The Okaikwei North Municipal Assembly (ONMA) has ended a day’s encounter with residents of the Okaikwei North Constituency.
The occasion afforded the people the opportunity to access the plans, programs and policies of the Assembly as well as its impacts on their livelihoods.
The participants including, Chiefs, traders, Assembly members, identifiable groups, among others also gave stakeholders the opportunity to take duty bearers to task.
Speaking at the event, the Municipal Chief Executive, Honorable Boye Laryea said local governance is expected to encourage government’s responsiveness to citizen participation and in the end ensure greater effectiveness, efficiency and accountability.
He stated that the local governance system as practised in Ghana is designed to promote participation, decision-making through local level institutions including Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and other Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).
Honorable Fuseni Issah, Member of Parliament for Okaikwei North Constituency is sure that the carving out of the Assembly from the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has brought governance in his words to the “doorsteps of the people”. This, he said, has enhanced participatory democracy.
Mr. Samuel Amoah, the Municipal Coordinator while noting that Town Hall Meetings were platforms to track the execution of projects, programs and policies stated that it was also a means to “fight the common problem of under-development”.
The Chairperson for the event, Revd. Nathaniel Quartey with reference to the Parable of the Talents in Mathew 25:23 stressed the need for duty-bearers to be accountable to the people they serve.
Mrs. Cecelia Ofori Asante, the Head of Budget took the gathering through completed, ongoing projects and other initiatives including capacity building programs for staff of the Assembly.
Mrs. Joana Amponsah Nkansah, Deputy Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) tasked the gathering to preserve the peace before, during and after the December 7 elections.
