INTRODUCTION presented by the technical teams. Eighth, the Governing Council commissioned civil society professionals and experts to interrogate each of the APRM thematic areas in the draft Country Self-assessment Report and Programme of Action. Last but not least a National Stakeholders Validation Workshop that brought together significant stakeholders was organized on 10-13 February, 2005 to cap the national consultation process in respect of both the National Self-Assessment Report and GNPOA. What methodology underpinned the National Consultation Process? The methodology underpinning the implementation of the National Consultation process of the GNPOA was designed as a bottom-up approach. In this regard how to hinge the process on the participation of Ghanaians in an open, all-inclusive and transparent manner was core to the methodology we used. In the main, the conduct of the National Consultation process of the GNPOA was informed by four methodological approaches. These are: i. ii. iii. iv. The pre-field methodology Field methodology In-house methodology Post-field methodology The Pre-Field Methodology The pre-field methodology had as its major objective, to enlist popular participation and to attain a broad-based process of national consultation in the conduct of the national Self-Assessment Report and the preparation of the GNPOA. In this light, steps were taken to educate, sensitize and create ownership among Parliament, civil society and the populace at large. This was significant in sparking off advocacy, public debates and discussions on the implementation of the APRM and the generation of the GNPOA. Different media were used. These included television and radio discussions, newspapers, pamphlets and brochures. Others were newsletter, workshops, educational and awareness creation tours to specified institutions, targeting of significant stakeholders like parliament, professionals, trade unions, traditional rulers, religious bodies, vulnerable groups and the youth. We also teamed up with the media and national institutions set up to disseminate information after taking them through a trainer of trainer courses. A nation-wide trekking to sensitize and elicit participation of ordinary people in all ten administrative regions was used. We also empowered civil society organizations by providing them with funds to enable them to make an autonomous and self-organizing input as part of the national consultation process. It is particularly significant to bear in mind that in all these instances the participants were 159