Bolgatanga, March 16, GNA - The Africa Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) District Oversight Committee has been inaugurated in the Upper East Region with a call on members to work to ensure that the government continues to make a significant improvement in the area of democracy and good political governance, corporate governance and socio-economic development.

The committees are made up of representatives from all the nine districts in the region and are nine in number with gender parity insisted on. They would also act as advocates of the Governing Council at the district levels and assist in monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the Programme of Action (POA) at the district level. In his address the Chairman of the Governing Council of APRM, Professor Samuel K Adjepong, said African countries had realized the need to marshal plans to solve their own problems instead of relying on others.

Dr. Francis Appiah, Executive Secretary of the Council, said the 2007 annual report of APRM recorded low representation of women in public life in spite of the commitment to ensure 30 per cent women's representation in executive positions at all levels. He said the APRM indicated the need for the development of policies and programmes to increase the representation of women in public life that led to a significant number of women appointments in higher positions.

He said through the APRM a Chieftaincy Ministry was established and Ghana also chalked success in democratic dispensation being the beacon of hope for Africa.

Mr. Mark Woyongo, Upper East Regional Minister, commended the inauguration of the District Oversight Committee and said it would enable his administration to disseminate policies and programmes of the Government aimed at promoting participation, accountability and transparency in governance. He said government was more committed to APRM and that was why it was the first African country to accede the concept as an ideal of good governance.

Mr Woyongo said true democracy thrives well under the principles of good governance and the rule of law and that the government would not relent in its efforts to ensure that the standards and principles of APRM were upheld for the nurturing and strengthening of democracy. He appealed to the Oversight Committee members to work harder to achieve the objectives of the APRM and to inculcate into the people the spirit of dialogue, understanding, forgiveness and brotherliness, especially in conflict zones. Mr Woyongo pledged the support of the Regional Coordinating Council to the members of the committee to ensure the smooth implementation of the National Programme of Action in the Region.