The Western Regional Policy Fair was on Wednesday launched with a call on the public to muster courage to criticize government policies, programmes and activities to enhance policy formulation.
Mr. Fritz Baffour, Minister of Information, who launched the four-day fair, indicated that this would assist the public to make informed decisions and know how far the government had utilized state resources to better the lives of the citizenry.
The Minister, also Member of Parliament for Ablekuma South, noted, the exhibition of government programmes would put the government on its toes for an accelerated national development.
The fair, he said, would create a platform for the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies as well as Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the Region to display their projects, programmes and activities to the public.
The event, under the theme, “Building Together in a Better Ghana” would also afford the people in the Region the opportunity to seek the right information, interact with policy makers and implementers, with the view to enhancing policy formulation and review for the development of the Region.
Government is firmly aware that no meaningful development can take place without the unflinching support of the citizenry, therefore the Ministry of Information has initiated several means and methods to get information to the people at the grassroots level in order to solicit their support and participation, Mr. Baffour added.
The Minister noted that the fair is one unique and innovative way of ensuring that the right information gets to the people and an instant feedback gathered from the people.
The fair being organized by the Ministry of Information in collaboration with the Regional Administration comes off at the Essipong Sports Stadium from June 13 to 16 of this month.
The various MMDAs and MDAs are required to obtain stands and display projects, programmes and activities they had undertaken in their respective areas for the consumption of the public, he said.
The Deputy Western Regional Minister, Madam Emelia Arthur, said the fair would be held alongside a series of dialogue sessions where critical issues of importance would be discussed.
She said the regional administration would provide transport services for participants to the venue while live broadcast in different dialects would be provided for easy understanding.
Madam Arthur appealed to the media and other stakeholders to cooperate with them in ensuring a successful fair.**