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WA EAST: NCCE holds stakeholders meeting

The Wa East District office of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has engaged stakeholders including Faith-Based Organizations and other identifiable groups on Social Auditing in an effort to promote transparent governance and fight graft.

Date Created : 4/2/2019 12:00:00 AM : Story Author : GNA

Participants discussed several issues about developmental projects and policies such as Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) selection and registration of clients and disbursement of funds as well as general security and agricultural productivity with prime focus on access to tractor services, technical personnel - agricultural extension and veterinary services.

The meeting was under the theme: Citizens for transparency and accountability.

The District Coordinating Director, Mr. Abukari Alhassan, commended the NCCE and the European Union for their efforts in bringing good governance to the people at the grassroots level.

He said the focus of social auditing was to enhance community ownership of developmental projects and policies and empower the citizenry to demand accountability from their leaders.

Touching on the security situation in the District, the Police Commander, DSP Kingsley Kawodie, reported that the crime rate in the District as compared to other parts of the region was minimal.

Rape, defilement, causing harm, stealing, and robbery were listed as the major crimes recorded.

DSP Kawodie attributed most of the damages caused in the District to activities of Fulani herdsmen and some local farmers.

He also mentioned harvesting of rosewood as a major security threat, which resulted in violent clashes in recent times where two people were reported dead and several others wounded.

Some of the injured persons were still hospitalized at the Upper West Regional Hospital in Wa, according to the police.

The Commander made a passionate appeal to the public to cooperate with the Police to perform their duties with professionalism, saying violence should not be the ultimate means in resolving disagreements and urged the public to be tolerant with one another.

The participants indicated their readiness to support the Police by volunteering information on activities of criminals but appealed for the protection of their [informants] identity and confidentiality.

On agricultural productivity, it was agreed that the supply of fertilizers, chemicals, tractor services, credit, and extension services would be required coupled with best practices to help farmers get higher yields.

It emerged that the Ministry of Food and Agriculture would provide farmers with services regarding how to plant, weed, and properly apply fertilizers.

Participants were directed to register with input dealers to be recorded before inputs could be supplied to them.

The participants were not happy with the extension service farmer ratio which currently stood at 1:1000.

Successive governments were applauded for implementing and continuing the LEAP Programme and called for more transparency in the selection of the beneficiaries and expressed disappointment over the poor quality of roads, lack of potable water, and general infrastructural development deficit in the District.

Mr. Luke D. Wiedong, the Wa East NCCE District Director, said a total number of 101 people, comprising 78 males and 23 females participated in the social audit engagement programme.