Sekondi, June 23, GNA-The Infrastructure Transparency Initiative (CoST) has announced the initiation of an Infrastructure Transparency Survey, using CoST’s Infrastructure Transparency Index (ITI).
The ITI tool calculated a transparency score for a national or sub-national public infrastructure as well as for each of its procuring entities.
The process would run for two months, sampling 30 public infrastructure projects from 15 participating Procuring Entities in the Western Region of Ghana.
Mr Isaac Aidoo, the CoST Sekondi/Takoradi Manager, said the ITI was an evaluation instrument used to measure levels of infrastructure transparency and the quality of the associated processes that improve participation and accountability among procuring entities in a country.
He said the conduct of the Infrastructure Transparency Survey complemented ongoing data-gathering efforts, which had the potential of transforming infrastructure governance through evidence-based reforms.
The scores are based on a large number of unique indicators, which are independently evaluated to assess procuring entity practices and the national or sub-national conditions that give rise to transparency and accountability in the delivery of publicly-funded infrastructure projects.
The Manager noted that the conduct of the ITI survey would enable Procurement Entities and other key stakeholders to obtain quality information to understand the relative strengths and weaknesses of transparency, participation and accountability within the sector.
It would also Identify shortcomings in existing practice to inform agenda-setting aimed at raising transparency and accountability standards within entities or a sector and improve upon ongoing infrastructure management practices.
The ITI would serve as a basis for tailored-interventions by civil society and other interest groups with an interest in strengthening transparency and accountability amongst Procuring Entities at the Regional or sub-national level.
The CoST is an initiative, which works with the government, the private sector and civil society to improve transparency, participation and accountability in public infrastructure delivery.
Mr Aidoo stated core features such as disclosing, validating and using infrastructure data at each stage of the infrastructure project cycle.
Globally, CoST works had seen an impressive impact in diverse contexts in terms of cost savings, better quality infrastructure, improved lives and increased trust between citizens and decision-makers.
In addition to working with CoST members at the national and subnational levels, it works internationally with key anti-corruption organizations to facilitate the global exchange of experience and knowledge on transparency and accountability in public infrastructure delivery.
In Ghana, CoST works at the subnational level through CoST Sekondi-Takoradi to make the publicly-funded infrastructure project-cycle more transparent; contributing to the building of trust and confidence in Procuring Entities by the beneficiaries and other stakeholders alike.
