Dr Kwabena Twum Nuamah, Member of Parliament of Berekum East, has lauded the implementation of the Social Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (SPEFA) programme in the Berekum Municipality.

He noted that the programme was impacting positively on the local people, enhancing their active participation and engagement in development processes at all levels.

Dr Nuamah, however, expressed concern about the indiscriminate selling of lands within the Municipality.

The Member of Parliament gave the commendation when he contributed at a town hall meeting in Berekum, on the SPEFA programme, jointly organized by the Mission of Hope Society (MIHOSO) and the Netherland Development Organisation (SNV-Ghana), two non-governmental organizations.

It was well attended by traditional rulers, assembly members, artisans and business associations, traders, heads of departments and other staff of the Berekum Municipal Assembly.

He emphasized that land litigations emanating from double land sales were rampant, thus threatening the prevailing peace in the Municipality, and entreated the implementers of the programme, to extend it to cover land administration in the area.

Dr Nuamah appealed to the Berekum Traditional Council, and the Lands Commission, to collaborate and help control the selling of lands in the Municipality.

He also expressed concern about the high level of examination malpractices in both second cycle and tertiary institutions in the Municipality, indicating that the Nursing and Midwifery Training College in Berekum has been banned as an examination centre, because of malpractices.

Dr Nuamah emphasized that a collective approach was required from educational authorities and the education directorate, as well as teachers and parents, to help control the situation.

Mr Thomas Benarkuu, the Project Coordinator of MIHOSO, explained that his organization and SNV-Ghana were contracted by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, to implement the SPEFA programme in the Berekum and Sunyani Municipalities.

He explained that the programme seeks to equip ordinary citizens to directly engage with governments in order to improve the performance of essential services.

SPEFA approach offers a good opportunity to include women and children in the implementation and monitoring of services in their communities, Mr Benarkuu said.