Monitor budgetary activities of local assemblies

Alhaji Abdullai Gafaru, the Internal Auditor of the Ho Municipal Assembly, has encouraged civil society organisations in the Municipality to keep abreast with the Assembly’s budget.

He said such civic duties would help reduce misappropriation and improve transparency and accountability of the resources in the Assembly.

Alhaji Gafaru said this when addressing a Social Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (SPEFA) forum, under the Local Government Capacity Support Project (LGCSP) in Ho.

The event was organised by Community Development Concern, a Ho-based non-governmental organisation.

He said though composite budgeting made it almost impossible for assemblies to misappropriate funds, regular checks and tracking of the Assembly’s expenditure could ensure financial discipline.

Alhaji Gafaru said it was unfortunate that the public faced challenges in accessing information from the Assembly and advised individuals and civil society organisations to use press conferences and other media engagements to find answers to their concerns.

Madam Fati Soula, the Head of Social Accountability Unit, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, said development was dependent on effective participation of citizens and called on all stakeholders in the Municipal area to ensure that the Assembly used its resources judiciously.

Mr Alex Korsi Akpo, the Ho Municipal President of the Ghana Federation of the Disabled (GFD), expressed unhappiness about the construction of public places by the Assembly without disability friendly facilities.