[ad_1]
Regional news for Saturday, August 29, 2020
Source: GNA
2020-08-29
The National Commission for Civic Education
Click to read all about the coronavirus →
The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has encouraged communities to initiate self-help projects rather than relying solely on the government for all social interventions to effectively improve their standard of living.
According to the Commission, excessive reliance on the central government for development projects had affected local initiative, slowed down community development, transparency and accountability.
“Government resources are limited to carry out its full mandate, so communities must not renege on their traditional and communal roles and responsibilities to facilitate development efforts,” said Nicholas Ofori Boateng, NCCE Central Regional Director.
He was speaking in a durbar of chiefs and people from Otsir, a farming community near Saltpond in the central region’s Mfatseman township.
The public commitment was to educate people about the essence of social auditing and the urgent need for everyone to get involved.
He was part of the Commission’s Responsibility and Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Program (ARAP) initiative to promote good governance, reduce corruption, and improve accountability.
Social auditing promotes community ownership of development projects and policies, increases awareness of local government operations, and empowers citizens to hold duty bearers accountable.
Mr. Boateng explained that the self-help approach would be a mechanism in which community members, on their own, identify a need and mobilize resources for the municipal assembly to assist with technical advice, equipment, and other support.
This, according to him, would accelerate development at the grassroots level and complement the government’s efforts to focus on large projects and engage people to take good care of their own projects.
To ensure the effectiveness of the social audit to improve probity and accountability, a seven-member committee was inaugurated to develop an action plan and show interest in the execution of projects by the Assembly or the government.
The Social Audit follow-up committee, which included a woman leader, the president of the Unit’s community, a member of the Assembly, a representative of the chief and two community members, was to monitor the implementation of the community action plan. .
A social audit was conducted at the end of the program, where stakeholders identified the public place of convenience as the most paramount need of the Otsir community and a district hospital, among others.
Ms. Judith Adomako-Ofosua, Municipal Director of the Mfanteman Commission, said that governments around the world faced the demand for accountability from citizens, who were increasingly informed through social auditing.
He said that the social audit was not intended to find fault with leaders, but to bring people closer to their leaders to ensure accountability and transparency in the management of community funds and associated projects.
Nana Anwhere, a community elder who represented the town chief, pledged to support the committee to work to ensure the social audit.
Disclaimer
GhanaWeb is not responsible for the reports or opinions of the contributors published on the website. Read our disclaimer.
Send your news to
and by WhatsApp in +233 55 2699 625.
