Akyem Eshiem residents cry for development
The chief and people of Akyem Eshiem, a farming community in the Asene Manso Akroso District of the Eastern Region are calling on government and district authorities to provide them with some amenities.
Nana Kwadwo Koba III, chief of Eshiem who made the appeal said, the community needs a police station, a market, Senior High School and a permanent dumping site.
He said, the request for the police post is to help ensure security and protection in the area and ward off criminal from the community.
According to residents, there has been an increase in crime with rampant break-ins and unlawful entry into homes and stealing of dried cocoa beans by unknown people creating fear and panic among them.
The chief indicated that, the only police post in the area is situated at Akroso which is far from the area.
Nana Kwadwo Koba made the appeal at a social auditing forum organized by the District Directorate of the National Commission of Civic Education (NCCE) to promote community ownership of development projects and policies at the district.
The forum, which brought together duty-bearers, identifiable groups, traditional authorities, youth groups amongst others, was also to increase awareness of the citizenry on the operations of the Assembly as well as empower them to demand accountability from duty-bearers.
It followed the successful conduct of district wide sensitization activities on the Accountability, Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme (ARAP), sponsored by the European Union, to deepen the knowledge of the citizenry on corruption and accountability.
Social auditing is about integrating all groups of citizens in the decision-making process with particular attention to the vulnerable and the marginalized groups in the society.
Meanwhile, the NCCE in the district has also sensitized a number of identifiable groups including traditional authorities, women groups and faith-based organizations among others from the various communities as part of the second phase of ARAP.
In an address, the Birim Central Municipal NCCE Director who doubles as the Acting Director for Asene Manso Akroso District, Ms Rejoyce Biscoff noted that, good governance involves making decisions and implementing the decisions in a manner that is participatory, consensus-oriented, accountable, transparent, effective, efficient and guided by the rule of law.
Ms Biscoff said, such civic engagement between the citizens and public officials help to deepen the country’s local government system, saying participatory democracy occurred when people are involved in the decision-making process.
The Birim Central Municipal Director of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) Mr Cephas Atido said, corruption over the years has manifested itself in various forms, such as embezzlement of funds, misuse of official time, favouritism and nepotism among others in various institutions in the country.
He said, the effects of corruption was so rife in the country and indicated that the response against corruption needed the collective efforts of all.
Mr Atido added that, every Ghanaian must know that it is a national and constitutional duty to expose corrupt practices by reporting individuals and institutions that are alleged to be engaged in such practices to the relevant law enforcement authorities.
The Assembly Member for the area, Mr Ebenezer Arkorh applauded the NCCE for their social auditing programme to be extended to other communities.
Source: GNA