Northern Patriots in Research and Advocacy, (NORPRA), has called on newly sworn in Assemblymen/women to involve their electorates in the administration process in the various Assemblies.
Section 16 of the Local Government Act, 1993, Act 462 charges assembly members to always consult the electorates before and after every assembly session for the free flow of information to and from the assembly.
But reports suggest that most assembly members do not do this hence denying the people of very important information on government policies and programs, thereby limiting active participation of the people in governance.
In view of this, members of Northern Patriots in Research and Advocacy (NORPRA), a civil society organization advocating for a transformed and developed Northern Ghana is urging all newly sworn in members of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the country to ensure that they serve as the mouthpiece of their electorates to and from the assemblies.
In a statement signed by the director of the civil society organization, Bismark Adongo Ayorogo, the organization urges all assembly members to inform their electorates on happenings in the assembly for consolidated democracy.
‘The development planning process of the assemblies requires that communities are consulted in the preparations of Community Action Plans (CAPs) which are harmonized and fed into the Medium Term Development Plans of the Assemblies, regrettably, most planning officers and other technocrats of the assemblies sit in the comfort of their offices and homes to “cook” these plans thereby denying the people the opportunity of participation for their development needs and priorities to be captured in the planning process” the statement said.
It added that “the effect of this is that the plans of the assemblies in most cases are not responsive to the felt needs and priorities of the people particularly the poor and marginalized groups”.
While congratulating the assembly members in the country, NORPRA entreats assemblies who are yet to elect their Presiding Members to do so as soon as possible to pave way for serious business at the assemblies to start.
Find below the full statement
PRESS RELEASE : DATE:7TH OCTOBER, 2015
NORPRA CONGRATULATES NEWLY ELECTED ASSEMBLY MEMBERS AND URGES THEM TO JUSTIFY CONFIDENCE REPOSED IN THEM
Members of Northern Patriots in Research and Advocacy (NORPRA) wish to congratulate all elected assembly members in the country and urge them to work hard to justify the confidence reposed in them by the people in their respective electoral areas.
Section 16 of the Local Government Act, 1993, Act462 enjoins assembly members to always consult their people before every assembly session and give the people feedback after the session. But experience has shown that most assembly members do not do this hence denying the people of very important information on government policies and programmes and limiting active participation of the people in governance. In view of this, NORPRA is urging all newly elected assembly members to ensure that this legal obligation expected of them is effectively and efficiently performed.
All assembly members need to note that democracy is consolidated and nourished by the existence of well-informed people, therefore they have a duty to ensure this is promoted.
The development planning process of the assemblies requires that communities are consulted in the preparations of Community Action Plans (CAPs) which are harmonized and fed into the Medium Term Development Plans of the Assemblies, regrettably, most planning officers and other technocrats of the assemblies sit in the comfort of their offices and homes to “cook” these plans thereby denying the people the opportunity of participation for their development needs and priorities to be captured in the planning process. The effect of this is that the plans of the assemblies in most cases are not responsive to the felt needs and priorities of the people particularly the poor and marginalized groups.
It is therefore the expectation of NORPRA that the new assembly members will ensure all times that their constituents are really consulted in the planning process for their needs to be taken on board and mainstreamed in the Medium Term Development Planning process. With this, development programmes and projects at the community level will truly reflect the needs of the people for improved livelihoods.
In conclusion, we wish to state that consensus building is key in democratic governance therefore those district assemblies who failed to elect their Presiding Members need to embrace the concept of consensus building to get the Presiding Members in place as soon as possible to pave way for serious business of the assemblies to start.
Bismark Adongo Ayorogo
(Director)
By: Asaah Joshua Atinga/A1RADIOONLINE.com/Ghana
