Involve And Equip Assembly Members In The Fight Against Sanitation
Hon. Stephen Kwesi Acquah, Assemblyman of Gbentanaa Electoral Area in the Adentan Municipal Assembly has said, government's policies of tackling the sanitation menace in the country will not see the light of day if Assembly Members are not involved in policy making and implementation.
Speaking on ATV’s Morning Show Anopa Bosuo, he said, Assembly Members know the people in their Electorates and because they command respect within the community, its members will be willing to engage in communal labour to clean their communities if they see their Assembly Members spearheading such programs.
Asked if the fight against sanitation hasn't been won because some Assembly members are embittered, he answered in the affirmative saying "Yes, I have spoken to people in all the District Assemblies in Ghana and the general response from Assembly members is that, they are embittered by technocrats who do not involve them in policies that concern their respective assemblies and also not give them the necessary resources needed to execute their duties.” “How do you go to someone's house to sweep without first consulting with them?" He queried.
“If MMDCEs and other technocrats will get Assembly members on board, motivate, equip and encourage them to do their work, Ghana wouldn’t need to spend too much in the fight against sanitation." He went on to lament that the works of the Assembly Members are hindered due to unavailability of resources such as motor bikes to travel the length and breadth of their Assembly.
He said though government has said it had allocated funds to combat filth, these are being regulated by some technocrats at the assembly level without considering disbursing some to the Assembly Members to empower them to better do their work.
He went on to advise that we may have the best policies to tackle the sanitation menace but if Assembly members are neglected, we will not be able to win the war against sanitation.
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