General News of Tuesday, 23 April 2019

Source: ghananewsagency.org

NCCE embarks on sensitization programme in Yendi

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The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has embarked on citizens sensitisation on Accountability, Rule of law and Anti-Corruption Programme (ARAP) Sponsored by the European Union in the Yendi Municipality of Northern Region.

The 2019 sensitisation of identifiable groups on the ARAP constituted the second phase of the citizen's sensitisation on ARAP in the Yendi Municipality.

In all, 45 activities were carried out in Yendi comprising visits to five mosques, two churches, one sub-chief Palace (Wal-lanyili) at the Umrania Electoral Area including; others in Yendi township.

Topics discussed included; the manifestation of corruption such as bribery, nepotism, stealing of state property, extortion, absenteeism and or lateness to work, need for citizens to fight against corruption by reporting alleged corrupt cases to institutions such as Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Legal Aid, Police also by Blowing the Whistle among others.

Addressing the audience at various areas, Alhaji Sulemana Iddi Alhassan the Yendi Municipal Director of NCCE indicated that 10 women groups, 23 youth groups and 10 dusk and dawn broadcasts targeting 10 communities were carried out.

He announced that more than 1,000 females and 1,500 males were reached out with the sensitisation on the responsibility of citizens to fight corruption, whistleblowing, and role of key institution in fight against corruption.

The role of the Public Relations and Complains Unit of the Yendi Municipal Assembly in improving service delivery, combating corruption and public accountability was also highlighted in his speeches.

According to him, there were many more youth and women groups in Yendi Municipality and hoped that they would be reached in the next quarter of the year. The theme of the (ARAP) was “Citizens for Transparency and Accountability”. He noted that the objective of the programme was to “promote good governance in Ghana through reduction of corruption and improve accountability and compliance with the law”.

He said in many of the communities visited, the people accepted that corruption was evil and should be fought by all Ghanaians.

He said many of the audience were however apprehensive about the role of the police and judiciary in the fight against corruption citing numerous cases of alleged corruption at the police stations and courts.

He said in reaction, one of the audience opined that the whistleblowers were completely in contrast with Dagomba values of uprightness and ability to keep the fault of others.

He said the contributors still opined that fighting corruption was an insurmountable task in Ghana saying many youth and women groups snd pressure groups such as youth Parliament, Progressive could be harnessed to fight corruption.