Obuasi Municipal Assembly commended for upholding transparency and accountability

Some residents of Obuasi have lauded the efforts of the Obuasi Municipal Assembly in promoting transparency and accountable governance.

Speaking to the media after a town hall meeting held by the Assembly on May 28, 2024, Kofi Agyekum, a resident of Gauso, said the Assembly has consistently held town hall meetings and community durbars to engage residents.

This, he said, provides an opportunity for the people to bring forth their grievances in anticipation of a direct response from authorities.

Chapter 20, Section 240 of the 1992 Constitution and Section 40 of the Local Governance Act of Ghana, 2016, Act 936, obligate Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to ensure accountability, inclusion, and openness in the delivery of services to the people in their local government areas.

The Obuasi Municipal Assembly has consistently held town hall meetings where issues of the Assembly's budget and revenue are discussed, progress reports of projects are read, and details of proposed projects are presented for participants to share their opinions on them.

Obaapanin Afia Darkoah Sika mentioned that town hall meetings present welcoming opportunities for duty-bearers to render proper accountability for their stewardship.

She commended the Municipal Chief Executive for his open-door policy, which has allowed residents to assess the work of the Assembly.

IGF Shortfalls:

At the meeting, the Municipal Budget Analyst, Edna Vivian Arkoh, revealed that the Assembly was not able to collect the expected Internally Generated Fund due to low proceeds from property rates.

She said in 2023, the Assembly budgeted GH₵ 8,799,324.00 but was able to collect only GH₵ 5,845,685.17, representing 66.43%.

She said the Assembly has put in place measures to rake in more revenue from property rates. These include establishing revenue pay points at vantage areas to make it easier for people to pay.

Obuasi Municipal Assembly ranked 2nd best in Ashanti Region:

The Obuasi Municipal Assembly has emerged as the 2nd-best district in the 2023 District Level Performance Assessment and Ranking in the Ashanti Region, with a score point of 73.9 percent. It also placed 6th in the national ranking.

This was contained in a report issued by the Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS). A Local Government Index (LOGIN) was designed to provide a comprehensive and holistic assessment of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) from the perspectives of residents who interacted with research officers.

The assessment was conducted by the ILGS in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralization, and Rural Development and the Office of the Head of Local Government Service, with financial support from the State Secretariat of Economic Affairs, Switzerland.

The LOGIN used residents' scorecards to rank the 261 MMDAs on seven local governance performance areas and 47 indicators.

The seven LOGIN areas include the quality of administrative services, the quality of leadership exhibited by the District Chief Executive, the quality of representation by Assembly members, and the quality of professionalism exhibited by the staff of the District Assembly.

Speaking on the success chalked up under his leadership, the Municipal Chief Executive, Elijah Adansi-Bonah, said it was down to years of hard work and collaboration between his office and other heads of department.

He said that since assuming office in May 2017, he has put much effort into rebranding the Assembly and making sure that the Assembly delivers on its mandate to the people. This, he said, has been integral to the successes chalked up over the years.

On the need for accountability in governance, the Obuasi MCE said the local governance act allows the citizenry to participate effectively in governance and promotes an inclusive society based on public official accountability and responsiveness.