USE EXPERTISE TO DEVELOP ASSEMBLIES (PAGE 30, OCT 17)

APPOINTED members of municipal and district assemblies in the Upper East Region have been tasked to deploy their expertise in their various fields of endeavour to ensure that the assemblies function effectively.
A Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS), Mr Eric Oduro Osae, made the call during a two-day training programme for appointed assembly members and Presiding Members in the region.
The forum was organised by the Institute of Local Government Studies with support from the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.
The programme was aimed at building the capacity of the appointed assembly members, some of whom are new to the local governance system.
Mr Osae, who is also a legal practitioner, called on the participants to demand accountability from all stakeholders in the district assembly structure to ensure greater transparency and efficiency.
He bemoaned the fact that most assembly members were ignorant of the enormous power they wielded, which, if properly utilised, could fast-track development at the local level.
Mr Osae urged the assembly members to acquaint themselves with the relevant laws and legislation that would make them efficient in their work.
Mr Osae expressed regret at the inability of most assemblies to raise locally generated revenue, saying one of the areas the assemblies could source funds to support the District Assembly Common Fund was to recruit persons who could write good proposals and reports as well as effective internal auditors.
He said they could source assistance from several development partners, who are all committed to helping the assemblies with the needed development.
Mr Simon Bokor, Head of Education and Training Department of the ILGS, explained that the training had become necessary considering the fact that as new members were appointed by the President, there was the need to build their capacity so that they would be on top of whatever they were expected to do.
He expressed the hope that the participants would make good use of the lessons learnt by making useful contributions in the deliberations and workings of their respective assemblies.
In a presentation, Mr Richard Kambootah, Head of Programmes, ILGS, Tamale campus, said district assemblies were the highest political, administrative, planning and budgeting, as well as the rallying authority at the local level.
He said in the performance of its deliberative, legislative and executive functions, the district assembly worked through the committee systems and noted that the systems were not functioning effectively.
Mr Kambootah, therefore, charged the appointed members, as professionals from varied backgrounds, to assert themselves for the benefit of the citizens.
"You were selected because the President knew you have special abilities that can help the assembly. It, therefore, behoves you to work hard to justify your selection," he said.
He also advised the assembly members to separate partisan politics from development issues within the district assembly system.
"When a policy is targeted at development, we should all stand for it and refrain from reading political meanings into it. That way, the citizen will benefit from it," he assured.