NCCE says District Assembly election still non-partisan

Ayeasu (B/A) Aug. 16, GNA - Mr. Pierre Kwabena Ankomah, Techiman Municipal Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has emphasised that there has been no amendment of the 1992 constitution making district assembly elections partisan.

He said, in accordance with clauses one and two of article 248 of the constitution every candidate seeking election to the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies or unit committee must present himself or herself as an individual and must not use any symbol associated with any political party.

Mr. Ankomah was speaking at the launch of the social auditing programme at Akissimasu and Ayeasu in the municipality.

The function formed part of outreach programmes drawn by the municipal directorate of the Commission to educate the populace on the local government concept and social auditing. Mr. Ankomah stressed that in order to ensure tangible benefits to the people through grassroot participation, people must avoid partisan tendencies.

Mr. Ankomah said if such attitude continued in the Ghanaian society the vision for accelerated development in the rural communities would come to nought and asked the electorate to rather look out for persons imbued with the spirit of voluntarism and dedication to the development of their areas.

The NCCE Director indicated that it was the country's success in the establishment of the on-going democratic dispensation and good governance, one segment of which was the district assembly concept, which was being studied by other countries that had earned the country's several economic interventions from the international community to develop the nation.

He intimated that governance was not the responsibility of government alone but that citizens must work together with government to make decisions effectively and accountable, adding that, that could be achieved when people who could articulate meaningful shades of opinion were voted or appointed to the assemblies and unit committees.

Mr. Peter Gyaase civic education officer of NCCE speaking on social auditing explained that the rationale behind the social auditing nationwide education on the concept would enable citizens to achieve good governance in order to ensure anti-corruption, transparency and accountability in society.

Mr Peter Gyaase who is also the acting District Director for Pru noted that social auditing did not mean empowering the people to audaciously challenge people in authority but rather diplomatically probing to ensure access quality basic services and resources. Mr. Daniel Kyere, Assembly Member for Abemagya electoral area complained about the imposition of government appointees of unit committee members not known to most electoral areas, especially traditional rulers making their work very difficulty.

He appealed to the authorities to consult assembly members and traditional leaders before selecting government appointees to serve as unit committee members so that there would not be dormant members in the electoral areas.

In an open forum, the people appealed to assembly members to give feedback of assembly proceedings to their people in order for them to be abreast of the assembly concept.