CHAPTER       2   METHODOLOGY   In   keeping   with   the   APRM   principle   of   ownership   and   civil   society   participation,   the   NAPRM-­‐GC   adopted   an   open   and   participatory   approach   in   collecting   and   collating   data   and   information   for  the  preparation  of  the  Third  Annual  Progress  Report.  This  approach  was  to  further  deepen     civil  society  involvement  in  the  APRM  process  and  thereby  improve  ownership  of  the  process   amongst  the  Ghanaian  community.   As   with   previous   reports,   the   Governing   Council   adopted   a   four-­‐pronged   participatory   approach  in  collecting  and  collating  data  and  information  for  the  preparation  of  this  Report.   The  first  approach  was  to  request  far  data  from  public  sector  actors  –  Ministries,  Departments   and   Agencies   (MDAs).   MDAs   were   required   to   report   on   progress   made   in   implementing   specific   actions   raised   in   the   National   Programme   of   Action   (NPOA)   that   fell   under   their   purview.  MDAs  were  required  to  indicate  for  each  issue:   1. Progress  made  in  implementing  the  recommendations   2. Challenges  and  constraints  they  face  in  implementation   3. The  way  forward/remarks   The   second   approach   involved   the   use   of   District   APRM   Oversight   Committees   to   administer   Citizen  Report  Cards  to  citizens  at  the  local  level.  The  Report  Cards  are  standard  questionnaires   that   addressed   issues   raised   under   the   four   thematic   areas.   The   cards   dealt   with   issues   such   as   freedom   of   expression,   access   to   justice,   rights   of   women   and   children,   security   of   life   and   property,  access  to  public  finance,  access  to  education,  health,  water  and  sanitation,  etc.  They   excluded  issues  that  normally  are  not  in  the  public  domain  –  inflation,  exchange  rate  regimes,   internal  and  external  debt.     19