CDD launches project on accountability

The Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has launched Promoting Social Accountability through Citizens’ Participation in Local Governance Project in Tamale.

The project is aimed at increasing citizens’ participation in the planning and budgeting processes of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).

The Programmes Manager of CDD, Mr Paul Osei-Kuffour, who launched the project last week, said the three-year project supported by the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) was to bridge the gap between citizens and district assemblies with regard to citizens’ engagement, access to information and participation in the planning and budgeting processes and activities of MMDAs.

He said the project, which commenced in 2015, was being implemented in 20 districts across the country and would end in December 2018.

He stated that government policies, budgets and plans sometimes failed to reflect societal priorities and local context, and tended to overlook the needs of various societal groups, especially traditionally marginalised groups such as women, the youth and persons with disability.

According to Mr Osei-kuffour, some budget documents were not produced while those that were published contained inadequate information, which were challenges for the citizenry to hold government accountable.