ABOUT the PWYP CAMPAIGN

Background

The Campaign for transparency and accountability in Ghana’s Extractive Sector was conceived within ISODEC as part of a comprehensive programme and strategy (the Economic Justice Programme) to exact responsible husbandry of Ghana’s natural resources from the duty-bearers and to ensure that dividends from these resources are applied in a just and equitable manner, such that reduces poverty and enhances the development outcomes, especially in communities immediately affected by extractive sector activities.  

On the basis of ISODEC’s work programme and on its track record as an ardent promoter of the political, social, economic and cultural rights of the citizens, the civil society umbrella organization, Ghana Association of Private Voluntary Organisation in Development (GAPVOD) in 2003 nominated ISODEC to represent Ghanaian civil society organizations on the Ghana multi stakeholder National Steering Committee for the implementation of EITI, following the launch of the initiative in the country. 

As part of its engagement strategy, ISODEC quickly moved to broaden the civil society platform. In November 2004 ISODEC convenes a roundtable meeting of organised civil society stakeholders, aimed at broadening civil society participation in the EITI process. The meeting served as a platform for the adoption of a framework for civil society engagement. It endorsed the idea of a PWYP campaign coalition whose efforts will link to the global campaign for extractive sector transparency and accountability, and mandated ISODEC to continue to provide the coordinating support for the campaign initiative.

Early Days of the Campaign

Between 2005 and 2006 the coalition was represented at various meetings and workshops, both in and outside Ghana, and seized the opportunity whenever it presented itself, to articulate the young coalition’s concerns as expressed at the 2004 inception workshop. Particularly the coalition was represented at the first global conference on EITI in London in 2004, and in 2005 partnered the ministries of Finance and Mines, the Ghana Chamber of Mines, and the Minerals Commission, in conducting stakeholder consultations on the process, aimed at sensitizing all those who would have something to do with mineral revenue receipts and disbursements, when the implementation of the EITI began.

In early December, 2005 the coalition again was represented at a Pan-African Regional Strategy meeting in Kribi – Cameroon, where it shared with other representatives of PWYP campaign groups from West and Central Africa, its experience of working to ensure revenue transparency in Ghana’s mining sector, and also had the opportunity of learning from the experiences of the others. PWYP-Ghana shared its engagement priority plan for 2006 with the workshop delegates, the core of which was the formal launch of the campaign, sensitization, and capacity building for members of mining communities in Ghana, among others.

Subsequent to the Kribi meeting, OSIWA, a George Soros Foundation from 26 – 29 April organised a campaign inception meeting for 11 West African coalitions in Abuja, Nigeria. On the basis of the coalitions’ engagement priority plan for 2006, as presented in Kribi, OSIWA pledged funding support.

The Formal Launch of the Campaign

The OSIWA support enabled PWYP-Ghana to undertake four zonal mobilization durbars, leading to the formation of zonal chapters of the campaign in the four major mining enclave of Ghana.

These were followed by a strategic planning meeting in Accra in November 2006 leading to the formal launch of the campaign in Ghana.

The stables at this stage were clear for the campaign to take off and assume its own dynamics..

With the support of GTZ and a combined funding from Revenue Watch Institute and the Development Grant Facility of the World Bank PWYP-Ghana has organized four zonal (community-based) sensitization and capacity-building workshops in the Eastern mining enclave (Akim Oda), Ashanti mining enclave (Oboasi), Western mining enclave (Tarkwa) and in the Brong Ahafo mining enclave (Sunyani) between December 2006 and March 2007. The workshops were meant to deepen the understanding of the citizenry of the mining communities on the essence of the EITI initiative, and the role they ought to play to realize its laudable goals.

Preparing for Ghana’s First Multi stakeholder EITI Conference

At the time the workshops were being planned, the Multi stakeholder Committee of EITI in Ghana was also planning a national conference on EITI for January 15, 2007 and there was an urgent need to collate and firm-up civil society demands and expectations of the initiative.

The Oboasi workshop which was the second in the series was therefore designed to provide such platform. It was held from 11 - 13 January 2007. Oboasi is Ghana’s oldest mining enclave (over 100 years), and home to Anglo-Gold Ashanti and several others. The Workshop was on the theme: Making Mineral Revenue Work for the Poor. It was attended by 60 participants drawn mainly from in and around the Oboasi Community, PWYP-Ghana Steering Committee members, and four zonal focal persons of the Campaign. It was also attended by the Amansie West District Finance Officer, the Community Relations Officer of AngloGold Ashanti, and a representative of the President of the Adansi Traditional Council. Other participants were: a 6-member delegation from Mongolia, who were then in the country to learn from Ghana’s civil society experience with the EITI. PWYP-Ghana also sponsored a 2-member delegation from Sierra Leone to the event as part of its networking efforts and for the purpose of cross fertilization of ideas. 
The group also asked the IFIs to insist on mandatory independent monitoring of projects which recognize the full participation of civil society and called on governments of poor countries to develop and ensure compliance with clear policies and legal frameworks to control extractive industries effectively. Such policies and legislation should be in line with international human rights and environmental standards, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Social, Economic and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of all Discrimination against Women, indigenous peoples' human rights safeguards and the ILO Core Labour Standards. "Governments should hold companies accountable for their extractive activities, wherever they operate," the groups said adding, "require independent environmental, social and human rights impact assessments and publish the results at an early stage and in a form that is accessible and comprehensive to the population affected." Such impact assessments they said should form the basis of an informed decision by all stakeholders as to whether extractive projects are in the best interests of the people."