By Yussif Ibrahim, GNA
Accra, March 21, GNA – The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has held a stakeholders’ forum on social auditing at Adiembra in the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti Region.
Social auditing provides a platform for the district assemblies and other government agencies to engage community members on project funding, whiles giving the latter the opportunity to demand accountability and also talk about felt needs, priorities and challenges.
It also seeks to promote community ownership of development of such projects as a means of deepening the decentralization process which sought to bring development to the doorstep of the people.
The event formed part of the Anti-Corruption, Rule of Law and Accountability Programme (ARAP), being implemented by the NCCE with funding from the European Union (EU).
« Citizens for Transparency and Accountability » was the theme chosen for the event and it was attended by opinion leaders, traditional rulers, representatives of security agencies, assembly members, unit committee members and the general public.
Mr Wilson Arthur, the Ashanti Regional Director of the NCCE, said his outfit was organizing social auditing fora in all the 254 districts across the country to facilitate an open discourse among citizens and duty bearers on planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects.
This, he said, would offer the people the opportunity to make inputs into projects being executed in their localities and own them for smooth execution.
It would also give opportunity to people outside government operations to influence policy making, implementation and evaluation, he said.
Mr Arthur reminded the people that it was their civic duty to take keen interest in the activities of the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
He said it is important for the assemblies to constantly engage the citizenry in the implementation of projects in the interest of participatory democracy and transparency.
Nana Agyemang Gyasi, the District Director of NCCE, said the NCCE would continue to facilitate engagements between stakeholders at all levels for good governance and transparency and applauded the people of Adiembra for their massive participation in the forum.
EKB/PDC
