A nine-member Social Auditing committee has been inaugurated at Gomoa Ankamu in the Gomoa West District of the Central to champion the execution of development projects in the community.

Alhaji Aliyu Mohammed, the Deputy Regional Director of the NCCE, who inaugurated the committee, called on opinion leaders and the residents of the community to support the committee to pursue and achieve its goal.

Speaking at a forum on social auditing, the Deputy NCCE Director encouraged community members to show keen interest and concern in the execution of development projects in their localities.

The social auditing forum organised by the NCCE with support from the European Union (EU), brought together community members, chiefs, Assembly members and other stakeholders to discuss their roles towards development in their community.

The engagement is a joint anti-corruption initiative between the Government of Ghana and the EU on Accountability, Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme (ARAP).

It aimed at empowering community members to own development projects and programmes and to initiate the drive to solve challenges that affect their lives.

Mr Mohammed said the social auditing programme being undertaken by the NCCE was to create awareness on local government operation and urged the communities to take advantage of the local government system to develop their communities.

He underscored the need for the government and duty bearers to involve the people in the development process to give them the confidence and trust in the system.

Madam Edith Ivy Howard, Officer in Charge at the Gomoa West NCCE, giving the background of the ARAP, said it was to promote community ownership of developmental projects, policies and to empower the citizenry to hold leaders accountable for their stewardship.

She said the ARAP also seeks to promote good governance by reducing corruption, improving accountability and compliance of the rule of law.

She appealed to the community to generate resources to initiate their projects and appealed to benevolent organisations to support community development projects.

She said the social auditing programme provided the platform for communities to demand greater accountability from duty bearers mostly in terms of social amenities and stewardship.

Nana Adokowa II, the Adontenhen of Gomoa Ankamu, expressed appreciation to the NCCE for the education and pledged that the community would do anything possible to support the committee to succeed.

Officers from the Gomoa West District Assembly and CHRAJ took turns to educate participants about their work and how they could assist them.