Civil Society Platform calls for citizen participation in SDG Monitoring

By Nii Martey M. Botchway

Accra, May 21, GNA – The Ghana Civil Society Platform (GCSP) on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has called for stronger citizen participation in town hall meetings to enhance the implementation of SDGs across the country.

Speaking at a national stakeholders’ engagement forum in Accra, Ms. Levlyn Konadu Asiedu, a coordinator with the GCSP, said the move would not only improve the implementation of the SDGs, but also ensure accountability and inclusive governance at the local level.

She said effective town hall meetings and inclusive consultation processes were essential for promoting transparency, accountability, and grassroots ownership of development initiatives.

“Citizens must not only be seen as beneficiaries of development, but as active participants in decision-making and governance processes,” she said.

Underscoring the importance of strengthening SDG monitoring and reporting mechanisms, she said the process would ensure that local voices and concerns were adequately reflected in national development planning.

Highlighting key areas such as education, social protection, and digitalisation, Ms. Asiedu said the engagement formed part of broader efforts by the GCSP to advance SDG localisation and deepen civic participation in governance processes.

“Development becomes more sustainable when communities are involved in identifying their own needs and shaping the solutions,” she added.

She further stressed the need for practical interventions that would empower citizens to actively contribute to decision-making and development planning at the community level.

The forum, which brought together representatives from civil society organisations, governance institutions, and development stakeholders, presented findings from the 2025 Voluntary National Review (VNR) report titled “Localising the Review of Citizens’ Participation in Town Hall Meetings.”

Participants discussed challenges affecting citizen engagement in governance and explored strategies to strengthen participatory governance structures across the country.

The engagement also provided a platform to deliberate on ways of improving public participation in local governance processes and SDG reporting.

GNA
Nii Martey M. Botchway
[email protected]
Edited by Samuel Osei-Frempong