From Sebastian R. Freiku
The Amansie West District Assembly has placed 7th out of 50 district assemblies nationwide, with a 61% score in the district performance audit conducted by the Ghana Audit Service (GAS) at the instance of Ghana Strengthening Accountability Mechanism (GSAM), a five-year USAID-funded project.
The GSAM focuses on citizens’ oversight of capital projects to improve accountability and transparency in local governance. Mr. Adu Sarkodie Gyekye, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, in an overview of the GSAM, said at a stakeholders’ forum that performance review and audits go beyond the usual financial audit to cover the planning, budgeting and contracting processes, as well as the quality of infrastructural projects.
He said the forum is to afford citizens the opportunity to be better informed about audit findings, using a standardised performance scorecard developed by the GSAM Consortium, Care International, and ISODEC, in collaboration with the Ghana Audit Service. The audit report recommended that the assembly develop the capacity of staff to carry out procurement activities, as prescribed by the Public Procurement Act (PPA), and maintain records of the process, as prescribed by the Public Procurement Authority.
The District Co-ordinating Director, Mr. J. M. Hardi, thanked the USAID, Care International and the GAS towards the promotion of good governance and accountability to the people, and assured them that the assembly would abide by the recommendations to enhance development in the district. Mr. Hardi urged assembly members to organise public fora in their electoral areas to account for their stewardship to their constituents. Otumfuo’s Wirempimhene, Nana Opia Mensah and Chief of Manso Mim presided over the forum.
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