Tema-Ghana, Aug. 10, CDA Consult – Mr. Peter Bismark Kwofie, Executive Director of the Institute for Liberty and Policy Innovation (ILAPI) Ghana, has noted that perception index surveys serve as critical feedback mechanisms to strengthen good governance and called on the government to holistically adopt such reports and work with them.
Mr. Kwofie stated during the launch of the commencement of its 2023 survey on ‘government waste report and crumbs of wasteful spending’ to get public opinion on the usage of their taxes by governments at Tema which was monitored by the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult).
Mr. Kwofie noted that whether it’s the Corruption Perception Index by Transparency International or the ILAPI perception survey on government waste and crumbs of wasteful spending, they are critical indexes for the government to understand the social, political, and economic barometer of the country.
The ILAPI is a Tema-based non-profit, non-partisan, educational research organization and think tank with expertise in Free Enterprise Public Policy Research.
ILAPI also operates exclusively for education, social, political, and business consulting, free market economics advocacy, decentralization, international relations, individual liberty, the rule of law, poverty alleviation, and entrepreneurship.
The survey, which can be assessed online at the Institute website, https://ilapi.org/, was the second edition, with the first one covering the citizens’ perception of tax usage between 2016 and 2021.
As part of the launch, Mr. Kwofie described perception index polls are essential ingredients of good governance, and urged Ghanaians to embrace and support such initiatives.
He explained that government wasteful spending refers to the inefficient allocation of resources by state entities, resulting in unnecessary costs and financial loss.
This issue, according to ILAPI, poses significant challenges to the sustainability of public finances, hindering economic growth and diminishing public trust in the government’s ability to manage taxpayer funds effectively.
Mr. Kwofie noted that one key factor that contributed to the wastage of public funds, was the lack of transparent and accountable procurement processes, which include inefficient bidding systems, inadequate oversight mechanisms, and instances of corruption, leading to inflated contract prices.
He also revealed that the presence of redundant or obsolete government programmes and agencies, which often duplicate functions, results in inefficient resource allocation and unnecessary administrative costs, insufficient evaluation of project feasibility, unrealistic cost estimates, and poor monitoring of expenditures, often amounting to cost overruns and improper allocation of resources.
To mitigate wasteful spending and gain citizens’ trust, Mr. Kwofie suggested strengthening budgetary processes and introducing effective oversight mechanisms to promote a culture of fiscal responsibility within the government’s financial architecture.
Additionally, the ILAPI Executive Director recommended a comprehensive review of government programmes to identify redundancies and inefficiencies. It explained that eliminating or merging redundant entities or institutions can result in cost savings and improved service delivery.
He also said the implementation of robust monitoring systems, promoting competitive bidding, and imposing strict penalties for fraudulent practices would help save taxpayers’ contributions.
He reiterated the urgent need for citizens to be vigilant about government expenditure: “We can only be participants in the governance architecture if we are watchful and prevent wasteful expenditure.”
Mr. Stephen Dansu, the Head of Research at ILAPI, explained that the survey, which is a perception representative poll, would target respondents across the country using a digital or online platform, including the ILAPI website, Facebook page, Instagram, Twitter, and WhatsApp.
Volunteers across Ghana’s 16 regions have been engaged to assist in the poll.
He described the poll as a convenient online survey that utilized random sampling within four months.
Mr. Dansu said the survey would serve as a continuation of the first one, which saw 2000 respondents participate, the majority of whom believed that, on average, 70 percent of taxpayers’ contributions would go into wasteful spending.
