IMANI Africa’s founding president, Franklin Cudjoe, has unveiled a bold governance reform model aimed at resetting Ghana’s approach to leadership and public accountability. Known as the RESET Challenge, which stands for Revitalizing the Economy through Stewardship & Ethical Transformation; the proposal was presented at the National Economic Dialogue in Accra, sparking fresh conversations about the urgent need for a more transparent and citizen-centered governance system. He urged H.E Mahama to adopt this RESET model and use it in his governance.
Cudjoe did not mince words, describing Ghana’s governance system as “a broken machine running on outdated controls.” He argued that public officials have been trapped in a cycle of self-preservation, manipulating state institutions for personal gain instead of serving the national interest. RESET, he explained, aims to flip this culture on its head by instilling ethical leadership at all levels of governance.
The RESET model is anchored on five key pillars:
1. Signed Commitment to Transparency
Ministers and Chief Directors will voluntarily sign onto a clear governance framework that publicly outlines their sectoral vision and goals. This will serve as a performance contract, making their plans and promises visible to all Ghanaians.
2. Radical Transparency and Open Data
Public officials will commit to real-time open data policies, allowing citizens to track procurement processes, policy decisions, and performance metrics. This ensures government business is fully visible to the people.
3. Bi-Weekly Public Town Halls
Every two weeks, public officials will hold town halls (both online and in-person) where they explain key decisions, respond to public concerns, and discuss policy implementation openly.
4. Citizen Feedback Group
Ghanaians who actively participate in these town halls will be enrolled in a stakeholder group that offers continuous feedback to the government, ensuring citizen voices directly shape governance.
5. Performance and Accountability Reviews
Every six months, public officials will undergo evaluations based on both measurable performance and their responsiveness to public engagement. This continuous feedback loop will keep officials on their toes.
Franklin Cudjoe stressed that RESET does not aim to replace existing audit processes or financial controls but rather to complement them by injecting human-centered, ethical leadership into governance.
He called on policymakers and citizens to embrace the RESET model or propose even better alternatives. “Ghana cannot afford to keep doing business as usual,” Cudjoe declared. “It’s time to RESET governance and secure our collective future.”
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