The Parliamentary Open Government Partnership (OGP) Caucus last Thursday paid a courtesy call on the National OGP Steering Committee to explore areas of collaboration to ensure the effective implementation of Ghana’s commitments.

The engagement brought together representatives of the Parliament of Ghana and the National Steering Committee to deliberate on strategies to deepen cooperation in promoting transparency, accountability and citizen participation in governance.

Led by the Chairman of the Caucus, Emmanuel Akwasi Bedzrah, the meeting discussed, among other issues, the need to strengthen strategic partnerships to advance the OGP agenda, enhance public awareness and visibility of OGP initiatives, and advocate increased funding for the Public Sector Reforms Secretariat, which serves as the OGP secretariat in the country.

Participants also discussed ways to promote greater openness within the Executive and the Judiciary, as well as opportunities for the joint implementation of OGP-related programmes.

In addition, the meeting underscored the importance of leveraging technology to expand OGP initiatives and improve engagement across parliamentary constituencies.

The Open Government Partnership is a global initiative launched in 2011 to promote transparency, accountability and inclusiveness in governance.

Ghana has remained an active member of the partnership, with the national legislature playing a pioneering role in advancing the principles of open governance.

As part of efforts to strengthen parliamentary oversight of the initiative, the Parliamentary OGP Caucus was established in November 2023 by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, in fulfilment of a commitment under National Action Plan Four.

The caucus comprises Members of Parliament from both the Majority and Minority sides who have demonstrated commitment to advancing the core pillars of the OGP.

It is mandated to support the effective implementation of Ghana’s national OGP commitments and promote open government principles across administrative processes and systems.

The National Steering Committee, made up of representatives from government and civil society organisations, is considered a key stakeholder in advancing open governance in the country.