Wa, Lambussie Assemblies Hold Town Hall Meeting

District Chief Executive for the Lambussie District, Iddrisu Braimah Wikana

The Wa Municipal and Lambussie District Assemblies are in the lead of organising town hall meetings in the Upper West Region.

The initiative which was launched in the Tema Metropolitan Assembly on august 1 is expected to be held in all Metropolitan Municipal and District Assemblies(MMDAs) across the country by the Ministry of Information in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development whose core mandate is to empower the Ghanaian people through the dissemination of relevant information in order to enable them understand the governance process and also get enlightened about the policies and programmes of the government.

The prerogative of these meetings is to provide equal opportunity for office holders to meet the Ghanaian citizenry and discuss issues of national interest that affect the social wellbeing of the people.

Bennin Douri Issifu, the Upper West Regional Information Officer revealed that 50 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies(MMDAs) had been selected for the month of August of which five districts in the Upper West Region are inclusive namely Wa, Daffiama-Bussie-Issa, Nadowli-Kaleo, Lawra and Lambussie districts respectively.

He called on all participants not to be spectators but citizens who should contribute meaningfully during open forum such that feedback would be sent back to government for policy redirection and implementation which will inure to their needs and preferences.

The District Chief Executive for the Lambussie District, Iddrisu Braimah Wikana reiterated governments commitment to delivering on its mandate and fulfilling the promises made to Ghanaians.

He highlighted some of the flagship policies and programmes that the Akuffo-Addo led NPP administration has been implementing since they assumed office.

He said government's Planting for food and Jobs policy was already creating employment for the youth as many farmers are already engaged by the policy and the implementation of the fertilizer subsidy program have enticed farmers to farm more and was optimistic that the policy was going to yield desired results. He emphatically stated that the policy was open to all who wish to farm and therefore urged participants to make good use of the opportunity.

He however lamented that some people, for their parochial interest have started smuggling the subsidized fertilizer into Burkina Faso to make make money and has therefore vowed to deal with anyone who is caught in such an act.

"How can you smuggle something which belong to others to sell and claim you are rich?" He quizzed

He advised the public to reveal to information about culprits who engage in such acts to the police for the law to take its course.

He also called on all citizens to support government's one village one dam policy of which plans are far advanced towards its implementation. He urged them to take full advantage when the policy is implemented so as to enable them engage in all year round farming.

Hon. Braimah indicated that the one district one factory policy which is aimed at bringing industrialisation to the door steps of the Ghanaian people would be implemented as government has already budgeted an amount of GHS 453 Million Ghana Cedis to that effect.

He therefore urged small scale businesses within the district to submit their proposals towards the implementation of the policy for consideration.

On the Free Senior High School policy, the DCE revealed that about 26% of pupils who write BECE in the Lambussie district are unable to continue their education at the Senior High School level due to the fact that they can't raise money to pay their fees.This he believes will be a thing of the past with the introduction of the free SHS policy of the government in September.

At a similar meeting in the Wa municipality, the Municipal Chief Executive, Moomin Issahaku Tahiru revealed that preparations are underway for the construction of new roads to ensure the free movement of vehicles and to ease pressure on the major roads in town which will also help reduce accidents in the municipality.

He also indicated that engineers are currently conducting feasibility studies to ensure the expansion of some major roads in town to include bus stops and pedestrian walk ways.

He also highlighted some of flagship policies and programs of the Npp administration including; Planting for Food and Jobs, One District One Factory Policy, One Village One Dam Policy, Free Senior High School Policy, National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme, Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme, Business Enterprise and Development, Sanitation among others.

Speaking to the Media after the meeting, the MCE when asked said they were putting measures to improve the security situation as robbery attacks have taken a center stage in the municipality in recent times.

The most recent were the attacks on some custom officials at the Pet Vero Guest House and some officials of the Miss Ghana Beauty Peagent at the Blue Hill Hotel.

The MCE emphasized his commitment to fighting crime in the municipality as he has warned party loyalists and relatives never to call on him to intervene in criminal cases at the Police Station.