Strengthen district assemblies to initiate programmes — NCCE
The Central Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Mr Mohammed Ali, has stressed the need for district assemblies to be strengthened to initiate sustainable policies and programmes to reduce the workload on the central government.
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He has, therefore, called on Ghanaians to take keen interest in the upcoming district level elections to help deepen governance at the local level.
Mr Ali gave the advice during a community durbar at Gomoa Mankessim in the Central Region to sustain public interest in the upcoming district assembly elections.
The event, organised by the Gomoa West District office of the NCCE and sponsored by the European Union, was graced by the chiefs and included focus group discussions some opinion leaders participated in.
Concept of elections
According to Mr Ali, the concept of the elections, intended to strengthen the decentralisation process, was to provide the electorate the opportunity to elect capable assembly members to facilitate progress at the grass-roots level.
He noted that the elections which were non-partisan would enable the people at the local level to take charge of development in their respective electoral areas and, therefore, urged the people to vote for individuals who would ensure rapid development across the country.
He said the district assembly concept had brought governance on the doorstep of the people and that the electorate must show interest in the elections and actively participate in the political process in the country.
He acknowledged that there was always voter apathy with regard to the district level elections, which has resulted in the selection of people who have failed to promote the decentralisation process.
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He, therefore, called on the people to come out in their numbers on voting day and vote for capable individuals who understand the district assembly concept and would work effectively towards the development of the local areas.
District NCCE Director
The Gomoa West District NCCE Director, Madam Georgina Yeboah, said it was the constitutional duty of every Ghanaian to vote since it was a mechanism for the electorate to express their opinion about the electoral process.
He advised against violence in the upcoming elections and urged the electorate to desist from acts that had the tendency to disrupt the peace the country was enjoying.
She added her voice to the call for the electorate to take active part in the upcoming elections.
Chief
The Tufuhen of the town, Nana Adu Acquah II, stated that the durbar was timely since there was low interest in the district assembly elections.
He called on the people to take part in the elections and vote for assembly members who would contribute towards the progress of the district.