Residents of Nyankpala in the Tolon District of the Northern Region have been advised to monitor the implementation of programmes and projects in their area to ensure value for money.

Madam Hawawu Abdul-Rahaman, Tolon District Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), who gave the advice told the people that it was their right to monitor and audit planning and budgeting of key projects in their area to promote good service delivery and accountability.

She was speaking at a social auditing engagement, organised by the Tolon District Directorate of the NCCE at Nyankpala.

The event was attended by some members of the town including; various interest groups such as persons with disability, traditional authorities and opinion leaders.

It formed part of activities under the NCCE’s Accountability, Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme (ARAP), which is supported by the European Union with the aim of promoting good governance, accountability and transparency in institutions.

The NCCE's social auditing engagement was to enable community members to make assessment of their needs and prioritise them to seek solutions from duty-bearers.

Madam Abdul-Rahaman encouraged residents of Nyankpala to collectively hold public officials accountable in their dealings, and advised them to see development projects being undertaken in their area as their property and accordingly demand that they were well executed.

Alhaji Abdul-Razak Saani, Northern Regional Director of the NCCE, who was also at the event, advised residents to lobby duty-bearers to address the needs of their area as well as account for their stewardship.

Representatives from the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and the Ghana Police Service in the District took turns to speak on anti-corruption and entreated the residents to report to appropriate institutions, acts of corruption they came across for action to be taken on them.

Following the engagement, residents evaluated the needs and aspirations of the area and identified the lack of potable water as their pressing need, and called on duty-bearers to address it.

They constituted a seven-member committee to devise ways and strategies to engage authorities to find lasting solutions to water challenges confronting the community.