Community members have been called upon to contribute to the budgeting process instead of leaving it to the Assembly members alone.
It was crucial for community members to participate and contribute to the drawing up of the budget and its implementation since projects and services captured in the budget were of benefit to them.
The Budget Analyst of the Bongo District Assembly in the Upper East Region, Mr. Damma Mumuni, made the call on Friday during a Budget forum for community members in the District.
The Forum was organized by Foundation for Grass Roots Initiatives in Africa (GrassRootsAfrica), a non-governmental organization working to strengthen political, economic and social rights of the poor and the
marginalized and sponsored by Ibis West Africa.
It was aimed at empowering and encouraging the community members to participate and contribute to the annual planning process of the budget at the District level.
Mr. Mumuni indicated that as part of the measures to get community members involved in the Budgeting Processes, the Bongo District Assembly
would organize fora at the community level and urged the members of the community to patronise the exercise.
He noted that the Assembly had also budgeted to build ten school blocks and had already completed five and would also build Nurses' quarters and Community health compounds for health staff, all under the Assembly Budget.
The Deputy District Coordinator of the Assembly , Mr. Mohammed Issahaku, who stood in for the District Chief Executive, Mr. Clement Akugre, thanked the NGO for its role in empowering the communities to play their role in the decision making process and said it was in line with the decentralization process which the country was pursuing.
He indicated that the Assembly would support them in all their activities that sought to bring development to the area.
The participants were taken through topics including: "How Align is the National Budget with the District Budget?", "What are the Budget Making
Processes at the District level?" and how can Civil Groups get involved in the Process?"