Records management critical to transparency, accountability — Dr Aggrey-Darkoh

The Head of the Civil Service, Dr Evans Aggrey-Darkoh, has called on public institutions to prioritise records management, warning that poor records-keeping undermines transparency, accountability and public trust.

He said records were the foundation upon which effective governance rests because they provide evidence of decisions, transactions and commitments made by public institutions.

“When records are poorly kept or not kept at all, accountability breaks down. Citizens who approach the state for services, for redress or for information are left with no recourse.

Public funds become harder to track. Policy evaluation becomes impossible, and public trust, which is already a precious and fragile commodity, is eroded further,” he said.

In a speech read on his behalf at the opening of the International Archives Week 2026 in Accra yesterday, Dr Aggrey-Darkoh stressed that records management was not the sole responsibility of records officers but a leadership obligation that heads of institutions must champion.

The ceremony, which was organised by the Public Records and Archives Administration Department (PRAAD), was on the theme, “Archives at the centre of transparency, development and good governance: A collaborative process.”

Institutional responsibility

Referring to Section 10 of the PRAAD Act (Act 535) 1997, Dr Aggrey-Darkoh said the law clearly placed responsibility for the proper care and management of records on the heads of public offices.

He, therefore, urged chief directors, heads of departments and agencies to ensure that records management policies were implemented, adequately funded and integrated into the operations of their institutions.

“Records management must be seen, led and resourced as a strategic function, not a clerical afterthought,” he stated.

Touching on digital governance, the Head of Civil Service said electronic records now account for a significant share of the government’s documentation.

He said while digital systems improved efficiency and accessibility, they also exposed institutions to risks such as data loss, technological obsolescence and unauthorised alterations.

“Without robust systems, clear policies and skilled personnel dedicated to managing them, we risk losing not just files, but the institutional knowledge of an entire era of governance,” he cautioned and encouraged government institutions to work closely with PRAAD to develop resilient and legally compliant digital records management systems.

Preservation

For his part, the Director of the PRAAD, Gregory Septimus Setse, also said that archives remained critical to preserving the country’s documentary heritage and to strengthening accountability in governance.

He described archives as the nation’s collective memory and stressed their importance in supporting research, education, transparency and cultural identity.

“Archives are more than historical records.

They are evidence of government actions, instruments of accountability, sources of knowledge, and foundations of research, education and cultural identity,” he said, adding that “As custodians of Ghana’s documentary heritage, we must continue to adapt to technological advancement while safeguarding the authenticity, integrity and accessibility of records in both physical and digital formats.”