NAPRM-GC to make democracy more functional

Tamale, Nov. 18, GNA - Dr Francis Appiah, Executive Secretary of the National African Peer Review Mechanism Governing Council (NAPRM-GC) has stated that the organisation would give full meaning to democracy in terms of content and make it functional. The organisation, he said was adopting a grassroots approach through the establishment of district oversight committees at the district assemblies to ensure good governance and the management of the economy.

Dr Appiah was speaking at the inauguration of district oversight committees for the Tamale Metropolis, Tolon/Kumbungu and Savelugu/Naton District Assemblies in Tamale on Monday.

The committees are made up of representatives of district assembly, NGOs, People Living with Disabilities (PLWDs), chiefs, Department of Social Welfare and the Ghana Education Service (GES). Dr Appiah said the committees would among other functions, sensitise the people at the local level on the mechanism, and monitor and evaluate projects undertaken by the districts assemblies in the areas of health, sanitation, education and micro-finance. He said the committees would also ascertain the extent to which rule of law and gender mainstreaming were working in the communities. The Reverend (Professor) Samuel Adjepong, Chairman of NAPRM-GC said the monitoring and evaluation at the districts was to address the shortages, as well as the weaknesses identified in the country's self assessment reports.

He said so far, 88 of such oversight committees had been inaugurated throughout the country. He appealed to district assemblies to support the committees with as least GH¢500.00 annually to enable them to carry out their activities.

Alhaji Mohammed Baba, Tamale Metropolitan Coordinating Director, said the inauguration of the committees would put the assemblies on their toes and make them more accountable. He said the people would be more receptive to paying their taxes if the assemblies educated them on how the revenue collected was used. He gave the assurance that there would be no political interference by the assemblies in the activities of the oversight committees.