Ghana commended for enhancing growth of democracy

Sunyani, June 15, GNA - Miss Cassandra Woods, country director of National Democratic Institute (NDI), an American non-governmental organisation (NGO), has commended Ghana for promoting democracy.

"What is left is for the civil society to assist Members of Parliament to function efficiently by constantly feeding them with the necessary information to deliberate upon''.

Miss Woods was addressing a well-attended forum at Sunyani dubbed "A time with MPs" organised by a network of Brong Ahafo Non-Governmental organisations and Leaders of Tomorrow, an Accra based NGO.

It was sponsored by the NDI.

The forum enabled a cross-section of the general public to understand the workings of Parliament and afforded them the opportunity to interact with their Members of Parliament.

Unfortunately only two MPs from the region, Alhaji Kwadwo Maama Adam, MP for Techiman and Mr Emmanuel Baah-Danquah, Asutifi north, were present.

Mr. A.S. Bagbin, MP for Nadowli north also participated.

Miss Woods said anyone aware of Ghana's immediate past political history would appreciate how fast the country has developed its democratic institutions within a relatively short period.

Mr Adam, the deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, speaking on how parliament operates, said the bulk of work is done at the committee level and that within a short time, Parliament was able to removed obsolete laws from the statute books.

Parliament also adopted several measures to enhance the well-being of the ordinary Ghanaian.

Alhaji Adam assured Ghanaians that parliament would continue to enact not only laws that have human face but also those that would push the economy forward.

The executive director of Talents for Tomorrow, Mr Kwami Ofori Kuraku said Ghana's democratic dispensation would move forward only with the involvement of the larger society.

Mr Bagbin commended the organisers of the forum for their vision and hoped that it would be extended to the districts.

The presiding member of the Sunyani district assembly, Mr Kwame Agyenim-Boateng who was chairman for the function said such forums would help correct misinformation and bring parliament to the door-step of the ordinary Ghanaian.