A grand durbar to mark the fifth anniversary since the creation of the Akrofuom District in the Ashanti region, has been held with a call on stakeholders to join hands for accelerated development. The durbar, which was attended by traditional leaders, the clergy, Muslim leaders, Assembly Members, officials from the Assembly, and the public provided, a unique opportunity to share success stories and challenges so far. Established by Legislative Instrument (LI) 2329 and inaugurated on March 15, 2018, the Assembly which was carved out of the Adansi South District in 2017 organised the durbar to climax series of activities to mark the anniversary. The theme for the anniversary was, ‘The Akrofuom District @ 5; the Benefits of Decentralisation.’ Dr Francis Owusu Ansah, Administrator of the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council, speaking on behalf of the Regional Minister, highlighted the challenges that Ghana’s local governance system faced since independence. He mentioned political instability, administrative inconsistencies, human resource constraints, and a lack of adequate logistics for the operationalisation of District Assemblies as some of the challenges. He traced the history of local governance in Ghana, from the manipulation of traditional authorities by the British to the appointment of local government officials by both military and civilian governments. The government’s commitment to decentralization and local governance, he noted, was evident in the extension of greater authority to Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies to improve performance, reduce central government expenditures, and make them more accountable to the people. He stressed the need for the Assembly to step up efforts towards maintaining security and revenue collection in the District and called on security agencies and revenue collectors to be vigilant and accountable in their respective roles. Mr Maurice Jonas Woode, the District Chief Executive (DCE), narrated a long history of how advocacy for the establishment of the District began during the era of President John Agyekum Kuffour until it was approved by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in 2017. ‘In 2016, during his campaign, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo visited the community and was approached by the Chiefs and Elders of Akrofuom, who pleaded with him to create a district for them despite not meeting the requirements,’ he narrated. He said the President after winning the election fulfilled his promise and created 38 districts in November 2017, with the Akrofuom District being one of them. The DCE highlighted the achievements of the district since its establishment. He said great strides had been made in terms of infrastructural development in the areas of health, roads, education and agriculture.
Source: Ghana News Agency
