International Development Grant

Mobilizing Domestic Revenues for Inclusive Poverty Alleviation in Ghana

Project Number: CA-3-D003273001

Status: Closed

Country/Region:

Ghana 100.00%

Maximum Contribution: $7,500,000.00

Start Date: March 29, 2018

End Date: June 30, 2021

Duration: 3.3 years

Project Description

The project aims to champion inclusive and accountable governance and to improve the participation of women in making decisions related to budget planning and allocation and service delivery at the district and municipal government levels. The project supports the modernization of local property tax systems of 60 districts and municipal governments across Ghana helping them increase their revenue generation capacity so that they can invest in poverty reduction priorities which impact women and girls. Project activities include: (1) providing training on budget planning gender budgeting and gender equitable local services to improve local public financial management; (2) developing standards for citizen participation specifically of women in budgeting and planning (such as public budget hearings); (3) technical assistance on how to engage and empower women; public education regarding the tax system; (4) providing training to civil society and women’s organizations on gender budgeting and participatory planning; and (5) using information technologies and digital databases to assemble basic information required by a modern revenue system: property and business location mapping property valuation and assessment and socio-economic taxpayer data. The project is implemented by Canada in collaboration with the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Expected Results

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) improved gender-responsive planning and budgeting capacity of local governments; (2) increased capacity of districts to respond to the service delivery needs of women and vulnerable groups; and (3) increased public participation specifically women in planning and budgeting for gender equitable service delivery to the poor.

Progress & Results Achieved

Results achieved as of December 2020 include: (1) 92 metropolitan and municipal district assemblies (MMDAs) in Ghana improved their planning budgeting revenue mobilization out of a target of 60 MMDAs; (2) 1 406 officers (of which 422 were women) at the District Planning and Coordinating Units were trained by 50 trainers across the country on gender mainstreaming responsiveness in planning and budgeting at the sub-national level resulting in MMDAs incorporating more gender-specific considerations within annual development plans and budgets; (3) trained 150 women and 60 traditional women leaders (Queen Mothers) to analyze local government plans and budgets' gender-responsiveness. As a result these women were included in the planning and budgeting processes of their local assemblies and put forward concerns that are relevant to women constituents within their communities; (4) 61 participating local authorities adopted an electronic system for revenue collection and management referred to as dLRev to enhance the effectiveness and transparency of revenue mobilization and result in an increase to 399 000 taxpayers; (5) 42 out of a target of 45 participating local authorities increased their capacity to develop revenue management plans; (4) the project partner established a decision-making body to assess gender-responsive infrastructure projects in six partner districts which will include the construction of a child welfare centre market facilities and reproductive health facilities; and (6) the capacity of Regional Coordinating Councils (RCCs) across the 61 participating local authorities was strengthened on stakeholder engagement (decentralisation actors civil society and academic institutions) around key issues especially concerning women’s participation in decision-making. Through the technical advice of the RCCs all participating local authorities prepared their composite intersectoral medium-term plans that incorporated gender-specific considerations wh

Key Information

Executing Agency:
GIZ - German Society for International Cooperation

Reporting Organization:
Global Affairs Canada

Program:
WGM Africa

Last Modified:
September 19, 2025

Development Classifications

DAC Sector:

Public finance management 15%
Decentralisation and support to subnational government 25%
Domestic Revenue Mobilisation 30%
Tax collection 15%
Budget planning 15%

Aid Type: Project-type interventions

Collaboration: Bilateral

Finance Type: Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation

Selection Mechanism:
Department-Initiated

Policy Markers
Level 1 Gender equality
Level 1 Participatory development and good governance
Level 1 ICT as a tool for development
Major Funding (>$1M)
Budget Breakdown
2018-04-01 to 2019-03-31 $7,500,000 CAD
Geographic Information
130
Project Number: CA-3-D003273001