ICAI: clearer goals needed for DFID’s work in Ghana and Malawi

11 Oct 13
The Department for International Development must develop realistic social accountability goals for Ghana and Malawi, the UK aid watchdog said today

By Judith Ugwumadu | 11 October 2013

The Department for International Development must develop realistic social accountability goals for Ghana and Malawi, the UK aid watchdog said today.

The Empowerment and accountability programming in Ghana and Malawi report, published by the Independent Commission for Aid Impact, examined DFID programmes designed to strengthen citizen engagement with the government.

Although social accountability programmes promoted constructive community engagement with government, the ICAI found there was a tendency for country offices to opt for funding backed by civil society organisations (CSOs). This produced a scattered portfolio of small CSO activities that were difficult to scale up or link together in a strategic way. 

ICAI chief commissioner Graham Ward said: ‘[Support by CSOs] at the national level had a limited impact and would not generate significant improvements in government accountability.’

Diana Good, lead commissioner for the report, added: ‘We endorse DFID’s new focus on empowering people.’

‘We found that the most successful initiatives involved helping communities to build on existing capacities to find solutions which benefited both the community and the government service provider.’

But clearer and more realistic goals, with stronger criteria for delivery decisions, would help to maximise results, said Good.

Responding to the findings, a DFID spokesman said the report made clear that Britain’s work to empower citizens and boost accountability across the developing world had produced real results.

‘To date, we have helped almost 33 million of the world’s poorest people find a voice and better hold their governments to account.’

‘We are committed to giving people a stronger voice so they can influence their own countries’ development, and will be actively considering the recommendations,’ continued the spokesman.

The ICAI examined 22 projects in Ghana and Malawi at different stages of development, including, two grant-making funds for CSOs and a project that supports community monitoring of local services. 

It said that, with total funding of £41m, these programmes could help local communities in a number of ways from becoming more engaged in running nearby schools to civil society campaigns on the management of the oil and gas sector.

Ward added: ‘The social accountability programmes that we examined are achieving some promising results by empowering communities to engage constructively with government to resolve problems with the delivery of public services and development programmes.’

The ICAI’s overall rating for the programmes is green-amber, meaning the projects performed relatively well overall against ICAI’s criteria for effectiveness and value for money. 

Currently, DFID has empowerment and accountability programmes in twelve African and five Asian countries.

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