Effia-Kwesimintsim Municipal NCCE engages residents on social auditing

The Effia-Kwesimintsim Municipal Directorate of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in the Western Region has engaged residents to empower them with social auditing strategies to promote transparency and accountability in their communities.

The engagement, held at Effiakuma, was to deepen civic engagement, strengthen public accountability, and enhance citizens’ participation in the country’s governance process.

It was attended by traditional and religious leaders, students, representatives from Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and youth groups among others.

It formed part of the NCCE’s “Civic Engagements on the Rule of Law and the Fight Against Corruption” project, under the Participation, Accountability and Integrity for a Resilient Democracy (PAIReD) Programme.

The programme is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and co-financed by the European Union (EU), and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), and implemented by GIZ in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance.

Yusif Usman, the Acting Effia-Kwesimintsim Municipal NCCE Director, speaking at the event, said social auditing was one of the mechanisms to empower the citizenry to take ownership of community developmental projects and policies, enhance their participation in local government, and demand accountability from duty bearers.

He stated that social auditing empowered communities to assess development projects, track the use of public resources, and engage duty bearers in informed and constructive dialogue to ensure transparency and accountability.

He encouraged the participants to identify gaps in policy implementation in their communities, assess service delivery, and jointly develop action plans with local authorities for redress.

Usman said the approach would not only strengthen accountability but also promote inclusive decision-making and shared responsibility for community development.

Andrews Ofori-Larbi, the Western Regional Director of the NCCE, encouraged the people to take interest in development projects in their communities, and demand transparency and accountability, while ensuring value for money.

Philip Fiifi Buckman, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kwesimintsim, in a speech read on his behalf said social auditing served as a vital bridge that empowered citizens to track development projects, monitor the prudent use of public resources, and engage constructively with duty bearers.

He, therefore, asked stakeholders to embrace social auditing as an indispensable tool in promoting transparency and accountability, and ensure inclusive decision-making for development.