MP calls for more civic, political education

Accra, May 24, GNA - Mr Okuley Nortey, New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Ablekuma Central has expressed disappointment about the performance of institutions charged with ensuring political and civic education in the districts, thus exerting pressure from the electorate on the MPs.

He said because these institutions had shirked their responsibilities, some members of the public called radio stations daily raising issues that created the impression that "almost everyone is looking up to MPs for everything and not the assemblies or the assemblymen in the area."

Mr Nortey was reacting to a story in an Accra daily newspaper about unsanitary condition in area such as Sukura and Russia in his constituency.

He noted that the terms of reference of the various structures were explicit in the apportioning of roles saying the district assemblies and the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) were responsible for civic and political education to involved the people in full participation of activities in the districts.

He asked: "How many people know the existence or have access to the assemblies' bylaws or can read and understand those laws," adding, "you cannot blame MPs when majority of the people are ignorant and do not obey laws on common environmental health."

The MP said it was the responsibility of the assemblies to ensure that the people lived in a clean environment and called for a vigorous public health education to enable the people be alive to their civic responsibilities so that MPs could become free and concentrate on parliamentary duties.

On accusations that he had not done anything for the constituency, he said small scale businessmen and women had benefited from loans on his initiative to improve their trade while the construction of a library at the cost of 320 million cedis at Lartebiokorshie out of his share of the MPs common fund would be completed soon.

The MP said the area would also benefited from a flood reduction project, which would forestall the perennial flooding of some part of the area such as Russia, Sukura, Abossey Okai and Mataheko.