Accra: Residents of select communities in the Upper East Region are being urged to utilize a digital complaint dashboard developed by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to report development challenges and enhance service delivery.
According to Ghana News Agency, Madam Yvonne Wonchua, the Upper East Regional Focal Person for UNFPA, highlighted the accessibility and ease of use of the system, which allows residents to efficiently communicate grievances to service providers for timely resolutions. Developed in 2025, the digital complaint dashboard and the service providers' scorecard mechanism aim to provide a convenient platform for residents to voice concerns and report challenges to relevant authorities.
The initiative seeks to strengthen the complaint systems of service providers and improve service tracking mechanisms. Accessible via www.pbfdash.com and a mobile application on the Google Play Store, the platform centralizes data collection, enhances cross-sector collaboration, and ensures swift complaint resolution through multiple channels. Covering sectors such as health, security, social services, and social justice, it also includes referral mechanisms for efficient complaint processing.
Currently piloted in three communities each within the Bongo, Bawku West, and Garu Districts, this intervention is part of a project titled 'Enhancing Social Cohesion and Social Contract through Empowerment of Women and Youth in Three Northern Regions of Ghana.' Implemented by UNFPA and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with support from the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council, the project receives funding from the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund.
The initiative aims to address the root causes of localized and spillover conflicts and vulnerabilities to violent extremism in northern Ghana, specifically in the Upper East, Upper West, and North East Regions. Training sessions have been organized to ensure community members are well-versed in using the system, strengthening the connection between residents and service providers.
Madam Wonchua emphasized during follow-up training sessions that institutionalizing the complaint system would mitigate the disadvantages faced by communities due to distance from service providers. She encouraged the communities to view the platform as a strategic development tool.
Mr. Elijah Apusiwine Adombire, the Bongo District Management Information System/Information Technology Officer, assured residents of the system's confidentiality and protection of complainants' identities. Pognaba Felicia Agampoka, the Queenmother of Feo, expressed gratitude to UNFPA and its partners, pledging to disseminate the information within the community to ensure active participation. She also stressed the importance of safeguarding complainants' identities, especially in sensitive cases.
Madam Vida Akumolga, a resident of Soe, another pilot community, expressed optimism that the project would facilitate the reporting of significant development issues to the appropriate authorities, urging community members to utilize the system effectively.