Ghana's adoption of the extractive industries transparency initiative (EITI)

Abstract

The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) is a global standard that aims to promote greater accountability and transparency in the extractive sector. Drawing on research carried out in Ghana to assess the impact of the Ghana EITI (GHEITI) at the community level, this paper asks: Is there variation between mining communities in the level of awareness of GHEITI and royalty disbursements to rural districts, and if so, what might this mean for improving accountability to mining communities? Unearthing variation is important, as it can help to identify roadblocks to improved accountability to mining communities which can inform appropriate policy interventions. Recognizing the heterogeneity of communities, the exploratory research considers the potential role of accountability mechanisms, such as community outreach activities of GHEITI, and advocacy on the part of civil society organisations (CSOs) in enhancing awareness. The research builds on studies that examine local dynamics that tend to be lost in national-level analyses.