Ghana - Public Expenditure Tracking Surveys 2007

v1.0: Final datasets, draft report and other documentation on the Public Expenditure Tracking Survey 2007.

2007-05-23

This is the first time the Public Expenditure Tracking Survey has been carried out as a nationally representative study. The previous attempt at a PETS in 1997 was basically a pilot study.

The 2007 Public Expenditure Tracking Surveys (PETS) was implemented by the Government of Ghana as part of measures in taking forward the findings of the External Review of Public Financial Management (ERPFM) in 2006. The PETS was carried out in the education and health sectors to support Government's efforts in streamlining public spending and improving related outcomes in these sectors.

The objective of the Ghana PETS was to increase understanding of the link between public spending and service delivery at the facility level in order to contribute to improving the effectiveness and accountability in the use of public funds. Specifically, the PETS focused on identifying the discrepancies/leakages, inefficiencies and delays in public spending execution for selected expenditures in the education and health sectors.

The PETS was led by an inter-ministerial Steering Committee consists of staff from Ghana Statistical Services, Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MOFEP), Ministry of Education, (MOE), and Ministry of Health (MOH). United Kingdom's Department for International Development (DFID) and the Danish International Development Agency (Danida) provided the financial resources for the work and the World Bank provided technical assistance.

After extensive consultations among stakeholders,a few expenditure items were selected for tracking, based on their financial and strategic importance in the sectors. In the education sector, the selected expenditures comprised: capitation grants, textbooks, service activity expenditures (Item 3) and investment expenditures (item 4) in basic education.

In the health sector, selected expenditures were: selected medications and medical supplies, administrative expenditures (Item 2), service activity expenditures (Item 3) and the National Health Insurance Scheme. The survey was designed to be nationally representative.

The methodology of the PETS consisted of charting budget flows and release mechanisms (funds and materials) from the centre until it reached service providers such as schools, clinics and hospitals. Both vertical and horizontal tracking methods, as well as, exit polling were used in the PETS.

Sample survey data [ssd]

Education and Health facilities; Institutions/organizations (comprising the National Health Insurance Scheme, Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Controller and Accountant-Generals Department, national, regional and district offices of the ministries of Education and Health; Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs); and individuals (pupils/students and patients polled).