Sunyani MCE inaugurates Committee to monitor public funds utilisation

Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, the Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) on Wednesday inaugurated a Social Audit Committee (SAC) to track the Assembly’s expenditure and monitor execution of physical infrastructural projects against shoddy works.

This is to facilitate appropriate and judicious utilisation of the Assembly’s funds to help move the development of the Municipality to the next level.

The five-member committee comprises representatives from Civil Society Organisation, the Municipal Assembly, citizens, organised groups and the media.

Mad. Owusu-Banahene charged the Committee to also support the Assembly to look for investors to help develop the ‘city’, saying the Assembly required collaborative and active support from the private sector to develop the Municipality.

She said the assembly was determined to deepen its relationship and provide platforms to enable citizens to contribute to decision-making processes to strengthen the decentralization concept.

Mr. Thomas Benarkuu, the Director of Programmes of MIHOSO International, a non-governmental organisation explained that the formation of the Committee was in line with a project that sought to enhance citizens’ knowledge in social auditing and deepened their relationship with the District Assemblies.

MIHOSO international, a health-centered and social accountability actor is facilitating the implementation of the project in the Sunyani Municipality.

Titled : ”Enhancing Citizen Participation and Social Accountability at the District Level”, selected CSOs in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development are implementing the nine-month project being funded by the German Development Cooperation (GIZ).

Being implemented in 60 Municipal and District Assemblies in the country; the project among other interventions seeks to empower citizens to effectively monitor implementation of the Assembly’s Action Plan.

This would greatly improve citizens’ continuous participation in the plan process – selection of projects implementation and evaluation as well.

Mr. Benarkuu emphasised that the Committee was not set up to witch-hunt the Assembly but instead to collaborate with it effectively to help block leakages in the Assembly’s expenditure and revenue outflows to promote quality infrastructural development.