Social Mobilization for Good Governance and Local Empowerment Project

necpadghana — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 10:00:46 +0000

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through the Management Information International (MSI) is implementing the Ghana Local Governance and Decentralisation Program (LOGODEP) in the Western Region of Ghana. The Network for Community Planning and Development (NECPAD) is as a “Grantee” is implementing a project entitled “Social Mobilization for Good Governance and Local Empowerment Project” in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Assembly (TNMA). The TNMA is one local government unit in the Western Region with a cosmopolitan composition which makes it crucial for it to properly manage diverse interests and demands for services. In many years of its work in the municipality, NECPAD has noticed key challenges which hamper the Assembly’s development oversight responsibility for basic social services which also inhibit responsiveness, inclusive decision-making and the efficient management of development policies to serve community needs and empower people to participate in, and influence the development process. The project thus seeks to improve on transparency and accountability in local governance as civil society and citizens are involved in budget tracking and monitoring of how well projects are being implemented and how well funds have been used in Municipal Assembly compared to the allocations in the budgeting process.

The Overall project goal is a strengthened capacity of local government and civil society to manage development through participation and social mobilization. Specific objectives are;

i. To strengthen local governance through improving the engagement capacity of communities to demand accountability and promote participation in decision making;

ii. To provide information, knowledge, and skills to increase community interest in assembly processes for development benefits.

iii. To create and institutionalize Governance Issues Forum Network (GIFNET), a local platform

for inclusive development and sustainable project monitoring.

The “Social Mobilization for Good Governance and Local Empowerment Project” covers all the 30 electoral areas in the TNMA. It targets communities with development programs and projects identified in the TNMA’s 2014 and 2015 Annual Action Plans. The Strategy features awareness creation through community entry, education and social mobilization; institutional strengthening and capacity building; partnerships and networking; participatory community monitoring and project tracking; lesson learning and experience sharing.

Under the technical guidance and supervision of the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG), NECPAD is leading the identification and mobilization of community-based organizations and opinion leaders to form Governance Issue Forum Network (GIFNet). The organisation is supporting and participating in the training of the identified groups to physically monitor the implementation of the TNMA‘s Annual Action Plan delivery and interface with the local governance system. Through this it is mobilizing local CSOs for consensus building on processes, procedures, and content of monitoring engagements. Further, it is holding public forum to inform the constituents about the project objectives, expectations and their complementary roles for the success and sustainability of the project. NECPAD is organizing and leading an experience sharing workshop session on Social Accountability where GIFNet will share success stories and challenges with Assembly members, civic groups and the public. Lessons learnt and recommendations will highlight relevant issues for other project environments of the Municipality.

Client’s Name

LOGODEP

Approx. Value of contract sum

Contract sum: GHS 69,645

Address

Ghana Local Governance and Decentralisation Program (LOGODEP) funded by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) The Grants Manager

MSI/ LOGODEP

Plot 42, Airport Ridge

Takoradi – W/R

Institutionalising Participatory Governance

necpadghana — Sun, 08 Jul 2012 15:22:22 +0000

The USAID through LOGODEP funded governance interventions in the Western Region of Ghana, NECPAD as a “Grantee” implemented a project dubbed “Institutionalizing Participatory Governance: Stimulating Citizens Participation for Transparency and Accountability” which sought to provide innovative and practical solutions to identified governance challenges within target communities. The key strategic approach was based on promoting systems and mechanisms that increase public participation, transparency and accountability in local governance in the Jomoro and Wassa Amenfi East Districts of the region. The project anchored around target communities where citizens were empowered and guided to demand transparency and accountability. The overall objective of the Intervention was to advance citizen’s involvement in local governance through increased engagement in decision-making processes and opportunities to influence and participate in local development. The specific goals of the project were to:

To introduce alternative and Rights Based practices in citizens engagement in public decision making

To expand public spheres as arena for grassroots participation in decision-making
Promoting co-ownership in local development agenda

NECPAD worked in two Districts (Jomoro and Wassa-Amenfi East Districts) to identify and build the capacity of 10 community level Public Participation Units (PPUs) in 4 Area councils – AC, (2 communities in each AC). The units were empowered to engage local authorities based on development issues of the communities. The organization carried out awareness raising campaigns, district and community-level engagements, formed 10 Public Participatory Units (PPUs) in 10 communities in 2 Districts, developed Participatory Development Framework (PDF) and drew up a credible Citizen’s Charter. NECPAD has thus achieved five key milestones: Preparation for buy-in, Community mobilization and PPUs formation, Training and Community Interactions, development and dissemination of right-based educational materials and District level Public Participatory Units (PPU) engagements and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E).