By Emmanuel Gamson
Effiakuma (W/R), June 3, GNA — The Effia-Kwesimintsim Municipal Assembly (EKMA) in the Western Region has held a Town Hall Meeting to account to the people of its performance on programmes and activities for last year.
The meeting, held on the theme: “Accounting to the people”, was attended by Mr Joseph Nelson, the Western Regional Minister, and officials from the Regional Co-ordinating Council, traditional and religious leaders, heads of departments, market queens, and some residents among other stakeholders.
Mr Abdul-Majeed Dokurgu, the Effia-Kwesimintsim Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), speaking at the opening of the event, at Effiakuma, said it was both a constitutional and democratic obligation
Meant to strengthen accountability and promote transparency while ensuring citizens’ participation in the local governance process.
He stated that the forum was to provide a platform for him to render accounts on the stewardship of public resources and the progress of collective development agenda since assuming office as the MCE last year.
According to him, the assembly over the past year had made conscious efforts to strengthen governance systems and improve upon institutional performance, noting that they undertook key interventions aimed at improving the living conditions for the people.
Mr Dokurgu said the assembly had made significant strides in both development and service delivery across the municipality, including progress under key sectors like roads, sanitation, education, health services, and local economic development.
He mentioned the repairs and maintenance of roads, renovation of Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) Compounds, desilting of major drainage systems, and rehabilitation of toilet facilities across the municipality among others as some of the progress made so far.
He said construction of infrastructure projects were at various stages of completion, including a two-storey CHPS Compound with staff accommodation at Effiakuma Zongo, a 12-unit classroom block for TAMSCO M/A school , and a two-unit Kindergarten (KG) block with ancillary facilities at Effiakuma Zongo among others.
The MCE touching on youth and entrepreneurial development, said the assembly had facilitated the training of 100 selected young people in forklift operations, with 60 others also benefiting from government’s National Apprenticeship Programme.
On Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Mr Dokurgu noted that the assembly was constructing 17 mechanised boreholes in all the electoral areas, and procured 10 skip containers to help ensure proper waste management within the municipality.
The MCE said despite the successes chalked during the year under review, the municipality continued faced challenges including improper sanitation practices,
Recurring problems of flooding within some communities in the municipality, and financial gaps among others.
He, however, gave the assurance that the assembly was committed to putting in place strategic measures to deliver on its mandate to help bring the much-needed development to the people.
Mr Dokurgu also urged residents to continue to pay their taxes, abide by the assembly’s bylaws, and contribute their quota towards the development of the municipality.
Mr Philip Fiifi Buckman, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kwesimintsim, lauded the leadership of the EKMA for holding the meeting, and said it was necessary for the citizens to scrutinise and make inputs on the activities of the assembly for shared growth.
He also commended the assembly for the successes chalked over the past year and asked them to do more to improve upon the living standards of the people.
As part of the meeting, residents took turns to ask questions and raised concerns about the development needs in their communities for redress.
GNA
Edited by Justina Hilda Paaga /Kenneth Odeng Adade
Reporter: Emmanuel Gamson
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