Issues of accountability elusive in administrative system -CDD Ghana

The Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has indicated that issues of accountability and responsiveness remain elusive in the country’s administrative system in spite of the existence of a comprehensive structure of accountability mechanisms established by the 1992 Constitution.
At a training and capacity building workshop on social accountability and local governance at Nsuta in the Sekyere Central District in the Ashanti Region, the Programmes Officer of the CDD-Ghana, Mr P.N.K. Aborampah Mensah, said the problem of accountability was more pronounced in the local communities, where successive district assembly elections had recorded low patronage.

He observed that there was lack of committed and effective local political leadership with the desired political will to engage community-based non-state actors.

He also observed that the absence of professional working relationship between local administrators, officials and assembly members and civil society-community-based organisations was adverse to citizens’ participation in local governance.

Ineffective working relationship, he added, had distanced the assemblies from its citizens and what was more disturbing was the lack or ineffective system of information with regard to the operations of district assemblies.

“This state of affairs has led to the emergence of inefficient and unaccountable structures and procedures and poor service delivery at the local levels,” he stated.

Mr Mensah said the project, which was being implemented in 17 selected Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), primarily aimed at assessing the extent to which citizens interfaced, participated and engaged with the current local governance system and structures.

That, he said, was to serve as a basis for the enhancement of participatory democracy, transparency and accountable system of local governance through the reduction of citizens’ apathy in local governance.

He explained that the capacity building workshop sought to enhance stakeholders understanding of local government processes and the role of social responsibility in promoting transparency in local governance.

The project, he further explained, would enable media practitioners  to increase their understanding of local government issues, give informed reporting on community resource management, transparency and accountability.

He added that apart from assembly members, the project would improve the understanding of Presiding Members and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to be able to discharge their duties professionally and efficiently and operate and appreciate the need for an open, transparent, accountable and participatory administration at all levels.

In the Ashanti Region, the project is being implemented in the Sekyere and Bosome Freho districts and the Obuasi Municipality, while in Greater Accra it is being implemented in the Accra Metropolitan and Adentan Municipal assemblies.

The Tamale Metropolis and Saboba District in the Northern Region, Ahanta West District in the Western Region and Effutu Municipal and Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam districts in the Central Region are benefiting from the project.

In Eastern and Brong Ahafo regions, Birim Central, Birim South, Kintampo North and Jaman North districts are the beneficiary assemblies while in the Volta, Upper West and Upper East regions, Kadjebi, Wa West and Builsa districts have been selected.

By Joseph Kyei Boateng/Daily Graphic/Ghana