A Ghanaian case study of strategies of ensuring accountability by nongovernmental organisations

Abstract

Over the years, Non-Governmental Organisations have evolved and won public confidence as key actors in development. Accordingly, donors are increasingly channeling development assistant funds through NGOs to facilitate development in deprived communities. Interestingly, this is being accompanied with a corresponding demand on NGOs for accountability on their activities and use of resources. With limited empirical information on NGO accountability in Ghana, the study sought to provide an understanding on how NGOs can perceive accountability and the measures they can adopt to ensure accountability. A qualitative case study approach based on two NGOs was used for the study. This provided an in-depth understanding of the complex phenomenon of accountability based on views from twenty key-informants and documentary evidences. The study shows that NGOs can perceive accountability as a complex organizational activity with an aim, guiding principles and specific actions. NGOs can account to diverse stakeholders including their donors, the state, beneficiaries, their staff and other organisations they work closely with. The study highlighted periodic reporting, regular meetings and training, durbars and two-way communication systems as important means of ensuring accountability. Rendering account on ideology, staff competence for ensuring accountability, meeting beneficiaries demand for accountability, and collecting and reporting qualitative data could be a major challenge to NGO accountability in Ghana. Based on the findings, training (in-service and out-service) of NGOs on accountability, especially collecting and reporting qualitative information, can be a major tool for improving NGO accountability in Ghana