Management of Public Sector Financial Records in Ghana: Implications for Good Government

The paper examines the relationship between public sector recorded financial information and good government. The paper argues that public finance is a major instrument of constitutional, political and administrative control and that it provides the basis for decision making and the implementation of programmes. When effectively managed, recorded financial information provides a key resource for securing the evidence base of public financial management. The relationship between good government and effective management of public financial records is illustrated with a study of the budgetary processes of Ghana and how inadequate management of the records has been hindering public accountability. (African Journal of Library, Archives and Information Science: 2000 10 (1): 153-166

Public Sector Records Systems in Ghana: Some Lessons in Development Management

The origins of the decline and the revitalisation of the National Archives of Ghana go a long way back. Its near collapse to a large extent was self- inflicted. The result was a progressive deterioration in the management of recorded information, key to the efficiency and effectiveness of government. This article argues that the Ghana Records Management Improvement Programme subsequently introduced as part of the initiative to strengthen the civil service marked a paradigm shift in the development management strategies of Ghana. Restructuring the records management systems of government was crucial for improving the efficiency of development management interventions. The strengthened National Archives has been transformed into a department exercising a wider remit. New systems and procedures have been put in place to provide a sound records management programme. Unable, however, to address the management of financial records alongside records of other sectors, public financial management has remained weak due to the unstructured and poor state of the existing financial records systems. This remains so despite the several policy measures introduced to strengthen financial management Af. J. Lib. Arch. & Inf. Sc. (2003) 13, 107-11

Consequences of failure to manage public sector financial records

The focus of this article is the management of public sector financial records. In researching this subject, pilot studies were initially carried out in The Gambia designed to underpin the larger study in Ghana. The fundamental contribution of these studies is the definition of an essential, but often ignored condition necessary for effective and efficient machinery for public financial management. The studies demonstrate that the effective management of public sector financial information is a crucial factor in providing capacity for public sector efficiency and governance. This view supports an emerging trend in Public Sector Management (PSM) that government records and in particular, the records generated by the public financial management system provide the evidence required to support transparency and accountability and at the same time inform the effective management of the Consolidated Fund. This article submits that without documentary evidence, the public has no means of holding the state accountable. In effect, public financial records provide an effective means by which the public discern and measure the full stature of their government. Keywords: financial records, Ghana, public financial management, records management, service delivery ESARBICA Journal Vol. 24 2005: 2-1

Records management and football administration in Ghana

This study seeks to evaluate the nature and scale of the Ghana Premier League Board’s records management practices, and propose recommendations based on findings. The study was qualitative. Data used for analysis were drawn from twelve (12) respondents with the use of face-to-face interviews and personal observations. The major finding of the study was that there was lack of appreciation of the function of reliable and authentic records in institutional development. This finding obviates serious gaps and weaknesses in the records management programme of the Ghana Premier League Board. In particular, this study has established the essence of an effective records management system for the administration of football in Ghana. Recommendations based on findings include the need for a corporate records management policy, training of records staff , staff motivations, among others.Keywords: Records Management, Football Administration, Ghana Premier League Board, Ghana Football Administratio