By
Mildred Siabi-Mensah GNA
Takoradi, Sept. 21, GNA – Open Governance
Partnership (OGP) commitments of the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly
(STMA) has received strong backing by identifiable groups in the metropolis.
This was at a validation workshop held in
Takoradi.
The commitments cover the areas of
transparency and accountability in public infrastructure delivery, sanitation,
public finance and billings, technology and innovation.
Mr. Anthony K. K. Sam, the Metropolitan Chief
Executive, said validation of the draft commitments for the period 2018 to 2020
was important to enhance participatory governance.
Good governance required active participation
of the governed in the decision making process.
He said the assembly had demonstrated its
commitment at all levels to involve the people in decisions affecting them.
“We were therefore not too surprised at
our inclusion in the selection of the local OGP programme in 2016, and two
years on, we continue to feel honoured’’.
As part of the programme, STMA is expected to
submit its second OGP Local Action Plan in the last week of September –
something that hinges on potentially high impact open governance commitments.
Mr Isaac Aidoo, OGP programme focal person,
said three civil society partners – Friends of the Nation, Berea Social
Foundation and S.T.M.A–CSUF, had received a grant from the OGP Trust Fund,
managed by the World Bank, to facilitate the process for the new action plan
together with the assembly.
In line with this, a nine-member working team
made up of government officials, civil society organizations, the media,
traditional leaders, some private organizations, community and vulnerable group
representatives had been formed.
The team was engaging selected community
members and other stakeholders to solicit their inputs for the second action
plan.
The Focal Person said it had so far visited
New Takoradi, Adakope, Nkotompo, Ngyerasia and Essaman to solicit views on
building strong commitment areas.
He added that vulnerable groups including
people with disability and those living with HIV had not been left out of the
consultations.
He said “in furtherance to the
co-creation process, the 40-member Multi–Stakeholders’ Forum was tasked to
maximize participation and cooperation between the government and civil
societies”.
The Forum would continue to ensure that
relevant partners met and discussed issues that needed to be addressed to
promote participatory governance.
The action plan was to significantly increase
the level of public inclusiveness in governance.
He said the assembly was leveraging on the OGP
core values to position itself to better respond to citizens’ needs and
aspirations to sustain their trust and confidence.
The OGP core values afforded the assembly the
opportunity to stay on the course of good governance reforms, deepened the
democratic’ culture, documented achievements and shared experiences with the
international community.
Ms Brittany Lane, the OGP Programme Local
Manager, said she was impressed with the work done so far.
GNA