Ghana Showcases Progress and Strengthens Partnerships at the 2025 Open Government Partnership Global Summit
Ghana, as a member of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) joined Governments, Parliamentarians, and Civil Society Leaders from across the world at the 2025 OGP Global Summit held in Vitoria Gasteiz, Spain. The Summit offered a vital platform for countries to exchange best practices, reaffirm their commitments, and foster partnerships that promote transparency, accountability, and participation in governance.
Ghana’s Participation
Ghana as a committed member of the OGP processes since 2011, sent a high-level joint delegation of Government Representatives, Parliamentarians and Civil Society Leaders to participate in the Summit. Speaking about Ghana’s participation before the Summit, Hon Lydia Lamisi Akanvariba. Minister of State for Public Sector Reforms stated that Ghana’s delegation will participate in several high-level plenary sessions, bilateral engagements, and side events to showcase progress and achievement. She noted that the joint delegation showcases the government's commitment to opening governance for citizen participation.
During the Summit, Hon. Akwanavriba and the Team from OGP Ghana Office participated in a high-level roundtable discussion on “Combating Disinformation and Misinformation”. Speaking on the Panel, she shared the country’s experiences and efforts in addressing misinformation and safeguarding the civic space. The OGP Contact Point, Mrs. Thelma Ohene-Asiamah also served as a panelist at a side event organised by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) under the theme, “Powering Reforms- Advancing Open Government Strategies”.
Hon Emmanuel Bedzrah, a member of the OGP Parliamentary Caucus, joined a high-level panel discussion on “From Transparency to Trust: Shaping the Open Parliament of Tomorrow.” Hon. Bedzrah noted that during the 3rd and 4th Action Plans, steps were taken to establish an OGP Parliamentary Caucus to champion the enactment of policies and laws that meet the government’s obligations under the OGP commitments. He also noted that, Ghana’s Parliament had taken deliberate steps to bring open parliament to the citizens. He stated that initiatives such as Parliament TV, allows citizens to follow live debates on the floor.
Dr. Winnifred Nafisah Mahama was also a speaker at a breakout session on “Information integrity: Time for Implementation. The discussion explored concrete ways to implement the recommendations put forward on media freedom in particular to strengthen media sustainability and information integrity reforms such as platform governance and access to information in the joint report by the Forum on Information Democracy and the Open Government partnership.
In addition, Ghana also co-hosted several side events, including "Transparent Power Purchasing Agreements," co-hosted by the Ministry of Energy and Green Transitions and Energy for Growth Hub. The Information Services Department of Ghana co-hosted a session on “Keeping news alive: strengthening media independence and viability with Media Freedom Coalition. The delegation also engaged in bilateral meetings with development partners such as the OECD and other member countries. Hon Akanvariba hoped, the bilateral meetings would deepen collaboration, particularly in areas such as technology and innovation, energy transition, best practices in implementing open governance principles and access to technical and financial support.
Hon. Akanvariba speaking on a panel during the summit
Civil Society Participation
Civil Ssociety Organisations form an integral part of Ghana’s OGP process. At the Global Summit, civil society representatives from Ghana participated in discussions and side events, bringing citizen perspectives to the forefront. Ms. Mary Addah, the Co-chair of OGP Ghana, also joined a panel discussion themed, “New Strategies in the Fight Against Corruption”. She called all stakeholders to commit to ensuring an inclusive OGP process where government and non-state actors work in partnership to advance democratic reforms.
Advancing the 5th National Action Plan
Ghana, through the OGP processes has successfully implemented 4 National Action Plans, which have led to the enactment of several policies including the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2019 (Act 989), Beneficiary Ownership Disclosure and the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024 (Act 1121).
In an interview with the focal point for OGP, Mrs Thelma Ohene-Asiamah stated that Ghana’s participation in the Summit comes at the midpoint of implementing the Fifth National Action Plan (NAP-5). She noted that, the four-year plan will be undergoing a mid-term review, which will provide an opportunity to assess progress, identify challenges, and adjust commitments where necessary.
At the end of the implementation period, Mrs. Ohene-Asiamah reiterated that, Ghana’s 5th NAP is expected to deliver tangible improvements in transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in decision-making, thereby strengthening good governance and public service delivery.
Summit Outcomes
Ghana's presence at the Summit reaffirmed its place among countries dedicated to open governance values and deepening democratic principles, emphasized Hon, Akanvariba.
The Summit closed with the adoption of the Vitoria Gasteiz Declaration which unites governments and civil society organisations on a shared vision to safeguard the civic space, strengthen democracy, and promote the OGP Principles. The first ever Open Government Challenge Awards, which honored the most ambitious and innovative initiatives from governments around the world, was also a major highlight of the Summit. Nigeria won the Regional and thematic Awards for their policy on Digital Governance.
His Royal Majesty, Felipe VI, the King of Spain, closed the Summit with a powerful reminder that “open government is a cornerstone for democracy and trust.
