Public urged to participate actively in local governance
GNA | Posted: Thursday, May 05, 2005
Mr. Kofi Adomah, Brong Ahafo Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education, (NCCE) has called for the active participation of citizens in local governance to enhance the reduction of poverty in the Ghanaian society.
He was speaking at the regional launch of the celebration of the Fifth Constitution Week on the theme: “Reducing Poverty through citizens’ participation in local governance” at Drobo in Jaman South District of Brong Ahafo.
The Regional Director said the celebration was the highest point of the Commission’s annual programmes and was intended to excite stakeholders to encourage the people to participate in the democratic process.
He stressed the need to educate and provide the citizens with the necessary training to help them participate in governance from the local to the national level.
"Indeed for our democracy to gain roots and be truly meaningful, citizens’ participation in governance should not be limited to elections alone", he said.
Mr. Adomah noted that tax payment was the civic responsibility of every citizen and advised Ghanaians to pay their taxes to enable the government to provide adequate resources for the various institutions.
He announced that the Jaman South and Berekum districts had been selected among 20 other districts in the country to undertake an intensive pilot project aimed at preparing citizens to actively participate in local governance.
The Regional Director urged stakeholders to assist the two districts in the execution of the programme.
Nana Kwadwo Seinti, Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, in a speech read for him commended the Commission for instituting the Week to inculcate the sense of civic awareness in the people and consolidate democratic governance.
He explained that the NPP government had introduced programmes such as the Rural Environment Empowerment Project, Community Forest Management Project and others in the regions to reduce poverty.
The Regional Minister expressed dissatisfaction that the people remained apathetic to events around them, expecting others to fight for the needs of their communities.
Nana Seinti, however, urged Ghanaians to appreciate the efforts of the government to reduce poverty, wealth creation and good governance.
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