Take Social Audit of projects seriously - NCCE

Mr Omar Jafaru Alsadiq, the Upper East Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has admonished members of the public to show interest in the social audit of any development project in their communities.

He said citizens needed to be abreast with policies implemented by duty bearers in order to hold them accountable as that was the only way to ensure value for money and responsibility.

Mr Alsadiq gave the advice when he spoke on the theme; "Citizens for Transparency and Accountability," at a sensitisation programme held at Yorogo, a community in the Bolgatanga Municipality in the Upper East Region.

It was on Social Auditing and was implemented by the NCCE under the Anti-Corruption, Rule of Law and Accountability Programme (ARAP).

The Director said Social Auditing was aimed at promoting community ownership of development projects and policies that helped to increase awareness of the operations of Local Government reiterating that Social Auditing empowered citizens to demand accountability from duty bearers at the local levels.

Mr Alsadiq emphasised that the exercise was not a witch-hunting tool to public service providers, but, a move to empower citizens to challenge policies and projects, and ensure value for money.

He noted that effective Social Auditing would instil discipline and duty consciousness in duty bearers, reduce acts of corruption in the country, and create value-added participation in the country’s democracy and development.

Mr Edmond Alagpulinsa, a representative from CHRAJ, called on citizens to be assertive and approach elected officials such as Assembly Members, and politicians to demand accountability.

Naba Johnson Awuni, the Chief of Yorogo, applauded the NCCE for the initiative in his community amidst the numerous constraints of the NCCE and called on the government to resource the Commission to effectively carry out its mandate.

The sensitisation programme brought together officials from the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly, heads of decentralised departments, the Ghana Education Service (GES), the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).

Other participants were drawn from the Ghana Health Services (GHS), religious and traditional authorities, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and some selected students in the region.