Yikrugu(UE), Feb. 24, GNA – Campaign platforms were on Friday organized for aspiring assembly persons in the forthcoming District Level Elections to engage them in discussions on incorporating water and sanitation activities in district assembly programmes in Yinkrugu in the Bawku West District.
The platform, organized by the Belimwuusa Development Agency (BEWDA) and Water Aid, in collaboration with the Electoral Commission, had earlier on taken place in three other electoral areas, Zebilla Central, Googo and Laboya, aimed at giving aspirants and unit committee members the opportunity to engage the community members as part of the democratic process.
Mr Peter Asaal, the Programme Officer of BEWDA, said the four electoral areas were sampled out of 42, through consultative meetings with communities and aspirants so as to reduce political manipulations and ensure aspirants were development oriented.
He said development needs of communities were crucial and manifestos of aspiring assembly members would be documented by the electorate and used as community score cards to assess the performance of elected members.
He noted that sanitation issues were critical and when taken on board by all would push forward issues of sanitation and ensure the plans are followed at the District Assembly.
He noted that response to Community led Total Sanitation (CLTS) was still low and called for more commitment.
Mr Assal said only five out of 12 communities piloted in 2013 and 2014 on Open Defecation Free(ODF) in Bawku West were declared ODF, whilst three communities were yet to reach their basic status.
He said individual households practicing CLTS in the district was still low and called for increased involvement of all stakeholders, saying if one household in a community failed to have a latrine it was likely to affect an entire community.
Mr Frank Fuseini Adongo, the incumbent Assembly man of Yikrugu seeking his third term to the assembly outlined areas such as education, health and agriculture as his priority, and assured the electorate that he would initiate scholarship programmes to support needy but brilliant students.
He said other support projects he initiated during his tenure included boreholes, schools, latrines and fertilizer support and reiterated that he would link up the communities to have access to boreholes.
Other aspirants of Yikrugu included Mr John Apambil Akunzong and Mr Mba Assibi from Sakuom.
GNA
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