Mr. Johnson Opoku, the National Director of Programmes of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has called for efforts by duty bearers to engage local communities in local governance and decision making, to help deepen the country’s fledgling democracy.

He said involving the people in the planning and implementation of projects within their localities, was the only way to ensure a sense of ownership and proper maintenance of such projects.

Speaking at a social auditing forum at Ahwerewa, a farming community in the Sekyere East District, he said keeping community members in the dark about projects in their own communities, undermined social auditing and could breed corruption.

“A decisive action to close the yawning gap between government activities and the ordinary people, was important to give true meaning our democracy as a nation”, he added.

Arranged by the District Office of the NCCE, the forum was aimed at promoting community ownership of development projects, increase awareness of the operations of the local government and empower the citizenry, to demand accountability from duty bearers.

It formed part of the Anti-corruption, Rule of Law and Accountability (ARAP) being implemented by the Commission with funding from the European Union (EU).

In attendance were residents from Ahwerewa and nearby communities such as Bomso and Feyiase as well as officials from the district assembly.

Mr Opoku said the social auditing project, was being replicated in all districts across the country with the NCCE facilitating the formation of Social Auditing Committees (SAC), to track the progress government and social development projects.

The NCCE, he noted, would continue to educate the people on their civic responsibility and urged the members of the communities not only to demand accountability from leadership but also contribute meaningfully to the development in their localities.

Nana Antwi Boasiako, Chief of Ahwerewa commended NCCE for the programme, which he said that enlightened them their responsibilities as citizens and what they could do to bring development to the area.

He applauded the people for their massive participation in the forum and expressed the hope that it would ring the best out of them as responsible citizens.