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25.10.2016 Social News

Social Accountability tool useful in the implementation of GSOP

25.10.2016 LISTEN
By GNA

By Samuel Akapule, GNA
Bongo (U/E), Oct. 24, GNA - Mr Samuel Amo-Nimoh, the Regional Community Animator at the Ghana Social Opportunities Project (GSOP), has said the Social Accountability tool, applied by his outfit has contributed significantly to the implementation of the sub-projects of GSOP.

Mr Amo-Nimoh, during separate Social Accountability fora held in 12 Districts in the Upper East and Northern Regions, said many of the sub-projects of GSOP have been implemented successfully and made significant impact on the livelihoods of the poor.

The rehabilitation of dams and dugouts, Climate Change mitigation activities, feeder roads repairs among others, funded by the World Bank and the Government of Ghana are classified under the Labor Intensive Public Works (LIPW) component of the Project and seeks to provide targeted poor rural households with access to employment and income-earning opportunities.

The LIPW sets out to maximize local employment while rehabilitating productive infrastructure assets, which have the potential to generate local secondary employment effects and protect households and communities against external shocks.

Mr Amo-Nimoh said the use of the Social Accountability tool which is a requirement in the implementation of the sub-projects under LIPW of GSOP was to provide a platform for beneficiary communities, service providers and other duty bearers to review the progress and address concerns of all the parties.

He said as part of the Social Accountability procedures, citizen engagements began at the sub-projects conceptualization, appraisal and design stages where the stakeholders were made to do validation before approval.

Mr Amo-Nimoh said the full disclosure of project information including full cost of the sub-projects, roles of various actors, rights and benefits were very critical in the operationalisation of Social Accountability.

He said Transparency and Accountability Boards (TABs) had been mounted at all the project sites and populated with critical sub-project information meant for beneficiaries and other community level stakeholders with the view to deepen transparency and to update the communities regularly on implementation issues.

The Community Animator said the principal actors of the Social Accountability fora in GSOP operational areas include the Regional Coordinating Office of GSOP, District Assemblies, Contractors, Works Supervisors, Climate Change Focal Persons, Assembly Members , Traditional Authorities, Community Facilitators, Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs), and the various communities.

'The twenty four Social Accountability fora recently facilitated by the Regional Directorate of GSOP provided the platforms for the stakeholders to assess and deliberate on the performance of all sub-projects with the view of ensuring quality and efficient service delivery, elimination of leakages, sharing of good practices and lessons, transparency and accountability,' Mr Amo-Nimoh said.

GNA

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