In a statement at a forum of the World Bank’s West Africa Contract Monitoring Network, Marrieta Brew Appiah said the initiative was important tool in promoting social accountability across four participating west African countries.

‘Open governance is delivering tangible benefits around the world – faster growth, better public services, less corruption and less poverty, said Appiah, who is also Ghana’s attorney general.

She added that consulting with citizens about their needs and getting their feedback on government performance improved the quality of both public services and governance.

The West Africa Contract Monitoring Network was established by the World Bank in 2010 and includes public institutions, private companies and civil society organisations. It supports Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia and Sierra Leone in running citizen engagement projects as well as providing a regional platform for further collaboration with governments and development partners to improve transparency and accountability.

Yusupha Crookes, the World Bank country director for Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, agreed that securing stakeholders’ participation and feedback in partnership with governments was a critical factor for effective social and economic development and poverty reduction.

He told the forum: ‘Establishing effective and robust contract monitoring coalitions will contribute to controlling corruption and ultimately improve public sector efficiency and the delivery of public services.’