CHAPTER 5 5.3 Assessment of the performance on APRM objectives Objective 1: Promote self-reliance in development and build capacity for selfsustaining development i. Self-assessment 24. The GPRS provides the overarching policy context for the country's development policies, strategies and projects. It is geared towards creating wealth and reducing poverty. The intermediate objectives are the transformation of the economy to achieve growth, accelerated poverty reduction and the protection of the vulnerable and excluded within a decentralised, democratic environment. 25. A more vigorous effort went into making the GPRS process participatory and locally owned by Ghanaian stakeholders, than was the case with earlier initiatives such as Vision 2010, the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and the Programme of Action to Mitigate the Social Costs of Adjustment (PAMSCAD). In general, however, there is room for improvement in consultation and participatory processes. Stakeholders, during the preparation of the report, frequently suggested that consultation processes could be better structured, including the participation of District Assemblies. 26. The Background Report reiterates that strategies for human development and the provision of basic services in Ghana are mainly outlined in the GPRS, while the various sectors and ministries include medium-term strategies in their respective Sector Plans. 27. Over half the government's development expenditure is externally funded, albeit on a downward trend in recent years. External aid enabled the government to restore confidence in the economy, especially during the 1980s. Such aid increased outlays on infrastructure development and social services, and contributed significantly to poverty alleviation. However, it also endangered macroeconomic instability. Since 1983, multilateral and bilateral donor support has inadvertently created monetary shocks and quasi-fiscal deficits of a magnitude overwhelming the government's capacity for macroeconomic management. ii. Findings of the CRM 28. Discussions under this objective were dominated by capacity and ownership issues. Several participants from outside the public sector expressed the view that improvement 122