Savelugu: The Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC), in collaboration with the Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA-Ghana), recently engaged communities within the Savelugu Municipality to raise awareness about transparency, accountability, and good governance.
According to Ghana News Agency, this awareness campaign was part of a strategy to address corruption and related issues. The initiative was a component of a one-day refresher training workshop under the Strengthening Accountability, Rule of Law, and Institutional Responsiveness in Ghana (SARIS) project. The workshop, organised by GACC in partnership with SWIDA-Ghana and funded by the European Union, brought together 40 participants. These participants included representatives from Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Community-Based Organisations (CBOs), women-based associations, youth groups, and Local Accountability Networks (LANETs) within the Savelugu Municipality.
To extend public sensitisation and awareness beyond the confines of the workshop, GACC and SWIDA-Ghana also hosted a radio discussion programme. During this programme, resource persons educated the public on the impacts of corruption, the importance of accountability and transparency, and the vital role citizens play in promoting good governance and reporting corrupt practices.
The workshop also served as a follow-up activity aimed at strengthening participants' understanding of Public Financial Management in Ghana. It focused on the country's audit processes and the role citizens play in promoting accountability and fighting corruption.
Speaking at the event, Hajia Alima Sagito-Saeed, Executive Director of SWIDA-Ghana, expressed the organisation's commitment to empowering citizens to actively participate in governance by demanding accountability from public office holders. She highlighted that enhancing citizens' knowledge of public financial management systems and audit processes would bolster public oversight, improve transparency, and contribute to better service delivery at the local level.
Hajia Alima Sagito-Saeed encouraged participants to share the knowledge gained during the training within their communities to deepen citizens' participation in governance and accountability processes.