In a recent series of posts, Bright Simons, Vice President of IMANI Africa, has highlighted the use of “forensic ethnography” by some Ghanaian think tanks to uncover the use of borrowed funds, particularly the billions of dollars Ghana owes to foreign entities.
The focus is on tracing how these funds were spent, particularly through private companies.
Mr Simons emphasizes that this scrutiny is not motivated by malice or a desire to embarrass anyone, but rather to ensure transparency, especially when private businesses and profits are involved.
He also alludes to the potential future use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning tools to predict and prevent wasteful spending.
Mr Simons’ overarching goal, as he explains, is to increase trust in governance and combat the factors that contribute to mistrust in governance.