APRM empowers citizenry to ensure accountability

Kadjebi, Sept. 25, GNA - Institution of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) is to offer a unique opportunity to civil society groups and the citizenry to hold their governments accountable. Reverend Professor Samuel K. Adjepong, Chairman of National African Peer Review Mechanism-Governing Council (NAPRM-GC) who announced this said APRM emphasized a paradigm shift on the manner African governments related to their citizenry and civil society groupings.

He was inaugurating a nine-member Oversight Committee of APRM for Kadjebi District at Kadjebi.

Rev. Prof. Adjepong said such relationship called for the establishment of a developmental partnership between African governments and their people.

"Development initiatives to succeed, must be locally owned and people-centred," he added.

Rev. prof. Adjepong noted that the APRM process could reverse the stagnant economic growth and endemic poverty resulting from governance and leadership failures because the citizenry would be encouraged to help to diagnose problems and suggest solutions.

He said the Governing Council in collaboration with National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) initiated the National Programme of Action to the Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS II) being financed through the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) for a smooth implementation.

Nana Osei Kwadjo, Chairman of the committee asked the citizenry to help to identify the real situation on the ground and avoid the politicisation of discussions that could negatively affect results. Mr Fidelis Attoh, Acting Volta Regional Director of National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) said the Commission had translated the APRM documents into Ewe, Twi, Ga, Hausa, Dagare and Dagbani for easy reading and dissemination.