Chief lauds National Policy Fair concept

Pemapem Yaw Kagbrese V, Omanhene of Yeji in Brong Ahafo Region, at the weekend commended President John Evans Atta Mills for instituting the Ghana Policy Fair concept.

He therefore called for a legislative Instrument to give legal backing to the concept so that subsequent governments would be compelled to sustain it.

Pemapem Kagbrese V, who is the Vice President of the Regional House of Chiefs, made the call as chairman at the close of the four-day Regional policy fair at the weekend.

The programme, on the theme: “Building Together in a Better Ghana,” was aimed among other objectives at creating the opportunity for the people to seek the right information and interact with policy makers and implementers with the view to enhancing policy formulation and policy review.

It was also to offer Ministries, Departments and Agencies, as well as Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) the chance to exhibit government programmes, projects and achievements within the 40 months rule of the government.

Pemapem Kagbrese V noted that the concept had helped to deepen grassroots participation in the democratic and development process of the country and expressed the belief that when sustained, it would enhance transparency and accountability at all levels of the economy.

Mrs Cecilia Johnson, Member of the Council of State, congratulated the Regional Coordinating Council and the fair’s planning committee for their sterling organisational abilities that made the programme successful.

She observed that one major bane of the nation’s development had been the non-implementation of communiqués at the end of programmes like the dialogue sessions at the fair, “because there are no follow ups to such brilliant ideas shared at such symposia”.

Mrs Johnson said the trend must stop whilst whatever had been discussed at the dialogue sessions and reports from the exhibition should be compiled into a communiqué and serve as reference points for participants.

“The communiqué can also serve as input to government policy through the National Development Planning Commission,” she added.

Mrs Johnson said the programme offered an opportunity for the MMDAs to have fruitful interactions with the private sector and expressed the optimism that both internal and external investors would take advantage of the conducive climate to invest massively in the region.

Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister stressed the need for such programmes to be replicated in the municipal and district assemblies for greater effect of grassroots participation in the nations democratic and development agenda.**