The Social Accountability Unit (SAU) of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has trained the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) Social Audit Committee members on social auditing process.

The trainees were from the 11 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies under the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area, Sanitation and Water Project (GAMA-SWP), being funded by the World Bank.

The social auditing process is an accountability mechanism, where citizens organise and mobilise to continuously evaluate or audit government’s performance and policy decisions in their various communities.

Madam Fati Soale, the Head of SAU at the Ministry said since 2015 the GAMA had consistently engaged all beneficiary communities of the GAMA-SWP on social accountability process.

She said it was aimed at ensuring greater participation and accountability of all stakeholders in the GAMA-SWP with the objectives of increasing access to improved sanitation and water supply in the region.

Madam Soale said the overall objectives of social auditing process was to build the capacity of local citizens to actively engage local government authorities in the selected assemblies to promote greater transparency and accountability in the provision of water and sanitation services.

Mr Immanuel Tettey, a Consultant of Tettey and Associates and a facilitator of the training took the participants through social audit tools and techniques, such as general understanding of social audit, information gathering and analysis, post audit monitoring and follow-up and public financial management templates.

Mr George Asiedu, the Consultant of GAMA-SWP urged the assemblies to actively involve chiefs and opinion leaders in the communities to reduce conflicts.

He said: “Such a move will encourage the people to supervise projects to ensure quality of work and transparency in financial dealings.”