STAR-Ghana Foundation launches new strategic plan
The STAR-Ghana Foundation has launched a new five-year strategic plan to strengthen civil society, promote active citizenship and improve governance across the country.
The 2025–2029 Plan, which was unveiled in Accra last Thursday, is expected to guide the foundation’s work over the next five years.
It focuses on five priority areas: strengthening civil society, ensuring the right to services, promoting democratic and inclusive governance, fostering peace and security, and managing natural resources and climate change.
Aim
The Chairperson of the Governing Council, Hajia Hamdiya Ismaila, said the new strategic plan was developed based on the achievements and lessons learned from the previous one, aiming to strengthen the civil society sector and increase citizen participation in public discourse.
“We want to see citizens being active in public discourse, so the idea or the main themes for outcomes that we expect from this strategic plan are to get a stronger civil society and well-engaged citizens,” she said.
“We want to work a lot more with the youth of the country to ensure that the youth are well engaged in what makes the country what they dream of and what we all dream of,” she added.
Governance
The Executive Director of the foundation, Ibrahim-Tanko Amidu, said the strategy was to improve governance in all its dimensions, including political governance and economic governance, including how national resources were allocated and monitored.
He said the country’s civic space was relatively open and not restricted by law, but noted that funding reductions from development partners threatened the sustainability of civil society work.
He called for state funding rather than government funding to support civil society activities, as state-led financing would promote independence and prevent political influence.
Public voice
He said that although many examples of active citizenship could be found at the community level, more needed to be done to strengthen citizen participation.
“People are afraid to talk because once you complain about the state of your roads or your school, you are seen as either for the government or against the government,” he said.
Mr Amidu called for more responsive governance structures and stronger channels for citizens to engage institutions such as district assemblies, ministries and Parliament.
“When citizens speak, the relevant authorities must listen,” he added.
The Head of Programmes, Eunice Agbenyadzi, explained that the strategic plan's desired outcomes included a stronger civil society, more inclusive and accountable governance, improved peace and security, better access to public services and increased environmental resilience.
