The Ghana Developing Communities Association (GDCA), a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), has built the capacities of Community Development Monitors (CDMs) to oversee the successful implementation of capital development projects initiated by the North East Gonja District Assembly in the Savannah Region.

The training was to enhance citizens’ participation in local governance and ensure projects such as classroom blocks, water systems, health facilities, roads and other social amenities were executed on schedule.

It formed part of the GDCA’s Ghana’ Strengthening Accountability Mechanisms (GSAM) Project, being implemented by a consortium of three NGOs including; OXFAM in Ghana, CARE International and Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC), with funding support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The GSAM project will strengthen citizens’ oversight of capital development projects to improve local government transparency, accountability and performance.

The CDMs, drawn from communities within the North East Gonja District, were lectured on the goals and objectives of the GSAM project, guidelines for effective project performance monitoring, how to get concerns addressed, capital projects planning and implementation processes, rights of citizens to participate in local governance, amongst other topics.

Mr Philip A. Gmabi, GSAM Project Coordinator at the GDCA, advised the participants to be objective and neutral in their activities at all times, urging them to follow due process when monitoring projects in their communities.

On rights of citizens to participate in local governance, he explained that the local governments ACT 2016, ACT 936, sections 40 to 48, gave citizens the legal rights to participate in the activities of District Assemblies and the sub-district structure of Assemblies.

He encouraged the CDMs to seek information on projects initiated by the Assembly, as their civic rights to have access to information and lead members of their communities to monitor and assess capital development projects through regular site visits and report on identified concerns and issues to stakeholders for actions.

“We are tasking you to be vocal and confident enough to communicate identified concerns on projects to duty bearers for redress”, he noted.

Alhaji Osman Abdel-Rahman, Executive Director of GDCA, advised the CDMs not to be partisan with their work, and rather be loyal to their communities and develop cordial work relations with the assembly members.

Mr Adams Abudu, Planning Officer, at the North East Gonja District Assembly, appealed to the CDMs to channel their concerns and issues through the appropriate quarters at the Assembly for them to be resolved. Some of the participants pledged their commitment to actively play their roles to ensure transparency and accountability in the execution of development projects in their communities.