SADA audit report must be made public – SEND
Mr John Nkaw, Northern Region Programmes Manager for SEND-Ghana has called on the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) to disclose its audit report carried out to investigate its account on the alleged financial malpractices against it.
He said the disclosure of the report is very important for the public to know the full state of affairs with regards to the operations of SADA.
He stressed that making the audit report public would build public confidence and credibility for the authority.
Mr Nkaw was addressing participants at a workshop in Tamale organised by SEND-Ghana, an advocacy organisation with support from the United State Agency for International Development (USAID).
The workshop which was attended by 51 participants from five districts was to increase advocacy by civil society for legislative change relating to accountability, increased documentation and exposure of corruption through civil society reporting mechanism.
The workshop which is part of activities of the Ghana Integrity Initiative’s consortium project aims at building civil society capacity and empower citizens to hold institutions accountable in the execution of their mandate.
Mr Nkaw also tasked the SADA board to expedite action to reverse the perceived corruption allegations against the authority to reposition it to carry out its mandate of bridging the development gap between the northern and southern part of Ghana.
He indicated that appropriate sanctions should be taken against anyone found culpable in the SADA allegations.
He said the public purse must be managed properly for the interest of the nation.
Mr Nantomah Adam Baani, Region Anti-Corruption Focal Person for the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) told the GNA that a complaint was reported on the allegations against SADA and preliminary investigations were conducted.
He said the report was submitted to the head office in Accra but lack of funds to carry out in-depth investigations affected CHRAJ’s role.
Mr Baani said due to corruption allegations against CHRAJ’s Commissioner, the Danish International Development Agency, which is the major donor of the commission withdrew its support.
Mr Baani called on the need for the passage of the Information bill to complement the Whistle blowers Act to help fight corruption.
Alhaji Abdul-Razak Saani, Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education said citizens must be proactive and assist in the fight against corruption and Ghanaians must depoliticise the canker.
“Citizens must begin to monitor implementation of public projects because we have the right and responsibility to know it”, he said.
Alhaji Saani said people must raise their voices against corruption.
Source: GNA