Ms Gloria Ofori-Boadu, President of Women Assistance and Business Association, a non-governmental organisation, working in the area of women empowerment, gave the advice at a day’s workshop on Democracy and Human Rights Education Programme for Women and Youth Leaders in Public Life in Bolgatanga on Friday.
She said the majority of Assembly Members have not studied the Model Standing Order, making it difficult for them to contribute to discussions at Assembly meetings, which impeded development.
Ms Ofori-Boadu said: “As Assembly Members, the constitution enjoins all of you to study the Standing Order of the Assembly especially before attending Assembly Meetings. It is therefore incumbent upon you to be abreast with it”.
She stressed that the Standing Order spelt out the duties and responsibilities of Assembly Members and without studying it they might not be able to perform their functions effectively.
“Also the standing order enjoins you to organise regular meetings with your constituents and collate their views and forward them for Assembly as proposals for redress”, she said.
The participants stressed the need for capacity building workshops to enable them overcome their timidity and improve their lobbying and fund raising skills.
They called on the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to increase the District Assembly Common Fund and to pay allowances to people working in the Zonal and Area councils.
The workshop which attracted over 50 participants drawn from the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions discussed District Assembly Amendment Act, Act 462 and Assembly Member and Electoral Area Zonal and area council and town councils.
GNA
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