Advocates for Community Alternatives

Category: CiCoNet

  • 45 communities implement ‘Oman yie die’ in Ghana

    45 communities implement ‘Oman yie die’ in Ghana

    Advocates for Community Alternatives (ACA), a non-profit-making organization, has partnered with four District Assemblies in Ghana to implement the Facilitated Collective Action Process (FCAP), also called “Oman yie die” in 45 communities.

    The 45 communities in Abuakwa South, Fanteakwa South and Atiwa West District of the Eastern Region and Nkoranza South Municipality in the Bono East Region, as part of the partnership, have pledged to adopt FCAP as a community development tool to implement all community-based projects in line with their Medium-Term Development Plans.

    “Oman yie die” encourages communities to create a common development vision and equips them with skills and financial resources – including a $9,000 microgrant – to pursue it.

    As part of the collaboration, each district assembly is to provide supervision, technical support as well as counterpart funding of $1,000 towards each of the projects.

    Projects being provided under this partnership include laboratory, mechanized boreholes, markets, classroom blocks, a dormitory, teachers’ quarters, CHPS Compound, OPD facility, foot bridges, extension of electricity, water and the construction of community centers.

    Also being implemented in some of the communities are livelihood enhancement projects such as palm-oil production centre, pastries-making centre, corn-mill operations and a pig farm.

    “This collaboration with ACA is very timely as it will not only bring visible improvements to the lives of residents but also carries the entire community along a development path that is in line with the Assembly’s Medium Term Development Plan”, Douglas Puddy Amponsah, the Atiwa West District Chief Executive, said at a ceremony held at Akrofufu and Awenare to kick-start the implementation of project.

    He entreated people in the beneficiary communities to support the implementation of projects with communal labour to augment the financial support from ACA and the District Assembly.

    “Our long-term goal is to have FCAP adopted as the main development tool by all district assemblies in the country. ACA is committed to supporting mobilizing threatened West African communities around a future they can fight for, through the power of law and community-driven development”, Nana Ama Nketia-Quaidoo, ACA’s Director of Community-Driven Development (CDD) said.

    “By rolling out Oman yie die at scale, we will show that CDD is the most sustainable, cost-effective way to give wings to communities’ dreams for development and protect them from threats to their lives and livelihoods. We want to see government authorities across Ghana cooperating with all of Ghana’s communities to make sure that local people are empowered to pursue their own vision for the future.”

    Last year, ten communities namely Abompe, Saaman, Bososo, Kplandey, Nsutam, Dome, Dwenase and Heman in Fanteakwa South District; and Asikam and Ahwenease in Abuakwa South Municipality began implementing FCAP as part of CDD’s expansion. This was after the successful piloting of the project in Donkro Nkwanta, Nwoase, Salamkrom and Kyeredeso in the Bono East region as well as Juaso, Sagyemase and Nsuapemso.

    There are plans to further expand to a lot more communities around the country.

  • So Abapa Boateng: My community development practice experiences with ACA

    So Abapa Boateng: My community development practice experiences with ACA

    Today, one of our newly recruited Trainers with the Community-Driven Development Department, So Abapa Boateng, shares her experiences since she joined ACA in February 2024. She says the experiences she gathered in her previous workplace are being sharpened and appreciated in multiple folds in ACA.

    The email read “You are hired”, my joy was out of this world. I screamed, I jumped, I danced to no song; the excitement was indescribable. “Wow”, I was lost for words. “Finally, Finally,” those were my words when I could speak.

    My time with Advocates for Community Alternatives has been very fulfilling and I dare say, it has been worthwhile joining this exciting team of development practitioners.

    “Welcome to our new team members, Geoffrey Fummey Horkpe, Bommie Adamu, Joseph Obeng, Ingrid Frempong and So Abapa Boateng” a beautifully written note placed on the wall in the Osino office welcomed the new staff members. It was heartwarming because I was not quite certain on what to expect on my first day in the office, but the team made it so welcoming, it was as though we knew each other for a very long time before we got to the office.

    The Director of Community-Driven Development, Nana Ama Nketsia-Quaidoo (Mrs), was so welcoming as she clearly outlined what was expected of us as new staff members.

    Osei Nimako, the Project Manager was so excited and did not spare us a minute of laughter and jokes. Francis Manu and George Mpoah were so knowledgeable in their fields, and it made it super easy to understand what ACA does within the various partner communities.

    And oh, the time with the Executive Director, Jonathan Kaufman – I loved the chocolates he got for us. We could make our choices; he was ever ready to answer all the questions on our newly recruited minds.

    It has been smooth sail for the months I have worked with ACA. I am even more enthused that the organization gives room for innovation and creativity because working with the communities is not cast in stone.

    The decision to move out from the Northern region of Ghana where I had practiced community development work since 2008 to Nkoranza in the Bono East region has been very fulfilling. My experiences gathered in Education, Food Security and Livelihood, Entrepreneurship, and Gender, are being sharpened and appreciated in multiple folds in the organization.

    The journey with Advocates for Community Alternatives has just begun and I am looking forward to working with communities to attain their development vision one community at a time.

    I believe that I can be creative in facilitating communities to attain their development vision and I’m always encouraged by the fun and excitement that go with my community-based work.  This spurs me on to do more and always put on my creativity cap. My level of confidence is soaring up higher because the team is always on hand to sharpen the rough the edges, so we get the desired results in the development journey. There are well tailored training tools and manuals to make facilitating trainings, monitoring and evaluating results very detailed and easy.

    Even more fulfilling most of the time is the positive feedback from the community meeting I facilitate. “Madam, not only have we learned how to develop a vision for our community, but I have also learned to use that knowledge for myself. I know I must have a vision I am working towards for my life and family, thank you.” A community member expressed his appreciation after a community meeting.

    I have no doubt that I am going to make a positive impact on ACA and the communities assigned to me while broadening my horizon further by learning from my colleagues and most of the people I encounter through the performance of my duties.

  • Sowing Seeds of Sustainability: CiCoNet Leads tree planting exercise in Nkoranza

    Sowing Seeds of Sustainability: CiCoNet Leads tree planting exercise in Nkoranza

    The Citizens Committee Network (CiCoNet), a community-based organization dedicated to promoting sustainable development, has embarked on a tree planting exercise at Kyerefene, near Donkro Nkwanta, in the Bono East region of Ghana.

    The event, held on Saturday, June 29, 2024, was part of ACA’s citizen science program, which aims at engaging communities in environmental conservation efforts.

    The exercise saw the planting of over 500 tree seedlings, including bombax, mahogany, and ofram species, known for their ecological and economic benefits.

    CiCoNet members, ACA representatives, and a staff of the Forestry Commission, Prince Adu Adjei, joined forces to make the event a success.

    “I am highly elated to be part of this journey and actively get involved in planting trees to safeguard and foster biodiversity in ecosystems in my community,” said Comfort Takyiwaa, a CiCoNet member from Kyeradeso.

    Prince Adu Adjei, the Forest Range Manager, praised the effort, highlighting the significance of tree planting in controlling climate change and its associated consequences.

    ACA’s Project Manager, Mr. Godfred Osei Nimako, and his team ensured the exercise’s success. The Forest Range Manager advised ACA to monitor the planted seedlings to ensure their survival, emphasizing the need for sustainability and preservation of the environment.

    Monitoring

    Given the area’s susceptibility to bush fires during the dry season, the team will conduct regular monitoring visits to assess the seedlings’ growth and health, provide ongoing maintenance, including pruning and watering as needed, engage local community members in the monitoring and maintenance process, establish a system for tracking and reporting on the seedlings’ progress and create a fire belt, a strip of land cleared of flammable materials, around the planted areas to prevent the spread of bush fires.

    The support of Mr. Cudjoe Awudi, Mr. Dickson, and Mr. Raymond Agbontor, all staff of the Forestry Commission, was invaluable to the success of the exercise. Their expertise and guidance ensured that the tree planting exercise was done efficiently and effectively.

    The exercise demonstrated the power of community spirit and environmental stewardship.

    CiCoNet and ACA’s collaboration, with the support of the Forestry Commission, sets an example for others to follow, promoting a greener future for generations to come.

  • CiCoNet welcomes new members

    CiCoNet welcomes new members

    From a humble beginning of memberships in seven communities in the then Brong Ahafo Region and the Eastern region in 2018, the Citizens Committee Network (CiCoNet) can now boast of branches in 62 communities in Ghana.

    CiCoNet currently has 14 branches in Nkoranza South Municipality, ten in Atiwa West District, 17 in Abuakwa South Municipality and 21 in the Fanteakwa South District – all contributing to an estimated membership of 340.

    At the inauguration of new CiCoNet members drawn from Abuakwa South, Atiwa West and Fanteakwa South districts at a ceremony held at Osino, ACA’s Senior Trainer, Francis Fernaldinho Manu, explained that members of the Committee serve as watchdogs in their communities and resist any act that poses as a threat to their lives and livelihoods.

    He also said CiCoNet members actively participate in, supervise and monitor the effective execution of development projects in their community and always ensure accountability and transparency in their line of work.

    “You’re to play a lead role in educating your community members on their fundamental human rights, act as intermediary between community and local government and also serve as the official mouthpiece of community”, he further said.

    Mr. Manu assured CiCoNet of ACA’s continuing support towards the effective running of CiCoNet, adding that copies of constitution and guidelines will soon be made available to them for thorough study and application.

    Touching on some successes chalked by CiCoNet since its inception in 2018, the Senior Trainer mentioned a recent media campaign by members which resulted in the refilling of some abandoned mining pits in Juaso, Sagyemase and Nsuapemso and compensation payment to some landowners in the Fanteakwa South district as well as the reversal of the sale of some 400 acres of land by the queen mother of Donkro Nkwanta for cashew plantation without following due process.

    Another Senior Trainer of ACA, Mr George Mpoah, also encouraged the CiCoNet members to keep themselves abreast of the country’s legal frameworks on lands, minerals and mining.

    He further asked them to demonstrate a high sense of commitment to their work and attach maximum seriousness to meetings, keeping in mind that all that CiCoNet does is geared toward development of their communities.

    A similar ceremony was held in Nkoranza to welcome 30 new CiCoNet members from ten communities in the Nkoranza South Municipality of the Bono East Region.

  • New CiCoNet executives sworn into office

    New CiCoNet executives sworn into office

    The newly elected executives of the Osino Citizens Committee Network (CiCoNet) have taken over from the out-gone executives at a ceremony at Asiakwa near Kyebi.

    The new executives, who will steer the affairs of the Committee till 2026, took over from their predecessors who recently ended their term of office. They were elected a few weeks ago during one of the committee’s meetings.

    Chaired by Stephen Gyekye Appiah, the other executives include Antwi Boasiako, Vice-chairman; David Aboah, Secretary; Grace Adu, Treasurer and Samuel Gyeketey, Organizer.

    They took over from George Owusu Asante, Bartholemew Boakye, David Aboah, Grace Adu, Matilda Asantewaa and Ebenezer Tetteh.

    The out-gone Chairman, George Owusu Asante, congratulated his successor and his team, and urged them to serve with humility and selflessness.

    “I worked with you during my tenure as the Chairman and I have no doubt in my mind that you can deliver. Continue to dedicate your time, energy and other resources to the course of CiCoNet and trust me, you will never regret doing so”, he added.

    Stephen Gyekye Appiah, on behalf of the new executives, pledged to continue the good works of the outgone executives and called for the total support of all CiCoNet members.

    Certificates of recognition were presented to all the outgone executives as a sign of appreciation for their hard work and dedication to duty.