Ghana Districts: A repository of all Local Assemblies in Ghana

NEWS ARCHIVE 2006 - 09

(ASSIN NSUAEM) ASSIN SOUTH: District assemblies not there yet - Essuman

Date Created : 5/13/2008 1:36:20 PM : Story Author : GhanaDistrict.Com

A Member of the Council of State, Mr Ato Essuman has urged the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to help build the capacities of the District, Municipal and Metropolitan Assemblies to enable them to accelerate the decentralization policy.

He suggested that, the Ministry could collaborate with donor agencies to organise workshops and other training programmes for the assembly members to help speed up the decentralization policy.

Mr Essuman noted with concern, the slow pace at which the policy was being implemented, saying that, the assemblies were not doing enough because most of its members were ignorant about their responsibilities.

Addressing the Assin South District Assembly at Assin Nsuaem, Mr Essuman, who is also the Chief Director of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports, expressed his regret that the government appointees, who make up 30 per cent of the assembly members was being done on “whom you know” basis, thus depriving the assemblies of experienced people with the knowledge and skills to do the job.

Mr Essuman called on the assemblies to rise up and meet the challenges of the new Educational Reform Programme.

He advised the assemblies to set up an educational fund to support needy but brilliant students in their areas.

“The District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), which is a major source of revenue for the assemblies is over burdened and cannot give any meaningful support to the numerous needy students,” he noted.

Mr Essuman donated GH¢1,000.00 to the assembly as his personal contribution towards the setting up of the Fund.

The Member of Parliament for the area and Minister of Education, Science and Sports, Professor Dominic Fobih, directed that the assemblies must ensure that all on-going projects were completed before the term of President Kufuor’s administration ends this year.

“That will make Ghanaians to appreciate the achievements of his administration, the MP stated.

The District Chief Executive, Ms Millicent Alice Kuranchie, said though she always enjoyed the support of the assembly in policy formulation, she did not get the same response when it came to its implementation.

“We have failed to be implementers of our own decisions,” the DCE said, adding that, such attitudes affect the progress of the assembly.