Dr Bernard Otabil, General Manager of Ghana News Agency (GNA), has urged closer collaboration between the media and district assemblies, to direct more attention to the complex set of development challenges, people are confronted with. This, he said, is the way to go, to find workable solutions and improve the quality of life.

He said more is needed to be done to focus efforts on issues pertaining to the progress of the society in the area of transparency and good governance. Dr Otabil said this at a meeting with some senior officers of Atwima-Mponua District Assembly at Nyinahin, in Ashanti Region.

He led a team of GNA STAR Ghana media auditing and tracking of development projects, an initiative launched to put the spotlight on how government’s resources are benefiting the people, particularly those in rural communities. STAR Ghana, a multi-donor pooled organisation, is part of the drive to promote openness in the utilisation of financial resources by the assemblies.

The project is being piloted in six districts in Ashanti and Eastern. Atwima-Mponua, Asante-Akim South and Afigya-Kwabre are benefiting from the activity in Ashanti Region. Dr Otabil said development project tracking and information feedback would enable the government to make effective decisions.

“The initiative will undoubtedly help prevent national resources from going waste,” he added. Dr Otabil said the outcome could be used to feed into a framework to develop a national rural development forum.

Mr Joseph Ababio, District Coordinating Director, praised the GNA for the innovative project, saying, it is a good step and in the right direction and pledged the assembly’s support to make it a huge success