By Solomon Gumah, GNA
Bunkprugu (NE/R), Feb 21, GNA – The Bunkprugu/Nakpanduri District Directorate of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has organised a day’s civic engagement forum at Bunkprugu in the North East Region to promote accountability, transparency and adherence to the rule of law.
The forum, held under the “Civic Engagements on the Rule of Law and the Fight Against Corruption,” was aimed at strengthening citizen participation in governance and enhancing service delivery at the local level.
It formed part of activities under the Participation, Accountability and Integrity for a Resilient Democracy (PAIReD) Programme with support from the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) and the European Union.
Participants at the event included persons living with disabilities (PwDs), community members, opinion leaders, youth groups, and staff of the District Coordinating Council among other stakeholders.
Mr Martin Konlan, Bunkprugu/Nakpanduri District Director of the NCCE, speaking during the event, said the forum was designed to encourage residents to demonstrate keen interest in issues of transparency and accountable governance to promote sustainable development.
He noted that active citizen participation in governance, respect for the rule of law, and collective efforts to fight corruption were essential to improving service delivery and consolidating democracy.
He said “an informed citizenry remains a vital pillar of democratic governance” urging participants to engage public officials constructively and use lawful and non-partisan means to demand accountability in the utilisation of public resources.
During the open forum, participants raised concerns about inadequate and irregular water supply, poor road networks, quality healthcare delivery, youth unemployment, inadequate educational infrastructure, and perceived corruption in public service delivery.
Mr Joseph Ali Lachir, Bunkprugu/Nakpanduri District Chief Executive, underscored the importance of active collaboration between the Assembly and the citizenry to accelerate development in the area.
He acknowledged the concerns raised and described them as legitimate development challenges confronting the district.
He said “We cannot achieve meaningful development without the active participation of our people. I encourage you to continue engaging the Assembly constructively and to hold us accountable through the appropriate channels.”
Mr Aziz Imoro, Bunkprugu/Nakpanduri District Director of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), delivered a presentation on public accountability mechanisms.
He educated participants on their constitutional rights to information and the available complaint and redress procedures under the law.
He urged them to utilise CHRAJ and other state institutions to seek redress against maladministration, abuse of office and corruption.
GNA
Edited by Eric K. Amoh/Kenneth Odeng Adade