Many assembly members lack knowledge – NCCE Director

Alhaji Razak Shani, the Northern Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has observed that many elected and appointed District Assembly Members lack the requisite knowledge to enhance the decentralization process.

He said the situation encouraged some District Chief Executives and other officials of the Assembly to exploit the ignorance to their advantage.

Alhaji Shani said this at Dalun in the Kumbungu District, on Wednesday, during the 22nd Annual Seminar of the Ghana Developing Communities Association (GDCA).

The GDCA has been organising the annual event by bringing stakeholders and its partners from the Denmark to deliberate on topical issues towards enhancing development.

This year’s event, which brought people from all walk of lives, was under the theme: “Enlivening District level elections in Ghana”.

Alhaji Shani said many Assembly members did not understand their roles and responsibilities as spelt out in the Constitution and could, therefore, not contribute meaningfully towards the developmental aspirations of their constituents.

He noted that the Assemblies themselves had failed to involve the people in its developmental processes, therefore, many people did not know exactly what was being done in their Assemblies.

The NCCE director expressed fears that if better mechanisms were not put in place the plan to allow the Assemblies to borrow for development activities should be relooked otherwise only a few people would take advantage of the system.

Alhaji Shani said even though it was the responsibility of the NCCE to educate Ghanaians about their civic responsibilities, it had now become a collective responsibility for every stakeholder of the nation to spread education to the people.

Alhaji Mohammed Limuna-Muniru, the Northern Regional Minister, in a speech read for him, appealed to all well-meaning Ghanaians to champion the cause of total peace as the country prepared itself towards the 2016 General election.

He said the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was totally committed to the total peace and stability of the country and urged all stakeholders to make a genuine commitment to work towards a peaceful campaign and election devoid of intimidation, harassment and violence.

Yeni-Gushei Na Professor Abubakr Al-Hassan, the Chairman of GDCA, praised the unique relationship that had existed between the GDCA and its Danish friends and commended them for their development interventions in the area.