We will prioritise citizen engagement — PIAC Chairperson

Emerita Professor Elizabeth ArdayfioSchandorf, Chairperson of the Public Interest Accountability Committee (PIAC), intends to prioritize citizen participation in her new position. She said raising awareness of citizen engagement in Committee’s activities and functions would improve understanding of how oil revenue is used.

Prof. Ardayfio-Schandorf said this during a Facebook Live session where she introduced herself to stakeholders, which was monitored by the Ghana News Agency in Accra. She said she intended to introduce initiatives that would build the interest of citizens on how oil revenue was used by the Petroleum Revenue Management Act (PRMA).

“One important area in which leadership must focus and which is critical is the organization of regional and district engagement,” she said. The Chairperson emphasised the need to involve citizens in PIAC’s activities and make intentions clear to facilitate smooth operations. She said that PIAC’s annual district and regional workshop on oil revenue and allocation demonstrated the Committee’s citizencentered approach.

Prof Ardayfio-Schandorf said the Committee plans to engage stakeholders, particularly the media, to raise awareness of its work. The engagement with the media would enable the Committee to provide updates on the upstream sector and fund utilisation.

The Chairperson said the media would provide citizens with more information on the trends, allowing for proper feedback to the Committee.

She said the Committee’s initiative to encourage citizen engagement included publishing a non-technical version of its report. The citizen version had made it simple to have a better understanding of the management and utilization of oil revenue.

Before her election as PIAC Chairperson, Prof Ardayfio-Schandorf was a representative of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences on the Committee. She is a Geographer, an Environmental Advisor, and a Rural System and Development Consultant. GNA