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Examine the local government ordinance
Dear Editor,
The twelfth National Toshao Conference (NTC) meeting was convened this week. It has become a norm for the policy makers on one hand to tell of their glorious works while on the other hand, others are prone to expose what they see as shortcomings in the policy direction of the current administration.
In the middle of this display, the Toshaos who are cognizant of the realities of their daily life experiences must endure the diatribe of both sides that are in most instances, not in congruence with their expectations.
Our leaders should realize by now that the growing hinterland population is becoming increasingly agitated by their actions of what they perceive as their lack of concern for their welfare and future development.
The output of all the social services that is offered to the Hinterland residents leave much to be desired with scarce resources being spent on projects and programs that do not attain the minimum standard of acceptability by any standard.I will posit that there needs to be an examination of our local governance structure with the focus on it being effective, starting with the Regional Democratic Councils (RDC), which must be the grouping that will set the development agenda for the Regions.
Our Regional Councillors must be persons who can strategically guide and direct our developmental thrust. The current malaise that exists where persons are slated by Political Parties as Regional candidates for the Regional elections every five years has not worked in the interest of the people for the respective regions if we are to objectively examine our economic and social conditions.
The tendency has been for persons who are not necessarily the most competent but who are most loyal to the respective Parties to be catapulted to these positions. There needs to be provisions for persons to compete as independent candidates in these elections so that candidates may not be necessarily bound by a Party policy directive that may not necessarily have the interest of the people at the forefront but narrow political partisanship. This will necessitate a revision of the statutes that guides those elections.
Secondly, the RDCs Heads of Department – Education, Health, Agriculture and Public Infrastructure along with its Executive Officers must not be strangers to the people they administer.
Many officers are known to be desk bound with poor knowledge of the regions they are supposed to administer. If one is not even familiar with his or her Region, how can he or she make proper decisions?
Of importance, also, is the indifference of their approach to the cultural peculiarities of their locality. This indifference has seen the lack of meaningful consultation being practice and total disregard for the people they are employed to serve as public servants.
A governance structure of democratically elected representatives, competent and culturally sensitive public servants, a value system of fairness, equity, transparency and respect will go a long way in addressing some of the issues that have been affecting the residents of the Hinterland.The NTC would be on track to fulfill one of its mandates when it calls for the operations of the RDCs to be scrutinized for effectiveness, efficiency, transparency and accountability and one that practices meaningful consultation.
It can start the process by having its operations setting the benchmark.
Dexter Glasgow
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