Managing Records in Records Centres in Ghana: A Case Study of the National Records Centre

Abstract

A records centre management programme is a strategic function with systems needed to ensure that records remain reliable as evidence of the activities that gave rise to them, that they are protected against loss or damage, and that the records and the information they contain are accessible and usable over time. Despite this crucial and essential role played by records management, organisations in the public sector pay little attention to the effective management of records. The aim of this study was to investigate the management of semi-current records at the National Record Centre with the aim of identifying programme strengths and challenges. The study was mainly qualitative and sought to examine the management of semi-current records at the National Records Centre. The records life cycle concept provided the theoretical framework for the study. The study relied on the case study method using both primary and secondary sources. While the primary sources involved interview and observation, secondary sources of data collection embraced periodicals, journals, dissertations and theses. The study population was 10 Records Centre personnel and the management team of PRAAD (3). The thematic analysis approach was employed for the study. Key findings included the mandate of the National Records Centre. This mandate is derived from the PRAAD Act, (Act535) which provides direction for the management of semi-current records. The study also brought to the fore the weak and ineffective infrastructure base of the National Records Centre and also the poor disposition processes and weakness prevailing nation-wide. Based on these gaps and weaknesses the study recommends the need to strengthen programme mandate of the Centre to improve the government- wide management of semi-current records. It similarly recommended strengthening the infrastructure for records disposition.