Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition trains citizen groups on audit implementation
The Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) has trained citizen groups on implementing the audit recommendations of the Auditor-General and the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NACAP).
The one-day workshop was held in Tamale for citizen groups made up of network of people from various professions and socio-economic backgrounds.
Participants received training on the processes of monitoring audit and NACAP recommendations, communication and advocacy tools that enabled the correction of irregularities in audit reports.
The training formed part of the activities under the “Building Evidence for Increased Accountability in Ghana through a Multi-Stakeholder Accountability Initiative Project.”
It is a two-year project being implemented by the GACC in 15 districts in the county, funded by the Hewlett Foundation.
Tamale’s session was coordinated by the Rural Urban Women’s Association (RUWA) Ghana, a non-governmental organisation.
The project covered the areas of audit report implementation, NACAP implementation and citizens’ anti-corruption agency.
Some activities undertaken by the project since September 2022 included the collation of audit infractions and accompanying recommendations related to specific public institutions from the 2021 Auditor-General’s report.
Implementation of the project is expected to aid the recovery of misappropriated sums in public institutions.
It also sought to increase public awareness on anti-corruption as well as ensure the effectiveness of NACAP activities.
Mr Bright Sowu, Head of Programmes at GACC, speaking at the workshop, said the Coalition believed that follow-ups on audit recommendation implementation would reduce corruption and strengthen systems to avert future corrupt happenings.
He said citizens were the biggest stakeholders in a democratic country hence must be empowered to dig into government machineries.
He stated that many Ghanaians had no knowledge of the NACAP activities despite eight years of its existence, adding the more citizens were engaged, the more corruption reduced.
He added that “Citizen groups should be concerned to check on local government to ensure that recommendations by audit reports are fully implemented.”
Source: GNA