Social Audit is not a tool to witch-hunt duty-bearers – NCCE

The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has said its Social Audit Programme is not a tool to witch-hunt duty-bearers to put them on spotlight for public ridicule and condemnation.

Rather, the social audit programme was designed to promote transparency and accountability in service delivery and further ensure everybody is brought on board to facilitate accelerated national development.

Eric Adu, the Acting Ahafo Regional Director of the NCCE, gave the explanation during a social audit forum organised by the Commission at Kramokrom in the Asutifi North District of the Ahafo Region.

The Social Audit project is a programme being implemented by the NCCE with support from the European Union (EU) under the Anti-Corruption, Rule of Law and Accountability Programme (ARAP).

ARAP is a joint anti-corruption initiative between the government and the EU to promote good governance, public accountability and transparency as a means to eradicate corruption and push forward national development.

Mr. Adu told the chiefs and people of Kramokrom they had the responsibility to initiate ‘self-help’ development projects to better their lives.

He noted over the years some policies and programmes of successive governments had not been responsive enough to alleviate the plight of the people, hence the need for local communities to come together and renew their communal labour spirit.

Mr. Adu said it was also necessary for the people to ensure regular interactions with Assembly Members so as to identify and address their immediate developmental needs and find lasting solutions to them.

He told the people any development project being undertaken in the community by the District Assembly belonged to them, and advised them to monitor these projects in their own interest.

Mr. Adu praised the people for their initiative to construct a Community-based Health Planning Services (CHPS) Compound in the area to improve on their health and called on everybody to show commitment and contribute to the completion of the project.

Mr. Paul Anane Manu, the Assemblyman for Kramokrom expressed appreciation to the NCCE for the education, which he added had enlightened the people.

He said the relevance of the NCCE should be well-felt in rural areas, and appealed to the government to adequately resource the Commission to enable it to perform its constitutional mandate effectively.

A-five-member Social Audit Implementation Committee was later constituted to facilitate the completion of the CHPS compound.