Who are the owners of development projects in Upper West ?

Wa, Oct. 9, GNA - Projects provided by government have become a bone of contention between the members of parliament (MPs), district chief executives(DCEs), and assembly members as to who the real owners are.

The ownership of these projects by these 'three wisemen' has become a source of worry in recent times.

Who provides development projects in the communities? Is it the government, MPs, DCEs or assembly members?

It is common in the Upper West Region to hear at various forums and on radio stations people claiming ownership of the projects that the government had provided to the communities.

These projects range from school blocks, boreholes, community based health and planning service (CHPS) compounds and roads infrastructure.

The utilisation of these projects, especially water facilities, school and health infrastructure as well as other social and economic projects to help improve the lives and livelihoods of rural people in the various communities, are being patronised on political lines.

The provision of water, electricity, health service, and education facilities among others in the communities are to help improve the socio- economic advancement of the people. However the politisation of these projects is having a negative impact on government development efforts.

The situation is too serious and the fear is that sooner than later, Ghanaians would be experiencing confusion in the communities because anyone of these 'wise men' would have the edge to close down rural schools, ban some community members from fetching water from boreholes and prevent people from using latrines and roads that government had provided.

A good example is the Community Water and Sanitation Agency's (CWSA) outcry about the mismanagement of water systems in the region.

The CWSA had spoken about the mismanagement of water systems to the extent that that most of the facilities are operating marginally and beneficiary communities are unable to take advantage of the huge investments in water supply to improve sanitation.

No wonder, the municipal and district assemblies the in the region have been applying their scanty resources in fixing broken down boreholes and mechanised water systems to the detriment of providing other projects to enhance the livelihood of the people.

The disturbing phenomenon in the region is the rate in the breakdown of water facilities and the refusal of communities to pay for the water services they are provided with.

This lackadaisical attitude of community members towards social and economic amenities provided them to enhance their livelihoods is as a result of the polarisation of development projects and the infighting for ownership among members of parliament, district chief executives and assembly members.

This is not only experienced in the water sector but many other sectors, including education and health where there is community apathy, resulting in the breakdown of facilities and the lack of maintenance.

The Local Government Ministry should come out with a new development strategy for assembly members in the communities to stop them from claiming ownership of government projects.

Their lots should be that of self-reliance development in the communities. Assembly members should be tasked to mobilise their people to undertake self-help projects rather than the over-reliance on central government and district assemblies to roll out projects.

The success and failure of assembly members should be measured by the number of self-help projects they have been able to implement in the communities.

The self-help spirit experienced during the 90s is dying off and needed to be rekindled in the communities to tackle issues of sanitation, which is now a source of worry to central government, metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies.

The local government machinery should provide appropriate lobby skills to assembly members to lobby other organisations and individuals to support development projects in the communities.

MPs should let the people know that they are lawmakers, and not agents or implementers of development projects. Whatever development projects they are able to implement, should be labeled to distinguish them from the district assemblies and central government projects.

DCEs must also stop hijacking development projects which are implemented with the taxpayers' money. The Metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies are not the property of DCEs and whatever development projects that they carry out, belong to the people and let nobody claim ownership of such projects.

Projects provided by the district assemblies are just to complement central government efforts and no credit or ownership should go to anybody appointed by the government or elected by the people.

The scramble for ownerships of projects in the communities is doing more harm than good to government and community members. Development projects are provided by government for the benefit of Ghanaians, irrespective political affiliations or ethnic considerations.

Government should take up this article serious because the attitude of some politicians regarding the ownership of projects is not helping the unity of Ghana.

Ghana is for all Ghanaians and its resources must benefit all segment of the society.

Absolute care should be taken not to marginalise governments for selfish gains and let not our selfish interest divide the people. Politicians should know that Ghana is a patch, patch country that needs absolute integration.

A GNA feature by Bajin D. Pobia