The Kwahu South District Office of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has organised a Social Auditing engagement at Twenedurasi in the Kwahu South District of the Eastern Region on the 19th August 2020.
The programme held under the theme: “Citizens for Transparency and Accountability” sought to promote community ownership of development projects and policies, increase awareness of the operations of local government and empower the citizenry to demand accountability from duty bearers. The social audit engagement is under the Accountability, Rule of law, and Anti-corruption Program (ARAP) which is a joint anti-corruption initiative between the Government of Ghana and the European Union which integrates NACaP in its design. The programme was chaired by the Chief of Twenedurasi, Nana Kum Nipa.
The District Director of NCCE, Madam Ticklar Asante- Asiamah, in her welcome address and purpose of gathering, explained what Social Auditing is and its importance. She said that social audit promotes discourse among citizens and duty bearers on planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects and programs.
“That it also gives an opportunity for persons outside government operations to influence policymaking, implementations and evaluation” she added.
She said good governance involved making decisions and implementing the decisions in a manner that was participatory, consensus-oriented, accountable, transparent, effective and efficient, equitable, inclusive and guided by the rule of law.
Mr Adjei Mframah (NACAP District Focal person) said the control of corruption in Ghana should be the responsibility of each citizen and, thus, called on the populace to resist, reject and report corrupt acts for investigation.
A needs assessment process which was led by the District Planning Officer was done and issues raised were ranked in order of priority and in accordance with the District Assembly’s medium-term plan. An action plan was drawn and a five-member committee was sworn in to follow up and monitor issues raised and projects to the latter.
The District Chief Executive Officer, Hon. Emmanuel Atta-Ofori Snr in responding to some of the issues raised stated that the community should as a matter of urgency provide the land to start the construction of the school block. He also assured the community they will be getting access to portable water very soon.
He added that the Assembly alone could not do it without the citizens’ participation. He, therefore, called for their involvement in the development of the district.
The Assembly Member for Twenedurasi thanked the commission for the educative programme which had enlightened them on the need to be involved in the development process at all levels.
Source: Mybrytfmonline/Evans Boateng
