Abesim-Sunyani, Nov. 06, GNA – The National Secretariat of the Non-Profit Organization (NPO) has engaged stakeholders to deliberate on the NPO Draft Bill 2021 to ensure transparency in their operations to bring positive impact on the society.
Speaking at the event at Abesim near Sunyani, Mr. Dala Ashiagbor, the Head of NPO’s Secretariat observed stakeholders were the strong force that collaborated with government in the provision of social services to the public, particularly those in the remote rural areas.
It was jointly organized by the NPOs Secretariat under the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) and sponsored by MoGCSP, Financial Intelligence Centre and Deutsche Gesellschaft Fur Internationale Zusammenrabeit (GIZ).
Attended by 40 participants from the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Regions, the programme aimed at soliciting inputs from stakeholders to make recommendations to the proposed bill for the benefit of its members.
Mr. Ashiagbor said the Bill would help to curb the activities of criminals, particularly prevention of money laundering and terrorism, adding that it was not intended to control stakeholders, but to structure them for transparency in their operations to impact positively on the society”.
He said the money launderers and terrorists wired monies into the accounts of the non-governmental/civil society organisations and returned to retrieve the amount, saying that was shameful and disgraceful to the affected NPOs and the country.
Mr. Ashiagbor cited countries like Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali, Liberia La Cote d’Ivoire had fallen victims to terrorist groups through fundings of their unsuspecting NPOs by unauthorised, criminal sources making it a necessity to protect the NPOs in those countries.
Mr. Kobina Afena-Sam, a participant from the Sunyani-based Rural Youth Service, a local NGO promoting the interest of youth, especially in the rural areas of Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Regions in an interview commended the organisers, saying the engagement had given him insight about the process for his organisation to become a recognised member of NPO.
GNA