Nyitawuta community in the Akatsi North District of the Volta Region has committed to constructing a Community Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compound to address its health needs.

The decision was made at a social auditing forum organised by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) during which community members unanimously agreed that the health facility ranked highest among the priorities of the community.

The community, which had been suffering the lack of a health facility, trekked several kilometres to the district hospital at Ave Dakpa.

Residents mobilised 100 bags of cement for the project, and some rooms in the community were also donated for temporal use as a health post.

The NCCE helped to constitute a seven-member committee to plan and ensure the execution of the project in collaboration with stakeholders.

The Committee would also aid the realisation of other social needs including; extension of potable water, the completion of a stalled classroom block, an access road to the community.

Mr Oral Robert Amenyo, Deputy Volta Regional Director of the NCCE, said social auditing helped revive the dying communal attitude in the local communities and was an avenue to attracting support from stakeholders and philanthropic entities.

Mr Kenneth Kponor, Volta Regional Director of the Commission said the growth potentials of the community must be enhanced, particularly in the areas of agriculture and tourism.

Nyitawuta has a 1.5 square kilometre sacred groove, which is home to diverse species of wildlife, and also has vast arable lands for vegetable and rice cultivation.

Mr Seth Denoo, Akatsi North District Director of the NCCE appealed to the people to utilise online portals in renewing their health insurance, saying it was cost-effective, also eliminates time factor and the risk of contracting coronavirus.

The social auditing forums fall under the NCCE's five-year Accountability Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme (ARAP) sponsored by the European Union.

Ms Celestine Kojovi, a Civic Education Officer with the NCCE COVID-19 sensitisation team, reminded the community of the persistence of the virus despite the ease of restrictions and asked all to continue to satisfy all preventive protocols.