Efforts to strengthen accountability and improve service delivery in the Hohoe Municipality took centre stage at a social auditing forum held at Gbi Kpoeta, where local authorities outlined priority areas including sanitation, revenue mobilisation and infrastructure development.
The engagement, organised by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in collaboration with GIZ and the European Union, brought together municipal officials, traditional leaders and residents to assess development concerns and governance performance.
Addressing the gathering, Mr Prosper Kumi, Hohoe Municipal Chief Executive, emphasised that transparency and auditing processes were critical pillars of democratic governance. He noted that community consultations provided an opportunity for citizens to contribute meaningfully to decision-making.
He identified sanitation and Internally Generated Fund (IGF) mobilisation as central to the Assembly’s development agenda. According to him, improving environmental cleanliness remained a shared responsibility between the Assembly and residents, with existing byelaws available to enforce compliance where necessary.
Mr Kumi stated that the Assembly’s IGF was largely derived from business operating permits and property rates, urging residents to honour their financial obligations to enable the Assembly deliver essential services. He encouraged those with concerns about rate assessments to engage Assembly officials for clarification.
On infrastructure, the MCE acknowledged water rationing challenges caused by increasing demand, revealing that high-yielding boreholes had been drilled to augment supply. He also assured residents that work on the Eastern Corridor Road was progressing, while 22 kilometres of town roads across various communities were scheduled for upgrading.
Volta Regional Deputy Director of the NCCE, Mr Robert Oral, explained that social auditing extended beyond political debate to practical issues affecting citizens, providing a platform for authorities to respond directly to community concerns.
Hohoe Municipal Director of the NCCE, Mr Ernest Amedior, reiterated that democracy required accountability, respect for rules and shared responsibility between citizens and duty bearers.
Togbe Adom Dake X, Divisional Chief of Gbi-Kpoeta, welcomed the initiative and pledged continued collaboration between traditional authorities and the Assembly to address local challenges and accelerate development.
