By Paul Mamattah
The Operations Manager, Accra office of Good Governance Africa, (GGA) Mrs. Gifty Obeng, has expressed concern over the low turn-out in past Local Government Elections (LGEs) in the country, which according to her the trend is worrying and defeating the very purpose of decentralization.”
She noted that the selection of Assembly Members and Unit Committee Members is crucial in ensuring proactive laws are made and the demand for accountability in service delivery is made a priority.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ engagement organised by Good Governance Africa in partnership with Bureau for Research and Innovation 360 (BRI 360) and the Ada West office of the National Commission for Civic Education with identifiable groups in Sege in the Ada West District of the Greater Accra region,Mrs. Obeng, stressed that the call to action is for Ghanaians to take part in LGEs and play an active role in shaping the future of their communities through responsible and informed voting.
She emphasized the significance of local level governance in our pursuit of a democracy that fosters prosperity for all and highlighted the crucial role played by citizen engagement at the community and district levels, as it allows the aspirations and desires of ordinary people to be effectively conveyed to those in authority.
Mrs. Obeng expressed the view that an active and responsive local governance system is essential to ensure that the voices of the masses are heard and integrated into the decision-making process. She raised concerns that without such a system, there will be a development gap leading to disparities and inefficiencies in the provision of local services.
Furthermore, she noted that Ghana’s local government system has experienced notable growth since 1988 and also acknowledged that there are still opportunities for improvement and further advancements to maximize the gains achieved thus far.
Mrs. Obeng expressed that GGA-West Africa, which is part of a network of similar research and advocacy centers across Africa, is dedicated to supporting initiatives that promote democracy in English-speaking West African countries.
She added that with their extensive expertise in development research and advocacy, GGA-West Africa is actively involved in helping to reverse the decline of democracy in the sub-region by providing support to countries in enhancing processes that enable the public to express their opinions and have a say in decision-making.
Mrs. Obeng further mentioned that GGA-West Africa is pleased to finance initiatives aimed at creating platforms for stakeholder engagements to gather support for the active participation of all individuals in the upcoming Local Government Elections. She emphasized that their ultimate objective is to reignite the enthusiasm of Ghanaians and encourage their involvement in both local governance and national affairs.
On his part, the Chief Executive Officer of Bureau for 360 Researches and Innovation, Dr Jones Frimpong, disclosed that a forecast analysis conducted by the Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA) in June 2023, it was predicted that there won’t be significant changes in the upcoming 2023 Local Government Elections.
According to him, the forecast suggests that the voter turnout for these elections may remain around 33percent to 34percent, indicating that unless significant efforts are made, there may not be any improvement from the historical poor performance in terms of voter participation.
Dr Frimpong, added that by conducting sensitization activities and emphasizing the importance of LGEs, GGA-WARO and BRI 360 aim to encourage greater participation and engagement from the public stressing that their efforts are seen as an additional contribution to the existing work being done by the NCCE, EC, and other stakeholders to enhance voter turnout and ensure a more successful outcome for the 2023 Local Government Elections.
He encouraged residents in the Ada West District to activeto partake in this year’s District Level Elections, to promote inclusive and participatory governance and to sustain grassroots growth, development, and path for achieving democracy through decentralization.
