Construction Sector Transparency builds capacity of communities in Sekondi-Takoradi

Some 102 community leaders within Sekondi-Takoradi have been trained in the core features of Construction Sector Transparency (CoST) now Infrastructure Transparency Initiative in Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis.

The Construction Sector Transparency now Infrastructure Transparency Initiative is a global entity leading in the infrastructure sector with Sekondi-Takoradi chapter being the first sub-national chapter of the CoST programme.

The purpose of the capacity building workshop for the community leaders by “CoST Sekondi-Takoradi” was to build capacity of the citizenry who are the direct beneficiaries of infrastructure and also to promote better performance of infrastructural projects.

Participants were exposed to CoST components including Disclosure, Assurance, Multi-Stakeholder Group and Social Accountability to help them be empowered with information relating to projects being in their jurisdiction.

The common issues on infrastructure project includes lack of value for money, fraud and corruption, conflicts and disagreements, secrecy and lack of public participation, time and cost overruns among others.

According to the Sekondi-Takoradi CoST Manager, Mr. Isaac Aidoo, the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly joined CoST on March 2019 to help enhance the implementation of Open Government Partnership “OGP”.

Speaking In an exclusive interview, Mr. Aidoo said Sekondi-Takoradi has been a member of the Open Government Partnership and through that, they have commitments towards infrastructural transparency.

“What CoST- Infrastructure Transparency Initiative is aimed at is to achieve is promote better value from public infrastructure for Government, Private Sector and the Civil Societies”, he stated.

Mr. Isaac Aidoo said the idea of the training workshop is to help build the capacity of community leaders in other to be able to utilize disclosure of infrastructure data through the assurance process to help interpretation for the communities to understand and use to demand accountability from public officials or duty bearers.
He further emphasized that CoST is globally helping to promote better value from public infrastructure developers.

Queenmother of Essikado Traditional Area, Nana Ekua Kodu II on behalf of the participants expressed gratitude to the CoST- Infrastructure Transparency Initiative for rallying behind Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly to implement infrastructure projects and also educating the community leaders to understand the transparency of implementing projects either from the central government or the assembly.