The Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Government (MLGRD) has implemented a social auditing programme for District Assemblies.

The programme which is under the National Decentralisation Action Plan and the National Popular Participation Framework will deepen popular participation and good governance at the local level.

Mr Paul Osei-Kuffour, Leader of the CDD-Ghana team said they facilitated the establishment and training for Social Audit Committees (SACs) in 20 districts across the country and the selected districts were beneficiaries of the social accountability project commenced by CDD-Ghana in 2015 with funding from the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA).

According to him, the training and deployment of the Social Audit Committees was to empower citizens to ensure their direct involvement in development programmes, at the local level.

He said the training was also to enable them to collaborate with Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) for monitoring and auditing of key MMDAs projects such as Urban Development Grant funded Social Investment Projects.

He advised the participants to make informed decisions and at all times to involve citizens in the development activities.

The training focussed on the reforms on participatory local governance under the New Local Government Act, Act 936 and the National Popular Participation Framework, and guidelines and concepts on the composition and operationalisation of Social Audit Committees by MMDAs.

The participants at the training held at the district level were key staff of MMDCEs, District Coordinating Directors, Planning and Budget Officers, District Directors of the NCCE and Information Services Departments (ISD), CSOs, Public Work Department and Presiding Members of the various MMDAs.