‘Involve citizens in governance process’
The Executive Director of the Rural Initiatives for Self-Empowerment- Ghana (RISE-Ghana), a Bolgatanga-based non-governmental Organisation (NGO), Mr Awal Ahmed Kariama, has stressed the need for citizens participation in the governance process to ensure transparency and accountability in the management of public resources.
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According to him, citizens will be in a better position to demand accountability from duty bearers when they have better understanding of the governance process.
He expressed worry that often times citizens were left out from the governance process, hence allowing duty bearers and public officials to take them for a ride.
Durbar
Mr Kariam made the remarks when he addressed a public durbar at Sirigu in the Kasena Nankana West District in the Upper East Region.
The durbar, dubbed: “Promoting social accountability through citizens participation in local governance in Ghana”, is being funded by Open Society for Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) through the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana).
The programme, which was held on the theme: “Building transparency, participation and feedback around local government budgeting and planning systems”, brought together chiefs, opinion leaders and members of the Sirigu community.
Purpose
The programme is aimed at increasing demand for transparency, participation and feedback in local government planning and budgeting processes through increased citizen participation.
It is being implemented in 20 metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) across the nation.
Mr Kariam said RISE-Ghana, as an NGO with a focus on facilitating knowledge sharing and skills acquisition for self-help and sustainable development, would continue to implement projects that would equip citizens with the right information.
That, he said, would empower poor people’s movements economically and socially to live in dignity.
“This project is very timely and relevant for us at RISE-Ghana. We are particularly grateful to CDD-Ghana and OSIWAS for the opportunity to be part of this innovative project, which has the twin aim of nurturing local civil society organisations (CSOs), to champion social accountability, and creating the enabling environment for citizens to participate in decentralisation for increased responsiveness and accountability from MMDAS,” he said.