Accra, Feb. 25, GNA - Ghana and its Development Partners (DPs) on Friday signed a document that would avoid the creation of parallel implementation systems and structures outside the regular administrative systems.

The Document on Harmonisation and Alignment of Development Assistance would allow Development Partners to rely on Ghana's own monitoring and evaluation systems to track progress against the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy. Thus, Ghana would not need to submit different reports to the DPs. The DPs would also ensure that over the next few years, technical assistance was given within government's capacity building plan based on the GPRS and the Public Sector Reform Plan.

Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning and representatives of the DPs signed the document. Mr Baah-Wiredu said Official Development Assistance would continue to be an integral financing instrument for accelerated growth. He said harmonizing the framework to enhance its effectiveness was imperative in the Government's bid to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Mr Baah-Wiredu said government's medium term vision was to align fully the DPs support to its policy planning, monitoring, review, budgeting and accounting cycles.

The Minister said to propel the economy on the path of growth, it would require massive injection of resources from both domestic and external sources and called on Development Partners to increase their support to fill the financing gap. Mr John Winter, Head of the Department of International Development, pledged the commitment of the partners to provide transparent and reliable information on aid flow to the country.