COPIO is a registered NGO with registration number G – 24, 693 with the Registrar General Department and has been operating for thirteen years since the year 2003. The Techiman Municipal Assembly recognizes the presence and impact of COPIO as a partner in development. COPIO is currently implementing Social Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (SPEFA) in the Techiman Municipality, SPEFA process is a sub-component of the third component of the Local Government Capacity Support Project (LGCSP). The overall aim of SPEFA is to improve citizens’ perceptions of urban management and increase their engagement and participation in development decision-making with the Metropolitan and Municipal Assemblies (MMAs) across the country.
This initiative is designed to promote transparency, accountability and active participation of the citizenry in the Public Financial Management processes. The successful achievement of this would be based on knowledgeable, capable and concerned stakeholders in local government and other municipal development issues.
COPIO has over the years collaborated with the Techiman Municipal Assembly, the Techiman Municipal Health Directorate and the Techiman Municipal AIDS Committees/Focal Persons in a number of activities of mutual concern for the benefit of the people in the Municipality and beyond and will continue to collaborate with them in future activities.
COPIO as an organization has the society at heart and therefore we are prepared to execute projects and programmes geared towards poverty and vulnerability reduction and for that matter empowerment is our focal point. As a responsible Civil Society Organization, we do attend programmes and functions which are of National, Region, Municipal, Districts as well as grass root interest.
On the 11th of August, 2016, an Executive from our organization did attend a General Assembly Meeting held at the Bononkyempem Hall in the Techiman Municipality as part of our social responsibilities. Meetings of such nature are paramount and pivotal in the development of the Assembly and its citizenry. Assemblies are required by law “Model Standing Orders (MSOs) by Metro, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs); pursuant to section 18 (6) of the Local Government Act, 1993 (Act 462)” to host and organize meetings which are essential for the development of the Assembly as well as its citizenry.
As stated earlier, Techiman Municipal Assembly as a body has the responsibility by law to host and organize meetings of which the Assembly does and on this note we say bravo for fulfilling your legal requirement. Notwithstanding this, there are issues and matters of concern which need immediate attention. Our representative who did attend the Assembly’s last General Assembly Meeting observed the following:
Report on previous meeting (minutes) including report of executive committee meeting was not given to the Assembly Members on time for review and evaluation before the meeting.
Most of the Assembly Members were late. Some also came to register and afterward left the meeting grounds.
The presenters of the minutes and other reports did the presentations only in English Language which made it difficult for those members who are not literate in English to deduce meaning from the presentations.
It was also realized that sub-committees’ reports were presented verbally without any documentation for scrutiny and referencing in the future.
Invitation letters were not dispatched on time and for that matter some members were given their invitation letters for the meeting in the course of the programme.
Recommendations and Suggestions
• Minutes/reports of previous meetings should be made available to the Assembly Members and other stakeholders for proper criticism and corrections to be made before the meeting.
• Assembly members should be patriotic and responsive time keepers as well as stay during the meetings so they could contribute their quota towards the development of Techiman. There should also be stringent and deterrent measures in place to check absenteeism and increase punctuality.
• Presenters if possible should adhere to presentations both in Twi and English or better still get an interpreter to help in the presentation process so to help in the smooth dissemination of information.
• Sub – committees should try as much as possible to document their reports so as to facilitate easier scrutiny and referencing of the report when the need be.
• Invitation letters should be dispatched on time so to pre-inform participants and stakeholders of the meeting in order for them to prepare adequately and contribute towards the development of the Municipality.
• For feasible and workable resolutions, Assembly Members and other stakeholders should be adequately prepared, enough time should be apportioned for resolutions and Assembly members should not be in a haste to take any decision which might have negative repercussions on both the present and future generations. Thus, we should always think about sustainable development.
In conclusion, stakeholders and the Municipal Assembly should put in place all inclusive strategies and plans to facilitate the holistic development of the Municipality. We must all note that we have only one Ghana and One Techiman Municipality in it. Techiman and for that matter Ghana can only be developed and sustained by Ghanaians. Therefore, it is our duty and responsibility to contribute our quota towards the Municipal and National Development. When these recommendations and suggestions are adopted and put in practice, it would help in checking absenteeism, corruption and ensure punctuality and effective decision making as well as project the Assembly as a credible body to its citizenry and the outside world in general.
Source: COPIO, and SPEFA Members
