacted the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice Act (Act 456), to establish the Commission.

The commission seeks to foster a culture of respect for fundamental human rights and freedoms, as well as administrative justice and fairness in Ghanaian society. The commission also exist to promote integrity and decency in Ghanaian public life by investigating corruption and educating the public about its high costs and, conversely, the significant pay-offs of a relatively corrupt free society.

Section 7(10)(a)-(h) of the Commission’s enabling statute Act 456 spells out the functions of the Commission as follows:

Investigate complaints of violations of fundamental rights and freedoms, injustice, corruption, abuse of power and unfair treatment of any person by public officer in the exercise of his official duties;

Investigate complaints concerning the functioning of the Public Services Commission, the administrative Organs of the State, the Armed Forces, the Police Service in so far as complaints relate to the failure to achieve a balanced structuring of those services or equal access by all to the recruitment of those services or fair administration in relation to those services;

Investigate complaints concerning practices and actions by persons, private enterprises and other institutions where those complaints allege violations of fundamental rights and freedoms under this constitution;

Investigate allegations that a public officer has contravened or has not complied with a provision of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers. The Code requires that public officers shall declare their assets and liabilities on assumption of office, every four years, and on leaving office;

Investigate all instances of alleged or suspected corruption and the misappropriation of public moneys by officials and to take appropriate steps, including reports to the Attorney-General and the Auditor General, results from such investigations;

Educate the public as to human rights and freedom by such means as the Commissioner may decide, including publications, lectures and symposia;

Investigate confiscation of property made by the two previous military regimes, the Armed forces Revolutionary Council and the Provisional National Defence;

Report annually to Parliament on the performance of its functions.

Shopping cart

Articles

GACC Trained Citizens to Monitor Mineral Funds

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Shopping cart

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE)

Ms. Agnes Opoku Ayemang

Intern

Ms. Pamela Laourou

Intern

Ms. Dorcas Affum Tenkorang

Volunteer

Mr. Isaac Bakoe

Driver

Ms. Priscilla Opoku

Office Assistant

Mr. Christian Atteh Semekor

Finance Officer

Mr. Solomon Nyankah

Monitoring and Evaluation Officer

Mr. Samuel Harrison-Cudjoe

Programmes Officer

Mr. Godfred Oppong Amoako

Head of Finance & Admin

Mr. Bright Kwadwo Sowu

Head of Programmes & Deputy Executive Secretary

Mrs. Beauty Emefa Narteh

Executive Secretary

Private Enterprise Federation

Centre for Democratic Development, Ghana (CDD)

Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA)

Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO)

Ghana Journalists Association (GJA)

Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ)

Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII)

Ghana Conference of Religions for Peace (GCRP)

Good Governance Africa (GGA)

Public Procurement Authority (PPA)

Ghana Audit Service (GAS)