Government Gets Tough On NGOs

The government has given an ultimatum to all non-governmental organisations (NGOs), operating in the country, to submit their 2003 report by March 31, 2004, or risk being blacklisted.

The annual report includes income and expenditure accounts, sources of funding, activities of the organisation, investments, remuneration of the operators and other workers, assets and all other relevant information.

The ultimatum which forms part of moves to streamline their activities has become necessary due to non transparent activities of most of the NGOs.

A Deputy Minister of Manpower Development and Employment, Mr Jabaah John Bennam, who disclosed this in an interview in Accra yesterday, said he was not happy that out of the over 3,000 NGOs operating in the country, only 150 submitted their reports for 2002.

This, he said, makes it difficult for the relevant agencies to monitor their activities.

According to the Deputy Minister, apart from the intended sanctions to be applied on such NGOs, the ministry would communicate to the various governments, embassies, donor agencies among others, about the nefarious activities of such organisations.

He said currently, most of the donor agencies seek the consent of the ministry before advancing assistance to NGOs and the ministry never hesitate in recommending to the donor agency the status of such organisations.

He expressed concern about activities of most of the operators of these NGOs who enrich themselves in the name of assisting orphans, street children, vulnerable women and the disabled.

Mr Bennam disclosed that the ministry had drafted a guideline policy on the activities of NGOs that would be placed before Cabinet soon and subsequently to Parliament to be made into law.

He stated that some of the NGOs are doing marvellously well in helping government efforts in alleviating poverty, making health delivery accessible and educating the people and added that it was not the intention of government to ostracise any of them.

He said the activities of some NGOs have reached levels where the government should be extra vigilant to ensure that recalcitrant individuals do not take things for granted.