First ordinary meeting of West Gonja Municipal Assembly for 2020 : Summary of issues of relevance to Canteen Electoral Area
On Thursday July 16,2020,the West Gonja Municipal Assembly in accordance with the Local Government Act,2016 Act 936,held its first ordinary meeting for 2020.
Your humble servant-leader,hon.Ananpansah, B. Abraham (AB) was present and dully represented at best the wishes and aspirations of the people of Canteen Electoral Area.
In pursuit of my pledge and reformation agenda to bring governance closer to the doorsteps of electorates and involve electorates as much as possible in decision making,I present below a summary of issues of concern/relevance to Canteen Electoral Area raised by your servant-leader,hon.Ananpansah AB.
Note: Before this meeting,your humble servant(Assemblyman) through numerous community meetings collated the views of electorates and presented same to the assembly right from the subcommittees level to today's session.
Now to the summary of the issues of relevance to Canteen Electoral Area:
1. In his opening remarks,the presiding Member,hon.Mumuni Mohammed of Apelso Electoral Area condemned outrightly the assault on a colleague honourable member,the Assemblyman for the Canteen E/A,hon.Ananpansah,B Abraham a week ago.
He indicated that the attack on the Assemblyman represents an attack on all honourable members of the Au-gust house and charged the appropriate quarters to get to the bottom of the matter and bring the perpetrators to book.
Thanks to the honourable PM for this bold step(Canteen is grateful)#
2.After a presentation by the Savannah Regional Manager of the Ghana Water Company,Mr.Musah Amidu, your humble servant-leader,hon.Ananpansah B. Abraham(AB) ask pertinent questions with regards to the maintenance,commercial aspect and general management of mechanised boreholes in the municipality.
With specific mention of the Canteen Electoral Area,I sought to find out why the Ghana Water Company takes money from the sale of our two mechanised boreholes,but unable to use the same money to maintain them when they breakdown.I disclosed that we always have to rely on politicians and philanthropist to fix damaged boreholes even though,our women pay for the water they fetch.
(Where does the revenue then go to and where does the community come in-in terms of the management and cash flow of the mechanised boreholes?).
The Regional Manager in response made it clear that they are not in charge of the commercial aspect of the mechanised boreholes as it stands now.He said the West Gonja Municipal division of the Ghana Water Company (GWC) has one officer in the municipality,who is in charge of distribution and not the commercial aspect of the boreholes.According to him,the GWC has plans to take over the management and commercial aspect of the boreholes,but they are still facing challenges with the opening of accounts.So they don't operate any official account in the municipality at present and are unaware of any monies collected.
In effect,the collection of money from the sale points of the mechanised boreholes in the electoral area and municipality at large by some individuals is null,void and illegal.
He concluded by saying the Assembly may be in the better position to explain to honourable members the commercial aspect of the mechanised boreholes.
The Municipal Chief Executive(MCE),hon.Saeed Muhazu Jibreal in adding his voice disclosed that contrary to widely held views,the West Gonja Municipal Assembly is not in charge of the commercial aspect of the mechanised boreholes and don't also know where the monies collected are channelled.
He said the assembly got wind of such collection some time ago and summoned the said individuals over the illegality, since it was not sanctioned by the Ghana Water Company.
The Pandora box was opened and other Assemblymen came in strongly after listening to the varying accounts in response to my questions with similar concerns and the lack of accountability for the so called monies collected.(Emotions fled at this point with honorable members wondering how monies collected for over three year's now can't be traced and accounted for).
Upon several deliberations and the urgent need to stop an illegality that had been perpetuated for years,the MCE directed all Assembly persons where the points of sale are to take charge of the commercial aspect of the mechanised boreholes together with community members,until the GWC fully comes in.
Resolution: Assemblymen to take charge of the commercial aspect of the mechanised boreholes and ensure proper accountability until the GWC fully comes in and take over.
To this end,your humble servant, hon.AB ; together with hon.Helen, the youth chief of Canteen, Unit Committee Chairman and other opinion leaders,met all the vendors and conveyed the outcome of the meeting to them.
This was after a community durbur attended by chiefs and people of the Canteen Electoral Area to deliberate on the outcome of yesterday's assembly meeting.The meeting was well attended and community members were full of applause after listening to the outcome of the meeting.
They added some useful suggestions on how to properly manage the boreholes moving forward, pledging their full support...
Damongo township of which Canteen is part as disclosed by the Regional Manager will soon get a small water system with pipes connected to homes.
3.On the popular Grains Board(Warehouse),which happen to be the only singular biggest warehouse in the municipality located at Canteen Brigade line,your humble servant(Assemblyman) again raised critical questions about the raised roof,dilapidated nature of the facility coupled with the dark nature of the area in the night due to the lack of street lamps to lighten the area at night, making the area a fertile grounds for nocturnal activities.
This was a question I ask after the presentation by the Municipal Agric Director, Mr.Peter Clever.
In commenting on the recent theft case at the facility, I commended the DCE and the SRCC for the swift response,but emphasised on the need to get street lights around the area and raise a temporal security post.
Happy to announce that the West Gonja Municipal Assembly contacted me to engage the services of a night security for the facility,which I've since done.A very energetic young man to be catered for by the assembly is currently at post.
Also, the MCE in response to my question pledged to supply street lights along the road around the warehouse and to assist raise a temporal structure for the security man at post.The bush around the said warehouse will also be cleared.
I have committed to follow up on the two issues and believe there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Aside the above specifics, Canteen Electoral Area will also benefit from all the other packages available to the district; Planting for Food and Jobs,COVID-Relief packages ad infinitum.
It's important to note that,I've already briefed my Unit Committee members about the outcome of yesterday's meeting.Community elders and opinion leaders have also been briefed.Today, Friday July 18,matters arising from the meeting were accordingly disclosed to community members for wider deliberation at a community durbur organised in collaboration with NCCE.
The community members applauded the bold steps and effort of the Assemblyman.
Special appreciation to honourable Helen Azara for the support. (Together,we can succeed!).
#Let's get involved and build democracy from below and gradually reform Canteen.
I'm committed to making Canteen Electoral Area(E/A) a shining example and a model E/A.(ReformWithAB)#
Compiled by: Ananpansah, B. Abraham (AB)
(Assemblyman, Canteen E/A)
0241129910/0200704844
