By Rashid Mbugri,GNA,
Bunkrugu N/R, Oct 16, GNA - Two District Directorates of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in the Northern Region have held a day's community durbar to engage citizens on enhancing public accountability and environmental governance.
The durbars, held in the Bunkrugu and Tatale-Sanguli Districts, were to help sensitise the citizens on issues of corruption and the legal regimes related to Public Accountability, especially on the Whistle blowers Act, Act 720 (2006).
The sensitisation formed part of the NCCE’s Accountability, Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme (ARAP), which had funding support from the European Union (EU).
The ARAP seeks to promote good governance by reducing corruption and improving on accountability and compliance with the rule of law and good environmental governance practices in the country.
Participants at the durbars included; some political parties, Faith Based Organisations, local government officials, Assembly Members, Heads of Department and Agencies, the Ghana Police Service, Traditional authorities, women groups, people with disabilities and youth groups among others.
Speaking separately at different durbars, Mr. Martin Kibinam, the Bunkrugu District Director of the NCCE said the engagement was to help empower citizens to contribute meaningfully to reducing corruption in the country.
Mr Kibinam said the Whistle Blowers Act encouraged and ensured protection for people who report any corruption acts and activities to authorities such as the Police, EOCO and CHRAJ.
He, therefore, urged the citizens to be patriotic and demand accountability from leaders and also report corrupt acts to help deepen public accountability in the country.
Chief Superintendent of Police, Mr Stephen Delaporte, the Bunkrugu District Police commander, urged participants to report all suspected crime related cases to the Police for investigations and avoid taking the law into their hands to punish suspects.
Mr Abdul Latif Iddrisu, Tatale-Sanguli District Director of the NCCE, speaking at a durbar in Nahuyili, a community in the Tatale-Sanguli District, encouraged citizens in the district to help enhance good environmental governance by advocating and practicing good sanitation.
He advised the citizens to desist from bad practices such as littering of the environment, open defecation, pollution of water bodies and illegal logging of trees.
Some participants at the durbar suggested to government to enforce and intensify sanctions on public officials who were indicted, to serve as deterrent to others.
GNA
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