Ghana NGO Sector - Revision history

Frederick Swarts: /* Conclusion */

2008-08-13T16:16:40Z

‎Conclusion

Frederick Swarts: /* Transparency and Good Governance */

2008-08-13T16:14:34Z

‎Transparency and Good Governance

Frederick Swarts: /* Foreign Aid and NGO Operations in Ghana */

2008-08-13T16:05:49Z

‎Foreign Aid and NGO Operations in Ghana

Frederick Swarts: /* Foreign aid and NGO operations in Ghana */

2008-08-13T16:05:19Z

‎Foreign aid and NGO operations in Ghana

Frederick Swarts: /* Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) */

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‎Civil Society Organizations (CSOs)

Frederick Swarts: /* Private Voluntary and Non-governmental Organizations */

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‎Private Voluntary and Non-governmental Organizations

Frederick Swarts: /* Religious Organizations */

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‎Religious Organizations

Frederick Swarts: /* Traditional Groups */

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‎Traditional Groups

Frederick Swarts: /* Types and Classification of Organizations in the Nonprofit Sector */

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‎Types and Classification of Organizations in the Nonprofit Sector

Frederick Swarts: /* Types and Classification of Organizations in the Nonprofit Sector */

2008-08-13T15:50:26Z

‎Types and Classification of Organizations in the Nonprofit Sector

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 ==Conclusion==
-Despite this recent history of embattled relations between government and civil society, the nonprofit sector can look forward to renewed progress. In June 2006, Akosua Frema Osei Opare, Deputy Minister for Manpower, Youth and Employment, indicated that the national NGO policy was currently being prepared for cabinet and parliamentary approval.
+Despite this recent [[History of the NGO Sector|history]] of embattled relations between government and civil society, the nonprofit sector can look forward to renewed progress. In June 2006, Akosua Frema Osei Opare, Deputy Minister for Manpower, [[Youth NGOs|Youth]] and Employment, indicated that the national NGO policy was currently being prepared for cabinet and parliamentary approval.
 ==References==

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 ==Transparency and Good Governance==
-Public and press reports highlight government’s allegations of  corruption in Ghana’s third sector. In 2003, Director of Ministry of Manpower Development and Employment Amoakwe said that NGOs were directing eighty percent of aid towards administrative costs such as operational expenses and salaries, and only twenty percent towards programs. He also stated only a fraction of the country’s 3,000 NGOs had submitted the annual reports and statements of accounts required by law. NGOs not in compliance faced blacklisting. (BBC News, 25 February; South African Institute of International Affairs, April 2004). While these allegations reflect the tensions between government and civil society organizations, there have been instances of graft and corruption. Mohan observed evidence of NGOs being used as patronage structures and political vehicles.  As Mohan notes,
+Public and press reports highlight government’s allegations of  corruption in Ghana’s third sector. In 2003, Director of Ministry of Manpower Development and Employment, Amoakwe, said that NGOs were directing eighty percent of aid towards administrative costs such as operational expenses and salaries, and only twenty percent towards programs. He also stated only a fraction of the country’s 3,000 NGOs had submitted the annual reports and statements of accounts required by law. NGOs not in compliance faced blacklisting (BBC News, 25 February; [[South Africa NGO Sector|South African]] Institute of International Affairs, April 2004). While these allegations reflect the tensions between government and civil society organizations, there have been instances of graft and corruption. Mohan observed evidence of NGOs being used as patronage structures and political vehicles. As Mohan notes,
-“More insidious is the use of NGOs as vehicles for personal and party political gain by local officers. This is achieved through various mechanisms — petty corruption, largesse, interlocking political affiliations, and ‘status’ —and, as we have seen, the less obvious ways in which indigenous NGOs defend local culture in the face of ‘outsider’ intervention. In effect, some NGOs become fiefdoms for local élites to further their material and political status.” (Mohan 2005: 18).
+Field research by Mohan looked at two SNGOs which he termed “A” and “B” to preserve confidentiality.   He found that the Director of A is a District Assembly Member and the NGO is seen as “indivisible” from the former ruling party. The Director of B was placed under investigation by the National Bureau of Investigation for writing checks without accounting for the funds’ destination. The NGO’s operations were suspended pending the outcome of the inquiry (Mohan 18).
 ==Conclusion==

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 The majority of foreign NGOs in Ghana operate in the North. This is a result of colonial underdevelopment, and in contrast to the center and southern areas, there is a lack of a major export base (Mohan 13-20). A key element is the relationship between indigenous or Southern NGOs (SNGOs) and external, often Northern-based or international NGOs (NNGOs, INGOs). This inter-NGO relationship, a local-global collaboration, creates the perception of a civil society that is internationally networked, but in reality, reflects a “major line of tension.” NNGO’s reliance on funding breeds a conservative outlook and a reluctance to allow local NGOs freedom to administer their programs because so many SNGOs lack capacity and transparency, a suggestion which SNGOs then react against. As donors seek reliable and successful NGOs in which to sink foreign capital, civil society trends towards “niched NGOs” or just a few large organizations (Mohan 14).
-There is a risk that the official aid channeled through these NGOs compromises their autonomy and affects their ability to carry out successful programs. [[NGO Networking|Partnerships]] between NGOs and their donors refocuses NGO efforts towards satisfying donor demands (Porter 136-37). Decentralization has impacted these circumstances and encourages participation by the target communities receiving aid. Porter notes two relevant types of decentralization that impact NGOs: the establishment of local offices by INGOs, and state administrative decentralization. The latter is promoted by the World Bank as a means for good governance, a way in which local districts can work in partnership with NGOs and community-based organizations. But, there is evidence that donor-supported decentralization to the 110 administrative districts is creating a tier of local NGOs whose principal aim is job and wealth-creation for the entrepreneurs who establish them. The result has been misappropriation of funds under decentralization. (Porter 138).
+There is a risk that the official aid channeled through these NGOs compromises their autonomy and affects their ability to carry out successful programs. [[NGO Networking|Partnerships]] between NGOs and their donors refocuses NGO efforts towards satisfying donor demands (Porter 136-37). Decentralization has impacted these circumstances and encourages participation by the target communities receiving aid. Porter notes two relevant types of decentralization that impact NGOs: the establishment of local offices by INGOs, and state administrative decentralization. The latter is promoted by the World Bank as a means for good governance, a way in which local districts can work in partnership with NGOs and community-based organizations. But, there is evidence that donor-supported decentralization to the 110 administrative districts is creating a tier of local NGOs whose principal aim is job and wealth-creation for the entrepreneurs who establish them. The result has been misappropriation of funds under decentralization (Porter 138).
 ==Transparency and Good Governance==

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 NGO/CSO Registration in Ghana is governed by the Companies Code Act 179 (1963), the Trustees Incorporation/Amendment Law (1962/63), the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana (1992) and Cabinet directives (CIVICUS 2006: 54). Respondents to the CSI Survey believed that the registration service was not simple or inexpensive. The importance of registration issues is a main point of the National NGO Policy (Civicus: Ibid).
-==Foreign aid and NGO operations in Ghana==
+==Foreign Aid and NGO Operations in Ghana==
-Funding from overseas is a key factor that impacts and influences NGOs and their operations. The NGO sector, like Ghana itself, is heavily dependent on foreign aid. In 1998, development assistance amounted to nearly 10 percent of its GNP. (Porter 131-32). As major recipients for donor investment, NGOs provide emergency relief and engage in capacity building, however, they also directly contribute to social policy development in Ghana. (Aryeetey and Goldstein).
+Funding from overseas is a key factor that impacts and influences NGOs and their operations. The NGO sector, like Ghana itself, is heavily dependent on foreign aid. In 1998, development assistance amounted to nearly 10 percent of its GNP (Porter 131-32). As major recipients for donor investment, NGOs provide emergency relief and engage in capacity building, however, they also directly contribute to social policy development in Ghana (Aryeetey and Goldstein).
-The amount of aid channeled through NGOs is not easily quantifiable but the Red Cross estimates that NGOs also disburse large amounts of money, perhaps even more than the World Bank. As noted by Fowler, during the 1980s, funding to NGOs grew at five times the rate the official development funding. (Mohan 4).
+The amount of aid channeled through NGOs is not easily quantifiable but the Red Cross estimates that NGOs also disburse large amounts of money, perhaps even more than the World Bank. As noted by Fowler, during the 1980s, funding to NGOs grew at five times the rate the official development funding (Mohan 4).
-The majority of foreign NGOs in Ghana operate in the North. This is a result of colonial underdevelopment, and in contrast to the center and southern areas, there is a lack of a major export base. (Mohan 13-20). A key element is the relationship between indigenous or Southern NGOs (SNGOs) and external, often Northern-based or international NGOs (NNGOs; INGOs). This inter-NGO relationship, a local-global collaboration, creates the perception of a civil society that is internationally networked, but in reality, reflects a “major line of tension.” NNGO’s reliance on funding breeds a conservative outlook and a reluctance to allow local NGOs freedom to administer their programs because so many SNGOs lack capacity and transparency, a suggestion which SNGOs then react against. As donors seek reliable and successful NGOs in which to sink foreign capital, civil society trends towards “niched NGOs” or just a few large organizations. (Mohan 14).
+The majority of foreign NGOs in Ghana operate in the North. This is a result of colonial underdevelopment, and in contrast to the center and southern areas, there is a lack of a major export base (Mohan 13-20). A key element is the relationship between indigenous or Southern NGOs (SNGOs) and external, often Northern-based or international NGOs (NNGOs, INGOs). This inter-NGO relationship, a local-global collaboration, creates the perception of a civil society that is internationally networked, but in reality, reflects a “major line of tension.” NNGO’s reliance on funding breeds a conservative outlook and a reluctance to allow local NGOs freedom to administer their programs because so many SNGOs lack capacity and transparency, a suggestion which SNGOs then react against. As donors seek reliable and successful NGOs in which to sink foreign capital, civil society trends towards “niched NGOs” or just a few large organizations (Mohan 14).
-There is a risk that the official aid channeled through these NGOs compromises their autonomy and affects their ability to carry out successful programs. Partnerships between NGOs and their donors refocuses NGO efforts towards satisfying donor demands (Porter 136-37). Decentralization has impacted these circumstances and encourage participation by the target communities receiving aid. Porter notes two relevant types of decentralization that impact NGOs: the establishment of local offices by INGOs, and state administrative decentralization. The latter is promoted by the World Bank as a means for good governance, a way in which local districts can work in partnership with NGOs and community-based organizations. But there is evidence that donor-supported decentralization to the 110 administrative districts is creating a tier of local NGOs whose principal aim is job- and wealth-creation for the entrepreneurs who establish them. The result has been misappropriation of funds under decentralization. (Porter 138).
+There is a risk that the official aid channeled through these NGOs compromises their autonomy and affects their ability to carry out successful programs. [[NGO Networking|Partnerships]] between NGOs and their donors refocuses NGO efforts towards satisfying donor demands (Porter 136-37). Decentralization has impacted these circumstances and encourages participation by the target communities receiving aid. Porter notes two relevant types of decentralization that impact NGOs: the establishment of local offices by INGOs, and state administrative decentralization. The latter is promoted by the World Bank as a means for good governance, a way in which local districts can work in partnership with NGOs and community-based organizations. But, there is evidence that donor-supported decentralization to the 110 administrative districts is creating a tier of local NGOs whose principal aim is job and wealth-creation for the entrepreneurs who establish them. The result has been misappropriation of funds under decentralization. (Porter 138).
 ==Transparency and Good Governance==

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 	In 1981, the Christian Council of Ghana, a coalition of fourteen Protestant churches, formed the umbrella organization Ghana Association of Private Voluntary Organizations in Development (GAPVOD). Today, GAPVOD is the largest umbrella organization in Ghana. It has over 400 members including national and international NGOs, local agencies, and community-based organizations across Ghana. GAPVOD has played an active and prominent role in the efforts of the nonprofit sector and government to build a national policy for NGOs.  Regional networks such as the Brong Ahafo NGOs (BANGO) also act as organizing consortium for the sector.
-==Civil Society Organizations (CSOs)==
+===Civil Society Organizations (CSOs)===
 The CIVICUS Civil Society Index (CSI), a worldwide study conducted by CIVICUS to assess the characteristics, roles, and impact of civil society, was undertaken in Ghana to collect information from a variety of stakeholders, including governments, academics and the community at large . The study found Ghanaian society characterized by widespread citizen participation at the community level.  According to the CSI, 51 percent of the respondents are members of civil society organizations (CSOs) and 80 percent had participated in community activities or meetings. In addition, 57 percent of respondents did volunteer work during the year preceding the survey. Most CSOs in Ghana are urban-based, operating in the main cities where technological and financial resources are most likely to be available; however, those resources remain inadequate.

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 Many of the charitable groups that fall within this type are affiliated with two major religions: Christianity and Islam. This follows from the country’s history of Christian missionary societies and later, other church-related organizations, which had an impact on education and skills development. Islamic organizations, which are found mostly in the northern part of the country, provide similar, but fewer, services to that of the Christian groups. (This is mainly because these Islamic groups tend to be politicized and fragmented) (Atingui 6). Many of the church-related groups are classified as charitable organizations, providing special assistance and immediate emergency relief after natural disasters, or to refugees, orphans, the elderly and disabled.
-==Private Voluntary and Non-governmental Organizations==
+===Private Voluntary and Non-governmental Organizations===
-These two terms have been used interchangeably in Ghana since the early 1980s. They include local and nonprofit organizations who provide development assistance, emergency relief, and social and health services. (Anang 1994).
+These two terms have been used interchangeably in Ghana since the early 1980s. They include local and nonprofit organizations who provide development assistance, emergency relief, and social and health services. (Anang 1994). The term voluntary organization (VOLU) originated in the 1970s and evolved throughout the 1980s as a result of the work of foreign relief agencies and student volunteers working in community development projects. Their great number and variety, however, makes classification difficult. (Atingdui 1995: 7).
 	In 1981, the Christian Council of Ghana, a coalition of fourteen Protestant churches, formed the umbrella organization Ghana Association of Private Voluntary Organizations in Development (GAPVOD). Today, GAPVOD is the largest umbrella organization in Ghana. It has over 400 members including national and international NGOs, local agencies, and community-based organizations across Ghana. GAPVOD has played an active and prominent role in the efforts of the nonprofit sector and government to build a national policy for NGOs.  Regional networks such as the Brong Ahafo NGOs (BANGO) also act as organizing consortium for the sector.

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 Traditional associations and community-based organizations are grounded in Ghanaian society and culture, reflecting the nation’s traditions, cultures and social structures. They include self-help groups, village associations, and mutual aid societies . They are typically membership-based and rarely formally registered. These community-based organizations emerged from village or town committees and maintain local institutions. Their operations are limited to specific geographical areas or ethnic groups, and cover a wide range of activities, including but not limited to, water and sanitation projects, health care, and agriculture. They are likely to play an increased role in the social and economic development of Ghana. (Atingui 5).
-==Religious Organizations==
+===Religious Organizations===
-Many of the charitable groups that fall within this type are affiliated with two major religions, Christianity and Islam. This follows from the country’s history of Christian missionary societies and later, other church-related organizations, which had an impact on education and skills development. Islamic organizations, which are found mostly in the northern part of the country, provide similar, but fewer, services to that of the Christian groups. (This is due mainly because these Islamic groups tend to be politicized and fragmented). (Atingui 6). Many of the church-related groups are classified as charitable organizations, providing special assistance and immediate emergency relief after natural disasters, or to refugees, orphans, the elderly and disabled.
+Many of the charitable groups that fall within this type are affiliated with two major religions: Christianity and Islam. This follows from the country’s history of Christian missionary societies and later, other church-related organizations, which had an impact on education and skills development. Islamic organizations, which are found mostly in the northern part of the country, provide similar, but fewer, services to that of the Christian groups. (This is mainly because these Islamic groups tend to be politicized and fragmented) (Atingui 6). Many of the church-related groups are classified as charitable organizations, providing special assistance and immediate emergency relief after natural disasters, or to refugees, orphans, the elderly and disabled.
 ==Private Voluntary and Non-governmental Organizations==

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 *Modern (Atingdui 3-7).
-==Traditional Groups==
+===Traditional Groups===
 ==Religious Organizations==

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 A further classification determined by a National Advisory Group working with CIVICUS, World Alliance for Citizen Participation, created a list of eighteen separate types of civil society organizations (CSO) in Ghana ranging across social, cultural and economic categories.   Within these categories were three main tiers of civil society and their levels of influence.
 The most influential:
 *Trade union congresses

@@ Line 41: / Line 41: @@
 *International
-A further classification determined by a National Advisory Group working with CIVICUS, World Alliance for Citizen Participation, created a list of eighteen separate types of civil society organizations (CSO) in Ghana ranging across social, cultural and economic categories.   Within these categories were three main tiers of civil society and their levels of influence, with the most influential being the trade union congresses, international NGOs, and the major political parties (New Patriotic Party and National Democratic Congress). The report identified faith-based organizations (Christian and Muslim), professional bodies, local NGOs and CBOs in the second tier, with women’s groups and consumer groups exerting the least influence (CIVICUS report: 26-27).
+A further classification determined by a National Advisory Group working with CIVICUS, World Alliance for Citizen Participation, created a list of eighteen separate types of civil society organizations (CSO) in Ghana ranging across social, cultural and economic categories.   Within these categories were three main tiers of civil society and their levels of influence.
-Generally, the nonprofit sector encompassing NGOs and CSOs/CBOs group Ghanaian civil society into three types: traditional, religious, and modern (Atingdui 3-7).
+The most influential:
 ==Traditional Groups==