STAR-Ghana Foundation has organized a strategic learning event with a call on citizens to play active roles and hold duty bearers accountable.

By so doing, they should know how to access to information, for instance, on how much had been allocated projects, contracts awarded, among others.

Alhaji Ibrahim-Tanko Amidu, Executive Director of STAR-Ghana Foundation, who made the call, said after getting access to such information, they should look for organisations that champion their concerns, join efforts with them to get solutions to their concerns.

The Executive Director was addressing Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) supported by STAR-Ghana at the two-day event meant to close the gaps in their operations by taking stock and re-strategising to improve on their performance for the upcoming years.

He urged them to be mindful of where they got their funding from, so as not to get their goals disorganized.

Alhaji Amidu said STAR-Ghana, a Ghanaian-owned and led National Centre for active citizenship and philanthropy, seeks to empower the citizens to be active in developmental issues and use the right channels in getting duty bearers to solve things concerning them.

It is a CSOs strengthening mechanism focusing ultimately on empowering citizens to engage with the state to ensure accountable, transparent and responsive governance at both local and international levels.

Mr Ibrahim-Tanko Amidu, Executive Director of STAR-Ghana Foundation, said after supporting areas such as elections, media, anti-corruption, local governance as well as gender equality and social inclusion, it has re-strategise and rolled-out integrated approach to Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI).

He said the new STAR Ghana Foundation and its governing council has completed a full year of operations, institution building, strategy development and sustainability planning.

The theme for the Programme is: “Celebrating success; resourcing active citizenship for the future”.

Mr Michael Ohene-Effah, Co-Founder of Lead Africa International, said there was a gradual reduction in aid, as a result of some CSOs not accounting for funds properly; challenges faced by donors in their countries among others.

He said since aids were shifting from the traditional to non-traditional, CSOs should clearly state their course of action as this would help attract funding from institutions that were tied to their beliefs.

They should not let their organizations be centered on few people but build them by strengthening their staff.

Mr Ohene-Effah said it is time Ghanaians also mobilize funds to support certain causes such as building of schools, hospitals and elections.

He called on donors to have a flexible funding system that would respond to urgent issues.

Mr Kofi Bentel, Vice-President of Imani, said since many Ghanaians do not have the option of travelling, they should do what they could do to make Ghana work.

He called on CSOs to engage the citizenry, politicians by creating the platform for them to adjust and make right choices.