Penplusbytes, is organizing a one-day Social Accountability Clearing Platform Forum on 11th August, 2017 at the New Media Hub in Osu Ako Adjei, Accra.
After a year of implementing the “Tech Driven Social Accountability for Results” project, Penplusbytes in collaboration with CDD Ghana and SEND Ghana will be validating citizens’ reports from the two project districts (Ellembelle in the Western Region and Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region). These reports were generated from the monitoring of two national social protection policies being implemented in the districts i.e. Ghana School Feeding Program and the Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty (LEAP).
The overall goal of the forum is to increase the contribution of civil society in promoting accountability and effective public service delivery. Specifically, the forum which will be attended by heads of civil society organizations, state actors on the social accountability front as well as donor organisations, will create synergy and avenue for information sharing and build a concerted advocacy drive to ensure resources allocated for development are used to alleviate poverty and improve the standard of living of citizens.
According to the Programmes Director at Penplusbytes, Jerry Sam, “this stakeholders’ clearing platform on Social Accountability will ultimately discuss the link between social protection policies and the SDGs and how ICT tools can facilitate social accountability in Ghana.”
It is expected that the meeting will help find solutions to challenges identified in the implementation of social protection policies in Ghana while garnering support in the drive to ensure there is value for money in the implementation.
Participants will also advocate for reforms where necessary in social protection policy making, by directly capturing the needs of citizens and document lessons learnt on social accountability in Ghana.
The 2-year “Tech Driven Social Accountability for Results” project, which is being funded by the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), seeks to equip ordinary citizens with usable information via online platforms mashed-up with social media and mobile based platforms to promote their purposeful participation in demanding accountability and responsiveness from decision makers for effective public service delivery.
About Penplusbytes
Penplusbytes is a not-for-profit organization driving change through innovations in three key areas: using new digital technologies to enable good governance and accountability, new media and innovations, and enhancing media oversight for effective utilization of mining, oil and gas revenue and resources.
About OSIWA
The Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) is active in 10 countries in the region (Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, and Sierra Leone) and focuses on law, justice and human rights, and economic and political governance. The initiative pursues the development of open societies by supporting and building partnerships with local and regional groups that promote inclusive democratic governance, transparency and accountability, and active citizenship.