By Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo, GNA
Accra, March 05, GNA – The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Adentan Municipal Office, in collaboration with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, has engaged residents of Amrahia on social auditing to enhance transparency and accountability in local governance.
The engagement, supported by the European Union (EU) and the Ministry of Finance (MoF), formed part of efforts to empower citizens to monitor public service delivery and demand accountability from duty bearers.
The forum, chaired by Nii Nai Arku, Amrahia La Abese Amrakuatse, provided an opportunity for residents to identify gaps in policy implementation and assess service delivery in their community.
Mrs Sylvia Osei-Bonsu, the Adentan Municipal Director of the NCCE, welcomed participants and urged them to take active interest in development initiatives within their communities.
She encouraged residents to demonstrate ownership of projects and report any wrongdoing associated with public projects.
Mr Mawuli Agbenu, the Greater Accra Regional Director of the NCCE, who spoke on the theme “Civic Engagement on the Rule of Law and the Fight Against Corruption”, explained that social auditing offered a practical mechanism for strengthening transparency and public accountability.
Mr Agbenu said the establishment of social auditing platforms provided constructive avenues for citizens to hold duty bearers accountable for development projects in their communities, rather than resorting to protests.
He advised residents to show interest in projects undertaken by the municipal assembly and participate actively in town hall meetings, adding that assembly members and unit committee members served as the “eyes, ears and nose” of government within communities and should therefore be engaged regularly by citizens.
Mr Godfred Ebo Arhin, Public Education Focal Person at the Greater Accra Regional Office of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), educated participants on the code of conduct for district assembly officials.
Mr Arhin outlined principles guiding the conduct of public officers, including avoidance of conflict of interest; confidentiality; transparency and accountability; honesty; integrity; and impartiality.
He noted that mechanisms through which citizens could hold public officials accountable included lodging complaints with CHRAJ or the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), participating in town hall meetings, and petitioning state institutions to investigate allegations against public officials.
He stated that under the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989), citizens had the legal right to request information on government activities and decisions, as provided for under Article 21(1)(f) of the 1992 Constitution.
Mr Isaac Appiah, Budget Officer at the Adentan Municipal Assembly (AdMA), briefed participants on the District Revenue Collection Schedule, explaining that the document outlined taxes, fees and charges payable to the assembly.
He stressed that payment of these levies was essential to enable the assembly to undertake development projects and deliver services within the municipality.
Mr Enoch Adjetey Ago, Assembly Member for Amrahia-Maledjor Electoral Area, responded to concerns raised by residents regarding ongoing projects and developmental challenges in the community.
He also introduced unit committee members serving the various communities and advised residents to channel their concerns through them to the assembly.
During the social auditing engagement, residents assessed issues relating to roads, infrastructure, potable water supply, and drug abuse within the community.
A five-member committee was formed by participants to follow up on priority concerns identified, including the need for adequate pipe-borne water supply, construction of proper drainage systems, and grading of inner roads in the area.
Residents also called on the NCCE to intensify civic engagements to strengthen the fight against corruption and deepen citizens’ participation in accountable governance.
GNA
Kenneth Odeng Adade