MP suggests broader consultations before DCEs' appointment

Lambussie, (UWR), Dec. 28, GNA - The Member of Parliament for Sissala West, Mr. Bayirga Haruna has suggested to government to initiate broader consultations with local authorities in the selection and appointment of District Chief Executives. He observed that the lack of such an approach had been creating confusion and disunity among local people as well as undermining the democratic process and the benefits of good governance at the grassroots level.

He explained that the political party in government stood the risk of becoming unpopular among the people when government took arbitrary decision and imposed district chief executives on the people. Mr. Haruna was speaking at this year's national council meeting of the Sissala Union at Lambussie in the Jirapa/Lambussie District on Thursday. He said for democracy to be properly nurtured and well established, there was the need to marry the principles with local governance system.

He pointed out that it was improper to ask for power from the people and turned to deny the people a say in governance. Mr. Haruna advised Sissalas to give indigenous names to their children and avoid others names which in many ways cloud their Sissala identity. Mr. Moses Dani Baah, Member of Parliament for Sissala East, commended the government for creating a new district for the Lambussie people to promote governance and development.

He called for proper planning of the district to avoid man-made disasters and poor sanitary conditions, as it had been the case in some districts. He also called on the district assembly to invest in education to produce the required human resource for the smooth take off of the district. Madam Alice Boon, Member of Parliament for the Lambussie, said the Sissala land covered two-thirds of the total landmass of the region and urged the people to develop the land and water bodies to keep the youth at home.

She advised the newly created districts to learn from their older ones and avoid the mistakes they had made to ensure a smooth take off. Professor, Raymond Benin, a former Vice Chancellor of University for Development Studies (UDS) who chaired the function, called on Sissalas to remain united and work hard for the development of the Sissala land.