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There Are Much Gaps In Ghana’s Decentralization Process – Facilitator

By Obiba Nana Adjei
Regional News There Are Much Gaps In Ghanas Decentralization Process – Facilitator
JUL 30, 2016 LISTEN

The Facilitator of a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Joncaring Foundation Isaac Aborokwa has stated that there are some gaps in the Ghana’s Decentralization process which needs to be filled.

He said, in several instances local government officials, either elected or appointed lack the skills or are unwilling to involve citizens in the governance process. Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) at the local level, dominated by artisanal groups, farmers, traders, youth and women’s groups, whose main preoccupation is to find ways and means of survival, play a very little role beyond community meetings.

According to him Local Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) lack the capacity and resources to be able to engage local authorities and are also ignorant of their roles and responsibilities in the local governance process.

“The local authorities and are also either unwilling to open up to their citizens or lack the capacity to respond to the needs of the citizens or involve the people in the business of governance. The District /Municipal Assembly technocrats are tied to the apron strings of their Regional and National organizations and will respond to their calls at the expense of the communities in which they live and work” he stated.

He said Citizens’ lack of understanding of the role of local government, their non-involvement in planning and budgetary processes and the general absence of an enabling environment in terms of resources, time and space for citizen engagement. “In most cases the lower structures exist on paper. They are not given training to make them play the roles expected of them, let alone providing them with resources to work.

According to Mr. Aborakwa Citizens have limited knowledge about the structure and operations of key local government institutions and the various avenues for making input into the decision making operational roles of these institutions.

“Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) the private sector and local communities rarely hold duty bearers accountable for their actions and inactions owing to poor access to information and non-involvement in local governance decision-making process” Mr. Isaac Aborokwa.

He reviewed these in a workshop organized by Joncaring Foundation and funded by Open Society of West Africa (OSIWA) for Fanteakwa District and Ashaiman Municipality in Begoro in the Fanteakwa District of Eastern Region.

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