By Erica Apeatua Addo
Akyempim (W/R), Dec. 06, GNA- Management of the CoST Sekondi-Takoradi has appealed to stakeholders to support the team to conduct the 3rd Assurance process to position the Western Region as the best in promoting transparency and accountability in public infrastructure governance.
The assurance process which is now called the Independent Review Process (IRP) is one of CoST’s infrastructure, transparency initiative, tools, and standards.
The process entails validating information disclosed by the assemblies into the public domain and assessing it against the actual project on site.
Where issues exist, the report would highlight, make recommendations, and together with the assemblies, the recommendations are implemented to benefit the citizens.
Mr Eugene Ofori-Atta, the CoST Multi-Stakeholder Group Chairman, made the appeal at the CoST Independent Review commissioning workshop in Akyempim.
It was attended by planning officers, engineers, coordinating directors, Municipal Chief Executives (MCE’s), the media, and their citizens monitoring teams.
He said in 2021 the CoST partnered the Western Regional Co-ordinating Council (WRCC) to scale-up Project Assurance Survey to additional seven districts which includes, Effia-Kwesimintsim, Shama, Mpohor, Ahanta West, Tarkwa Nsuaem, Nzema East and Wassa East,
He explained that following the successful rollout in the eight Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assembly’s (MMDA’s), the CoST International had approved the scale up of the Assurance process to all the 14 MMDA’s in the Western Region.
To start the process, Mr Ofori-Atta said, “the WRCC has communicated CoST intention to conduct the 3rd Assurance process to all the MMDA’s in the region, and that six MMDA’s were participating in the commissioning workshop with the remaining eight MMDA’s to be held in Takoradi”.
He said the primary objective of the exercise was to introduce the IRP to stakeholders, build stakeholders awareness, foster collaboration with stakeholders, and establish implementation plans.
Mr Aziz Mahmoud, the CoST Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (Meal) Officer, said the programme started in 2019, and this was the third time they were commissioning an independent review process on their projects.
He explained, “The previous two that we had, one of the biggest issues was that assemblies were paying for quantum of work done, rather than quality. This issue also repeated itself in the second assurance”
“But the good thing is that many of the assemblies that we engaged in the second assurance, have been able to implement the recommendations from that particular assurance process.”
Mr. Mahmoud indicated that ,”In the Wassa East District Assembly, we realized that a CHIPS compound had been constructed at Dominase, the facility did not have disability access and water points, but when we highlighted it , the assembly provided all the necessary things to make life a bit comfortable for the beneficiaries “.
“So, this particular exercise is not a forensic audit, is about trying to help the assemblies to identify some of the weaknesses in their mandates and how they can improve on it,” said the MEAL Officer.
Professor Kwaw Somiah, Team Leader, from the faculty of Built and Natural Environment, Takoradi Technical University, explained why the various assemblies should get involve in the process.
He said the Procurement Act promoted transparency, citizen participation, sustainability, and accountability in the delivery of public infrastructure.
Prof. Somiah explained that Public Procurement Authority (PPA) had indicators for disclosure, “we have studied the laws of Ghana, and then, we have come up with 67 data points, which is more comprehensive and would enhance what PPA is having in the system for disclosing data to the public”
GNA
Edited by Justina Paaga/LInda Asante Agyei