Communities must show interest in projects – MP
Mr. Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, Member of Parliament (MP) for Akatsi-North, has stressed the importance of communities showing interest in ongoing projects in their areas.
He said whilst their inputs were necessary and important, those views, however, should not override technical advice by engineers and other experts on the job.
Mr Nortsu-Kotoe gave the advice at the inauguration of the Avevi Area Council and Unit Committees, at Avevi, where a six-room GET-Fund school block, with an office, a store and a place of convenience for the Avevi Basic School, was found to have been built at a flood-prone area.
The School Management Committee (SMC) was said to have refused technical advice that the GHC 150,000 project be moved to higher grounds, as a result, the building was inundated on the onset of the recent rains and the toilet attached to it has also been rendered un-useable for the meantime.
Mr. Nortsu-Kotoe told the people, who are now being mobilized by the SMC for communal labour to reclaim the building, that the contractors had a hectic time undertaking the project due to the intransigence of the SMC.
He said social auditing of projects was permissible, but when overplayed, could result in project delays and constructional defects.
Inaugurating the nine-member Area Council and Unit Committees, Mr Nortsu-Kotoe asked the people to take interest in the affairs of the area and render their tax and other obligations to the Akatsi North-District Assembly promptly.
The MP, who reiterated his commitment to the development of the area, commended the people for putting up an office block for the Area Council.
Mr. Patrick Ahiabu, Presiding Member Akatsi-North District Assembly observed that the Area Councils and Unit committees were important components of the decentralization and local governance structure.
Mr. James Gunu, District Chief Executive (DCE) of the area, went ahead to commission the inundated school block, bemoaning the poor performance of pupils from the district in the recent BECE examinations.
He urged teachers, parents and pupils to sit-up and collaborate to reverse the trend so that the area could produce resourceful citizens.
The DCE cautioned that those who lacked the commitment to selflessly serve their people should desist from standing as candidates during the District Assembly elections.
Madam Cate Mikado, District Education Director said her outfit was “working hard” to help improve education in the infant district and would therefore not tolerate laziness among teachers.
Madam Mikado reminded the people and pupils that educational standards would not improve no matter how hard the teacher worked, if other stakeholders, including parents, refused to play their complimentary roles.
Source: GNA