LaNMMA Municipality deepens local governance with ICTs

Advocacy and Media Support Foundation (AMS-Foundation), a non-profit media organisation, has signed a memorandum of understanding with La Nkwantanang-Madina Municipal Assembly to enable it disseminate information to people in the municipality.

The initiative seeks to undertake a series of activities to inform and educate citizens in the municipality about their local governance activities and to promote healthy interaction between the Assembly and the citizens.

Mr Lord Asante Fordjour, Executive Director AMS-Foundation, said the pilot program is being initiated by Action Voices to create an innovative communication platform for a healthy engagement between citizens and local assembly authorities.

He said quite often decisions taken by the Assembly do not get to the citizens which makes communication flow ineffective adding that the platform seeks to narrow the communication gap.

“We will employ the use of tools such as bulk SMS, Voice Blast, Mobile App, Social media platforms and toll- free services which have already been established for citizens to lodge their complaints and questions to duty bearers”, Mr Fordjour said.

He said the Foundation would embark on a comprehensive education campaign in all electoral areas to educate the people on how to use the tools.

He said citizens who do not wish to use any of the tools can also take pictures and do voice recording and send it through the mobile app and their concerns would be registered.

Mr Franklin Anku, Municipal Chief Executive, La Nkwantanang-Madina Municipal Assembly, said the assembly welcomes the initiative since it will boost the cordial relation between them and the electorate.

Quite often, he said, there is a gap between the assembly and the citizens in terms of communication and the initiative has come at the right time to ensure that people get the needed information to enhance the assembly’s activities.

Alhaji Ibrahim F.Faila, Presiding Member of the Assembly, said the introduction of the app is timely as it will enable the voice of the town folks to be heard loud and clear.

He said the town hall meetings held in the electoral areas need to be broadened and decentralized to all areas of the municipality.

The project was sponsored by Making All Voices Count.

Source: GNA