BOLGATANGA PEER REVIEWED
BOLGATANGA PEER REVIEWED October 13, 2009
BY PETER ATOGEWE WEDAM
ISD BOLGATANGA MUNICIPAL
The Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly has voted 650 Ghana Cedis in support of the National African Peer Review Mechanism Governing Council (NAPRM-GC) in its work to promote democracy, good governance and transparency at the grassroots.
The Municipal Chief Executive of the assembly Honourable Epsona Harry Ayamga made this known to the public when he delivered an address to welcome participants at a validation workshop organized by the Bolgatanga Municipal Oversight Committee [MOC] of the NAPRM-GC.
Honourable Ayamga also used the opportunity to warn residents in the municipality against trooping to his office with personal matters saying the practice draws back the work of the assembly since valuable office time is often spent dealing with such minor personal issues.
The Executive Secretary of the NAPRM-GC, Dr. Francis Appiah in a speech said a total of 20 districts are to have their draft reports validated during which views and suggestions from the public and civil society groups will be incorporated into the national report of the NAPRM.
Dr. Appiah disclosed that two districts are selected from each of the 10 regions based on hard work and dynamism with regard to the work of NAPRM. Consequently, the Kassena-Nankana East district and the Bolgatanga municipality were selected in the Upper East Region to have their mentoring and evaluation reports validated.
He said the mission of the APRM in Ghana is to put the old Africa behind and to chart the cause for the new Africa where the local people take charge of the governance of the country by demanding accountability from their leaders.
The Executive Secretary said the NAPRM-GC seeks to help government to create a conducive environment for businesses to thrive, ensure good governance, respect for human rights and sound management of the economy whilst enriching the standard of living of the people through the provision of potable drinking water and quality educational and health facilities.
He called on all to eschew politics and offer objective suggestions to ensure that a proper national report representing the realities in the country is adopted at the end of the nationwide deliberations. When all is done, the president will then present the final report to his colleague heads of state at the next African Union meeting.
Presenting the draft report of the findings of the MOC, Mr. Mike B. Fuoh secretary to the Municipal Overnight Committee revealed that 200 questionnaire were administered randomly to 200 respondents in 30 communities within the municipality.
Mr. Fuoh said some of the questions centered on rule of law, freedom of speech, quality and availability of services and transparency in service delivery. He mentioned that one of the objectives of the survey is to empower citizens and groups to play proper watch – dog roles in monitoring public service agencies and local government setups.
The survey which covered 100 males and 100 females has 85 per cent of respondents answering that there has been an improvement in freedom of expression in the region.
The secretary’s presentation also revealed that 80 per cent of respondents representing 84 males and 78 females said the police and Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) are the most corrupt state institutions.
Meanwhile 54 per cent of respondents said there was no improvement in access to sanitation but 73 per cent were dissatisfied with the quality of sanitation services.
After evaluating its findings, the MOC suggested that the road network and quality of education need more improvement. While it calls on the Ghana AIDS Commission to do more sensitization and education on the disease, it said the National Commission on Civic Education, Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, Serious Fraud Office and DOVVSU need to do extensive public education on their operations.
A retired educationist, Mr. Robert Ajene who chaired the function in his closing remarks did not agree with people who constantly describe Ghana as a poor country.
Mr. Ajene is rather of the view that Ghana is rich and well endowed with many natural resources and only needs a change of heart and attitude to climb high on the ladder of development.
He noted that Ghana is currently ranked the 10th best governed country in Africa and commended the government and Ghanaians for achieving this enviable feat.
BY PETER ATOGEWE WEDAM
ISD BOLGATANGA MUNICIPAL
The Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly has voted 650 Ghana Cedis in support of the National African Peer Review Mechanism Governing Council (NAPRM-GC) in its work to promote democracy, good governance and transparency at the grassroots.
The Municipal Chief Executive of the assembly Honourable Epsona Harry Ayamga made this known to the public when he delivered an address to welcome participants at a validation workshop organized by the Bolgatanga Municipal Oversight Committee [MOC] of the NAPRM-GC.
Honourable Ayamga also used the opportunity to warn residents in the municipality against trooping to his office with personal matters saying the practice draws back the work of the assembly since valuable office time is often spent dealing with such minor personal issues.
The Executive Secretary of the NAPRM-GC, Dr. Francis Appiah in a speech said a total of 20 districts are to have their draft reports validated during which views and suggestions from the public and civil society groups will be incorporated into the national report of the NAPRM.
Dr. Appiah disclosed that two districts are selected from each of the 10 regions based on hard work and dynamism with regard to the work of NAPRM. Consequently, the Kassena-Nankana East district and the Bolgatanga municipality were selected in the Upper East Region to have their mentoring and evaluation reports validated.
He said the mission of the APRM in Ghana is to put the old Africa behind and to chart the cause for the new Africa where the local people take charge of the governance of the country by demanding accountability from their leaders.
The Executive Secretary said the NAPRM-GC seeks to help government to create a conducive environment for businesses to thrive, ensure good governance, respect for human rights and sound management of the economy whilst enriching the standard of living of the people through the provision of potable drinking water and quality educational and health facilities.
He called on all to eschew politics and offer objective suggestions to ensure that a proper national report representing the realities in the country is adopted at the end of the nationwide deliberations. When all is done, the president will then present the final report to his colleague heads of state at the next African Union meeting.
Presenting the draft report of the findings of the MOC, Mr. Mike B. Fuoh secretary to the Municipal Overnight Committee revealed that 200 questionnaire were administered randomly to 200 respondents in 30 communities within the municipality.
Mr. Fuoh said some of the questions centered on rule of law, freedom of speech, quality and availability of services and transparency in service delivery. He mentioned that one of the objectives of the survey is to empower citizens and groups to play proper watch – dog roles in monitoring public service agencies and local government setups.
The survey which covered 100 males and 100 females has 85 per cent of respondents answering that there has been an improvement in freedom of expression in the region.
The secretary’s presentation also revealed that 80 per cent of respondents representing 84 males and 78 females said the police and Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) are the most corrupt state institutions.
Meanwhile 54 per cent of respondents said there was no improvement in access to sanitation but 73 per cent were dissatisfied with the quality of sanitation services.
After evaluating its findings, the MOC suggested that the road network and quality of education need more improvement. While it calls on the Ghana AIDS Commission to do more sensitization and education on the disease, it said the National Commission on Civic Education, Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, Serious Fraud Office and DOVVSU need to do extensive public education on their operations.
A retired educationist, Mr. Robert Ajene who chaired the function in his closing remarks did not agree with people who constantly describe Ghana as a poor country.
Mr. Ajene is rather of the view that Ghana is rich and well endowed with many natural resources and only needs a change of heart and attitude to climb high on the ladder of development.
He noted that Ghana is currently ranked the 10th best governed country in Africa and commended the government and Ghanaians for achieving this enviable feat.
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