Mr Ewald Quaye Garr, Acting Programme Lead for Civic Empowerment for Community Action (CECA) at the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG), has appealed to local community members to actively get involve and monitor the implementation of development projects in their areas.
He said active community participation in the development and implementation of socio-economic development projects was crucial to ensure transparency, accountability and value for money.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency at Ahensan in the Sekyere East District after inspecting some ongoing development projects in the community, he said community ownership was important in project execution and acceptance by community members.
The tour was jointly conducted with Governance Issues Forum Network (GIFNeT) and community members to monitor progress of work on development projects such as boreholes, school buildings and health facilities, being implemented by the district assembly from the District Assembly Common Fund and District Development Fund.
It was part of initiatives being implemented by IDEG and Mondelez International Cocoa Life Programme to build capacities of local people in cocoa growing communities to actively participate in local governance and influence decision making.
Among the communities visited were Ahensan, Mahinso, Apemso, Odurokrom, Okaikrom, Motokrodua and Ntunkumso.
Mr Garr pointed out that active involvement and engagement of community members in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects, was the surest way to guarantee effective and efficient utilization of national resources.
Mr Saeed Ibrahim, Assembly Member for the Bimma Electoral Area, commended IDEG and GIFNeT for the continuous support in empowering the local people and facilitating the development pace in their communities.
Mr Aikens Harvery, GIFNeT Chairman for the District and a native of Ahensan, said the initiative had provided opportunity for citizens to know how and when public funds intended for them were being utilized.