CHARS-Africa calls for accountability in governance, intensifies awareness on legislative frameworks

CHARS-Africa calls for accountability in governance, intensifies awareness on legislative frameworks

African Centre for Human Advancement and Resource Support (CHARS-Africa), has called for more transparency and accountability in governance.

This is as the Civil Society Organization, has continued to sensitise stakeholders on legislative frameworks.

The CSO made the advocacy during a stakeholders’ sensitisation meeting it organised in Umuahia, Abia State capital.

The programme was supported by the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (ROLAC), funded by the European Union.

In her address address, the Executive Director of CHARS-Africa, Mrs Amaka Biachi, challenged the stakeholders to explore the advantages of legislative frameworks such as the Fiscal Responsibility Act, Public Procurement Act, and the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, to deepen democracy in the state.

Mrs Biachi said the meeting was to sensitise the stakeholders on the gains of legislative frameworks so they could maximize them for the good of society.

The Rights Activist who is also a lawyer, urged Governments at all levels to be more transparent in its activities and to make public access to information and documents less cumbersome.

Mrs Biachi decried the non compliance to due process as provided by the relevant legislative frameworks in the conduct of most government businesses especially award of contracts.

She equally decried the challenges individuals and civil society groups often encounter in accessing government information.

The CHARS -Africa boss appealed to Governments at all levels to view CSOs as partners in progress, and not enemies as often misconstrued.

According to her, compliance with the legislative frameworks will only help to deepen democracy for the good of society.

Acknowledging the developmental efforts of the current administration in Abia State, Mrs Biachi pleaded with the Government to make access to information about its activities readily available to CSOs and any interested person.

The Rights Activist argued that the people deserve to know what the Government is doing at any time.

“Because the will of of the people brought the Government to power, the people also want to use their vote to secure the standard that will outlive the current administration”, she declared.

Mrs Biachi promised to sustain the sensitisation as part of its contributions to a more democratic society.

A Legal luminary, Chief Ukpai Ukairo presented a paper at the meeting titled :”Support to Civil Society Advocacy Towards Strengthening New Legislative Frameworks for Increased Accountability and Good Governance.”

Chief Ukairo who said citizens deserved to know the day-to-day businesses of the government, lamented the challenges they encounter in accessing government information.

One of the participants, the Executive Director, Foundation for Environmental Advocacy and Development, FENRAD, Comrade Nelson Nwafor, in a remark, regretted that some states in the country were yet to domesticate the FOI Act.

He also noted with concern that even in the states that had domesticated the FOI Act, accessing valuable public information, was still encumbered with a lot of obstacles.

Other speakers commended CHARS-Africa for organizing the meeting and for supported the crusade for transparency and accountability in governance.

Participants at the well -attended stakeholders’ meeting were drawn from CSOs and various stakeholders in the state.