The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has launched a digital complaint dashboard and service provider scorecard mechanism aimed at enhancing public service delivery in the Upper East Region.
The pilot initiative, which forms part of a broader UN Peacebuilding Fund project, is designed to allow citizens—especially in vulnerable communities—to conveniently lodge complaints and provide feedback via a web platform and a mobile app available on the Google Play Store.
Digital Tools for Accountability and Social Cohesion
The two-year project, titled “Enhancing Social Cohesion and Social Contract through Empowerment of Women and Youth in Three Northern Regions of Ghana,” is jointly implemented by UNFPA and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). It covers the Garu, Bawku West, and Bongo Districts, in partnership with the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council and the Youth Harvest Foundation Ghana.
Speaking at a stakeholder workshop in Bongo, Selina Owusu, Gender Analyst at UNFPA, said the initiative responds to growing concerns around social exclusion, service gaps, and the potential for extremist influence in border communities.
“Ghana has not experienced direct attacks by violent extremists, but threats from neighbouring Sahelian countries demand that we act proactively,” she said. “Improving service delivery and creating accountability mechanisms is essential to prevent the marginalised from being exploited.”
Scorecard Mechanism to Empower Citizens and Institutions
The platform provides channels for citizens to report issues with service delivery. It provides service providers with a scorecard to track their responsiveness and performance. It currently targets four critical sectors: health, security, social services, and social justice.
“We are institutionalising a mechanism where people can access services, report lapses, and expect timely responses,” Owusu added.
The system is designed to improve transparency, promote inter-agency collaboration, and harmonise complaint handling across sectors.
Local Ownership and Future Scaling
Senanu Agbozo, the system’s developer and consultant, explained that the centralised dashboard allows for real-time monitoring, data collection, and follow-up by multiple agencies.
Stakeholders praised the tool’s potential. Ms Franklina Amoah, a Public Health Nurse from the Bongo District Health Directorate, noted:
“This tool strengthens our relationship with the communities. It helps us become more accountable and deliver better services.”
UNFPA has trained local institutions on how to use the platform, and efforts are underway to ensure that community members are aware of the system and how to access it.
Owusu encouraged district assemblies to adopt the model and scale it across other sectors for long-term impact.
“Sustainable peace begins with trust, and trust grows when people know they can be heard and served.”
Bongo | Upper East Region.
