Initiative to ensure local gov’t transparency launched

The National Social Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (SPEFA) Citizen Public Financial Templates has been launched at Takoradi.

The initiative of the SPEFA is designed to promote transparency, active participation of the citizenry, and accountability in the public financial management process.

Also, it is to build the knowledge and capacities of civil society organisations and communities in the Local Government Public Financial Management (LGPFM) to equip them to engage Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and their sub-district structures.

The project, which is nationwide, will be implemented in all the 46 MMDAs across the country and also provide regular financial and budget information on ongoing projects to the citizens, as well as communicate first-hand information on the activities of the Assembly to the citizens.

Mr. Akwasi Oppong, Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, at the launch explained that in 2008 a decentralisation policy framework was developed to foster holistic, pro-poor and sustainable local level development.

“Today’s event is therefore a central part of government’s effort to address issues with citizen’s participation in key decisions as outlined in the National Decentralisation Action Plan,” he said.

He said to facilitate citizens’ education and engagement, the ministry in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance has developed Citizens’ Public Financial Management Templates for MMDA’s to assist them in communicating Public Financial Management information in a simplified manner to ordinary citizens.

These templates, he said, have been designed such that average citizens with a basic primary school educational level can easily understand public financial management information and thus engage local governments on core financial management issues.

Amagoin Keita, the country Manager of SNV, said it has been established that decentralisation is more effective and beneficial if it is accompanied by deliberate pro-active efforts to involve citizens and stimulate accountability processes.

He noted that over the past couple of decades, Ghana’s effort at progressively advancing is decentralisation agenda has been achieving success.

“It is within this context of progressive decentralisation that there is need for a more active involvement of the citizens in local decision-making -- SPEFA is one of the key ingredients that will support our collective efforts at promoting decentralisation and strengthening local governance over the years,” he said.