International Foundation for Electoral Systems engages CSOs on political accountability 

A two-day training to enhance the capacities of some key civil society organisations on anti-corruption, political campaign finance and abuse of state resources has been held in Tamale. 
   The training is to equip them with knowledge, tools and skills needed to advance greater integrity and accountability in the country. 
  
 It was organised by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and attended by representatives of human rights and community-based organisations, religious bodies, youth, and women advocacy groups. 
 Mr Gilbert Sam, the Senior Elections Specialist, International Foundation for Electoral Systems, said it was important to enhance stakeholders’ capacity and understanding of anti-corruption, international and domestic accountability mechanisms as a viable tool in the fight against corruption. 
 To enhance political accountability in the country, CSOs and other organisations must strategise, as part of their advocacy plans, by developing action-driven strategies and techniques to help them monitor, prevent, and expose corrupt practices within the public and the private sectors, he said. 
     Dr Magnus Ohman, Senior Political Finance Advisor, International Foundation for Electoral Systems, who made a presentation on the abuse of state resources, vote buying to influence electoral choices among other topics, urged CSOs to play active roles in ensuring strict compliance by the political class on legislations pertaining to the abuse of state resources and vote buying. 
  Although there had been little evidence that suggested that legal bans and sanctions had much impact on vote buying, it was critical to continue to appeal to the conscience of politicians to reverse the repercussions of their actions on national development, he said. 
     Participants were introduced to anti-corruption and anti-money laundering institutions, international and local legal frameworks for combating corruption and money laundering, monetisation of politics and corruption, and abuse of state resources, among other things.  
     Some of the participants commended the partners for organising the workshop, which had empowered them with key advocacy techniques to boost their efforts in ensuring political accountability and equitable distribution of state resources. 
GNA