The Eastern Regional Minister, Hon. Seth Acheampong, has entreated Assembly Members to work closely with each other to create innovative ways of mobilizing the needed resources for the development of the country.
The Minister, speaking on behalf of the president, His Excellence Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo, during the innogration ceremony of newly elected Assembly Members of Achiase District, Birim South District, and Akyem Oda Municipal Assembly, stated that district assemblies are a critical part of the governance structure and processes, with a significant role dedicated to local institutions.
According to him, district assemblies are mandated to support the government in delivering on its mandated programs and projects to the benefit of the people.
He reminds the Assembly Members that their people require from them selflessness, devotion to duty,a very accountable stewardship, and above all, their ability to articulate the needs of the people to guide the district development agenda and ultimately improve the quality of their livelihood and well-being.
Assembly Members have the mandate to deliberate,plan, mobilize resources, and make decisions, including by law, to ensure the transformation of every district towards the nation everyone wants.
Hon. Seth Acheampong, said that an occasion like this marks another milestone towards deepening decentralization as stipulated in Article 35, Clause 6(d) of the 1992 Constitution.
The decentralization reforms that started in 1988 with only one hundred and ten district assemblies have made progress on several fronts.
Today, with a total of 261 MMDCs, the government is closer to the people than it’s ever been in the history of the nation.
The instinct of the average citizen is still to look towards Accra or their Member of Parliament for things that fall within the remit of the District Assembly.
He urged the Assembly Members to be part of the team that will finally change the status quo and deepen local government and decentralization to enable the citizens to have access to basic public services in their district rather than demanding such service from Accra.
He entreats the Assembly Members to build a good working relationship with themselves, the DCEs, MPs, staff of the Assembly, religious leaders, and the people they represent.
He also called on them to build a strong partnership and collaborate with local, urban, town, zonal, and area councils, unit committee members, traditional authorities, and other identifiable groups to facilitate the work of the District Assembly. It is through these partnerships and collaborations that the ideas of local government are optimized for the benefit of the people.
Hon. Regina Ackon Kyei, the Assemblywoman for Akyem Awisa Electoral Area, called on Ghanaians to support the Assembly Members so that they can deliver to the satisfaction of the people.
Report by Samuel Quao.