Assembly Members have been admonished to engage with their electorates in line with the Local Government Act to ensure effective and efficient functioning of the assemblies.
Just as Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) have their roles to play under Act 963 so are the assembly members.
Daniel Botwe, the Minister of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, who gave the admonition said one of the key functions was to engage with electorates periodically to explain assembly policies and programmes to them.
Speaking at Adukrom during the confirmation of Okere District Chief Executive nominee, Daniel Kenneth, for a second term, he noted it would strengthen local people’s understanding of policies and programmes of the assemblies in line with the government’s agenda to position them to fully support, assist and participate in accelerated socioeconomic development.
Citing Act 963 of the Local Government Act, which states duties of assembly members, Mr Botwe indicated that “in the wisdom of framers of the 1992 Constitution, all functionaries of local government have roles to play to enhance decentralisation towards effective and efficient service delivery.
“The law spells out infractions because people did not understand the law, if people know the functions of the assemblies well, then they can be held accountable and that hinges on assembly members engaging their electorates however, ensuring right things are done must not be family or partisan issues but of law and principle and if residents understand, in most cases, they will abide by the law,” he stated.
Mr Botwe, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Okere in the Eastern Region, observed that Article 243 of the 1992 Constitution outlined duties and mandates of MMDCEs and stressed on the need for them as representatives of the government in their respective areas and must be given assistance and support to spearhead the agenda and vision for the benefit of the people.
He commended the assembly members for unanimously confirming the president’s nominee and expressed hope all other assemblies would do same to make way for progress, growth and development instead of them taking assemblies to ransom.
Mr Botwe, praised traditional authorities, opinion leaders and people of the area for their tremendous support and assistance which had seen massive development projects within a short period of creation of the district. -GNA
