Need for more grass-roots participation in governance

The Executive Secretary of the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC), Mrs Linda Ofori-Kwafo, has proposed a review of the local government system in the country through a dispassionate, apolitical national debate.

In her call last Tuesday, which was informed by the apathetic nature of participation in the recently held district level and unit committee elections, she also suggested the consideration of proposals for a partisan local government system to stem the tide.

We agree with Mrs Ofori-Kwafo on the low turnout in the elections and in local governance in general but add that the general malaise has not been experienced only in local governance issues but also governance matters as a whole.

Indeed, the low turnout in the elections on September 1, 2015 and all other governance issues could be largely attributed to a general disinterest of the electorate in issues of governance.

The lack of interest in anything governance has mostly been experienced in cosmopolitan or urban areas. Rural and smaller communities have been better off because they are more closely knit and so those who offer themselves for election are known by all.

In the urban areas, the lifestyle of community members who have to leave early for work to avoid traffic and return late throughout the week does very little to even make next-door neighbours know one another.

The Daily Graphic believes that aside from the lack of constant education and sensitisation to local governance by the institutions responsible for those issues, the rising disinterest in governance is a clear indictment on the failure of those in leadership to touch base with the public.

Governance too has, unfortunately, taken on a partisan colouration that has driven away people who would not want to be tagged with any political colour. Getting into governance positions has also, over time, been associated with corruption and the desire of a greedy few to amass wealth at all cost, at the expense of the taxpayer.

We must, meanwhile, question how the government uses our tax money for proposed national and local projects and whether the projects inure to the benefit of all.

In other jurisdictions, mid-term elections are held to make leaders account for their stewardship before their terms end. This process ensures discipline among the leaders, especially if they desire to seek re-election.

Town hall meetings are also held in other places to bring the people up to speed on progress of plans for the community.

In our part of the world, however, different fora that have been held since the Fourth Republic began have rather turned political.

The meetings have been used to champion the gains made by the ruling government, instead of being used as a stocktaking, monitoring and evaluation forum for the people for whom the programmes and projects have been carried out.

The lack of interest in governance issues has also led to the non-fulfilment of many campaign promises by the elected, who take the people for granted because they know they will not be questioned.

We need more interest from the grass roots to ensure that the elected live up to expectation and also manage our resources for the good of all.