LET'S SUPPORT ASSEMBLY POLLS (DEC 27, 2010)

IN 1988, Ghana took the giant step of introducing the district level elections in its desire to involve the people in the decision-making process.
At the time we embarked on that project, some sceptics felt that the resources of the country would not be able to facilitate the smooth devolution of power from the central government to the district level.
The progress so far has not been without the hiccups associated with change but in retrospect every level-headed Ghanaian will admit that we have chalked up major successes that have impacted positively on national development.
The DAILY GRAPHIC admits that there are still challenges in devolving power and resources from the centre to the district level because bureaucrats and technocrats, as well as politicians, are not willing to let go the power they wield over determining the fate of the people.
Thanks to the decentralisation process, metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies have the authority to award contracts with their Common Fund and internally generated funds. This way, projects are no longer imposed on the districts by the central government. Even when the projects have a national character, the input of the assemblies is solicited.
We think this positive development must be supported by all to bring power and resources to the people, by whose mandate our leaders govern at the national and district levels.
As we celebrate the modest gains chalked up since the district level elections were introduced, the DAILY GRAPHIC salutes those who mooted the idea and sacrificed their time and resources to help it to become part and parcel of our governance system.
We want to mention Flt Lt J.J. Rawlings, then Chairman of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC); the late Mr Justice D.F. Annan, a member of the PNDC; Mr Kwamena Ahwoi, then PNDC Secretary for Local Government and Rural Development, and the first batch of assembly members for their immense contribution to the growth of the process.
In spite of the international recognition that the district level concept has gained, in recent times there appears to be growing apathy towards the decentralisation process.
We encourage the government to do everything within its resources to revive the interest of the electorate in the district level polls and the decentralisation process.
The DAILY GRAPHIC recognises the personal sacrifice and commitment of all aspiring assembly members towards tomorrow’s polls. However, individual commitment is not enough to achieve the objectives of the decentralisation process.
We are particularly concerned about the low level of female participation in the district level polls, bearing in mind the fact that women form more than half of the population of the country.
Another equally worrying issue is the low publicity given tomorrow’s district level polls. The decentralisation process is the foundation on which the democratic structure will be built or constructed and, therefore, if the local structures are weak, the dividends of democracy will elude the people.
We call on the authorities not to sweep under the carpet concerns being raised over the interference of political parties in the district level polls because it is explicitly provided in the Constitution that the assemblies and the district level elections are non-partisan.
Whatever the challenges are, the DAILY GRAPHIC urges every eligible voter to cast his or her ballot tomorrow to elect a new crop of assembly members to champion the cause of development in the districts for the next four years.