The committee was set up by the MIHOSO International Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation in line with the implementation of a project titled “MIHOSO-GIZ Social Accountability for a Resilient Democracy (SARD)”, co-funded by the European Union (EU) and the German Development Cooperation (GIZ).
At a day’s training workshop held at Duayaw-Nkwanta, the Tano North Municipal capital, the members expressed concern about the failure of many MMDAs to engage the local communities, assess their needs before siting and executing physical development projects.
The SAC members comprise representatives of traditional authorities, Persons with Disabilities, trade unions and market women, religious bodies and the Municipal Assembly.

MIHOSO, an NGO that focuses on public health and social development to empower women, youth, and the marginalized in society with its project partners organised the training to empower the SAC members to work actively and help achieve the objectives of the implementation of the SARD project in the municipality.

Mr McCarthy John Aggrey, the Chairman of the Tano North Municipal branch of the PwDs noted that the poor engagements from the MMDAs were worrying because that often resulted in misplaced priorities.
He called on the Tano North Municipal Assembly to prioritize, engage the local communities and conduct extensive need assessments before siting and execution of development projects in the area in ensuring that the people derived from the optimum benefits.

Mr Gabriel Kofi Adomako, a Development Planner Officer at the Tano North Municipal Assembly also expressed concern about the abandonment of some projects initiated by the previous administration in the municipality.
Other members of the committee expressed similar sentiments and called on the government to facilitate the resumption of work on the construction of abandoned Community-based Health Planning Service Compound (CHPS) at Susuanho as well as an artificial football pitch at Yamfo and the Tano Brick and Tile factory.

Mr Godfred Tabanye Wuliyeng, the Head of Programmes at MIHOSO called on the assembly members in the area to endeavour to engage their constituents in identifying and tackling the emerging development needs of the local communities.
He said engaging the local communities would put a sense of ownership in the people, build trust and inspire the people to engage in decision making processes of the Assembly, saying that would greatly help the assemblies in their revenue mobilization drive as well.
Mr Wuliyeng noted that the nation’s decentralization framework, established in the 1990s, provided for local stakeholder participation in governance to improve service delivery.

The Local Government Act 2016 (Act 936) and the 1992 Constitution demand local residents and other stakeholders to actively engage in the activities of their district assemblies and other sub-structures of the district assembly.
Nonetheless, Mr Wuliyeng regretted that challenges like inadequate public knowledge and awareness about residents’ rights in demanding accountability from duty-bearers, inadequate resources, limited capacity among citizens to engage constructively, and insufficient accountability from duty-bearers persisted in many of the MMDAs.

He said the Chapter 12 of the 1992 constitution, Local Government Act 2016 (936) and the Public Financial Management Act 2016 mandated MMDAs to deepen community engagements in the utilization of public resources for improved accountability.

In highlight, Mr Wuliyeng said the SARD project was being implemented in Asutifi North and Asunafo South Districts as well as the Tano North Municipalities in Ahafo and Sunyani West Municipality and Dormaa West District of the Bono Region.

The project sought to empower citizens, including the marginalized groups such as PWDs, PLHIV, People living with mental health conditions, Women, artisan associations demand accountability from local authorities.

It also sought to create opportunities for the District Assemblies to engage their constituents or people through public forums such as town hall meetings, budget hearings as well as empower citizens including the marginalized groups, and the youth, to participate in local governance processes, among others.