NORPRA’s main goals are:
- More equitable allocation of state resources
- Enhanced citizens participation in local governance
- Transparent and accountable governance, and
- Participatory monitoring of public resource utilization.
NORPRA works to educate communities about their rights, raise awareness on government policies and engage with citizens to advocate for more equitable development policies. Specifically targeted are those marginalized communities in the three northern regions of the country. Through engagement meetings with government officials, press releases and conferences, public fora and peaceful demonstrations, NORPRA has engaged various governments on several issues of concern in recent years and has achieved positive results for communities. Some examples are as follows:
In 2006 and 2007 NORPRA demanded explanation from government on why it had excluded the Upper East and West regions from the list of the Millennium Challenge Accounts beneficiaries. It also engaged government on the need to disburse HIPC Funds in accordance with the provisions of the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy 1 and 2 to enable Ghana achieve even and balanced development as stated in clause 2(d) of Article 36 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, and to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, particularly Goal 1 (eradication of extreme poverty). Other issues the organization took up included delay in the release of feeding grants to 2nd cycle institutions in northern Ghana, inequitable selection of basic schools for the Ghana School Feeding Programme, and the lack of Presidential Special Initiatives (PSIs) in the northern regions.
In order to provide needed support to the communities that NORPRA serves, staff conduct Fee-Free Holiday Classes for Junior and Senior High Students in the Upper East region of Ghana. Our free-holiday classes have contributed towards improving falling standards of education in the communities that these classes are organized.
Before embarking on its first peaceful demonstration in Bolgatanga to protest against inequitable allocation of state resources and the exclusion of Upper East and Upper West regions from the Millennium Challenge Account, the Organization was taken to court. The case filed by the Government in the Bolgatanga High Court, sought to place a perpetual injunction on the demonstration. Fortunately, with the support of the Centre for Public Interest Law (CEPIL) the Organization on 30th November, 2006 won the case and embarked on the demonstration in Bolgatanga on December 14, 2006 and in Wa on July 17, 2007.
NORPRA’s victory in the court’s case with government has not only revealed that the law is there to protect everyone but has also inspired and strengthened many ordinary citizens groups in their advocacy for equity, transparency and accountability.
NORPRA in 2008 through engagement meetings commended the Government for its Northern Ghana Development Fund (NDF) initiative. Since 2009 the Organization, through public fora, press releases, press conferences and engagement meetings with Government and other key stakeholders such as the Board members and Management of the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority(SADA), has been demanding that Government allocate enough resources as stated in the manifestoes of the ruling party to SADA . Through NORPRA’s persistent and consistent engagement with the Government of Ghana from 2006 to 2008 on the need for special policy intervention to bridge the south-north development gap in Ghana, the Northern Development Fund (NDF) was initiated in 2008 and in 2009 the NDF was broadened and named Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA).
Also, the organization through its engagement processes with the Government over delays in release of feeding grants to 2nd cycle institutions in the north has succeeded in making government release these grants timely to the schools thereby ensuring that the schools are not closed down as they used to be.
Again, NORPRA considers Government’s retargeting of basic schools and the increased number of schools from northern Ghana under the Ghana School Feeding Programme as an accomplishment of our advocacy work for equitable selection of schools for the Ghana School Feeding Programme
Over the years NORPRA succeeded in creating common platforms at the community and regional level for ordinary citizens particularly the poor and marginalized groups to engage with local government authorities including members of parliament and ministers of state for social accountability. The organization has also raised the awareness level of vulnerable and marginalized groups of specific policy issues and deepened their participation in governance issues
NORPRA also succeeded in using evidence to advocate for the removal of the Rector of Bolgatanga Polytechnic in 2010 for financial malfeasance and other acts that did not promote the growth and development of the polytechnic. (ref: Chronicle Newspaper, June 1, 2010)
The impact of NORPRA’s work has been felt, recognized and appreciated by a number of well established reputable institutions and organizations who have partnered with NORPRA. They include Ibis West Africa, United Nations (UN-Habitat), British Council, World Bank, Care International, BONABOTO -UK Branch and Centre for Public Interest Law.
