The Multi Faith Alliance Ghana has urged the citizens to take a leading role in addressing challenges within their communities through collective action, dialogue and grassroots governance instead of relying solely on government intervention.
The interfaith organisation, which brings together Christian and Muslim groups to promote grassroots governance, peaceful coexistence and citizen participation, said empowering communities to identify their own challenges and work collectively with duty bearers would accelerate sustainable development.
The call was made at the opening of the Greater Accra Regional Learning Festival organised by the Alliance in Accra on Saturday on the theme: ‘Learning Together to Build a Stronger Community.’
The Acting Greater Accra Regional Coordinator of Multi Faith in Action Ghana, Ms Veronica Jonah, in her address encouraged participants to use the festival to deepen collaboration, exchange experiences and build partnerships that would contribute to peace, justice and sustainable development.
She said the learning festival represented a significant milestone in promoting unity among diverse religious groups and communities, stressing that learning together was essential to building resilient societies.
The Regional Secretary of the organisation, Ms Eva Putiere, explained that they brought together people from different religious backgrounds to promote grassroots development through community participation.
She said the Alliance currently operated in 10 regions, with three beneficiary communities in Greater Accra namely Madina, Nima and Chorkor.
According to her, the Chorkor community was addressing coastal erosion and sanitation challenges, while residents in Nima had successfully engaged the local assembly to provide refuse containers and improve waste collection and disposal.
A participant, John Martey, said the initiative had transformed residents’ perception of community development by demonstrating that citizens could organise themselves to solve local problems.
He said through partnerships facilitated by the Alliance, Chorkor had undertaken large scale beach clean – up exercises with support from the environmental organisations, and had secured the construction of 100 household toilet facilities through another non-governmental organisation.
Mr Martey said the community had also received 250 waste bins to improve sanitation, adding that the interventions had encouraged residents to continue volunteering for clean – up exercises and community development activities.
BY STEPHANIE BIRIKORANG
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