Traditional rulers have been urged to be active participants in district assemblies’ activities to enhance judicious use of resources through social audit and social accountability.

The call came when 29 traditional rulers drawn from the five paramountcies forming the Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam District participated in the Centre for Democratic Development Ghana’s (CDD) educational programme organised at Ajumako in the Central Region.

The European Union sponsored programme, according to Edward Apratwum, a Research Officer and Programme Co-ordinator, was expected to cover 17 district nation-wide.

The beneficiary districts include Ajumako, Effutu-Winneba, Accra Metropolises, Adenta, Kumasi, Obuasi, Tamale, Damango, Wa West, Saboba, Kintampo, Jaman North, Sekyere West, Birim South, Birim North, Hohoe and Bosomefraho.

The target groups included traditional rulers, assembly members, organised youth groups, the media, PWD’s, churches among others.

Participants were taken through the decentralization and local governance, basic facts, concepts and its meaning.

Other areas included social accountability in practice, social audit involving active participation of the intended beneficiaries of such programme.

The exercise is expected to be completed by September ending.

During interaction it became clear that chiefs were completely left in the dark, they acted as ceremonial heads during commissioning of projects.

Other resource persons were Dr. Patrick Osei-Kufuor of the Institute for Development Studies – UCC, Mr Francis Kingsley Mensah, Mr Aditya Todi of CDD, and Miss Yuonna Boatema-Yeboa of IDS.

GNA