The Centre for Accountability and Rule of Law (CARL) and its partners have extended a project that seeks to promote transparency and citizens’ participation in local councils to two districts in the Southern and Northern provinces. The USD$35,000 project, funded by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), will be implemented by CARL, the Centre for Democracy and Human Rights, and the Network Support for Peace Education in the Moyamba and Koinadugu districts. Essentially, the project aims at empowering citizens to be able to monitor local government activities as well as the implementation of annual development plans.
More than nine years since the Local Government Act was promulgated, local councils have not been able to bring about one of its intended effects, which is to give local citizens ownership over development programmes in their communities. This project seeks to work with councils and locals to address some of the persisting challenges relating to transparency, participation and accountability at the local level. The basis of the project is that if citizens are given platforms and opportunities to directly engage local council officials, they will have the ability to spur greater transparency from the councils and give their input into the community development agenda.
As part of the project, CARL and its partners will recruit and train community-based monitors to regularly monitor notice boards and messages in their various communities, organize media and community outreach events, and promote increased interaction between councillors, Ward Committees and local residents.
There are still challenges that need to be addressed, but we absolutely recognize some of the positive strides that are taking place within some of the councils. There is an opportunity with the new batch of councillors and administrators, and we will seize the chance.
This project is similar to the OSIWA-funded project which is implemented in six different districts across the country. This project was developed in order to reach out to more communities across the country.
