The citizenry have been encouraged to honour their obligations to the state by paying taxes, levies, rates, duties and other fees to help fast-track development projects in their communities.
Having interest in the activities of the various assemblies by community members will put those entrusted with resources to develop their areas on their toes at all times.
Kofi Ofori, the Ablekuma North Municipal Chief Executive, gave the encouragement in a statement read on his behalf in Accra, at a social auditing programme organised by the Municipal National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE).
The programme will afford communities to know plans, activities, policies and programmes of assemblies in order to closely monitor their activities, promote community ownership of development projects, increase awareness of operations of local governance and empower the citizenry to demand probity, accountability and transparency from duty bearers.
Mr Ofori advised the citizenry to be interested in how the taxes, levies, rates, duties and other fees they pay are used by closely monitoring projects in their communities to ensure “value for money” for such projects.
“Even though the citizenry are obliged to pay their taxes, levies, rates, duties and other fees to ensure development by the government, they at the same time have the right to know how they are utilised,” he posited.
Mercy Essien, the Deputy Greater Accra Director (Administration), NCCE, called on the citizenry to demand probity, transparency and accountability from duty bearers to ensure they were not ” short circuited ” since they (duty bearers) had the responsibility to properly account for every money entrusted in their hands for development on their behalf.
Richmond Okoaben-Mensah, the Municipal Director of NCCE Director, noted that the constitution had given the commission mandate to engage, educate and empower the citizenry know their civic rights and responsibilities to play their role as active citizens.
Key challenges were identified and the assembly was charged to enact a by-law to make it obligatory for households to own water and sanitation facilities, address the poor road network and drainage system and invasion of bedbugs at Wesley Grammar Senior High School.
–GNA
