NCCE Calls For Community Participation in Governance Process
The Greater Accra Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education, NCCE, Madam Lucille Hewlett Annan, has entreated Ghanaians to own projects being implemented in their communities by duty bearers to ensure they receive quality projects as well as meeting their pressing needs.
According to her, Ghanaians must hold duty bearers accountable by asking questions pertaining to project sums, during of work, quality of a project among others.
Madam Lucille Hewlett Annan made the assertion when the Ada West District office of the NCCE engaged residents of Matsekope under the Social Auditing programme.
It was on the theme: “Citizens For Transparency and Accountability”.
This Social Auditing Engagements seeks to build upon the gains made in the previous exercise.
It’s also aimed at promoting good governance in Ghana by reducing corruption and improving accountability and compliance with the rule of law.
The Greater Accra Regional Director of the NCCE, Madam Lucille Hewlett Annan in her address, said the community must define and apportion roles and responsibilities for individuals and groups to perform in the implementation of the community-initiated projects or actions to address the identified initiatives.
Madam Lucille Hewlett Annan added that good governance involves making decisions and implementing the decisions in a manner that is participatory.
She said a committee put in place or focal persons are selected to pursue the implementation process and also provide feedback to the larger community on progress being made.
The Ada West District Director of the NCCE, Philemon Boni stressed the importance of the Social Auditing by the NCCE with support from ARAP and the European Union which promotes community ownership of developmental projects and polices, increase awareness of the operation of the Local Government and empowering the citizenry to demand accountability from duty bearers.
He added that Social Auditing also offers a stage for public education and encourages the community members to take to up particular challenge their communities are facing and in oneness help find solutions to those challenges from within and outside.
Mr. Boni assured the Chiefs and the people of the readiness of the NCCE to support the Matsekope community with ideas and the necessary skills that will be required to their projects’ success.
He also urged a committee inaugurated to pursue for the implementation of a teachers quarters to be accountable to the community and take every project in the community seriously.
The Stool Father of Matsekope, Numo Eben Adjovu, applauded the NCCE for the Social Auditing programme which has been an eye opener for the people and was hopeful that when they have any issues concerning governance they know where to seek their concerns.
He promised to support the committee for the inaugurated for the resolution of challenges and the setup of the teacher’s quarters in the Matsekope community.
The National Commission for Civic Education, NCCE, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders has undertaken various sensitization engagements of the citizenry under the Accountability, Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme, ARAP.
The engagements have reached out to identifiable groups to deepen their understanding of issues related to Corruption, its forms, negative effects and linkages with human rights, whistle blowing and environmental governance.
To consolidate the gains made in the sensitization efforts, social auditing platforms were undertaken nationwide in 2019 to deepen public accountability in Ghana.
Eight member committee was setup and inaugurated by The Greater Accra Regional Director of the NCCE, Madam Lucille Hewlett Annan for the buildingbof teacher’s quarters for teachers in Matsekope community.
By: Paul Mamattah
