‘Social accountability, hallmark of decentralization process’

Mr Alexis Ayamdor Adugdaa, Bongo District Chief Executive (DCE), has observed that Social Accountability was the hallmark of the decentralization process and the country's development.

The DCE who made this observation during a youth forum organized by the Bongo Youth Association (BOYA), to demand Social Accountability from the Assembly, said Social Accountability which leads to transparency and openness, was key to the proper and efficient functioning of any public institution.

“In terms of public service delivery, transparency is required to build trust and confidence between the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and the people they serve, since it borders on the utilization of resources by MMDAs on behalf of the citizenry,” the DCE stressed.

The DCE said since 2010 till now, the Assembly with funding from the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF), GETFUND, District Development Fund (DDF), Ghana Social Opportunities Project (GSOP), NGO and other Development partners, had executed numerous projects in the districts.

The DCE who mounted the exhibition of the projects at the forum, catalogued the projects to include classroom blocks, dormitories, teachers Qquarters, CHPS Compounds, Health facilities, Bungalows for staff, Police Stations and Police Posts.

The rest, he said, were Library, District Radio Station, Boreholes, Small Town Water Systems, Wells, Dugouts, Plantation, Feeder Roads, Bridges, Fish Cage, Markets, Guest House, Toilets and Urinal facilities and Area Council Offices.

Mr Adugdaa stated that despite these interventions, there were other challenges, and mentioned youth unemployment as one of the problems confronting the district

While calling on parents to pay special attention to the education of their wards, the DCE entreated the youth to avail themselves of the Rural Enterprise Programme, which is targeting unemployed graduates to go into agri-business.

“The youth will be trained in the area of farm based activities like Small Livestock rearing, beekeeping, fish and mushroom farming, and they will be provided with start-up kits after being trained”, the DCE told the youth.

The DCE said government was committed to poverty reduction, and disclosed that the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection through the Department of Social Welfare increased the beneficiaries on the Livelihood Empowerment Programme against Poverty Programme (LEAP) from 21 to 41 communities in the district.

”It will interest you to know that 1,432 households beneficiaries were supported financially with an amount of 107,442.00 Ghana cedis as at March 30, 2015.

Other social interventions include the Ghana School Feeding Programme, School uniforms, Capitation Grants, Secondary Education Improvement Programme and the support to Persons living with Disabilities(PWDs)”, he added.

The President of BOYA, Mr Stephen Akantuge Adongo , who praised the Assembly for rendering its social accountability and setting up a youth desk at the Assembly, appealed to it to also set up a Youth sub-committee and a Youth Fund to address issues relating to the Youth.

The theme for the forum was: ”Youth, A Valuable Asset For Nation Building”.