NCCE urges Ayawaso West residents to participate in local development

The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has engaged residents of Ayawaso West in Accra on Social Auditing, urging them to actively participate in local governance and development.

The event forms part of the Accountability, Rule of Law, and Anti-Corruption Programme (ARAP) of the NCCE to promote good governance, reduce corruption, and improve accountability.

The programme was also used to form, and inaugurate an eight member social auditing committee to ensure that the needed development projects in the West Ayawaso District were provided.

Supported by the Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly, and the European Union, it brought together stakeholders including community members, some traditional leaders, opinion leaders, members from CHRAJ and the security service.

Mr Edem Afeeva, NCCE Municipal Director for Ayawaso West, said the Social Auditing exercise was aimed at promoting community ownership of development projects, and policies that increased awareness of operation of local government, reiterating that social auditing empowered citizens to demand accountability from local duty bearers.

Mr Afeeva said the exercise required the citizen to assess, identify, and help address community needs.

He added that citizens needed to be abreast of policies implemented by duty bearers in order to hold them accountable, as that was the only way to ensure responsibility.

He said it was important for the citizens to liaise with the Assemblies to plan, implement, and evaluate developmental projects, and growth.

He entreated participants to share their knowledge, and experience on best ways to provide their needed developmental projects, while tasking the committee members to discharge their duties accurately to help achieve their set goals.

Madam Portia Akpene Adjakrah, a Civic Education Officer, said Social Auditing created a platform for the voice of stakeholders especially the vulnerable to be heard, while they contributed their quota to development at the local level and hold leaders accountable.

The participants identified the lack of public schools, poor road, lack of a market, and a district hospital as their immediate social needs, and asked the Assembly to provide them.