The maiden edition of the ‘Accountability Dialogue Series’ has been held simultaneously in five (5) zones (Ho, Cape Coast, Kumasi, Wa, and Sunyani) across Ghana. The Ho Zone event was held for eleven (11) Participation, Accountability, and Integrity for a Resilient Democracy (PAIReD) partner districts and municipalities from the Eastern, Volta, and Oti regions.
The German Technical Cooperation (GIZ) organized the Accountability Dialogue Series in collaboration with the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC), the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), and the Office of the Head of Local Government Service (OHLGS).
The beneficiary Districts and Municipalities were Ketu South, South Tongu, Hohoe, and North Dayi in the Volta Region, Biakoye, Krachi East, and Kadjebi in Oti, and Abuakwa South, New Juaben North, Atiwa East, and Fanteakwa North in the Eastern Region.
The Accountability Dialogues Series is a unique platform for stakeholders within the anti-corruption space at the sub-national level. It seeks to discuss challenges impacting the fight against corruption and its related issues. The platform additionally aims to equip critical stakeholders with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively contribute to implementing the National Anti-Corruption Plan (NACAP) at the sub-national level.
The session brought together Regional Internal Auditors and Regional Auditors (Ghana Audit Service) from the three (3) participating regions, Municipal and District Co-ordinating Directors (MDCDs), Internal Auditors and Chairs of Audit Committees and Presiding Members (PMs) of the beneficiary Municipal and District Assemblies (MDAs) as well as Municipal and District Directors (MDDs) of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).
Opening the workshop, the GIZ Technical Advisor, Mr. Dodzi Goka, noted that the participants’ presence at the maiden Accountability Series workshop would create and sustain a robust platform for open dialogue, collaboration, and collective commitment to reinforce the pillars of transparency and accountability at the subnational level and, for that matter, Ghana as a whole. He appreciated all the partners and stakeholders for their collaboration and ongoing efforts to dedicate themselves to what he described as a resilient and democratic society.
Mr. Goka pointed out that the Series would focus on several critical accountability areas, including public financial management, citizen engagement, the fight against corruption, and strengthening integrity systems.
He reaffirmed the commitment of GIZ’s governance program to foster an environment where accountability is at the heart of governance. ‘Through these dialogues, we will lay the groundwork for a transparent, responsive, and resilient system in the face of challenges,’ Mr. Goka intimated.
A Programme Officer at the GACC, Mr. Samuel Harrison-Cudjoe, was the primary facilitator at the workshop. He took the participants through the two (2) main topics (Conflict of Interest in the Public Sector and Beneficial Ownership Disclosure) of the day in addition to guiding and leading the participants in a group discussion and presentation on potential risks of conflict of interest, real-life examples and how to encounter them for the appropriate solutions. Each of the five (5) groups dealt with one case study for presentation, interrogation, and discussion.
He reiterated that conflict of interest situations can be resolved, adding that it is doable. According to Mr. Cudjoe, Ghana is a total of solutions to any problem. ‘The problem is not the law but rather whether we are ready as a people to apply or enforce the law impartially,’ the facilitator emphasized.
The facilitator used the occasion to stress the need for the participants to use the knowledge and skills acquired to positively impact their work at the various MDAs and in their respective regions.
According to Mr. Harrison-Cudjoe, conflict of interest situations in the public sector are real, and the participants are called on to guard against such temptations. Beneficial Ownership Transparency (BOT) should also be keenly adhered to in discharging their responsibilities to avoid corruption, money laundering, and related crimes.
The Oti Regional Internal Auditor, Mr. Johnson Owusu, described the workshop as revealing and educative. According to him, the Series would go a long way toward strengthening their capabilities and improving their judgment in discharging their duties.
The PAIReD program is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development (BMZ) and co-financed by the European Union (EU) and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Co-operation (SECO).
