The National African Peer Review Mechanism (NAPRM) Secretariat has urged Ghanaians to own the governance process and demand accountability from those in authority.
It said for democracy to thrive, citizens must actively own and take part in the governance process.
Speaking on the sidelines of a workshop for some selected NAPRM District Oversight Committee (DOC) in Accra, Madam Winniefred Asare, the Acting Executive Secretary of the NAPRM, said part of the civic responsibility for the citizens was to participate in the governance process and demand accountability from those who had been entrusted with power.
Aimed at enhancing the awareness of the DOCs on the important role of the APRM in facilitating the implementation of the AfCFTA through the recent targeted review of Ghana, the workshop, which sought to reorganise the DOCs, also focused on empowering them with knowledge on corporate governance.
Madam Asare, who urged the citizenry to demand accountability, also noted that citizens must be actively involved in the governance process, stating that it was a civic responsibility.
She said people became accountable when citizens actively joined hands and continuously asked questions bothering on governance processes.
According to her, leaders were elected to serve, for which reason they must be held accountable, adding that participation ensured accountability.
In her welcome address, Mrs Kathleen Quartey Ayensu, a Council Member of the NAPRM Governing Council, said the APRM stood as a testament to the commitment of African nations towards self-improvement and accountability.
Mrs Ayensu stated that Ghana’s journey within the APRM framework had been marked by significant strides since its initial review in 2006.
She said efforts by the Governing Council in promoting good governance had yielded positive results, ensuring peace, growth, stability, and poverty reduction.
“At the heart of the APRM’s success lies the principle of local ownership and participation,” she said.
Commending the role of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Mrs Ayensu said, the APRM’s contributions to local economic development across the country could not have been possible without the strong collaboration between itself and the NCCE.
For his part, Mr Samuel Asare Akuamoah, the Deputy Chair in Charge of the Operations at the NCCE, said the NCCE would collaborate with the NAPRM to deepen sensitisation and broaden public engagement and information dissemination.
The District Oversight Committee (DOC) is a monitoring and evaluation team constituted to oversee the implementation of the APRM’s national programme of action at the local level.
It serves as the mouthpiece of the Governing Council and exists to rally local support for the APRM’s process to promote good governance at the district level.
