GOVERNMENT MUST REGULATE THE WORK OF NGOs IN GHANA

The Executive Director of the Northern Sector Action on Awareness Centre (NORSAAC), Mr. Alhassan Mohammed Awal has made a passionate appealed the government to create a mechanism that can regulate the works and activities of Non- governmental Organizations (NGOs) in the country.

According to him, there are over 300 NGOs in the country yet only about 20% of them are actually seem to be working to change lives on their core objectives.

He said, day in day out new NGOs are establish in the country especially in the north seeking donor funding to embark on well orchestrated projects but after such donor supports some of these NGOs misuses the funds.

He stated that, some NGOs in the north are out to make money and not save the vulnerable in society, saying, this has created a glooming picture on the NGO front.

The Executive Director of NORSAAC who was speaking at an Exhibition forum to the 10th Anniversary Celebrations in Tamale, on the theme “10 years of Hard Work in Improving the Lives of Women and Young People in Northern Ghana” hinted that, there is the need to demystify the impression that NGOs are not managing donor funds efficiently. “We may have bad nuts among ourselves and this should not be generalized”.

The theme for the Anniversary is “10 years of Hard Work in Improving the Lives of Women and Young People in Northern Ghana”.

Mr Mohammed Awal therefore called on the northern regional coordinating council to take the lead in developing systems to coordinate the activities of NGOs in the region.

The Northern Sector Action on Awareness Centre (NORSAAC) established in 2002 is a gender based advocacy organization that takes sides with women and young people. The organization which has gain national recognition started as a community based organization mobilizing the youth to discuss and find possible ways of addressing HIV/AIDS issues in communities and Schools in 2002.

The NORSAAC Executive Director hinted that, the organization in 2003 restructured it focus on reproduction health issues, women rights and governance. “The revised idea was to work directly with our beneficiaries and school especially at the community level; to deepen the governance process and ensure effective participation of women and other vulnerable groups and also see reproduction health as a core developmental issue”.

He said, the organization 2002/3 establish 35 HIV/AIDS clubs in 35 schools and later change the name to gender clubs to expand the score. The NGO from 2002- 2008 have distributed 1,700 bicycles to needy children, community based organizations, widows and orphans Ministry, and some identifiable women groups, all the north of Ghana.

Mr Mohammed Awal said, in 2006 the NGO launched a project to enhance female participation in leadership and decision making levels which contributed in getting more women elected and appointed into the districts assemblies, adding that, nearly 400 women in the north have been supported to be elected or appointed into the MMDAs.

Again, the Young Female Parliament was designed in partnership with Action Aid Ghana to provide space for young women to acquire the necessary skills and confidence to engage in participatory governance.

The Executive Director of NORSAAC posited that, the organization has facilitated the formation of 36 Association of Magazias(Women Leaders) in 36 communities in Tamale, adding that, 210 women leaders (Magazias) are currently benefiting from the organization.