The Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) of Sekondi-Takoradi, Mr Abdul-Mumin Issah has launched an online Infrastructure Disclosure Portal to monitor the development of infrastructure at Takoradi in the Western Region.
The portal will enable the citizens and other stakeholders to access information related to publicly funded infrastructural projects.
Additionally it would provide the platform for procuring entities to proactively disclose project and contract data in a globally accepted disclosure standard to enhance access to information on publicly funded infrastructural projects thereby promoting transparency and accountability in governance.
Addressing stakeholders at the launch, the MCE said ensuring there was value for money and utmost benefit from investments made into infrastructure provision, unrestricted access to information throughout any project cycle was critical.
Mr Issah said the recognition was even more pronounced not only because of the significant multiplier effects of infrastructure to the national and local economy but its contribution to building trust in government.
He said the commitment of Construction Sector Transparency Initiative(COST) as a platform to promote transparency and social accountability in the delivery of public infrastructure presented an excellent opportunity to commerce dialogue and implement reforms to reverse the crisis of confidence plaguing the citizens, the private sector and government.
Mr Issah disclosed that to complement the use of the Online Disclosure Portal, the Assembly has initiated the process of designing an Infrastructure Monitoring Tool both off and online versions to provide access to real time data to stakeholders on the progress of on-going infrastructural projects to assist in holding duty bearers to account and ensuring better value from inputs would be solicited on the draft Tool.
He told the stakeholders that the Multi-Stakeholder Group of COST, has equally initiated a Scoping Study to establish a baseline measure of transparency in publicly funded projects at the national and sub-national levels.
COST Project Coordinator, Mr Aziz Mahmoud said beyond the contract identification contract sum, funding agencies were not well revealed.
He said in some cases so much money went to waste because contractors were paid for contracts they never executed so physical disclosure was not enough and therefore, they have moved a step forward to digital disclosure making it proactive and reactive to release project and contract information thus making accessibility to the citizenry and general public easier.
The target areas were the traditional authority, the media, civil society organisations (CSOs), and community leaders, among others
FROM PETER GBAMBILA, TAKORADI
