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Ghana and France have signed a grant agreement to facilitate the implementation of a project aimed at enhancing governance at the central and local levels. Under the agreement, the French government is to provide 800,000 euros for the implementation of the project dubbed, �Strengthening the Accountability of Ghana�s Central and Local Government�. The project The three-year project seeks to strengthen accountability at the local and central levels through the training of public officials, enhancing auditing and upgrading monitoring and evaluating capacities at the district levels. The project also intends to strengthen ties among the government, civil society and citizens by supporting innovative projects jointly proposed by governments and civil society. The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Julius Debrah, and the Minister of State for Public Sector Reforms, Mr Alhassan Azong, signed on behalf of the government, while the France Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Frederic Clavier, signed on behalf of the French government. The project is divided into three operational components- strengthening accountability at the central level, strengthening accountability at the local level in the Western Region and strengthening ties between the government and civil society. The three components are expected to be implemented by a steering committee made up of officials from the governments of Ghana and France. Objectives Mr Clavier said the project would focus on the application of the principles of respect for the rule of law, consensus building, transparency and citizens participation to strengthen the implementation of accountability mechanisms of the Government of Ghana. He said the project was also aimed at reinforcing reforms and making realities involved in its implementation clearer to policy makers. Mr Clavier added that the accountability project preceded two projects which were began in 2006 under the Solidarity Priority Fund in support of the decentralisation process and public sector reforms which ended in early 2013. Mr Debrah expressed the gratitude of the government to France for its continuous support, and added that with the funding, various institutions would be strengthened to enhance governance in the country.