Empowering Citizens: How Data is Transforming Public Service Monitoring in Ghana

The UNDP and Ghana Statistical Service launched a citizen data initiative to enhance public service monitoring, improving inclusivity and governance under SDG 16. The pilot project demonstrated that citizen-generated data complements official statistics, offering real-time insights into healthcare, education, and government services.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Global Policy Centre for Governance and the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) have launched an innovative initiative to integrate citizen-generated data into governance monitoring. This effort marks the first collaboration between a UN agency and a National Statistical Office (NSO) to use citizen data for tracking Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16, which focuses on Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions. The initiative seeks to empower communities by enabling them to contribute directly to public service assessments, particularly for marginalized groups, including persons with disabilities. Traditional data collection methods often fail to capture the voices of these communities, making participatory data collection an essential complement to official statistics. By addressing these gaps, citizen data fosters greater inclusivity, providing real-time insights into service delivery challenges and successes.

Ghana’s Pilot Project: A New Way to Monitor Public Services

The pilot project, conducted in Ga East (urban) and Suhum (rural) districts between late 2023 and early 2024, aimed to evaluate how citizen data could enhance traditional survey methodologies in measuring SDG indicator 16.6.2, which tracks public satisfaction with government services in healthcare, education, and identification services. The initiative followed a structured implementation process that began with a feasibility study and a review of global methodologies. A mobile application was developed to collect citizen feedback in a user-friendly manner, offering accessibility features such as text readers, sign language interpretation, and voice recording options. Additionally, an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) system was introduced, allowing individuals without smartphones or internet access to participate.

To ensure effective public engagement, District Technical Teams (DTT) and National Technical Teams (NTT) were established, consisting of local government representatives, civil society organizations, and community leaders. These teams played a crucial role in mobilizing citizens, increasing awareness, and amplifying participation, ensuring that diverse voices were represented in the data collection process. Over a three-week period, participants provided feedback on their most recent experiences with public services, offering a rich dataset that complemented official statistics.

What the Data Revealed: Public Satisfaction with Services

The pilot project yielded valuable insights into real-world experiences with public services in Ghana. In the healthcare sector, over 60% of respondents reported needing medical services in the past year, yet 45% in Ga East and 53% in Suhum faced difficulties accessing care. Affordability emerged as the biggest barrier, affecting 28% of respondents in Ga East and 43% in Suhum. Despite these challenges, 77% in Ga East and 69% in Suhum expressed satisfaction with healthcare services.

In the education sector, more than 80% of school-aged children attended public schools, yet transportation difficulties and inadequate infrastructure prevented some from enrolling. Around 40% of respondents were dissatisfied with school expenses and poor facilities, but overall, satisfaction remained high at 75.2% in Ga East and 72.2% in Suhum.

Access to government-issued identification (ID) services presented significant challenges. 70% of respondents needed an official ID in the past year, but affordability was a major barrier for 80% in Ga East and 90.2% in Suhum. Long wait times and bureaucratic inefficiencies contributed to dissatisfaction, while some participants in Ga East reported experiencing discrimination during the ID application process.

Comparing Citizen Data with Official Statistics

The pilot's findings were compared with the 2019 official SDG 16.6.2 survey, revealing key differences. While healthcare demand remained consistent, concerns over affordability increased from 18% in 2019 to 34% in 2024. The demand for ID services saw a dramatic rise from 36.5% in 2019 to 70.5% in 2024, highlighting growing reliance on official documentation.

One of the most striking discoveries was the improved representation of marginalized communities. The official Population and Housing Census (PHC) had previously reported that 3% of Ga East residents had vision impairments, but the citizen data pilot identified 12.4% of respondents as having visual disabilities, suggesting that traditional surveys may underrepresent vulnerable populations. This underscores the power of citizen data in improving inclusivity, particularly for persons with disabilities and underserved groups.

The Future of Citizen Data in Governance

The Ghanaian experience demonstrates that citizen data can play a transformative role in governance by providing real-time, cost-effective, and participatory approaches to service monitoring. The initiative not only improved data collection but also empowered citizens to engage directly in governance, raising public awareness about their rights and the quality of public services. Furthermore, it showcased the potential of frequent, low-cost data collection, enabling governments to track satisfaction levels more effectively over time.

However, for citizen data to be sustainably integrated into national statistical systems, clear regulatory frameworks and robust quality control measures are necessary. UNDP and GSS recommend strengthening national statistical systems by providing resources and capacity-building support for citizen data initiatives. There is also a need to develop legal frameworks to regulate citizen data production and expand community engagement to ensure that all stakeholders including civil society organizations, government agencies, and policymakers contribute to shaping the process.

By combining citizen data with official statistics, governments can enhance evidence-based policymaking and improve service delivery, particularly for underserved communities. The success of Ghana’s initiative demonstrates that citizen-driven data approaches can revolutionize governance and public service assessments, ensuring greater inclusivity, responsiveness, and accountability. As governments worldwide seek cost-effective, real-time solutions for monitoring public services, citizen data emerges as a powerful tool in shaping the future of sustainable development.