In efforts to clamp down on corruption and its related activities in the country, ABAK Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation, in collaboration with the Centre for International Private Enterprise and Connected Development, has launched an initiative dubbed “Follow the Money.”

This campaign seeks to use innovative techniques to prompt and empower citizens to monitor project implementation and government budgets.

It is to ensure accountability of all, especially public officers, in the country.

The initiative, which was launched in Kumasi, is part of the National Endowment for Democracy funded project entitled Global Anti-Corruption Mobilisation Phase IV.

While highlighting the essence of this project, Executive Director for ABAK Foundation, Mr Philip Duah, also mentioned that his outfit would advocate and track government spending on projects in communities, especially those with international funding.

Further, he noted that in order to keep the government accountable, it is critical for the populace to be properly educated about how policies and programs are being implemented.

He contended that the failure of citizens to demand accountability from public officers has largely contributed to delays and shoddy implementation of development projects, hence the need for the public to be sensitised on how to hold public officials accountable.

Throwing more light on the initiative, Founder of Connected Development, Mr Hamzy Lawal, said it had yielded positive results in other jurisdictions through empowerment of the citizenry and stressed the need to ensure beneficiaries of projects owned them.

He further raised concerns over the alarming rate of embezzlement of public funds and corruption related activities in Africa and charged citizens to play a crucial role in curbing the menace by closely monitoring how such funds are expended.

Source: The Independent Ghana