VISION:The NCCE's vision is to be an effective independent democratic commission in the delivery of quality civic education.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
ROUND TABLE DICUSSION ON THE TOPIC 'THE STATE OF GHANA'S DEMOCRACY : THE MEDIA
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| HON. ALEXANDER ACKON |
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| A SECTION OF ALL PRESENT |
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| MEDIA PRESENT |
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| A SECTION OF THE PANELIST |
As part of our 11th National Constitution Week celebration, a round table discussion was held on the topic 'the state of Ghana's Democracy: the media'.In attendance were Hon Alexander Ackon(the Municipal Chief Executive of Obuasi), Venerable Garnet Prah (Archdeacon of Obuasi Anglican), Nana Owusu Akyaw, Mr Malik Ibrahim of Shaft Fm and other Civil Society Organizations.The MCE Hon Alexander Ackon used the platform to admonish the media to be circumspective in their reportage especially on issues of national interest.Mr Malik Ibrahim also called for the expansion of press freedom in the country.The Head Pastor of Obuasi Apostolic Church also urged the media to carry out detailed research on issues before bringing it out to the public.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
THE FUNCTIONS OF THE UNIT COMMITTEE.
The Local Government System is a sub-government Unit established by an Act of Parliament Act 462 of 1993 to administer a local area, e.g. the Metropolitan, Municipal or District.
The Local Government Structure has the following:Regional Co-ordinating Council,Metropolitan/ Municipal/ District Assemble,Town/ Zonal/ Area Councils and Unit Committees
The Legislative Instrument 1967, The Local Government (Urban, Zonal and Town Councils and Unit Committees) Established Instrument 2010 has reduced the membership of Unit Committees from fifteen (15) to five (5) members all elected.
The designated electoral areas are the basic unit for the Unit Committees.
These changes have brought a heavy burden on the Unit Committees whose membership had been reduced and the area size increased to electoral areas.
2. RELATIONSHIP WITH KEY ACTORS
The Unit Committees need to establish good relations with the key stakeholders in the Local Government System. The effectiveness of the Unit Committees in its developmental process depends on a very large extent on the understanding and cordial or friendly relationship between the key stakeholders.
The key stakeholders are:
- Municipal Chief Executive
- Assembly members
- Area/Town/Urban Council
- Traditional Authorities
- General Public
Although, some of the stakeholders operate outside the structure they need to be considered as powerful social partners whose co-operation and support will go a long way toward the realization of the developmental objectives of the Unit.
The Unit Committee is therefore at the base of the Local Government Structure to ensure that proper development, law and order prevail at that level.
3. MEMBERSHIP
· A Unit Committee shall consist of not more than five (5) persons elected at an election conducted by the Electoral Commission for that purpose.
· A membership of a Unit Committee shall hold office for four years and shall be eligible for re-election.
4. MEETINGS OF THE UNIT COMMITTEES
· A Unit Committee shall elect one person from among its members who shall preside at meetings of the Unit Committee.
· A person elected under sub-regulation (1) of this shall hold office for two years and shall be eligible for re-election.
· A Unit Committee shall meet at such times as the person presiding shall determine and in any case shall meet at least once every month.
5. REMOVAL FROM OFFICE OF MEMBERS ON UNIT COMMITTEEE
· A member of a Unit Committee may be removed from office if
a) The conduct of the member has brought the Unit Committee into dispute; or
b) The member has committed an act incompatible with his office as a member of the Unit Committee.
· Subject to sub-regulation (1), a member of a Unit Committee may be removed by two thirds of the registered voters in the Unit voting at an election called for the purpose by the Electoral Commission.
6. FUNCTIONS OF UNIT COMMITTEES
1. The Municipal Assembly may assign to the Unit Committee within its area of authority such powers of enforcement of any bye-laws enacted by the Assembly as the Assembly may consider fit.
2. Be responsible to the Municipal Assembly through the Urban, Zonal or Town Councils Concerned.
3. Supervise the staff of the District Assembly assigned duties in its area of authority.
4. Assist the Town Council to enumerate and keep records of all ratable persons and properties.
5. Assist any person assigned by the Urban or Town Council to collect allocated and contracted revenues on behalf of the Urban or Town Council.
6. Mobilise members of the Unit for the implementation of self-help and development projects.
7. Monitor the implementation of self-help and development projects.
8. Take all lawful steps to abate any nuisance.
9. Be responsible, under the guidance of the Registrar of Births and Deaths, for the registration of births and deaths in the Unit.
10. Provide a focal point for the discussion of local problems and take remedial action where necessary or make recommendations to the Assembly where appropriate through the relevant Urban, Zonal or Town Council.
11. Organise communal and voluntary work especially with respect to sanitation.
12. Make special proposals to the Assembly for the levying and collection of rates for projects and programmes through the relevant Urban, Zonal or Town Council.
13. Educate the people on their rights, privileges, obligations and responsibilities in consultation with the District branch of the National Commission for Civic Education.
14. Monitor the implementation of any enactment regulating the use of chain-saws in the Unit.
15. Oversee the performance of staff of the Urban, Zonal or Town Council and District Assembly assigned to work in the Unit.
16. Perform such other functions as may be delegated by the Urban, Zonal or Town Council or the District Assembly.
THE DUTIES OF A GHANAIAN CITIZEN.
INTRODUCTION
It is an undisputable fact that the development of the country rests on the shoulders of all the stakeholders i.e. both the government and the masses (the governed).
You will all agree with me that every government elected and put in place has the objective of ensuring that the country moves forward and the standard of living of its people is raised.
The framers of the 1992 Constitution inserted in the Constitution some provisions which enjoin the government of the day to work towards the realization of certain objectives spelt out in the current 1992 Constitution.
DIRECTIVE PRINCIPLES OF STATE POLICY
The chapter 6 of the 1992 Constitution headed ‘The Directive Principles of State Policy’ spells out the following policy objectives: Political Objectives, Economic Objectives, Social Objectives, Educational Objectives, Cultural Objectives and International Relations. These objectives are found in Articles 35-40 respectively.
The Constitution therefore enjoins the President of the day to report to Parliament at least once a year all steps taken to ensure the realization of the policy objectives mentioned above and others like the right to work, the right to good healthcare, the right to education and the realization of basic human rights that is the State of the Nation Address.
The government’s efforts of realizing these objectives will come to naught if the masses do not complement the efforts of the government and for that matter the people elected and put in positions of trust, e.g. President, Ministers, DCE’s, Assembly members, Unit Committee Members, Chiefs, etc.
The masses therefore have some important roles to play in the development of our dear Country, Ghana.
DUTIES OF THE CITIZEN
The Constitution has spelt out in Article 41 (a-k) the duties and obligations of a Citizen. The Article states that as citizens, as we enjoy the various rights and freedoms found in Chapter 5 of the Constitution, we should also rise up to the duties of the citizen since rights and responsibilities are bedfellows.
The Article 41 (a-k) of the Constitution states the following duties of a Citizen which as responsible citizens we need to perform to complement the efforts of the government since we form the majority.
a. To promote the prestige and good name of Ghana and respect the symbols of the nation;
b. To uphold and defend this Constitution and the law;
c. To foster national unity and live in harmony with others;
d. To respect the rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of others, and generally to refrain from doing acts detrimental to the welfare of other persons;
e. To work conscientiously in his lawfully chosen occupation;
f. To protect and preserve public property and expose and combat misuse and waste of public funds and property;
g. To contribute to the well-being of the community where that citizen lives;
h. To defend Ghana and render national service when necessary;
i. To co-operate with lawful agencies in the maintenance of law and order;
j. To declare his income honestly to the appropriate and lawful agencies and to satisfy all tax obligations; and
k. To protect and safeguard the environment.
We are therefore pleading with you that every member of the Country performs his/her duties as Citizen and the country will develop as we all expect.
Monday, January 31, 2011
OVERVIEW OF DISRTICT LEVEL ELECTION (OBUASI MUNICIPALITY)
1.1 MONITORING OF THE DISTRICT LEVEL ELECTIONS
As part of the normal activities performed by the Commission during an election period, the Obuasi office of NCCE also participated actively in the monitoring of the District level election. Though, Information was carried out about the postponement of the district level election in the Ashanti Region together with other regions in the Country instead of the stipulated date (28th December, 2010), the office did not relent to the inconsistency which took place and neglect their task concerning the election. It meticulously followed the electoral commission for any development regarding the elections.
Election in the Obuasi Municipality started on the 29TH of December 2010 as a result of the postponement by the Electoral Commission. Election on this day witnessed thirty five electoral units having the chance to exercise their franchise .The remaining three electoral units had their turn on the 31ST of December 2010. They included; Gauso North, Kunka and Akaporiso electoral areas.
It is obvious nationwide that, elections in the year 2010 did not go on smoothly as envisaged. Reasons attributed to the re-scheduling was that, the printing presses contracted for the printing of the electoral materials did not meet the deadline set by the EC.
OBSERVATIONS AND COMMENTS ON THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS
At the end of the two day election period, twelve incumbent assembly men and women emerged as winners at their respective electoral areas. Thirteen incumbent assembly men and woman lost their seats. Twenty six new members were elected. The general voter turn-out for the 2010 District Level election in the Obuasi Municipal was low in almost all the polling stations. They cited the postponements as the major cause of the low voter turn-out. Another reason was that most of the people were reluctant to leave their work to go and vote and that in future the election day should be declared a holiday. Apathy on the part of the voters with the reasons that, they had not benefitted from the previous elections.
Out of the 16women contestants in the District Assembly Elections only 4 won their seats.
An interesting thing we observed during the mounting of platform was that at Tutuka North Electoral Area we had 5 contestants including a man, Nana Osei Tutu and his wife Madam Eunice Dankwah. At the end of the elections Nana Osei Tutu won with 269votes while Madam Eunice Dankwah came second with 169 votes. They are still living together as husband and wife.
During the period prior to the elections, the local FM station Shaft FM gave the various contestants who were interested free air time to tell their people their agenda and answer questions from the public. It was a very lively programme and it whipped up the people’s enthusiasm.
Even though, we claim the Local Government Elections were non-partisan, it was observed that the various political parties were under cover campaigning for their party sympathizers.
Apart from 2 polling stations where there were few scuffles, the whole exercise was peaceful.
The dissolution of the Assembly and Unit Committees created vacuum in the communities. The organization of programmes in the communities was therefore very difficult especially where the old Assembly members were no more contesting and the chiefs were not residing in the community.
Out of the 190 persons elected to serve in the 38 Unit Committees only 32 are women.
26 of the 38 Units have women representatives. New Nsuta Auntie Bee Unit and Tiatiaso Unit have 3 women each in their Unit Committees.
Of the 38 Units in the Municipality, elections were conducted in 33 Units. The remaining 5 had only 5 contestants and therefore they were returned unopposed. The rest had contestants ranging from 5 to 16 persons.
All class of people with various qualifications and professions contested. They included MSLC leavers, JSS School Certificates holders, Teachers, Farmers, Artisans and many more.
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