The Center for Democratic Development (CDD), in collaboration with the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), has provided capacity building training for parliamentary aspirants from 14 constituencies in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions in Bolgatanga.
The two-day training workshop funded by the Open Society Initiative for West Africa(OSIWA), is aimed at preparing the aspirants for parliamentary platforms by equipping them with knowledge that will assist their work as potential members of parliament.
The two-day workshop was on the theme: “Election 2016: Promoting Policy-Issue Based Debate and Post-Election Accountability at the Constituency Level”
Speaking to Citi News, Senior programs officer of the CDD, Mrs. Regina Tetteh said the training was the first of three workshops planned for parliamentary aspirants from 50 selected constituencies across the country, in preparedness for upcoming parliamentary debates which will focus on selected policy and developmental issues.
“This workshop will assist fourteen aspiring candidates particularly first time aspirants in the three regions of the north to understand the work of a member of parliament, equip candidates with effective communication skills in order to develop and prepare responses to issues during their campaign period and also to contribute meaningfully on the floor of parliament when they are elected.”
“It is to shift the campaign focus on insults and personality attacks on trivial issues to policy issues that affect the people, so when your vision reflects on the issues that affects the electorates; then you are providing them with information as to who to vote for as their member of parliament.”
Mrs. Tetteh further explained that, the parliamentary debates would provide opportunity for citizens, particularly persons with disabilities, persons living with HIV/AIDS, and youth and women, to interact with the prospective legislators on issues affecting them to ensure full inclusion and participation in the political and governance process.
“The debates will deal with issues such as education and labour mismatch, maternal health and HIV Anti-stigma, implementation and compliance of the Disability Law and others, imperiling the advancement of women and children, as well as the utilization and management of the oil and gas resources for inclusion growth and development”.
The immediate past chairman of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament and former Member of Parliament for Afigya-Sekyere West, Albert Kan-Dapaah, took the aspirants through the work of parliament and their duties as parliamentarians, in order to facilitate development for the constituents and the nation at large.
Some aspirants told Citi News the training has been useful to them and will not only guide them on how to conduct their campaigns, but also to play their roles well when elected as parliamentarians.
–
By: Frederick Awuni/Citifmonline.com/Ghana