To promote citizen’s participation in the local governance system, Justice and Peace Commission under the Catholic Church of Ghana has launched an initiative called the “Community participation in local governance.
The programs which aim at promoting transparency, accountability and development was launched at St Martin’s Pastoral Centre at Sunson in the Yendi Municipality of the Northern Region.
The program is to create awareness of local governance participation among community members for rapid and sustainable development.
It is also to educate and empower people to effectively engage and participate in political discussions and decision-making processes at both national and local levels for sustainable development.
The Local Governance Act 2016 (Act 936) and the 1992 constitution of Ghana make assemblies the highest units of local government. The assemblies have legislative and executive powers and are responsible for the provision of development at the community levels.
Speaking at the launch, Rev. Father Clement Kwasi Adjei bemoaned what he calls growing apathy in the participation of members of the communities in the local governance system.
“Since 1992 there has been growing apathy in the participation of members of the communities in the local governance system. This apathy affects the effectiveness of the local governance structure with its attendance consequences of low development and poverty. The apathy demonstrated by the citizenry in the participation of local governance requires that a cohort of persons in these communities take initiative in championing the cause of active participation in local government.’’
He further said the Catholic Church is collaborating with government and non-governmental agencies to build responsible communities through advocacy and awareness creation.
“The Catholic Church in Ghana has collaborated with government and non-governmental agencies to build responsible communities through advocacy, awareness creation and other projects. The essence is to build strong and viable congregants to champion the spiritual and physical developmental needs of their communities for growth, prosperity, peace and just society. Justice and Peace Commission of the Catholic Church is well structured and when its capacity is built, it could play that important role of being a change agent in promoting active participation of the citizenry in local governance affairs in the communities. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) cannot be realized without partnership. We must all participate in governance especially at the local level.’’ He advocates
On his part, the Bishop of Yendi, Most Rev. Vincent Sowah Boi-Nai, who launched the program calls for peaceful coexistence among different tribes.
He admonished people to eschew lies and rather take a serious interest in the development of their communities.
“Peace is very important that we should all try to embrace it. However, it is easier to say it. There are many issues that confront us here that need to be addressed. Until those issues are addressed, peace would continue to be a mirage, we would not be able to address it. One of things that is troubling us is ‘lies and rumour’. Lies and rumour provoke people just to act in way that is not in consonance with the peaceful coexistence that we are trying to achieve.”
“Another issue is false solidarity, because they are my tribesmen I must join them to fight without knowing the cause. We need to seriously educate our people to desist from that’.’
The Municipal Director for National Commission for Civic Education, Alhaji Gonji welcomes the initiative by the Catholic Church saying it is a collaborative effort to complement the commission’s work.
The meeting brought together several stakeholders like the traditional authorities, Imams, Pastors, Opinion leaders, NCCE, Education, politicians, the Clergy, Catholic Women Association and others.