The District Chief Executive (DCE) of the Birim North District Assembly, Hon. Antwi Hakeem Abdul, has commended the Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC) for its efforts in empowering citizens to actively participate in local governance and promoting accountability.
“I am happy ISODEC has come with this project,” he stated. “This kind of engagement gives us a lot of enlightenment. We, as community members, have a role to play in addressing our own development challenges.”
Hon. Hakeem Abdul made these comments at a Capacity Building Workshop for Accountability Labs in the Birim North District Assembly of the Eastern Region.
More Read
The Accountability Labs (ALs), drawn from over eleven communities within the Assembly, are expected to use the knowledge they have acquired to advocate for and influence policies and practices in the extractive sector, particularly in mining communities.
The training was put together by ISODEC under theVoice, Influence and Inclusive Development (AVID-2) project with support from STAR- Ghana Foundation.
According to the MCE, the programme would serve as a vital platform for identifying and addressing key challenges facing the communities, particularly youth unemployment, which was highlighted as a major concern during ISODEC’s earlier needs assessment in some communities within the Assembly.
Hon. Hakeem Abdul acknowledged the growing demand for employment among the youth in the area, revealing that he receives numerous job applications daily.
.”We know that the youth need jobs. I have a lot of applications on my desk seeking employment. We are having sleepless nights as a result of youth unemployment,” he lamented.
He noted that, “This programme will help us a lot, as we are able to identify the problems. As an assembly, we have already made arrangements to resolve some of the problems facing the communities.
He expressed optimism that programmes like the one initiated by ISODEC could play a vital role in equipping young people with the knowledge to demand accountability. He thanked the youth for their active participation in the training and commended ISODEC for bringing the initiative to the Assembly.
In his response, Mr. Bernard Anaba, Head of Policy and Programmes at ISODEC, expressed his gratitude to the MCE for taking time out of his busy schedule to participate in the workshop.
Mr Anaba noted that while the project aims to empower communities and citizens to demand accountability and improved services from the duty bearers, it also seeks to build capacities of mining communities to mobilize and demand for water as a right.
He encouraged participants not to keep the knowledge they had acquired to themselves, but to share it with other members of their community.”
The District Planning Officer at the Assembly, Audrey Sandra Arkon, who participated fully in the event encouraged participants to take the training seriously.
She noted, “Everything that has been taught should be taken seriously. I am particularly pleased with this engagement; I even feel it’s even more impactful than attending a local government school.”
Mr. Michael Tettey, a staff member at ISODEC, led a discussion on how citizens can actively participate in local governance processes. The discussion focused on the purpose, functions, and responsibilities of the Client Service Unit, as well as the procedures for citizens to submit petitions. He also facilitated a session on the role and functions of the Public Relations and Complaints Committee (PRCC).
Hon. Boakye Mark, Assembly Member for the Akoase Ahembronum Electoral Area, who participated in the workshop, encouraged participants to unite and work together towards the development of their communities.
An eight- member committee was established and tasked with addressing the key needs identified through the pairwise ranking exercise.
