The Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, Hon. Issahaku Chinnia Amidu, on Wednesday admonished the various assemblies in the Upper West Region for their continued low turnouts to important meetings organized to help change the fortunes of the region. According to him, his two years working as the Deputy Regional Minister at the Regional Coordinating Council, he has observed that most of the District Assemblies in the Region are doing a lot of disservice to the region.
Hon. Chinnia said this, when he was addressing participants at the Regional Review and Operational Planning meeting held at the Regional Library complex by GIZ. He added that there is no commitment shown by most of the Assemblies to serve the purpose of its establishment nor its vision. The planning meeting that was supposed to start at 8:30am ended up commencing at 10:00am with only few Assemblies represented at the meeting.
Whiles calling on staff of the Assemblies to remain committed and resolute in the discharge of their duties at work, he called on Municipal and District Chief Executives (MDCEs) across the Assemblies to develop the habit of motivating and inspiring the technocrats at the various Assemblies and make them feel important and part of issues ongoing at the Assemblies. He said, when workers are recognized at their work place and also motivated, they would always give out their best at work.
He noted that the political heads can never succeed without the technocrats and for that matter should be carried along in other to achieve the developmental agenda of the region.
Delivering an address on behalf of the Regional Minister, Hon. Chinnia thanked the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and GIZ for the various roles they played in the implementation of the program in the region. He indicated that the program seeks to support MMDAs improve their internal generated funds through property rates and business operating permits. He added that the programme will support Planning, budgeting and improve cooperation amongst Decentralized actors at national, regional and district levels.
According to the Deputy Minister, over a year of implementation of the program in the region, it has chalked some successes but much still need to be done. He said through the program, members of the Municipal and District Planning Coordinating Unit were trained on the new guidelines for the preparation of the MTDPs in all the four MMDAs.
He added that refresher workshops were organized on Fee Fixing Resolution in Kumasi for some key Assembly staff and another three refresher trainings organized for Physical planning officers in Tamale and Kumasi through the program. He said, over Twenty thousand (20,000) properties were fully digitized in Wa township whiles 12,000 properties were fully digitized in Lawra Township.
He noted that it was his expectation that this year, all activities developed during the meeting would be implemented by the various MMDAs as their own and captured in their Annual Action Plan. He added that MMDAs should take note that GIZ-SFDR would support activities that would emanate from the operational planning meeting and not the entire activities of the Annual Action Plan of Assemblies.
Hon Chinnia used the opportunity to appeal to GIZ-SFDR to review its regulations to enable MMDAs get the needed support (funds, logistics and technical) on time and on regular basis to help speed up the implementation this year’s programmes. He said the cumbersome procedures in assessing funds slows the implementation of the program and this results in funds not been utilized and therefore defeating the objectives of the program.
The Zonal Coordinator for GIZ, Mr. Simon Manu reiterated his disappointment in the Assemblies for not showing up for the meeting as compared to other regions.
“I am not too happy because of the attendance”, he stated.
He said though he is sad about the turnouts, he hopes that the programme will be successful and among the best in the country.
Mr. Simon Manu called on the people of the region and the assemblies to take the work plans of GIZ serious especial ways to improve their internal generated funds to do good things for their respective districts.