Ghana operates a strong and robust decentralization system where power and authority is devolved from central government to regional and district level administration. Public Administration structures at the district level in particular interacts with customary governance structures. The overarching goal of these structures is to achieve participatory democracy, good governance and social protection. In spite of this, decentralisation in Ghana has not fully enhanced service provision or improved citizen participation. Nor has it been able to address local needs, performance and accountability. The limiting factors include inadequate financial resources, low capacity of personnel, poor attitude to work, local apathy, and conflicts.

Grameen Ghana’s approach to achieving improved governance is to provide service to vulnerable groups and communities, build or strengthen capacity of local governance structures and personnel, and demand transparency and accountability within the governance system.

Presentation of Action Plan for monitoring of Agric, Water and sanitation activities in a USAID-sponsored Performanace Accountability Activity communities in Zabzugu District of northern region of Ghana (Photo credit: Osman Dawda/Mugmin Musah)

Education plays a vital role in the development of young people and society at large. It does not only help young people acquire the basic skills needed to interact with their environment and fulfill their needs and desires but it equips them with skills needed to become productive members of society. Education is the backbone to the country’s human capital development and a critical factor in the long-term productivity and growth. Given the importance of education to both the individual and the nation at large, there should be no space to accommodate low education outcomes. Unfortunately, Ghana still faces multiple barriers to quality education for all children. Wide disparities exist between the quality of education in urban schools and rural schools, between boys and girls, between rich and poor households.

Children from more affluent families are more likely to complete the highest levels of education, as compared to children from the poorest families. For example, UNICEF said 71% of children from the wealthiest homes complete the highest level of education, but only 9% of children from the poorest families achieve the same result. Together with its partners Grameen Ghana addresses the multiple challenges that confront education and youth development.

Our Education programme entails capacity building and networking of SMCs, PTAs, and Youth in Education, Education management and governance, promotion of girl child education, Teacher development, and Policy Advocacy in Education. We are particularly interested in promoting citizen led educational advocacy using credible evidence.

Health and Nutrition: Ghana is witnessing improved health and nutrition outcomes over the
past years. Prevalence of anaemia, stunting, wasting, maternal and infant mortality are said
to be on the decline even though no progress has been made towards achieving the exclusive
breastfeeding target, with only 42.9% of infants aged 0 to 5 months exclusively breastfed.
However, regional disparities persist, as northern Ghana lags in critical health outcomes,
including under-five malnutrition and severe anemia, higher levels of child mortality, and
lower coverage of basic health services. Limited access to improved water sources and
widespread open defecation remain significant challenges in many rural communities,
particularly in the northern regions. Low contraceptive prevalence throughout the country
(25% use of modern methods by married women) and high fertility rates in the north continue
to negatively affect the health of mothers and children.

Our health and nutrition programmes therefore aim at improving health and nutrition
outcomes in poor and deprived communities. It also involves advocacy including community
sensitizations and capacity building to improve the sanitation and hygiene behaviours of
people. The organization incorporates service delivery including provision of Health
infrastructure and equipment as well as boreholes and water harvesting facilities.

Agriculture is critical in achieving the SDG 2 of zero hunger by 2030 in Ghana. Therefore agriculture is absolutely central to achieving the country’s food security, and the promotion of sustainable agriculture. Yet Agriculture faces challenges from changing consumer demand, decreasing youth involvement, inefficient value chains, climate change, and water shortages. The situation is worsened by the impact of current global economic crisis caused by covid 19 and the Ukraine war resulting in hiking input costs and lack of credit.

Our Agriculture and Food Security programme seeks to address the underlying challenges that inhibit farmers access to natural resources, productive inputs, financial and advisory services as well as market opportunities. Our interventions in this area involve capacity building and networking of farmers, promoting Youth in Agriculture, and Agriculture value chain development, climate resilient agriculture and Policy Advocacy. We also facilitate linkage of farmers to other value chain actors such as financial institutions, input dealers, mechanization service providers, marketers, and transporters.

Empowering women is essential to the social, economic and political development of families, communities and countries. When women are living safe, fulfilled and productive lives, they can reach their full potential. contributing their skills to the workforce and can raise happier and healthier children. Unfortunately, achieving women’s empowerment in Ghana is still far fetched. Women are still disadvantaged in access to productive resources such as land, credit, inputs, etc. Challenges to girls’ education are nowhere near resolution and women’s participation in governance and decision making is still very low. Only 40 out 275 (14.54%) Members of Parliament are women and only 11.02% of Chief Executives of State Owned Enterprises are women. In the local government sector only 216 out of 6,000 elected representatives (3.6%) are women.

Our programme on women empowerment focuses on women’s health, female access to education, women’s participation in governance and decision making and women’s access to finance and economic opportunities. This programme involves mobilising and strengthening capacity of women and girls to demand their rights and improve their wellbeing in society. We specifically provide trainings and coaching services on business management and facilitate linkage of individuals and businesses to financial institutions. We also improve capacities of institutions and duty bearers to appropriately respond to the needs of women and girls and strive for gender equity in service delivery. We further intervene in providing innovative services such as establishment of Agro-processing centres for women to improve upon value addition and marketing of their businesses.