APRM Inaugurates oversight committees

Accra, Dec. 9, GNA - The National African Peer Review Mechanism (NAPRM) Governing Council has inaugurated a total of 120 District Oversight Committees in the country. A statement signed by Ms. Cornelia R. Amoah, the Public Affairs Officer of APRM, said in the Western region, the Oversight Committees of the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly, Shama, Ellembelle, Nzema East, Mpohor Wassa East and Jomoro Districts had their inauguration at Apowa near Takoradi. Amenfi East and West, Aowin-Suaman, Wassa West and Prestea Hunni Valley were inaugurated at Tarkwa and Sefwi-Wiaso, Juaboso, Akontombre and Bia at Sefwi-Wiaso.

In the Northern Region, inaugurations took place in Tamale for Tamale Municipal, Tolon Kumbungu and Savelugu Districts. The Chereponi, Saboba, Yendi and Zabzugu Oversight Committees were inaugurated at Yendi, followed by Mamprusi East and West, and Bunkpurugu Yonyoo at Walewale and Gushiegu, and Karaga at Gushiegu, and in the Ashanti Region, inaugurations took place at Ejisu, Nkawie, Obuasi and Offinso.

The statement said at Ejisu, the Oversight Committees of Asante Akim south, Ejisu-Juaben, Atwima-Kwahoma, and Bosomtwe were inaugurated, while at Obuasi, the others, including the Amansie Central, East and West, Obuasi Municipal and Bosome Freho were inaugurated. The rest according to the statement were Ahafo Ano north and South, Atwima Nwabiagya and Atwima Mponua and Offinso North, Offinso Municipal and Afigya Kwabre at Offinso.

The District Oversight Committees of the APRM are empowered by the National African Peer Review mechanism governing council to go to the communities and explain the principles of the APRM on grassroots participation and good governance as well as the administration of questionnaires to enable the local people share their views on development at the local level as it affects them. The membership of the Committees is drawn from identifiable local groupings including the public and private sectors, persons with disability, the youth, women's groups, community-based organizations and traditional authorities.

Throughout the inaugurations, the Chairman of the Governing Council, Rev. Prof. S.K. Adjepong and the rest of the Council members reminded the committees of the need to ensure broad-based participation in the APRM and ensure credibility in the collection and dissemination of information.

The Executive Secretary of the NAPRM-GC secretariat, Dr. Francis Appiah made presentations on the Misconceptions, Concept, and some achievements of the APRM. He emphasised that the APRM belongs to the people of Ghana that is why whoever wins the December 7 elections would have to attend the Peer Review of Heads of State in Ethiopia, scheduled for January 2009. He said the APRM is a people cantered system of government which is a departure from the old ways of the Africa into the new Africa. The APRM, he added promotes grassroots participation, fairness, accountability, economic emancipation and equitable distribution of national resources which can only lead to peace and security.

In another development, the National African Peer Review Mechanism Governing Council will hold a three-day National Validation Workshop at the Capital View Hotel, Koforidua from Friday, December 12 to Sunday December 14, 2008.

As part of the reporting requirements of the APRM, the Government Council is required to submit bi-annual reports to the APR Secretariat and the AU Panel in South Africa. To meet this obligation, Ghana's Governing Council adopted a participatory monitoring and evaluation approach to collect and collate information from various stakeholders to prepare the draft report.