Workshop On IPEP Tracker Held

Participants at a day's workshop on tracking the implementation of government's Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication programme (IPEP), have called on politicians particularly at the grassroots to endeavour to involve relevant stakeholders to achieve maximum results.

They also urged the supporters of the party in power not to hijack the development initiatives, bearing in mind that the resources for such projects were from state coffers and not party purse.

A participants stressed 'It is our monies as citizenry and we deserve the best in our quest to develop Ghana beyond aid'.

These and other sentiments were expressed during the workshop on the maiden report of IPEP tracker project by the Centre for Democratic Governance (CDD) at Takoradi in the Western Region.

The project selected for the utilisation of the fund would be under standardised guidelines in the area of one district, one factory, one village, one Dam, small business development, agricultural inputs, water for all and sanitation.

Mr Kennedy Sarpong, a participant urged the CDD to track the processes right from the procurement stage and contracting regime to stem corrupt practices right from the beginning.

Mr Delali Ndow, developing Ghana must be done in a more systemic approach adding, 'Development must be the core and lets set the right indicators to monitor performance'.

Ms Cecilia Oduro a participant, expressed worry about how such government interventions over the period had not brought the needed impact due to bad planning and abrogation midway the projects adding, 'we need to sustain this initiative and ensure that it yields the needed results'.

The CDD has initiated the IPEP tracking project to track the NPP's flagship programme to spur development with allocation of one million dollars for each of the 275 constituencies annually.

Mr Gilfred Asiamah, Assistant Research Officer, CDD-Ghana pointed out that experience from the past had shown poor management of such laudable projects by government as they were often mismanaged, unaccountable and lacked transparency.

The CDD-Ghana is therefore implementing the project to ensure transparency and accountability of its implementation, strengthen the framework and performance of institutions set up to govern the programme as well as ensure efficient and good corporate management of public funds allocated to the IPEP and avoid a false start.

Mr Asiamah said there was an urgent need to ensure that District Assemblies were not used as conduit or vehicles to channel such funds to individuals and political parties.

GNA
By Mildred Siabi-Mensah, GNA