The District Chief Executive Officer of Gomoa West in the Central Region, Bismark Baisie Nkum, who’s vying for the presidency of the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana, NALAG, has rolled out an elaborate plan towards the strengthening of Ghana’s local governance system.
The NALAG elections, which had delayed for over a year, is finally coming off from June 12th to June 15th 2019.
Prior to setting the date for this 20th Biennial National Conference, a group known as the Coalition of Progressive Assembly Members, COPAM, threatened to sue the current executives for deliberately delaying the election.
The NALAG presidency is being pursued by three candidates namely Bismark Baisie Nkum, Gomoa West DCE, a Presiding Member in Ashanti Region, Hon. Assuah Dadzie, and the current President of NALAG, Felix Mensah Nii Annan-La, who’s the MCE for Tema in the Greater Accra Region.
Mr. Baisie Nkum, who holds an MBA in finance and an LLB, and considers himself a young strategist, says he entered the race because he believes NALAG is not playing the role deserving of an umbrella body, and that that the supporting role of NALAG is either not well defined or not being executed properly.
“The welfare of its members is not seen to be promoted. NALAG as it is today is not positioned as first class Local government support, and NALAG is mostly heard of only during conferences” he noted.
Mr. Baisie Nkum, who has largely been commended for spearheading several development projects in his district in the past two years, says he consulted widely with various stakeholders in the Central Region and in other regions before taking the decision to contest.
He says in making NALAG relevant, he will ensure the provision of a platform for healthy engagements among Chief Executives & Presiding Members and Assembly members. This he says will enable various MMDAs through MMDCEs and MMDPMs to have constant interaction to discuss matters of common interest.
“NALAG can then pick decisions out of these engagements to ensure their consideration for Legislation. A typical example is the decision to get MMDCEs elected. There should have been some kind of discussions among MMDCEs, MMDPMS and Assembly members engineered by NALAG. These platforms will also provide an opportunity for MMDCEs and especially presiding members to speak heart to heart on issues bothering Welfare of Assembly members and PMs as well. Issues concerning whether or not Assembly members should properly be enumerated. These kinds of platforms provide the opportunity for objective discussions on the matter. NALAG today has not taken this up. NALAG tomorrow will”.
In ensuring accountability and transparency, Mr. Baisie Nkum says he will institute a peer review mechanism and also facilitate the provision of logistics for NALAG to be effective at the grassroots.
The Gomoa West DCE says he also has a vision to facilitate Sister City arrangements locally and abroad.
“It is important to recognize that MMDAs do not operate in an Island. MMDAs are in competition with other local authorities globally for resources and investments. There is the need therefore to expand our frontiers beyond our Assemblies. NALAG as an Umbrella Association has the leverage to facilitate this. With right leadership we can open our member MMDAs to these relationships and thereby open up Ghana as a whole for investment and cultural diversity. This will be done with MMDCEs and MMDPMs spearheading the arrangements once it is established “he said.
Mr. Bismark Baisie Nkum says he’s also committed to the facilitation of capacity building for MMDCEs, MMDPMs and Assembly members to meet the demands of ever changing dynamics of local government.
On remuneration and allowances for Assembly members, the DCE says he believes strongly that Assembly members deserve to receive equal pay for their work. He promised to lead a crusade for changes in the law to make it possible for Assembly Members to be paid.
Mr. Nkum’s elaborate plan includes the institution of a welfare scheme for members, an MMDA help desk, rebranding and awareness creation, the institution of the NALAG Day in order for the Association to be vibrant and recognized by the Ghanaian population as a working association, a functional website for the association, an increase in participation, quarterly update to MMDAs, and a push for the issuance of service passports to facilitate travels by MMDCEs, presiding members and Assembly members.
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By: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie|citinewsroom.com|Ghana