Thank you MrSpeaker for the opportunity to add myvoice to the Second Reading of the LocalGovernance Bill, 2016. Mr Speaker, if you take thedevelopment of this country, not until1900, the British Government nevercontrolled what is called modern dayGhana. If you take from 1900 to 1950 andthen 1951 when President Nkrumahbecame the Head of Government business,you would realise that, the Britishcontrolled Ghana for fifty years and wehave also done more than fifty years.Unfortunately, we still have not been ableto bridge the divide between the Northand the South. Secondly, Mr Speaker, we all know that,in the last two decades, Africa has beenrising and we have been growing at a
minimum of five per cent over Africa.Today, Africa is also being considered asthe youthful continent in the world, but ifyou look at the demographics, you wouldrealise that, young persons between theages of 20 to 24 are about 50 per cent inmost African countries with the exceptionof Ghana and a few other countries. Clearly, it shows that the urgency todevelop our local communities is now.That is when we can give opportunitiesto more of our young people. Mr Speaker, as we speak, we have hada lot of problems with local leadership.Leadership that is elected so that they candrive the growth of our districts, so thatmore young people would have access todecent work. If we take this Bill, eventhough I am supporting it because thereare a few things that are good, I believethat the major issues that we should havetackled have not been tackled. Mr Speaker, the election of DistrictChief Executives (DCEs) which has beena major concern for all Ghanaians has notbeen tackled. Ghanaians are sensibleenough to elect their President, Membersof Parliament (MPs), Assemblymen andUnit Committee Members. Unfortunately,we have left only the DCE out. Meanwhile,the DCE controls so much resources andpower that their constituency is rather theFlagstaff House instead of being withtheir own people at the local level. Mr Speaker, this is creating a lot of gapsbetween the development and respon-siveness of our elected leaders at the locallevel, therefore, we continue as a countrythat is not developing. Currently, we allknow that Ghana is only growing around3.9 per cent, which is not even equal tothe African average. It clearly shows thatif we are able to give power for our DCEsto be elected, they would be responsive.In the responsiveness, growth wouldnaturally come up.
Mr Speaker, if we also take even ourAssemblymen, immediately they areelected into the Assembly, 30 per cent oftheir power is taken from them becauseGovernment also appoints 30 per cent ofthe people in there. The excuse we alwaysgive is that, it is for capacity. All the regions of this country haveuniversities, therefore, we are expected tobe producing quality manpower to servethese districts. I believe that this Billshould have been strategic enough toinsist that even if you are employing orco-opting Government appointees, theyshould not have voting rights. This is sothat the political power and will that havebeen invested in our people through theAssemblymen, would be expressed fully. Mr Speaker, it is very clear that theseare some of the little things that we needto change in this Bill, such that ourAssemblies would be fully responsive tothe needs of our people. If you also takethe Unit Committees, they are alwaysbeing starved of resources to work at theunit committee local level. It is time thatwe consider some direct transfers to thesetown councils and the Unit Committeesso that common clean-up exercises canbe activated. Mr Speaker, the National SanitationDay, after the normal fanfare ones, itbecame so difficult for Unit Committeesto do them. This is because we know thatall the resources at the local level havebeen captured by political appointees. So,even if it is toilets or pipe borne water thatthey could sell and use the money to dosimple local economic activities, UnitCommittee activities, these resources arenot available because among the peopletaking the decisions at the Assembly, 30per cent of that power has been takenaway from them.
Mr Speaker, this also brings to lightthe issue of local economic development.If you take Act 462, it is very practical. Itsays that the Assembly should beresponsible and should be the head orleadership in the area of political andadministrative issues. But the issue oflocal economic development is not clearlyspelt out. So, even when Ministers givedirectives, even through the way theyallocate the Common Fund, even foreconomic purposes, the Assemblies arenot able to deploy those resources foreconomic development. Therefore, youwould realise that our districts continueto lag behind when it comes to localeconomic development. Mr Speaker, you know my positon onGhana, that we have consistently beendeveloping like kwashiorkor, where onlyAccra is developing and the rest of ourtowns are not. If we take a place like HonYieleh Chireh's constituency, Wa West, itis the poorest district in this country.[Interruption.] It is national statistics andnot something new. [Interruption.] He ishere, you can ask him. Mr Speaker, it is very important --[Interruption.]
