CDD Organises Accountability Forum

A visually impaired man making a contribution at the forum

A visually impaired man making a contribution at the forum



A visually impaired man making a contribution at the forum

The Centre For Democratic Development-Ghana (CDD-Ghana), in collaboration with Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) and Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), last Sunday held a forum on ‘Promoting Citizens Participation and MPs Accountability and Responsiveness’ at the Adentan Community Basic School Park, Accra.

The forum, which was the first to be held since election 2012, brought together residents of the municipality, traditional authorities, the Aviation Artisans Association and persons with disabilities (PWDs).

A member of the CODEO Advisory Board, Angel Cabonu, in his welcome address, said the forum was a follow-up to the 2012 platforms mounted for candidates aspiring to be Members of Parliament (MPs) in 30 constituencies throughout the country.

The candidates were given the platform to engage voters in critical open discourses on their campaign promises.

The Advisory Board member added that after barely one-and-a-half years in office as Member of Parliament, it was imperative to create another forum mid-way for the people to demand accountability from the MPs.

He stressed that the forum was not being held to undermine any MP but with the intent that community groups, citizens, media houses, among others, would use it to demand accountability from all Parliamentarians during their term of office.

Mr. Carbonu maintained that the forum also intended to facilitate interactions between the MP for Adentan, Emmanuel Nii Ashie Moore and the people of the area.

He was hopeful that the interaction would deepen the relationship between the MP or succeeding MPs and the people and at the same time promote citizens’ engagement in grass root democratic processes in the constituency.

 
Emmanuel Nii Ashie Moore, in a presentation, said he had made tremendous impact within the constituency by way of development and social interventions, noting that though his tenure of office had been characterised by turbulent national economic challenges as well as the municipality’s inability to confirm a substantive Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) on time.

Nii Ashie Moore assured the people that the Adentan water situation, which had plagued the municipality, would soon be a thing of the past when the new Kpong Water project was completed sometime this year.

He however, incensed the audience when he endorsed the use of prepaid metres for water service delivery, adding that that would ensure discipline in the use of   water at home, schools, hospitals, offices and industries.

The Aviation Artisans Association (AAA) during question time, blamed the MP for holding on to what they believed to be their compensation for being ejected.

The MP however, denied any such engagements and challenged the people to invite whoever made the allegations to come clear on the issue.

A spokesperson for the AAA in an interview with DAILY GUIDE after the event, said the association was informed of some monies paid to the Chief of Adentan for resettlement of the artisans, but was worried that nothing had since been heard.

The Programmes Officer for CDD-Ghana, Regina Oforiwa Amanfo, told the DAILY GUIDE that similar forums would be held in 20 other constituencies throughout the country in the coming months.

By Solomon Ofori
 
 

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