PIAC wants government to disburse funds for rural market project
As part of its responsibilities, the Public Interest and Accountability Committee engages the public periodically on projects being funded by petroleum revenue.
However, in a recent public engagement in the Western North and North East Regions, it emerged that Ghanaians are not aware of projects funded by oil money in the country.
In a statement it noted that, "The Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC), the statutory body with oversight responsibility of the management and use of the country’s petroleum revenues, has over the years embarked on its statutory activities which include engaging the public and inspecting projects that have received funding from the Annual Budget Funding Amount (ABFA)."
"The public engagement is in line with the second mandate of PIAC, which is to provide space and a platform for the public to debate on whether spending prospects and management and use of revenues conform to development priorities."
After the engagements in both Regions, "the Committee held regional public fora on the 2021 PIAC Annual Report, which brought together stakeholders from the traditional council, religious groups, security agencies, traders, and educational institutions, among others to deliberate on the management and use of petroleum revenues."
One of the issues raised was the fact that most participants were unaware of projects funded by ABFA.
The participants also called for more projects to be executed with
petroleum revenues.
The Committee however recommended that ABFA-funded projects should be labeled for easy identification by the public.
The Public Interest and Accountability Committee also revealed that 2 out 3 Annual Budget Funding Amount (ABFA) funded projects have been completed and are currently in use.
PIAC noted that its recent inspections in the Western North and North East regions showed the construction of a 3-storey Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) Administration Block in Sefwi Wiawso and the construction of three Senior Staff Bungalows at Sefwi Wiawso were complete.
One of the completed ABFA funded projects