Politicians urged to implement project to lighten the burdens of the public

The Metropolitan Archbishop of Tamale, Most Reverend Philip Naameh has challenged politicians to develop and implement policies that would lighten the burdens and challenges of the public.

“People who find themselves in the political circles should not focus on personal gains, but rather the betterment of the livelihood of the citizenry”, he said.

The Archbishop threw the challenge at a round-table meeting organized by the National Catholic Secretariat (NCS) of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) for 15 Star-Ghana Election Grant Partners on the 2013 Presidential Transition.

Funded by Star-Ghana, the meeting sought to provide an update on civil society efforts to ensure that the Presidential Transition Act (Act 845) was effectively implemented come 2013.

It also forms part NCS’s strategic partnership with the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) towards maximizing their efforts to achieve free, transparent and fair elections for a smooth political transition in 2013.

Most Rev. Naameh said every person deserved to enjoy equal right and have access to privileges and called on politicians to create a favorable environment for all.

A senior fellow of the IEA, Paa Kow Acquaye said presidential transition if not handled carefully could plunged a country in disruptions hence the urgent need for the implementation of the Presidential Transitional framework.

Citing an instance in Ghana, he said, the 2001 transition was marked with some level of misunderstanding which was not healthy for the development of the nation.

Paa Acquaye said the current framework, which started in 2007, was passed and received presidential assent in May, 2012.

He said the Presidential Transitional Act stipulates which government assets including lands, vehicles and buildings should be purchased and others that should be maintained.

Paa Acquaye said government had appointed Mr. Joseph Donkor Issachar, a renowned civil servant as the Administrator-General of the Presidential Estates Unit in accordance with Section 8(2) of the Presidential (Transition) Act 2012, ACT 845.

He would be the Head of the Unit, which under Section 8(1) of ACT 845 is to undertake, among other things, take and keep an inventory of the assets and properties of the Government, which are assets and properties not vested in the Lands Commission, established under article 258 of the Constitution