Youth groups in the Birim North District Assembly known as Accountability Labs have called on authorities to prioritize infrastructural development after a pairwise ranking exercise revealed several pressing developmental challenges facing communities in the district.
Presenting the findings to the Assembly, Chairman of Accountability Labs in the district, Mr Bismark Boakye, identified unemployment, education, healthcare, access to potable water, poor telecommunication networks, and the impact of blasting activities as some of the key concerns affecting residents.
The engagement was organized by the Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC) with Support from STAR- Ghana Foundation.
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Addressing participants at the engagement, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Birim North, Hon Antwi Hakeem Abdul, described the event as “a significant milestone” in the district’s development agenda.
He commended ISODEC and STAR Ghana Foundation for their support towards community development initiatives across Ghana and expressed appreciation that Birim North was benefiting from such interventions.
“We know the kind of work ISODEC does to support the development of communities in Ghana and beyond, and we are glad that the Birim North District is also benefiting from these initiatives,” he said.
The DCE assured participants that the Assembly would provide all the necessary information required to support the programme and strengthen collaboration with stakeholders.
Highlighting achievements since assuming office 10 months ago, Mr. Abdul stated that significant progress had been made, particularly in addressing challenges related to access to potable drinking water, healthcare, education and improvement in the telecommunication network.
“Since I assumed office, we have provided about 17 water facilities, including standpipes and mechanized boreholes across various communities within the district,” he noted.
On the issue of unemployment, the DCE acknowledged that youth unemployment remained a major challenge not only in Birim North but across the country.
He explained that government initiatives such as Feed Ghana and Nkoko Nketenkete were aimed at creating employment opportunities and encouraged the youth to take advantage of such programmes.
Hon. Abdul noted that the telecommunications network challenges currently affecting sections of the district are being addressed and assured residents that the road infrastructure concerns would also receive attention in due course. He further explained that the electricity extension project would be implemented in phases to ensure proper planning and sustainable service delivery to the entire district.
Mr. Abdul lamented however that many young people who complete senior high school prefer office jobs and show little interest in agriculture and farming.
“We will continue to ensure that the youth are engaged and encouraged to take advantage of initiatives that can make them successful,” he stated.
He assured the youth that his office remained open and accessible at all times to address their concerns and support development efforts in the district.
On his part, Mr. Bernard Anaba, Head of Policy and Programmes at ISODEC, expressed profound gratitude to the Assembly and all participants for their keen interest and active participation in the engagement. He commended the stakeholders for their commitment to promoting inclusive dialogue and strengthening community involvement in local governance processes.
Mr. Anaba further expressed sincere appreciation to STAR-Ghana Foundation for its continuous support and dedication toward empowering the youth.
He emphasized that such collaborations are important in promoting accountability and youth inclusion in governance at the local level.
Source: Publicagenda.news
