By Philip Tengzu, GNA
Nandom, (UW/R), Feb. 16, GNA – The Nandom Municipal Directorate of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has engaged stakeholders in the municipality on the rule of law and the fight against corruption aimed at strengthening social accountability of duty bearers.
The engagement formed part of the “Civic Engagements on the Rule of Law and the Fight Against Corruption” project being implemented by the NCCE in partnership with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and co-funded by the European Union (EU).
Speaking at the engagement, Mr Issahaque T. Angme, the Nandom Municipal Director of the NCCE, indicated that the initiative, which was being implemented in 60 districts across the country, was geared towards promoting community ownership of development projects and policies.
He added that it was also aimed at enhancing citizens’ understanding of local government operations and empowering communities to lawfully demand accountability from duty bearers.
“This programme is to empower citizens to lawfully assess and monitor the performance of local government and public institutions to ensure transparency and accountability.
It is also to provide platforms for dialogue between duty-bearers and community members to foster civic responsibility and participatory governance,” Mr Angme explained.
Mr Sampson Baalazoma, the Nandom Municipal Director of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), took the participants through public accountability mechanisms to enable them hold duty bearers accountable.
The mechanisms he mentioned included citizens’ rights to accountable governance, complaint and redress procedures, and the responsibilities of public office holders.
He indicated that public offices were positions of trust and service to the citizenry and encouraged the participants to exercise their right to request information from public offices to keep public officers on their toes.
“You have the right to request information from public officers, and it is the responsibility of the duty bearers to provide that information as required by law,” the Municipal CHRAJ Boss indicated.
Mr Baalazoma also urged them to report corruption-related cases to CHRAJ through the Whistleblower’s Act for redress.
Alhaji Mohammed Awolu, the Nandom Municipal Coordinating Director, assured the participants that the Assembly remained committed to addressing the development needs of the people.
He said some concerns raised by the participants, including borehole projects in the municipality and the planned construction of a Police Station at Ko, had been captured in the Assembly’s 2026 Action Plan and would soon be awarded on contract.
On road infrastructure, Alhaji Awolu said some roads in the Municipality were being gravelled using the Assembly’s District Roads Improvement Programme (DRIP) equipment, while others were earmarked under the government’s Big Push programme.
He disclosed that approval had been secured from landlords for the construction of a 24-hour economy market at the Nandom old market to enhance local economic activities.
The event brought together 71 participants, including traditional authorities, opinion leaders, women and youth groups, assembly members, and persons with disabilities, among others.
GNA
Edited by Caesar Abagali/Linda Asante Agyei