NCCE advises local people to be development-oriented citizens

Benjamin Kyere, the Sunyani Municipal Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has advised residents in local communities to be development-oriented citizens.

Residents in local communities must support their respective Assembly and Unit Committee members to assess, identify and help address community needs for the betterment of the local people, he said.

Mr Kyere gave the advice when he spoke at a forum on social auditing held on Friday at Abesim in the Sunyani Municipality.

It was organised by the NCCE with support from the European Union (EU) and brought together community members, chiefs, Assembly Members and other stakeholders to discuss the involvement and role of the people towards the development of the Abesim community.

Mr Kyere indicated that local communities had the responsibility to initiate and pursue self-help development programmes that would better the lots of the people.

By so doing, he said such communities would attract support from District Assemblies and development partners in helping to address their basic developmental needs that would spur rapid socio-economic growth and development.

"There is the need for us, as a community to come and reason together, and find better ways we can contribute to the development of this community for our own good," he told the people.

Mr Kyere reminded the people on the need for them to continue to wash their hands with soap under running water, wear face or nose masks and use hands sanitizers frequently to protect themselves from contracting COVID-19.

Mr Ansu Kumi, the Assemblyman for Ankobea Electoral Area, mentioned poor sanitation and lack of access roads as some of the development challenges in the community.

He expressed worry that an age-old mountainous refuse dump had worsened the sanitation situation in the area and could contribute to the outbreak of communicable disease.

Mr Kumi therefore appealed to the Sunyani Municipal Assembly to help for immediate evacuation of it.

A six-member social audit committee that will facilitate the evacuation of the refuse dump and development of the Ankobea Electoral Area was constituted.