Wassa-east: Friends of the Nation (FoN), in collaboration with the Wassa-East District Assembly, has held a two-day training workshop to build capacities of stakeholders on the use of the Mineral Development Fund (MDF) for development projects in the Wassa-East District. It formed part of the Strategic Partnership Initiative for Ghana and West Africa.
According to Ghana News Agency, the training is part of a series of efforts to empower participants with the skills necessary to monitor and track Mineral Development Funded projects in the District Assembly. This initiative aligns with FoN's core mandate to ensure environmental justice, accountability, and sustainability.
Nana Efua Ewur, the Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator at FoN, emphasized that the training would enhance the capacities of stakeholders in the extractive communities to understand the benefits of mining and how the MDF is utilized. She highlighted that the training would empower stakeholders to track MDF-Funded projects by the District Assembly.
Nana Ewur further stated that environmental governance is crucial to the organization, and with support from the District Assembly, the NGO plans to deepen advocacy to sensitize communities and raise awareness on issues affecting the people. She noted that the NGO also collaborates with mining companies to develop proper modalities on the allocation, disbursement, and use of MDF-Funded projects to ensure accountability and reduce tensions in host communities.
Mr. William Augustine-Denkyi, a Project Officer with FoN, encouraged participants to monitor MDF-Funded developmental projects from their inception to completion. He asserted that participants have the right to visit project sites and demand quality work from contractors, ensuring the projects' value is maintained.
Mr. Augustine-Denkyi emphasized the duty of participants to continuously evaluate MDF-Funded projects to ensure they are utilized after the District Assembly hands them over to the respective communities. This, he noted, would ensure that projects offer value for money while maintaining quality and standard for an extended lifespan.
