NCCE urges residents of Ayawaso West to participate in local development

General news for Saturday 19 September 2020

Source: GNA

2020-09-19

The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has engaged the residents of Ayawaso West in Accra in Social Audit, urging them to actively participate in local governance and development.

The event is part of the NCCE’s Responsibility, Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Program (ARAP) to promote good governance, reduce corruption and improve accountability.

The program was also used to form and inaugurate an eight-member social audit committee to ensure that necessary development projects were provided in the West Ayawaso district.

With the support of the Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly and the European Union, it brought together stakeholders, including community members, some traditional leaders, opinion leaders, members of CHRAJ and the security service.

Edem Afeeva, NCCE Municipal Director for Ayawaso West, said that the Social Audit exercise was aimed at promoting community ownership of development projects and policies that raised awareness about how local government works, and reiterated that the social audit empowered citizens to hold local leaders accountable.

Afeeva said the exercise required the citizen to assess, identify and help address the needs of the community.

He added that citizens must be aware of the policies implemented by duty guarantors to hold them accountable, as that is the only way to ensure accountability.

He said it was important for citizens to engage with the Assemblies to plan, implement and evaluate development and growth projects.

He urged the participants to share their knowledge and experience on the best ways to provide the necessary development projects, while tasking committee members with accurately performing their duties to help them achieve their set goals.

Madam Portia Akpene Adjakrah, Civic Education Officer, said the Social Audit created a platform for the voice of stakeholders, especially the vulnerable, to be heard while contributing their quota to development at the local level and holding leaders accountable.

Participants identified the lack of public schools, poor roads, the lack of a market and a district hospital as their immediate social needs and asked the Assembly to provide them.