CoST Sekondi Takoradi launches first Assurance Report to promote infrastructure transparency

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By
Mildred Siabi-Mensah, GNA

Takoradi, Jan. 28,
GNA – The Deputy Western Regional Minister, Mrs Gifty Eugenia Kusi has said
stopping the perceived or real corruption in the infrastructure sector was
critical in ensuring durable projects that could stand the test of time and
promote economic well-being.

Mrs Kusi said
Corruption whether real or perceived particularly in the infrastructure sector
was one that must be dealt with to save the country’s purse for other
development needs…and this is where judicious spending among public officials
is imperative.

She said Corruption
could be likened to a “school pupil who upon being asked to pay hundred
cedis in school, told the mother at home that the amount was hundred and fifty,
while the mother told the husband that the amount was two hundred and the
husband moved round looking for two hundred and fifty to sort out the school
pupil”,

The Deputy Minister
said this at the launch of the first Assurance Report by CoST Sekondi Takoradi
on five selected infrastructure to measure how well such projects were
executed.

The CoST, the
infrastructure transparency initiative is a leading global one promoting
Transparency and Accountability in Public Infrastructure.

CoST Sekondi
Takoradi is a local chapter of CoST International working at the subnational
level to implement transparency and Accountability reforms within the
infrastructure sector using CoST’s core features such as disclosure, assurance,
multi stakeholder working group and social accountability.

The initiative also
aims at reducing mismanagement, curbing Corruption and ultimately building a
robust infrastructure for the public sector.

Mrs. Kusi added that
the “Regional Coordinating council was ready to work to ensure that
Corruption was curbed, particularly in the Region…We are bringing all the
MMDAs on board to learn from this laudable initiative being run by the CoST
Sekondi Takoradi for the betterment of our Region”.

The first Assurance
Report covered three market projects in Diabene, Kojokrom and Mpintsin with the
others being the Takoradi library project and selectsd roads within
Essikado-Ketan sub metro.

The report
discovered the lack of engagement to meet the real social and economic needs in
terms of the market, lack of firefighting equipment among other defects.

However, on the CoST
disclosure points, the assembly scored some good points in terms of proactive
disclosure.

Mr. Anthony K. K.
Sam, the Metropolitan Chief Executive of the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan
Assembly said, “we are ready to open up for engagement on all programmes
and projects…other assemblies must follow suit to make corruption only a
thought”.

Madam Beauty Emafa
Nartey, Executive Secretary of the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition said
corruption which was endemic must not be entertained due to its negative
effects on the individual and society at large.

“We need to
root out corruption if indeed we want to make a difference in the
country”, she added.

Mr Brandsford
Gidigah, the Zonal Coordinator for the Public Procurement Authority said aside
public wages and salaries, public procurement was one area depriving the state
of lots of funds and that was the reason 
the government took steps to improve on the sector.

He said enhanced
transparency in public procurement would help the government to make informed
decision on cost and its socio-economic impact.

Mr Isaac Aidoo, the
CoST Manager said the assurance report represented a milestone on how
government could collaborate with citizens to plan development.

Mr Adjei Acheampong,
a member of the CoST multi-stakeholder working group and a contractor said the
CoST came at a time, where there were numerous reported cases of abandoned
projects, incidence of shoddy works by contractors and real or perceived cases of
corruption associated with procurement.

He said the built-up
sentiments had the potential to lead to a crises of trust for the government
and dissatisfaction for contractors by the citizenry, a situation that could
only be curtailed through enhanced transparency.

GNA