THE FUNCTIONS OF THE UNIT COMMITTEE.

1.     INTRODUCTION

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.