Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development Ministry to hold workshops geared towards acquainting members with the operations of the assemblies.
The sector Minister, Dan Bowte who doubles as Member of Parliament for Okere Constituency in the Eastern Region, made this known when he was addressing the Press on September 19, 2021 at the Ministry of Information Press Centre in Accra.
His comment comes on the back of complaints the Ministry received from assembly members and some Civil Society Organizations that Government’s delay in announcing Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) has hampered the progress of work for assemblies.
According to Dan Botwe, the delay could not have negatively impacted the assemblies’ works, because though the tenure of office for the Chief Executives had elapsed and they have been acting from beginning of the year in President Akufo-Addo’s new term, the executives have been working towards materialising the plans of the Government for the various assemblies.
He further noted that the power to develop the assemblies does not rest with the Chief Executives only, but that there is devolution of duty to ensure that every office holder plays a role in realising the goals of government in the assemblies.
“The MMDCE is just one person. So the powers of the Presiding member. The role of the district assembly, the executive Committee of the district assembly and the other committee that exist. So the Chairperson of this committee has so many roles to play.
“So it’s not only the DCE. There are so many committees; functions of the planning unit of the district assembly committee. There are a lot of things that people and honorable members who belong to committees and the staff have to do in our local government area,” the MP stated.
To ensure the public understands the operations of the assemblies and hold authorities responsible for their actions and inactions, he indicated that his ministry will hold workshops to help enlighten them.
“We promise to hold workshops, and do a lot of orientations not only for the new MMDCEs but for all of us especially for our friends in the media so that we can hold people accountable.”
